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Bucks County Community College Honors Distinguished Alumni
Walter Stoertz, Jr., ‘77, Edward Tokmajian, Jr., ‘97, Steven Coyne, ‘73, and Sydney Brooks, ’21, were celebrated for their achievements in a recent ceremony Bucks County Community College honored four distinguished alumni at an Alumni Achievement Awards ceremony September 24 in historic Tyler Hall on the Newtown Campus. The awards, presented by the BCCC Alumni Association, acknowledge the outstanding achievements and contributions each has made to their profession, their community, and their alma mater.
The 2026 honorees are:
Alumni Association President’s Distinguished Award – Walter Stoertz, Jr., class of 1977
Community Service Award – Edward Tokmajian, Jr., class of 1997
Centurion Award – Steven Coyne, class of 1973
Professional Achievement Award – Sydney Brooks, class of 2021
Alumni Association President’s Distinguished Award: Walter Stoertz, Jr., ‘77
Walter Stoertz, Jr., ’77, of Washington Crossing, Pa., is recognized for his distinguished record of public service and civic leadership in Bucks County. He currently serves on the Bucks County Community College Board of Trustees and previously served on the College's Foundation Board of Directors and as president of its Alumni Council.
Stoertz built a 35-year career with the United States Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, rising to senior leadership positions including administrator to the chief judge of the U.S. District Court, chief deputy clerk of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and acting clerk of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. During that career, he completed the Judicial Fellowship Program of the Institute for Court Management, earning designation as a Lifelong Fellow; served on the Human Resources Advisory Council of the Judicial Conference of the United States; and received an Outstanding Service Award for his contributions to the federal judiciary.
Since retiring, Stoertz has remained deeply engaged in civic life. In addition to serving on the BCCC Board of Trustees, he serves on the boards of Foundations Community Partnership, the Bucks County Playhouse, and the Bucks County Herald Foundation. He is also a member of the New Hope Historical Society and a volunteer with the United Way's Bucks Knocks Out Hunger program.
Community Service Award: Edward Tokmajian, Jr., ‘97
Ed Tokmajian, Jr., ’97, of Bensalem, Pa., has spent decades serving the Bensalem and Bucks County communities through public service, volunteerism, and a commitment to education.
Tokmajian has served two terms on Bensalem Township Council and is currently Council President. He has also served on the Bucks County Planning Commission since 2021 and is a longtime member of the Bensalem Lions Club. He has volunteered as an assistant coach with the Bensalem High School Mock Trial program and mentors veterans through American Corporate Partners.
His commitment to Bensalem began nearly three decades ago with the Central Park Task Force, helping shape the vision for the municipal park. Today, he remains an active and visible presence in the community, working to help residents address neighborhood concerns, preserve open space, and support the township services residents rely on, including public works, police, fire, and other essential services.
While a student at Bucks, Tokmajian earned the President’s Cup in recognition of his contributions to the College community. In 2024, he was appointed to the College’s Board of Trustees, and currently serves as Chair of the Finance Committee, bringing his professional experience in finance and management to help strengthen the College and support its mission.
Centurion Award: Steven Coyne, ‘73
Steven Coyne, ’73, of Feasterville, Pa., is recognized for his leadership skills and engagement with the community as a College employee. After graduating from Bucks County Community College in 1973 as a Health and Physical Education major, Coyne completed his four-year degree at West Chester University and his master's degree at The College of New Jersey. He taught at several institutions in the Philadelphia area before returning to Bucks County Community College as a faculty member in 2006 until his retirement in 2026.
Coyne has shown dedication to his alma mater by sharing his passion with anyone who crosses his path. He served as head coach of the men's basketball and tennis teams for several years. He has served as a Coordinator in Sport Management and Intramural Director. He also helped develop courses for the Sport Management program and Open Educational Resources in the department.
Coyne is certified in Mental Health First Aid and as an instructor in American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED. He has also collaborated with the community by placing interns in the surrounding areas. His students have gone on to become teachers, coaches, and even saved the lives of other people. Some students have worked with various professional sports teams such as the Phillies. He has also been recognized as an outstanding basketball official for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) for over 20 years. He helped create the first scholarship for the Kinesiology and Sport Studies students in honor of a former student who passed away from cancer.
Professional Achievement Award: Sydney Brooks, ‘21
Sydney Brooks, ’21, of Bristol, Pa., is recognized for her achievements as an award-winning emerging filmmaker and her contributions to the Bristol Borough community.
Brooks produced the short film Óménàlà, co-created with fellow Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) alumna Stephanie Byron-Ene, which won the drama category at the 45th College Television Awards, a program of the Television Academy Foundation — one of the most prestigious honors available to student filmmakers. The film tells a coming-of-age story rooted in Igbo burial traditions and family legacy.
Brooks' path to filmmaking began in Bristol Borough when as a teenager in 2016, she helped her grandfather Craig Whitaker produce video content for the national campaign that helped Bristol Borough win the $500,000 top prize in the Small Business Revolution: Main Street contest — a win that spurred the revitalization of Mill Street. That experience shaped her career path and led her to found 1681 Digital Media, a local video production business serving Bristol-area small businesses, named for the borough's founding year.
Brooks continues to give back to her hometown. She and her grandfather are currently producing a documentary marking the 10th anniversary of Bristol Borough's Small Business Revolution win. She has credited her Bristol upbringing with giving her the confidence to pursue a filmmaking career on a national stage.
Learn more about the Alumni Achievement Awards and explore current and past honorees who have made an impact in their professions, communities, and at Bucks County Community College.
BCCC Announces New Director of Municipal Police Academy
Bucks County Community College officials announced that Chris Willard recently joined Bucks as the Director of the Municipal Police Academy. Willard will provide administrative and operational leadership for the municipal police training academy, ensure compliance with all Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) regulations, and promote the highest standards of law enforcement training for cadets and certified police officers.
Vice President for Workforce & Strategic Partnerships Tracy Timby said, “With our strong foundation of firefighting, EMT, and paramedic training in Bucks County and beyond, the police academy rounds out our public safety training portfolio and will help to make our communities safer places to live, work, and visit.”
Willard served as Temple University’s police academy director for 15 years before serving as their public safety department’s director of tactical and professional development for the past three years. Previous experience includes serving as a corporal and training coordinator for the Chester County Sheriff’s Office and as a police officer at Millersville University, Quarryville Police Department, and West Chester University. She also served as a fraud claims adjuster for Allstate insurance.
"I believe being a director or instructor at a law enforcement academy is not about you; it is about the cadets and providing them with the tools, skills, knowledge, and experiences they need to succeed,” said Willard. “Our responsibility is to prepare them to be the best police officers they can be and to serve their communities with professionalism, integrity, and confidence."
Willard holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice from West Chester University and a MPOETC Act 120 certificate from Delaware County Community College.
The municipal police academy will offer the state’s Act 120 basic police officer training, a comprehensive, mandatory, 919-hour program designed to prepare an individual for certification to become a police officer within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The academy will be housed at the College’s Newtown Campus, where there is ample classroom space and facilities.
Applications for the police academy will start to be accepted in the spring with the inaugural class slated to begin August 2027. For more information, visit the Municipal Police Academy web page, contact mpa@bucks.edu or call 215-497-8766.
Wordsmiths Series Brings Three Award-Winning Poets to Newtown
Bucks County Community College, which has a long history of bringing world-renowned writers to Newtown, invites the public to hear three award-winning poets on Friday, October 2, as the popular Wordsmiths Reading Series resumes this fall.
Jeanne Marie Beaumont, Julie Standig, and Tom Mallouk will read from their works at 7:30 p.m. in the Orangery building on the Newtown Campus, followed by book signings and a reception.
Beaumont is author of five books of poetry, including the National Poetry Series winner “Placebo Effects” and most recently “Lessons with Scissors.” She is also coeditor of “The Poets’ Grimm” anthology and author of the verse play “Asylum Song,” which had its premiere at HERE Arts in New York. She is the former director of the Frost Place Seminar and has taught at Rutgers University, the Stonecoast MFA Program, and the 92nd St. Y.
Beaumont is serving as the final judge in the College’s search for the 50th Bucks County Poet Laureate. Born and raised in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Beaumont has lived in New York City for over forty years.
Standig is the author of two poetry books, including “The Forsaken Little Black Book,” which was a finalist for an Eric Hoffer Award. Her poems have appeared in numerous publications, including the Schuylkill Valley Journal, Gyroscope Review, One Art, and elsewhere. Standig retired to Bucks County after a lifetime in New York and immediately found the River Heron Review, which led to the late Professor Chris Bursk’s spring poetry workshops at the College.
Mallouk – a practicing psychotherapist – has transformed his interest in the healing possibilities of conversation into poetry. The 2022 Bucks County Poet Laureate leveraged his status to create and curate Poet’s Corner, a weekly feature in the Bucks County Herald. His poetry and creative nonfiction have been widely published, including two chapbooks. A third chapbook “To Love You More,” which includes poems by his wife Dr. Eileen Engle, and a full-length book are both coming soon.
The Wordsmiths Reading Series is another way that Bucks County Community College connects the community with the region’s vibrant literary heritage. The College – founded in 1964 – has a long history of hosting literary greats, including poet Allen Ginsberg and many award-winning authors.
The Wordsmiths Reading Series, which is free and open to the public, is funded by the College’s Cultural Affairs Committee. Upcoming events include poet Grant Clauser at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, October 22, and poet Michelle Messina Reale reading with the soon-to-be-named 50th Bucks County Poet Laureate at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 14. To learn more, visit the Wordsmiths Reading Series web page or contact the School of Language & Literature at langandlit@bucks.edu or 215-968-8150.
Bucks County Community College is located at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., 18940, where there is ample free parking.
BCCC Officials Host Groundbreaking Ceremony for New HVAC Lab at the CAT
Bucks County Community College Building and Construction Trades graduate Tim McCloud puts the first shovel in the dirt at the September 18 groundbreaking ceremony for a new HVAC lab at the College’s Center for Advanced Technologies in Bristol. Onlookers including College officials, Board of Trustee members, local elected representatives, and fellow students cheer as this represents a significant step toward establishing the HVAC program that is in high demand. The new specialized learning space will teach students how to install, operate, and repair heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment in both indoor and outdoor spaces to reflect actual working conditions. (PHOTO: Eric Parker, Bucks County Community College)
Bucks County Community College officials and local elected representatives were joined by recent graduates of the College’s Building and Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship program on Friday, September 18 for a HVAC lab groundbreaking ceremony at the College’s Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks in Bristol. The new specialized learning space will teach students how to install, operate, and repair heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment in both indoor and outdoor spaces to reflect actual working conditions. The in-demand HVAC training program is a 12-week course that includes classroom theory and hands-on skills development. Instruction includes U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Training & Assessment Center energy efficiency training.
College officials and Pennsylvania State Representative Tina Davis join Building & Construction Trades graduate Tim McCloud (center) at the September 18 HVAC lab groundbreaking ceremony at the College’s Center for Advanced Technologies in Bristol. Pictured (from left-to-right) are: Bucks County Community College’s COO Michael Harris; Vice President for Workforce & Strategic Partnerships Tracy Timby; Board of Trustees Chair, Ronni Fuchs, Esq.; State Rep. Tina Davis; Building & Construction Trades graduate Tim McCloud; Trustee Carol Mignoni Ferguson; Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks Director Rose Cooper; AVP of Workforce Development Susan Herring; and President & CEO Patrick M. Jones. (PHOTO: Eric Parker, Bucks County Community College)
The HVAC lab project was designed by Lenhardt Rodgers Architecture + Interiors based in Fort Washington, Pa. Principal Jamie Ober (center) is pictured with Bucks County Community College President & CEO Patrick M. Jones, and BCCC Chief Operating Officer Michael Harris. The new specialized learning space will teach students how to install, operate, and repair heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment in both indoor and outdoor spaces to reflect actual working conditions. (PHOTO: Eric Parker, Bucks County Community College)
Fourth Annual ‘Show of Shows’ Art Exhibition Opens October 5
Artists may submit their works by September 29; Opening reception takes place Friday, October 9 in the Fickes Art Gallery on the Upper Bucks Campus Bucks County Community College is pleased to announce the fourth annual “Show of Shows” exhibition at the Fickes Art Gallery in the North Building of the Upper Bucks Campus from October 5 – November 20.
Open to all members of the community, the exhibition invites artists to showcase their creativity by submitting their work for consideration by Tuesday, September 29. Each artist can enter up to three pieces of art for a nominal $20 fee. Artists of all levels are encouraged to participate.
An opening reception will be held from 6 – 8 p.m. Friday, October 9. Attendees will enjoy light fare, beverages, and entertainment. Awards will be presented to the top three selected pieces chosen by Jane Ramsey, artist and owner of Simons Fine Art Framing and Gallery in Dublin.
As a testament to its commitment to education and community engagement, the Upper Bucks Campus will designate 25% of the proceeds from the sale of each artwork to the Bucks County Community College Foundation in support of student scholarships.
Kevin Murray, Upper Bucks Campus Director, expressed excitement about the upcoming show.
“This is an opportunity for local artists to show their best works and for the community to appreciate art and creativity in various mediums," Murray said. "We look forward to welcoming both artists and visitors to our gallery to experience the richness and diversity of artistic expression in our region."
Bucks County Community College’s Upper Bucks Campus is located at One Hillendale Rd., Perkasie, Pa., where there is ample free parking.
The Fickes Art Gallery continues to be a dynamic cultural space that fosters artistic growth, community connections, and inspiration for years to come. For further information about the "Show of Shows" exhibition, submission guidelines, and event details, please visit The Fickes Art Gallery website or contact Kevin Murray at kevin.murray@bucks.edu or 215-258-7752.
Bucks Live! Presents 'The Great American Songbook Piano Sessions'
Bucks Live! invites you to step into an evening of timeless music and unforgettable artistry with “The Great American Songbook Piano Sessions” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, September 25, at Bucks County Community College.
The intimate contemporary concert experience honoring America’s 250th anniversary takes place in the Zlock Performing Arts Center on the Newtown Campus. This special event features four of Bucks County’s premier piano players delivering a monumental celebration of our nation's musical heritage.
“Each artist brings their own distinctive style and interpretation to a 30-minute set of specially curated songs drawn from the rich legacy of the Great American Songbook, creating the cozy ambiance of a private, late-night performance shared among friends,’ said Peter Chiovarou, director of community programming and college events. “Every performance is backed by an exceptional, world-class rhythm section that promises elegance, spontaneity, and inspired musical conversation all evening long.”
The featured pianists are Charlie Ernst, Steve Kramer, Eric Mintel, and Tom Lawton. The all-star rhythm section consists of Lou Volpe on guitar, Motoki Mihara on bass, and Mark Pultorak on drums.
Tickets for “The Great American Songbook Piano Sessions” are only $30 and free for BCCC students with a current student ID.
The performance takes place in the Zlock Performing Arts Center on the Newtown Campus at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., where there is ample free parking. The Zlock lobby bar opens at 6 p.m., offering a selection of beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks (cash only). Learn more and purchase tickets online.
“The Great American Songbook Piano Sessions” is part of the Bucks Live! series of innovative programs that entertain, inspire, and enrich Bucks County’s cultural landscape. For a full schedule of Bucks Live! performances, visit the Zlock Performing Arts Center.
