BUTLER TWP — Jenette Armentrout's first class at Slippery Rock University started last week, but Tuesday she and her family took an evening to celebrate what she's accomplished already.

Armentrout, 36, of Butler led her fellow Butler County Community College graduates in switching the tassel at Tuesday's graduation ceremonies in the field house on campus. Her sister was watching and waiting for her turn in a year.

At the ceremony, the college's 42nd, 405 students were honored. About 185 students were expected to attend.

Maggie Stock, Butler mayor and a BC3 professor, gave the keynote address. Kathleen Brown, a member of the Class of 1983 and director of the Donald D. Wolff Jr. Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation of UPMC, gave the Distinguished Alumni address.

Student Charles Le Gros was chosen to deliver the student address, and Alyssa Chappel served as the student alumni representative.

Named the first All-American Coca-Cola Scholar in BC3 history, Armentrout has much of her future mapped out.

She's already started her first class at SRU to earn a bachelor's degree in business management. When that's checked off the list, she's going to finish with an MBA there.

That's her plan, but she knows plans don't always work the way she intends.

"No matter what my plan was, it changed," she said. "But always for the better."

Her associate degree in business administration certainly wasn't always in her plan.

Armentrout was separated from her husband and raising her two teen children in Mercer County when she decided to go to school. At first, she didn't know how to pay for tuition, but she learned about and took advantage of the KEYS program. That state program for low-income residents pays the tuition and connects students with resources.

Next, she learned about government housing in Butler and moved her children here so she could continue with school.

"It's not easy," she said. "It's definitely not easy, but it's worth it."

It didn't take Armentrout long to fall in love with the college. And, once she did, she started to persuade her sister to enroll.

Joy McAdoo took her time but eventually followed her older sister to Butler. She left Erie and signed up for social work classes at the college.

Now, the two are a team, supporting each other as they try to improve their lives.

"We're best friends," Armentrout said. "Even if we're not happy, we're there for each other."

Armentrout said she was excited to get involved at school. She joined the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, became a student ambassador, joined the college version of student council, and was a co-captain of the March of Dimes Walk on campus earlier this month.

She was named to the All-Pennsylvania Academic Team, which pays for her education at SRU. Then she was chosen as a bronze scholar of the All-USA Academic team, which contributes $1,000 scholarships.

She worked at the college as a tutor. She learned about grant writing while working for the Butler County Housing Authority. She's become an advocate for the KEYS and the New Choices/New Options programs, and gotten involved in whatever comes her way.

"This is a whole life experience," she said. "It's not just 'get to the next class.' "

All those accomplishments are resume builders, Armentrout said. But, the most important part of college was setting a good example for her daughters, Shaylee and Kaylee, she said.

"And your sister," McAdoo piped up.

McAdoo, who shared some of the classes with her sister, said she's proud of the efforts Armentrout made.

McAdoo too fell in love with the college soon after she arrived.

"It feels more like a family," she said.