Skip to content
  • Bucks for Students
    Enroll + Register
    • Academics
    • Admissions Information
    • Register for Courses
    • Placement Testing
    • Academic Advising
    • Majors + Certificates
    • College Catalog
    • Bucks Online
    • Honors at Bucks
    • Academic Departments
    • Student Forms

    Apply Now

    Planning + Payment
    • Financial Aid
    • Scholarships
    • Work Study Employment
    • Payment Options
    • Your Account
    • Tuition + Fees
    Transfer + Graduate
    • Transfer Information
    • Planning Your Transfer
    • Transfer by Institution
    • Transfer by Major
    • Graduate
    • Plan a Career
    • Labor Market
    • Digital Badges

    Life at Bucks
    • First Year Experience
    • Bucks+
    • Athletics
    • Student Life
    • Fitness + Wellness
    • Student Government
    • Art + Entertainment
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Next Level Moves

    Basic Needs

    • Accessibility Resources
    • Campus Services
    • Directory
    • Canvas
    • Bucks Email
    • Change Password
    • Pay Tuition
    • Student Planning
    • MyBucks
     
  • Bucks for Community

    Classes + Activities

    Icon of a pencil and brush
    Personal Enrichment
    • Art + Design
    • Culinary Classes
    • Business Development
    • Gaming
    • Health + Wellness
    • History + Special Interest
    • Foreign Language
    • Kids Korner
    • Music
    • Test Prep
    • Browse All Courses
    Icon of a sun
    Kids on Campus Programs
    • Camps for Ages 5-6
    • Camps for Ages 7-9
    • Camps for Ages 10-12
    • Teen Experiences for Ages 13-17
    • Camp Information
    • Camp Scholarships
    • Preschool Summer Program
    • Register for Camp

    Events

    Event Programs
    • Art + Entertainment
    • Book Discussions
    • Concerts
    • Foundation Events
    • Poetry + Prose
    • Movie Monday
    • Trips + Travel 
    • Event Tickets

    Buy Tickets

    Event Venues

    • Artmobile

    • Sculpture Walk

    • Zlock Performing Arts Center

    • The Gallery at Lower Bucks

    • Hicks Art Center Gallery

     
  • Bucks for Career
    Briefcase
    Business + Career
    • Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
    • Customized ESL
    • Educators (ACT 48)
    • Browse by Industry
    • Online Learning
    • Professional Development
    • Registered Behavior Technician
    • Microsoft Office Technology & Customer Service
    • Bookkeeping with Quickbooks Certification
    • More
    Fire extinguisher
    Fire + Public Safety
    • Public Safety Training + Certificate Course Schedule
    • Fire Training Weekends
    • Industrial Safety Training (OSHA)
    • Virtual Public Safety Training
    • Other Training + Resources
    • Training Facilities
    • More
    Heart with line
    Healthcare
    • CPR + First Aid Training
    • Dental Assistant
    • Nurse Aide
    • Nursing Review & Reentry
    • Pharmacy Technician
    • Physical Therapy Aide
    • Practical Nursing
    • More
    Tools crossed
    Industrial + Manufacturing
    • Building & Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship
    • Metalwork Pre-Apprenticeship Training
    • Industrial Maintenance Pre-Apprenticeship
    • Locomotive Engineer + Conductor
    • Welding Training
    • Workforce Development
    • More
    Man fixing server
    Information Technology
    • Certification Testing
    • Cyber Security
    • Database Development
    • Desktop Support (CompTIA)
    • Computer-Aided Design
    • Microsoft Office Software
    • Server Administration
    • Full Stack Web Developer
    • More
     
  • Library
  • Calendar + News
  • Diversity
  • Contact
Bucks County Community College

Alumni Association

tyler gardens
  Discover  —  Alumni  —  My Bucks Story  —  Chelsea Karacz '13

Success Stories

Chelsea Karacz

Chelsea Karacz '13

Bucks Biotech Grad to Fight Cancer from the Lab

By Kimberly Kratz '11

When you talk to Chelsea Karacz, you get the distinct impression that cancer, under her watch, doesn't stand a chance. Her family like millions of others has been affected by the disease. "You want to help your loved ones, and for me, that's how the passion for cancer research happened," she said.

Fresh from high school, Karacz enrolled as a biology major at Bucks County Community College with the dream of a career that includes hands-on lab work. During her freshman year, online classes afforded her the ability to travel while schooling. When Bucks added a degree program in Biotechnology, she transitioned to on-campus courses and there found her path to biomedical research.

Karacz first encountered Associate Professor of Biology and Biotechnology Science, Dr. Linda Rehfuss when she took a biotechnology course; Rehfuss later became her advisor. "Chelsea shows a dedication and commitment to the work that I have seen in very few students. She will succeed in the field because she has a keen understanding of the problems associated with cancer research and biotechnology and she will attack those problems with all her available knowledge, skills and resources. I suspect we will see great things from Chelsea in the future!"

Karacz credits both Rehfuss and Dr. Stephen Goshorn, with lighting her passion. "The two put it into perspective for me—like this is really what I want to do. I got to talk to both of them about their experience working in the labs. Both had been working in industry before and I loved their classes. Everything was hands-on, doing the experiments. I really got to see what I would be doing or could be doing in my career."

The prerequisites at Bucks allowed Karacz to utilize many new laboratory techniques that she considers a major stepping stone toward her transfer to Thomas Jefferson University. "After coming to Jefferson, I realized how ahead of the game I was in the lab, just already having had that previous hands-on experience that I did at Bucks."

Next in store is a two-year paid fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. As she gains experience, she plans to apply for a PhD program. "I really want to get involved in cancer research, particularly working in the lab for a few years and then going on to clinical trials. I really see myself working in immunotherapy and drug development."

Karacz shared this piece of advice for future Bucks students: "Don't underestimate your time there, utilize it for its potential. If you have a passion in life and you have chosen Bucks for whatever reason, allow yourself to be completely absorbed by everything you have at your disposal."

  • Ed Barbetto '12
  • Glenn Bostock '81
  • John Brown '73
  • Brian Delate '73
  • David Feinman '13
  • Dr. Christopher Fiorentino '73
  • Connie Furman ‘91
  • Jeff Halikman '93
  • Dan Horn ’08
  • Michael Johnson ‘83
  • Chelsea Karacz '13
  • Lynne Kelleher '81
  • Frank Koehler '72
  • Sarah Laskey '14
  • Don Lowing ‘95
  • Alan Magee ‘67
  • Brad Quinnan '16
  • Tim Respass '13
  • Sharon Spatucci ‘02
  • Dr. John Rich '88
  • Stefani Johnson '17
  • Lane Bryant '20
  • Submit Your Story

Give Online

Give Online

Alumni Relations

215-968-8416 alumni@bucks.edu Newtown

Give Online

Give Online

Alumni Relations

215-968-8416 alumni@bucks.edu Newtown
circle logo
Newtown | 215-968-8000
275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA 18940
Bristol | 267-685-4800
1304 Veterans Highway Bristol, PA 19007
Perkasie | 215-258-7700
One Hillendale Rd, Perkasie, PA 18944
Bucks Online | 215-968-8052
Learn from anywhere



  • Follow Us on Instagram
  • Like Us on Facebook
  • Follow Us on Tiktok
  • Watch Us on YouTube

© Bucks County Community College.
All rights reserved.

Find Campus Services

  • Accessibility - TAO
  • Admissions
  • Advising
  • AESL Program
  • Basic Needs
  • Bookstore (External Website)
  • Career + Job Resources
  • Catalog
  • Counseling
  • Dining
  • Educational Enrichment
  • Financial Aid
  • Fitness and Wellness
  • IT Help Desk
  • KEYS Program
  • Library
  • Media Lab
  • Success Advocates
  • Perkins
  • Early Learning Center
  • Prior Learning Assessment
  • Security + Safety
  • Testing 
  • Transfer + Planning
  • Tutoring
  • Veteran Resources

Faculty + Staff Resources

  • MyBucks
  • Office 365
  • Canvas
  • Faculty Center
  • Faculty Online Resources
  • Professional Development

Get Involved

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Athletics
  • Bucks+
  • Calendar + News
  • Event Tickets
  • Lectures + Conferences
  • Student Life

Read Notices + Policies

  • Academic Policies
  • Student Policies
  • Human Resources Policies
  • Information Technology
  • Administration
  • Advancement
  • Consumer Information
  • Disclaimers
  • Holiday Statement
  • Notice of Non-Discrimination
  • Clean Air Zone
  • Web Accessibility

Foundation + Alumni

  • Give
  • Alumni
  • Board of Directors
  • Foundation
  • Scholarships
  • Special Events

Explore Campus

  • Bucks Online
  • Newtown Campus
  • Lower Bucks Campus
  • Upper Bucks Campus
  • Parking
  • Facilities Rental
  • Weddings in Tyler Gardens
  • Purchasing
  • Sustainability
  • Emergency Closing Information

Find Jobs

  • Student + Work-Study Employment
  • Faculty + Staff Employment

Discover Bucks

  • Accreditations
  • Board of Trustees
  • Diversity, Equity + Inclusion
  • History
  • Mission + Vision
  • Office of the President
  • Provide Feedback

Contact Us

  • Ways to Contact Us
  • Faculty + Staff Directory
  • Social Media
  • Report an Issue
  • Emergency Text Alerts
  • System Status
  • Campus Health & Safety Plan