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Bucks County Community College Announces Presidential Search Finalists
The Presidential Search Committee appointed by the Bucks County Community College’s Board of Trustees announced today that three finalists have been selected in the search for the College’s next president.
Following Dr. Ganther’s mid-October announcement of her resignation as president effective in December, the Board retained RH Perry, a national search firm specializing in higher education to conduct the search. Without the luxury of having a sitting president during this search, Board Chair Thomas Jennings knew that the Board had to act swiftly in order to have the executive leadership position filled by July 1. Seventy-five applications were received and after careful consideration, the search committee narrowed the field to three finalists.
The finalists are...
John C. Boyd, Ph.D., President, Mayland Community College
Patrick M. Jones, Ph.D., Chancellor and Professor of Music, Penn State Schuylkill
Evon Washington Walters, Ed.D., President, Northwest Region, Community College of Allegheny County
Bios and resumes for each candidate are available on BCCC’s website.
The three candidates will take part in the final round of the search process which includes open forums, conducted in person but also available virtually, with faculty, staff, and students. The finalists will visit BCCC on February 26, March 4, and March 7, 2024.
“We are looking forward to the face-to-face meetings with the candidates in the coming weeks,” Jennings says. “Each candidate has amassed significant accomplishments in their higher education careers to date. We are excited to learn about their vision and aspirations for Bucks and the communities we serve.”
After receiving and carefully reviewing feedback from the college community, the Presidential Search Committee will make their recommendation to the full Board of Trustees. Following deliberation by the Board, an announcement of the College’s sixth president will be made public.
Bucks to Host Recovery & Mental Health Community Resource Fair on March 9
The Collegiate Recovery Program at Bucks County Community College will be hosting a free Recovery & Mental Health Community Resource Fair with 30+ community organizations participating The Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP) at Bucks County Community College is hosting a free Recovery & Mental Health Community Resource Fair on Saturday, March 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be held in the Linksz Pavilion on the Newtown Campus (275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA 18940).
During the resource fair, members of the community will be able to speak with more than 30 organizations from Bucks, Montgomery, & Philadelphia counties to obtain information about resources and support pertaining to: collegiate recovery programs; substance use disorder and recovery; harm reduction; mental health; suicide; grief; eating disorders; domestic violence; and sexual health and wellness.
The event will also feature a keynote speaker, Nicholas Emeigh, Associate Executive Director for NAMI Bucks County PA, an affiliate of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Nicholas Emeigh is a mental health advocate and public speaker with eight years of continuous recovery from mental illness and substance use. He is also a survivor of three suicide attempts. A Bucks County resident, Emeigh proudly serves the NAMI mission providing help, hope, awareness and opportunities to the county’s 600,000 residents.
For more information about this event or the CRP, email collegiaterecovery@bucks.edu.
About the Bucks Collegiate Recovery Program
CRP supports students at Bucks County Community College affected by substance use disorders. The program offers a safe, sober and confidential environment to connect with peers and CRP staff. Highlights of the program include:
Weekly support groups for students in recovery and/or struggling with substance use disorder.
Access to substance use disorder and mental health community resources.
Campus-wide harm reduction training and distribution of Narcan and Fentanyl/Xylazine test strips.
Weekly support groups for those who have loved ones struggling with addiction.
Annual recovery-based events focused on breaking the stigma of addiction, treatment, and recovery.
Three Artists in “Construction Time Again” Exhibition to Present Artists’ Talk
Starting at 5:30 p.m. on February 28 in the Zlock Performing Arts Center on the Newtown Campus of Bucks County Community College, Philadelphia-based artists Diane Burko, Nicolo Gentile and Kristen Neville Taylor will discuss their artworks featured in the exhibition, “Construction Time Again” on view nearby in the College’s Hicks Art Center Gallery. All three artists respond to social, cultural, architectural, ecological, and environmental events that locally and globally impact all human lives through different media and concepts in their artworks.
In 2023, Diane Burko attended the LABverde residency in Brazil. The experience invigorated the artist’s pursuit to “[celebrate] the sublimity of the landscape by honoring the intricate geological and political webs that shape the identity of a place” in her art practice. Burko’s diptych paintings on view in the exhibition, “Deforestation 1” and “Deforestation 2”, illustrate and represent the charring of the landscape; a violent act displacing Indigenous peoples who have inhabited Amazonia for thousands of years.
Nicolo Gentile’s figural aluminum casts on weightlifting equipment specifically address the demolition of the building that once housed the 12th Street Gym in Philadelphia—a vital hub for the neighboring gay community that closed in January 2018 after serving 4,000 members for 30 years. A ghostly presence permeates Gentile’s sculptures—vestigial reminders of the members whose space held community.
Land use and resource evolution are central themes in Kristen Neville Taylor’s recent body of work “End of Days.” With personal ties to glass production and installation; her father worked as a glazier installing windows in skyscrapers, Taylor’s pâte de verres, videos, and sculptures describe myths and lore around the evolution of the sand mines of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The once 1,000 active mines have mostly vanished leaving massive lakes of tropical hued water- tinged with cyanobacteria.
Discussion topics and questions for the artists during the artists’ talk will include: “How does each use research in their creative processes?”; “What does the adage ‘Think Globally, Act Locally’ mean to them now?”; and “How can artists make the world more peaceful?” After the discussion, the audience will have the opportunity to ask the artists questions.
The artists’ talk and discussion will be moderated by Hicks Art Center Gallery Exhibitions Associate, Clifford Eberly. This event is free and open to the public.
The Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturdays from noon – 4 p.m.
For more information, please visit Hicks Art Center Gallery and follow on Instagram @bcccartscomm.
Bucks County Community College Hosts Voting Rights Panel Discussion
County and state officials will address how to ensure a fair and safe election Thursday, February 15 at Newtown Campus and online as part of Black History Month events To commemorate Black History Month, Bucks County Community College invites the public to a Voting Rights Forum at noon Thursday, February 15, at the Newtown Campus and online.
“The 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote in 1870, but even with this Constitutional right, it was denied to most African Americans until the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965,” said Kevin L. Antoine, the College’s Associate Vice President of External Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer. “It’s vital that we remain vigilant to protect voting rights in order to sustain our democracy.”
Antoine will moderate the discussion with the following panelists:
State Representative Joe Hogan, 142nd District
Diane Ellis-Marseglia, Bucks County Commissioner and member of the Board of Elections
John Jordan, 1st Vice President, Bucks County NAACP
The discussion gets underway at noon Thursday, February 15, in the Gallagher Room, located in the Rollins Center of the Newtown Campus at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., 18940. The panel discussion will also be streamed live online to those who register in advance.
The event is sponsored by the College’s Office of External Affairs and DEI Programs, and is among several educational forums at Bucks County Community College to encourage dialogue on issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. To learn more, visit the DEI page or contact diversity@bucks.edu.
Civics Education: So, You Think You Know Your Government?
Distinguished Federal and State Judges and Practitioners Lead the 8-Week Noncredit Program Exploring Crucial Aspects of U.S. Government Bucks County Community College is excited to announce the launch of a new noncredit program, "Civics Education: So, You Think You Know Your Government?". This 8-week course offers participants a unique opportunity to learn about the U.S. Constitution, the court system, immigration, criminal and civil cases, and various other aspects of our government that every informed citizen should be familiar with.
Led by a rotation of distinguished Federal and State judges and practitioners, the weekly classes promise an accessible, engaging, and interactive forum. Participants will delve into specialized fields of the court system, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the nation's legal framework.
The program will take place on Wednesday evenings, 6 to 7:15 p.m., from March 27 to May 15 at the College’s Newtown Campus (275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA). Registration is limited to 100 participants, and the fee for the entire 8-week program is $50. Please note that financial aid cannot be used for this program.
To register and view the complete schedule and curriculum, please visit the Civics Education program. For more information, please email coned@bucks.edu or call 215-968-8409.
Experience an Unforgettable Valentine's Special: "People Will Say We’re in Love"
A Romantic Concert by John Smitherman & Jessica Edwards – Friday, February 9, 7:30 p.m. Love is in the air this Valentine's season as the Zlock Performing Arts Center proudly presents "People Will Say We’re in Love," a special concert crafted for the romantic in all of us. Join renowned artists John Smitherman and his lovely wife, Jessica Edwards, for an evening filled with the beautiful music of Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, and other timeless composers, featuring enchanting duets for lovers.
This extraordinary Valentine's event will take place on Friday, February 9, 2024, at 7:30 pm at the Zlock Performing Arts Center on Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Campus. Couples and music enthusiasts alike are invited to indulge in an unforgettable night of romance and melody, as John and Jessica serenade the audience with their captivating performances.
"People Will Say We’re in Love" promises to be a celebration of love's enduring magic, with a carefully curated selection of classic love songs that will tug at your heartstrings and transport you to a world of romance and passion. From the irresistible charm of Cole Porter's melodies to the timeless elegance of Irving Berlin's compositions, this concert will showcase the beauty and depth of the Great American Songbook.
John Smitherman and Jessica Edwards, both accomplished artists in their own right, bring a wealth of talent and charisma to the stage. Their chemistry and musicality will captivate audiences as they breathe new life into beloved favorites and lesser-known gems alike.
Tickets are $20 and are free for current Bucks County Community College students with valid student ID. For more information and to purchase tickets visit the Zlock Performing Arts Center. For group sales, please call: 215-968-8469.
