BC3 hires new director for foundation
Following a national search, Butler County Community College hired a county native, who spent the last 11 years advocating for federal student financial aid programs in the nation's capitol, as the executive director of the BC3 Education Foundation and external relations, which provides scholarships and raises money to support programs.
Megan Coval, a 2001 Butler Area Senior High School graduate who hails from the Center Township area and was the vice president of policy and federal relations for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, was hired about two weeks ago to succeed Ruth Purcell, who retired in December after serving 10 years in the position at BC3.
“I've always been in the higher education field — making sure finances aren't the reason a person doesn't seek postsecondary education,” Coval said Monday. “Community colleges have always been a great interest because of the role they play in providing opportunities for students for postsecondary education.”
She said she was interested in the position at BC3 so her young children can spend more time with her parents and because there are similarities between her old and new jobs.
Her government relations and external communications work with the NASFAA involved working with lawmakers, officials from the U.S. Department of Education and peer organizations in higher education policy.
“There's a lot of parallels between government relations and the foundation,” Coval said. “I was just really excited about the role of the foundation here, and how it provides financial support for the college's mission.”
The executive director of the BC3 Education Foundation and external relations acquires and manages private resources for the benefit of BC3.
The BC3 Education Foundation will award more than $200,000 in named scholarships in the 2021-22 academic year to students attending BC3's main campus or its additional locations in Armstrong, Butler, Jefferson, Lawrence and Mercer counties.
“When Megan interviewed, she talked about relationship management,” said BC3 President Nick Neupauer. “That was the perfect fit for this position because of our relationships with so many different stakeholders, elected officials at the federal level, state level, local level and obviously alumni and colleagues at BC3. Her demonstration of that strength in forming relationships was so important.”
Coval started her career in higher education as an admissions counselor at Penn State University and then served as director of government relations for the U.S. Department of Education's Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.
In her position at NASFAA, she oversaw the organization's government relations, policy and grant work, and led its advocacy efforts to secure $77 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funding for postsecondary institutions and students.
She has a master's degree in higher education administration from Penn State University and a bachelor's degree in political science from Allegheny College. Her mother, Carol McClean, has an associate degree in secondary education from BC3.
Coval has spent her first weeks at BC3 getting acquainted with foundation staff and the projects they are working on.
BC3 has been the beneficiary of six pledged contributions of $1 million since 2014, and Coval said she will focus on maintaining relationships with current donors and building relationships with new donors.
The foundation's assets have tripled in the last 14 years to just less than $25 million, Neupauer said.
“There's so much to be said for the access BC3 provides for higher education, affordability and a great quality of education. The foundation does a good job of highlighting that. I want to continue that,” Coval said.
She and her husband, Nick, are parents of Annie, 4, and Gracie, 2.
