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AWS and BCCC Celebrate Conclusion of Unique Four-Week Training Program
Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Bucks County Community College (BCCC) honored 19 students who completed four weeks of paid pre-apprenticeship training on Friday, April 24. The training – the first of its kind in Pennsylvania – was designed to prepare the workforce needed for the construction and operation of data centers and other information technology infrastructure. After the graduation ceremony at the College’s Center for Advanced Technologies, located at the Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks, the students networked with potential employers at a job fair. Learn more about related training opportunities at BCCC.
A cohort of 19 students graduated April 24 from Amazon Web Services Information Infrastructure Pre-Apprenticeship training at Bucks County Community College. The graduates earned several industry-required certificates, including AWS I2PA and OSHA 10. (PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Parker, BCCC)
Nick Lee-Romagnolo, director of economic and workforce development for Amazon Web Services, addressed students graduating from AWS’s pre-apprenticeship training program at Bucks County Community College’s Center for Advanced Technologies. He stressed the value of BCCC and the connections it brings. “Tell everyone you know these opportunities exist,” he said. “Call your community college. They are the best resource for connecting teaching and learning and then finding employers to get people into these industries.” (PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Parker, BCCC)
Shan Bercaw (at podium), director of workforce programs at Bucks County Community College, addresses graduates and their families at the conclusion of a four-week training program in partnership with Amazon Web Services. The 19 students then attended a job fair to showcase their newly acquired skills in information infrastructure technology. (PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Parker, BCCC)
Recent graduates of Amazon Web Services Information Infrastructure Pre-Apprenticeship program (AWS I2PA) had the opportunity to network with potential employers at a job fair at Bucks County Community College’s Center for Advanced Technologies. The four-week program, the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, introduced students to the skills needed for the growing industry. (PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Parker, BCCC)
Windgate Foundation Challenge Grant for Mobile Glassblowing Unit
Bucks County Community College has received a major grant award from the Windgate Foundation to support the launch of the Bucks Fire Wagon, a portable glassblowing unit that will bring hot glass education and public arts experiences to students and communities throughout the region.
The award includes a $70,000 challenge grant for the Fire Wagon. To receive those funds, Bucks must raise an equal $70,000 in qualified gifts and pledges by December 31.
The Bucks Fire Wagon is designed to continue the College’s glassblowing tradition in a more flexible and accessible format. Bucks has offered glassblowing courses for several decades, and this mobile model will allow the College to revive that legacy while reaching beyond a traditional studio setting. The Fire Wagon will support college coursework, expand opportunities for middle and high school students through community and dual-enrollment partnerships, and bring glass arts to festivals, events, and broader public audiences.
The project also reflects a more sustainable approach to glass education. The shift to a mobile furnace and annealer, along with the use of recycled glass, will reduce environmental impact while broadening educational reach.
“Support from the Windgate Foundation gives Bucks an extraordinary opportunity to preserve and reimagine our glassblowing program for a new generation,” said Dr. Carolina Blatt, Dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts at Bucks. “Now we are asking our community to help us meet this challenge and bring the Bucks Fire Wagon fully to life.”
Bucks is inviting alumni, arts supporters, families, community members, and friends of the College to help meet the match. Every eligible gift will move the College closer to unlocking the full Windgate challenge and making this portable glassblowing studio a reality.
The Fire Wagon is a tool for education, outreach, and long-term community engagement. In addition to serving Bucks students, it is intended to introduce more young people and community members to the art of glassblowing and strengthen the College’s role as an accessible hub for arts education in the region.
Donors should note that, under Windgate’s grant terms, in-kind contributions, income from sales of items or services, and event or raffle ticket sales do not count toward the required match.
To support the Bucks Fire Wagon challenge, please visit our donation web page.
Those interested in supporting the Bucks Fire Wagon challenge, may also contact the Bucks County Community College Foundation at foundation@bucks.edu.
Celebrate Arts at Bucks with 61st Annual Student Art Exhibition
Bucks County Community College invites the public to Arts at Bucks, the annual multi-week celebration that showcases all that the School of Arts and Communication has to offer.
Arts at Bucks features the 61st Annual Student Art Exhibition, with dozens of works students created over the last year. Media includes ceramics, dance, digital media, drawing, film, fine woodworking, graphic design, jewelry, music, painting, printmaking, photography, 2D design, 3D design, video, and web design.
The exhibition will be on view from Friday, April 24 through Tuesday, May 12 in the Hicks Art Center. The public is invited to the exhibition reception, open studios, alumni and student art and craft sale, and the art scholarship and award ceremony on Sunday, April 26 from 1 to 4 p.m.
“This year's exhibition runs the gamut in all arts media that students at Bucks learn,” noted Clifford Eberly, the College’s senior manager of galleries and exhibitions. “What is most striking is witnessing the tremendous results of students devoted to the process, both collaboratively and individually, to fulfill their creative visions in their works.”
New this year is the Bucks Alumni and Student Art, Book and Maker Fair Saturday, April 25, from 10 to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Maker Fair takes place in the courtyard outside the Hicks Art Center and 3-D Arts Building. In case of inclement weather, the Maker Fair will be moved indoors to 3-D Arts Building room 001.
The Arts at Bucks schedule for April 26 is as follows:
61st Annual Student Exhibition Reception Noon – 4 p.m., Hicks Art Center; 2 p.m., Arts Scholarship and Award Ceremony
Open Studios 1 – 4 p.m., Hicks Art Center and 3-D Arts Building Fine Woodworking, Jewelry, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Foundry
Wood Turning Demonstration 1 – 2 p.m., Hicks Art Center, Room 130 Matt Overton shows his expertise in the art of Wood Turning.
Bronze Pour Demonstration
3 p.m., 3-D Arts Building, Metal Foundry Faculty member Jon Burns guides a team of artists through the process of casting bronze sculpture.
What’s more, Arts at Bucks also features music, film, and dance presentations by students for their end-of-semester or end-of-year projects. More events include:
Wednesday, April 22 – Madrigal Singers, 7 p.m., Zlock Performing Arts Center
Thursday, April 30, Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2 – Bucks Drama Club presents “The Great Gatsby,” 7 p.m., Zlock Performing Arts Center ($10 adults/$5 students)
Monday, May 4 – Percussion Ensemble, 7 p.m., Zlock Performing Arts Center
Tuesday, May 5 – Music Ensembles, 7 p.m., Zlock Performing Arts Center
Wednesday, May 6 – Bucks Filmfest, 12:30 p.m., Zlock Performing Arts Center
Thursday, May 7 – Student Comedy Improv, 7 p.m., Zlock Performing Arts Center
Friday, May 8 – Bucks Dance Showcase, 7 p.m., Zlock Performing Arts Center
Arts at Bucks is hosted by the College’s School of Arts and Communication, which offers eight associate degree majors and two certificate programs. Bucks County Community College is an accredited institutional member of both the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and the National Association of Schools of Music.
Most Arts at Bucks events are free and open to the public. The Drama Club event is ticketed. The Newtown campus is located at 275 Swamp Road, Newtown, Pa., 18940, where there is ample free parking. Follow @bcccartscomm on Instagram.
Pennsbury Sophomore Named Top High School Fiction Writer
The Bucks County Short Fiction Contest for High-School students is pleased to announce the winners for the Spring 2026 contest.
Sara Templeton of Yardley, a tenth-grader at Pennsbury High School, placed first for “The Boy Who Painted the Sunset.” Jason Marks of Sellersville, a tenth-grader at Pennridge High School, placed second for “The Grave.” Sarah Lueck of Doylestown, a senior at Central Bucks West High School, placed third for “Echoes and Revelations.” There were 50 entries in this year’s contest. Dr. Ellen Pratofiorito, a faculty member at Bucks County Community College, made the final selections.
Of Templeton’s story, Pratofiorito said, “With sensitivity and nuance, the writer addresses the value, and the limitations, of art in the difficult life of one boy as he is growing up. Starting with a rich description of a sunset, the writer bravely sets art alongside the life problems which art cannot solve, though we see at the same time, through the main character, that art may help us survive, and maybe even hope to thrive."
The final judge commented on Marks’ story by saying, “This story captures the dialogue, tone of voice, and thought patterns of its main characters, primarily a group of teenage boys, in a way that is engaging and believable. The writer manages what begins as light and even humorous dialogue to turn to some of the darker and more existential questions and threats troubling us all—about isolation, loneliness, and self-doubt.”
Lueck’s story “explores the grief and trauma of an accident which causes the loss of sight for the main character,” wrote the judge. “The story works through the slow progress towards acceptance and even perhaps moments of unexpected appreciation in the new life thrust onto the narrator, who, in an unusual choice, turns out not to be a human first-person narrator, but a dragon.”
The winners will be honored at a celebration at 7 p.m., Wednesday. April 22, in Tyler Hall on the Newtown Campus.
Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Campus is located at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., 18940.
Scholarship Tea Honors Founding Mothers and Mothers of Today
Bucks County Community College invites the public to its 19th annual Salute to Mothers Scholarship Tea from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, May 1, in the Tyler Formal Gardens.
In recognition of America’s 250th anniversary and Bucks County’s deep historical roots, this year’s theme is America’s Founding Mothers, honoring women whose leadership, resilience, and commitment to education helped shape our nation.
The Salute to Mothers scholarship, established in 2007 by Professor Emerita Betty Tsai, has awarded more than 265 scholarships, providing over $366,000 in financial assistance to students pursuing their academic goals while raising a family.
One such student is Kassandra Castillo, a journalism major and past recipient of the Salute to Mothers scholarship. Castillo, the editor-in-chief of the award-winning Centurion student newspaper, a freelance journalist, and a member of the Class of 2026, will share her inspiring story as the keynote student speaker.
In the tented event space in the Tyler Formal Gardens, guests can learn about our nation’s founding mothers by taking in student research projects on display. They will also enjoy live music by acclaimed violinist Claudia Pelligrini while sampling tea sandwiches and dessert catered by Simply Delicious by Tina. Attendees can also try their luck to win a variety of raffle baskets overflowing with sought-after gifts from local businesses.
Tickets for the Salute to Mothers Scholarship Tea are $70 each, or a table of eight for $480. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. To purchase tickets, visit salutetomothers.net. For more information, email foundation@bucks.edu or call 215-968-8224.
Bucks County Community College is located at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., where there is ample free parking. The Salute to Mothers Scholarship Tea takes place in the event tent in the Tyler Formal Gardens, located behind historic Tyler Hall on the campus. For a campus map and directions, visit our Newtown Campus web page.
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Tyler Gardens and Landscaping Lecture
Bucks County Community College, which was founded on a former baronial estate more than 60 years ago, invites the public to the 18th annual Tyler Formal Gardens and Landscaping Lecture at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 18.
Edward Thome and Abdallah Tabet of the Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation will present "From the Garden Up: Lynnewood, Landscape, and Legacy," a journey exploring the historic gardens of Lynnewood Hall and how their investigation into the past has catalyzed new ideas for the historic site's future.
Lynnewood Hall is a 110-room Neoclassical Revival mansion in Elkins Park, Pa., designed by architect Horace Trumbauer in the late 1890s for industrialist Peter A.B. Widener. After several decades of neglect, the mansion was purchased 2023 by the Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation, which has announced plans to restore the house and grounds. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2025.
“Changes in the landscape can teach us about the past, just as much as an old newspaper or an antique clock," noted Matt Metcalf, Historic Preservation Area Coordinator at Bucks County Community College. "Formal gardens are works of art: designers ‘paint’ with organic materials. Bringing these landscapes back to life helps us appreciate the past in a tangible way."
Edward Thome is the executive director and a founding member of Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation. After falling in love with Lynnewood Hall at just 11 years old, he has been endeavoring to save the grand home since 2018. Thome – who strives to make history tangible to the public – firmly believes that Lynnewood Hall can become one of the great cultural centers of Philadelphia and bring unique educational and recreational opportunities to the community.
Abdallah Tabet is an architect and landscape architect with over 20 years of extensive experience around the world. His work in France includes the grounds of Chantilly and Vaux-le-Vicomte, private estates, river restorations, and the public garden of a temple in Versailles. In the U.S., Tabet played a key role in the design of the new Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the expansion of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He also developed a master plan for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. He was recently selected as one of 100 young professionals to collaborate with Oprah Winfrey as part of her SuperSoul100 program.
The lecture takes place in the Zlock Performing Arts Center on the Newtown Campus, followed by a tour of the historic Tyler Formal Gardens.
Before the lecture, raffle tickets will be on sale for a chance to win garden accents for your home. An exhibition by Bucks County artists, “Garden Glories 2,” sponsored by the Hicks Art Center Gallery, will be on display in the Zlock lobby.
The College is located at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., where there is ample free parking. For a campus map and directions, visit the Newtown Campus web page.
Tickets for the Tyler Formal Gardens and Landscaping Lecture are $20 general admission, $15 for veterans and BCCC alumni, and free for current Bucks students with ID. Tickets can be purchased at online or at the door. For more information, email Matt Metcalf.
