BC3 president to appear on 'PA Boroughs'
Butler County Community College President Nick Neupauer will discuss the school’s new downtown Butler initiatives and the advantages of a community college education during an appearance on “Inside PA Boroughs” in January.
Neupauer, who will be one of two guests during the 5 p.m. Jan. 13 show on PCN, will be the first community college president in the state to appear on a cable television program, according to a news release from BC3.
The show will “explore the vital role community colleges play in workforce development and economic development, and how these institutions must adapt to a changing workforce and expand access to underserved areas,” said Leslie Suhr, managing producer of the program and director of public affairs and new media for the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, which created the show.
Neupauer is in his 12th year as BC3’s president, making him the longest-serving active president among Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges.
As part of its 2017-2022 strategic plan, BC3 created the position of coordinator of community leadership initiatives. By moving that office in August to South Main Street, it established its first presence in the city of Butler.
In 2018, the school launched programming aimed at addressing the opioid crisis, encouraged its employees to volunteer at a nonprofit organization for up to four hours per month on work time, and created professional development workshops that represent the first open programming in downtown Butler by the college’s Workforce Development division.
On “Inside PA Boroughs,” Neupauer will discuss his work with Mark Gordon, Butler County’s chief of economic development and planning; the development of the Butler Growth Collaborative, which coordinates the efforts of county development leaders; and the benefits of attending a community college, such as affordability, accessibility and quality of education.
“I often reference that in life, we all have choices to make,” Neupauer said. “If someone wants the overall college experience, and on the back end come out with the $37,000 to $40,000 average in student loan debt, that is certainly one’s choice. The other path is that you save on cost and get the same quality.”
The program also will be broadcast at 6:30 a.m. Jan. 20, 2 p.m. Jan. 27 and 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3.
