BC3 festivities lead up to inauguration
BUTLER TWP — The campus of Butler County Community College will be rocking, celebrating and changing this week with three events in as many days.
The college purposefully planned a campus party for Wednesday, a groundbreaking on a new building for Thursday and the inauguration of President Nick Neupauer for Friday.
"It was Dr. Neupauer's intention to have time with different audiences,"spokeswoman Susan Changnon said.
And so there are events for the public, students, faculty and dignitaries.
Neupauer became the eighth president of the college Aug. 1 after Cynthia Azari left for a position in California. Protocol calls for an official swearing-in ceremony in the first year in the post.
The public will get time withNeupauer Wednesday night at readings and an art show. The students are partying with him with a band festival, massages, food and games. And the dignitaries will be on campus for official ceremonies to install Neupauer and to mark the beginning of construction on the Student Success Center.
Ashley Ritson, co-chair, came to the inauguration planning committee asked to have a party,Changnon said, and Neupauer liked that idea. He suggested that the college have a concert of its own bands. That event is Wednesday afternoon, and the public is invited to evening arts events.
Art and readings
The public is invited, along with students, faculty, staff, to two events Wednesday.
The 2008 Student Art Exhibit Opening will be from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Mary Hulton Phillips Gallery of the Science and Technology Building. The Student Poetry and Monologue readings, "Forging New Ground," will be from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Succop Theater. Neupauer will read a selection.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Student Success Center will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday near the Forum.There will be 10 platform speakers: Neupauer; John Kearny, vice president for Student Services; state Rep. Brian Ellis, R-11th; Joseph Hasychak, Butler Township commissioner; Jim Lokhaiser, county commissioner; Dale Pinkerton, county commissioner; Ashley Ritson, BC3 Executive Council for Students co-chair; Sue Bennitt, chair of the BC3 Foundation; Grace Hawkins, BC3 board of trustee member; and Susan Changnon, director of communications and marketing.The Student Success Center will put student support services like admissions, registration, financial aid and the bookstore under one roof near the center of campus.The $2.6 million building was designed by Burt Hill and is expected to open for the fall 2009 semester."Everyone here is excited about it," Changnon said.The ceremony is by invitation only and will be attended by students, faculty, and staff and community members.About 165 people are expected for the ceremony.
BC3 will celebrate the inauguration of Neupauer from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday in the Succop Theater.The ceremony will include an academic procession of faculty, staff, and 21 delegates from other colleges and universities; greetings by elected officials, alumni, and students; and the official Presidential Induction.Both the ceremony and reception will have live music by Trinity Jazz Orchestra.Neupauer and his wife, Tamatha, will greet guests at a reception immediately following the ceremony. Gifts, citations, proclamations and letters of congratulations will be on display in the Mary Hulton Phillips Gallery.About 400 people are expected for the event, including about 45 members of Neupauer's family.The inauguration ceremony and reception are by invitation only and interested BC3 students.
