College News
BC3 @ Brockway
BROCKWAY — Six regional residents this spring are among more than 40 Butler County Community College students from eight western Pennsylvania counties who have accepted membership into BC3’s 55-year-old chapter of an international academic honor society for two-year colleges and programs.
BC3 students from Clarion, Jefferson and McKean counties are the newest members of Rho Phi, the college’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.
They join BC3 students from Armstrong, Butler, Lawrence, Mercer and Westmoreland counties as new members this spring of the society that recognizes scholarship and promotes development and leadership.
New members must of Rho Phi must have a grade-point average of at least 3.5.
“We are getting students who are academically committed, and we are also getting students who are interested in being more engaged,” said Dr. Josh Novak, primary adviser of BC3’s Rho Phi chapter. “A lot of students may have been in honor societies in high school, and they want to continue that work at the college level.”
Students who have completed at least 12 credit hours toward an associate degree or six credit hours toward a oneyear certificate and who meet academic requirements are eligible for membership in Rho Phi, formed at BC3 in 1968.
Rho Phi has approximately 200 members each semester, Novak said.
“It’s definitely a resume-builder,” Novak said. “It’s also something that is recognized by both transfer schools and, potentially down the road, employers. More importantly is the opportunity to participate in leadership, scholarship, service and fellowship.”
An increasing number of senior institutions to which BC3 students most often transfer are awarding scholarships specifically to those who were members of Phi Theta Kappa, Novak said.
“Being a member of PTK,” Novak said,
“opens up doors.”
New Rho Phi members this spring include, from Clarion County, Amanda Claypoole, Clarion, health care science; from Jefferson County, Hunter Wolfe, Brookville, park and recreation management, Belinda Tinari, Corsica, health care science, and Lauren Taylor, Falls Creek, Nursing, R.N.; from Jefferson County, Julia McAdoo, Punxsutawney, Nursing, R.N.; and from McKean County, Katie Dase, Kane, health care science.
Slippery Rock University
SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University will conduct its 2023 spring commencement ceremonies, May 5-6, at the Morrow Field House. A total of 1,685 students are eligible to be recognized as graduates in the following ceremonies:
• 6 p.m. May 5, graduate studies.
• 9 a.m. May 6, the College of Business.
• Noon, May 6, the College of Education, the College of Liberal Arts and the Rock Life program.
• 3 p.m. May 6, the College of Health Professions and the College of Engineering and Science.
Electronic tickets are required for entry and each graduate will be provided up to four guest tickets. All ceremonies will be livestreamed on www.sru. edu for those friends and family members without a ticket, unable to attend in person or who prefer to watch the ceremony online. Additionally, there will be livestream viewing locations for guests without tickets at the Russell Wright Alumni House on May 5 and at the Smith Student Center Theater and the Advanced Technology Science Auditorium on May 6.
Student marshals and University flag bearers, selected by their deans or provost, will hold either their respective college flag or the SRU flag for the ceremonies’ processionals. They include Ethan Brentham, a health and physical education major from Brookville (noon, May 6).