2 BC3 students selected to All-Pennsylvania Academic Team
Two Butler County Community College students have been selected to join Phi Theta Kappa’s 2026 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team.
Serena Horstman, of Penn Township, and Taylor Voloch, of West Sunbury, who will both graduate in May, are being honored for their commitment to their community college and to their community.
Horstman, a firefighter and emergency medical technician, and Voloch, a fundraiser for veterans stateside and active military abroad, will receive full-tuition scholarships applicable to any Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education university.
Students selected must be enrolled in a transfer program at a Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges institution, such as BC3, and have earned an overall grade-point average of at least 3.5 through 36 credits.
Horstman and Voloch graduated from high school as National Honor Society students and enrolled during fall 2024 in 62-credit associate degree transfer programs at BC3.
Horstman, 19, is studying criminology at BC3. She is a firefighter and emergency medical technician with the Penn Township Volunteer Fire Department and seeks to become an arson investigator.
Voloch, 19, is studying psychology at BC3. She assists Hero’s Angels fundraisers in Chicora and wants to become a school counselor.
Phi Theta Kappa is an international academic honor society for two-year colleges and programs. Horstman is vice president for service in Rho Phi, BC3’s 150-member chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, and Voloch is chapter vice president.
They have volunteered with other Rho Phi members at BC3’s student life events, sponsored stress-relieving activities during finals week and created a weeklong pop-up shop with donated items available free to other students.
“Serena and Taylor are impressive examples of our students at BC3,” said Josh Novak, the college’s vice president for student affairs and enrollment management. “They excel academically while balancing many life commitments and are both driven toward careers where they can help others.
“But they are not waiting until some future timeline to start leaving their mark. They are already making important contributions to their local communities and are creating incredible impact through their service and volunteer efforts.”
Horstman and Voloch will be honored for their All-Pennsylvania Academic Team selection at the commission’s banquet April 7 in Harrisburg.
“Looking back at all the hard work I have done and still do makes me proud,” Horstman said. “I’ve pushed through challenges that might arise and I am more confident because I have worked so hard to get to where I am.”
“I put my all into everything,” Voloch said. “I’m very proud of how hard I have worked and it is definitely my hard work that is shown in all the accomplishments I’ve had.”
Horstman plans to transfer to Indiana or Slippery Rock universities of Pennsylvania and major in criminology with a concentration in forensic science. She trained to become a firefighter through BC3’s public safety training department.
Voloch intends to transfer to Slippery Rock University, where she will major in psychology. She is also a BC3 student ambassador who assists the college with events and became BC3’s first female All-American in golf in June.
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education has awarded to All-Pennsylvania Academic Team members full-tuition scholarships toward completing a bachelor’s degree at any of its universities since 2001.
Bill Foley is coordinator of news and media content at Butler County Community College.
