Congratulations, Class of 2026
Last updated Friday, May 22, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Bucks County Community College celebrated the Class of 2026 Thursday, May 21, at two ceremonies marking the College’s 60th annual commencement.
The public, two-year college conferred a total of 924 associate degrees and certificates for the 2025-2026 academic year. Hundreds of students took part in two ceremonies on the Newtown Campus, with family members, friends, faculty, and other supporters cheering them on.
At each ceremony, graduates heard from one of their own. At the 10 a.m. event, the student speaker was honors program graduate and science major Sierra Kunigus. The Kintnersville, Pa., resident was the founder and president of the Astronomy Club, student government secretary, and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honors society.
Through the help and encouragement of her professors, Kunigus attended a summer research experience for undergraduates at East Texas A&M University, where she will continue her education, pursuing a bachelor's degree in physics with an astrophysics emphasis and minor in chemistry.
Kunigus reflected not only on the change she saw in herself during her two years at Bucks, but in her classmates, club members and friends.
“I’ve watched as students discovered their passions, found their voices, became leaders, and formed friendships that changed their lives,” Kunigus said. “Those interactions reminded me that a community is nothing without its people, and because of all of you, my journey at Bucks didn’t just give me my hope back, it transformed it into power.”
At 2 p.m., graduates heard from honors program graduate and communication studies major Lia Peralta Joa. The Telford, Pa., resident is also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honors society, was active with the Hispanic and Latino Student Union, and won statewide awards for her reporting for the Centurion student newspaper.
Joa, who immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic with her family at age six, is a licensed cosmetologist whose goal is to open her own business, using her communication and marketing skills to fuel her success. The first in her family to go to college, Joa expressed particular gratitude to her family, saying she was not only graduating for herself, but for her parents, too.
“Growing up, I watched my parents work incredibly hard and sacrifice so much just so I could have opportunities that they never had themselves,” said Jao. “There were times during college when I felt pressure to succeed because I knew this moment was bigger than just me. Their sacrifices, love, and support are the reason I stand here today, and that makes this achievement even more meaningful.”
Other outstanding graduates include Noah Morris of Bensalem, the business administration major and captain of the Centurions basketball team, who was named to the 2026 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team by the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges and Phi Theta Kappa. That distinction earned him a full-tuition waiver at West Chester University, where he will study finance.
Another top graduate is early education major Hanna McMenamin, who was also named to the All-PA Academic Team because of her outstanding academic and campus activities. The Newtown resident will complete her studies at West Chester University, where she has earned a full-tuition waiver and other scholarships.
These are just some of the Bucks County Community College graduates who are making a difference in their community and who were celebrated at the 60h annual commencement.
Heather McMenamin (right), a PreK-4 Early Education major, processes into Bucks County Community College’s 60th Annual Commencement. The Newtown resident graduated from the College’s honors program and was named to the All-Pennsylvania Academic Team by the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society and the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges. (CREDIT: Eric Parker, Bucks County Community College)
Bucks County Community College graduates who earned Latin honors – such as summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude – stand to be recognized at the College’s 60th Annual Commencement May 21. More than 900 students earned associate degrees or certificates in the 2025-2026 academic year. (CREDIT: Eric Parker, Bucks County Community College)
Kristina Novak (center), who graduated from Bucks County Community College with an associate degree in health sciences, was named the 2026 President’s Cup recipient for her outstanding contribution to the college community through student activities, service, and leadership. She was among several hundred graduates who participated in the College’s 60th Annual Commencement May 21.(CREDIT: Eric Parker, Bucks County Community College)
Honors program graduate and science major Sierra Kunigus of Kintnersville, Pa., addresses fellow members of Bucks County Community College’s class of 2026 at the morning commencement ceremony on May 21. “I’ve watched as students discovered their passions, found their voices, became leaders, and formed friendships that changed their lives. Those interactions reminded me that a community is nothing without its people,” she said. (CREDIT: Eric Parker, Bucks County Community College)
Lia Peralta Joa, who graduated with honors from Bucks County Community College May 21 with a communication degree, addressed classmates in the afternoon ceremony from the perspective of a first-generation college graduate who immigrated to the U.S. at age six. “Growing up, I watched my parents work incredibly hard and sacrifice so much just so I could have opportunities that they never had… Their sacrifices, love, and support are the reason I stand here today, and that makes this achievement even more meaningful.” (CREDIT: Eric Parker, Bucks County Community College)