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BCCC Student Journalists Make Headlines with Armful of Accolades
Bucks County Community College’s student newspaper, The Centurion, which has been launching journalism careers for more than 60 years, has won 16 awards in the 2025 Keystone Student Media Awards contest, including first place in ongoing news coverage, public service reporting, feature writing and website.
Since 2010, The Centurion has won more than 200 awards in the contest run by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. It competes in Division III, which represents community colleges across Pennsylvania.
The Centurion won awards for, among other things, coverage of the 2024 presidential election, the search for a new president at the College, a series of articles about the challenges facing working students, a solar eclipse that dazzled millions of Americans, and a visit to the campus by a group of Tibetan monks.
In addition to written works, the paper won first place in the Cartoon-Graphic Illustration category for a comic strip called “Dog Life,” first in Feature Photos for pictures of the visiting monks, first in Layout and Design and first in the Video Story category for a report about the hidden underground history of Tyler Hall, the historic mansion located in the heart of the Newtown campus.
The Centurion also won the contest’s sweepstakes honor, given to the paper that wins the most awards in its division.
Centurion editor in chief Kassandra Castillo, who is credited on four of the awards, said it has been inspiring to be associated with a student-run school newspaper.
“I’ve been working on The Centurion for two semesters and I’ve learned so much in the process,” said the journalism major. “Print and online media hold so much relevance in our world, and I’m honored to be joining a field where we bring community engagement while spreading local news.”
Tony Rogers, the College’s journalism professor and faculty advisor to the student newspaper, said he couldn't be more proud of his students.
“Most of the students on The Centurion take a full load of classes and work jobs outside school, yet still manage to do award-winning journalism,” said Rogers. “Even after 27 years as a professor here, I'm still amazed by their seemingly boundless energy, creativity and dedication.”
The students received their awards at the Student Keystone Media Awards Luncheon on Thursday, April 3, at WITF’s Public Media Center in Harrisburg, Pa.
For more information about the journalism program at Bucks County Community College, visit the Journalism Associate of Arts program page. You can also explore the award-winning student newspaper, The Centurion, online.
Below is the complete list of the 2025 Keystone awards won by the Centurion:
First PlaceOngoing News CoverageElection 2024Anna Sztenderowicz, Kassandra Castillo, Raeanne Raccagno, Christian Grosso and Jordan Evans
Second PlaceOngoing News CoverageBucks Searches for New PresidentAnna Sztenderowicz and Christian Grosso
First PlacePublic Service/Enterprise PackageElection 2024Anna Sztenderowicz, Kassandra Castillo, Raeanne Raccagno and Christian Grosso
Second PlacePublic Service/Enterprise PackageSpecial Report: Working StudentsRaeanne Raccagno, Daulton Parry, Christian Grosso, Jesse Fischer and Cristopher Ramirez
First PlaceFeature StorySolar Eclipse Dazzles the Sky Across AmericaChristian Grosso
Honorable MentionFeature StoryWelcoming President Jones to BucksAnna Sztenderowicz
First PlacePersonality ProfileMusic Teacher Jazzes Up His ClassesRaeanne Raccagno
Second PlacePersonality ProfileKhush Patel Thrives Under PressureCristopher Ramirez
Honorable MentionPersonality ProfileProfessor Rackin Keeps Busy with Writing, Readings & TeachingJesse Fischer
First PlaceReviewDreamWorks' 'The Wild Robot' Has the Makings of an Animated ClassicCristopher Ramirez
First PlaceCartoon/Graphic IllustrationDog LifeConnor Sturza
First PlaceFeature PhotoTibetan Monks Bring Interfaith World Peace MandalaKassandra Castillo
First PlacePhoto StoryTibetan Monks Visit BucksKassandra Castillo
First PlaceLayout and DesignThe Centurion Vol 59 issue 6 layoutRaeanne Raccagno and Arianna Keith
First Place Websitebucks-news.comChristian Grosso, Madison Kifolo and Raeanne Raccagno
First Place Video StoryDiscovering the Hidden Underground History of Tyler HallRaeanne Raccagno
Celebrate Arts at Bucks with 60th 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 60th Annual Student Art Exhibition, with dozens of works students created over the last year. Media includes ceramics, dance, digital media, drawing, film, fine woodworking, glass, graphic design, jewelry, music, painting, printmaking, photography, 2D design, 3D design, video, and web design.
The exhibition will be on view from Friday, April 25 through Tuesday, May 6 in the Hicks Art Center. The public is invited to the exhibition reception, open studios, student art and craft sale, and the art scholarship and award ceremony on Sunday, May 4 from 1 to 4 p.m.
The Arts at Bucks schedule for May 4 is as follows:
60th Annual Student Exhibition Reception1 – 4 p.m., Hicks Art Center; 2 p.m., Arts Scholarship and Award Ceremony
Student Art and Craft Sale1 – 4 p.m. 3-D Courtyard (weather permitting) or 3-D Arts Building Room 001
Open Studios1 – 4 p.m., Hicks Art Center and 3-D Arts BuildingFine Woodworking, Jewelry, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Foundry
Wood Turning Demonstration1 – 2 p.m., Hicks Art Center, Room 130Bob Crowe shows his expertise in the art of Wood Turning.
Bronze Pour Demonstration3 p.m., 3-D Arts Building, Metal FoundryFaculty 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 free events include:
Monday, May 5 – Percussion Ensemble, 7 p.m., Music & Multimedia Building
Tuesday, May 6 – Music Ensembles Spring Concert, 7 p.m., Zlock Performing Arts Center
Wednesday, May 7 – Bucks Filmfest, 2 p.m., Zlock Performing Arts Center
Friday, May 9 – Bucks Dance Showcase, 7:30 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.
All Arts at Bucks events are free and open to the public. The campus is located at 275 Swamp Road, Newtown, Pa., 18940, where there is ample free parking. For a campus map and directions, visit the Newtown Campus page. Learn more at hicksgallery.bucks.edu and follow @bcccartscomm on Instagram.
Villanova University and BCCC Announce Graduate Accounting Pathway
Bucks County Community College (BCCC) officials have announced that the School of Business, Innovation, and Legal Studies is launching a new transfer pathway program that will enable BCCC graduates to earn a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) degree from Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies and transition into Villanova’s Master of Accounting (MAC) or Master of Business Taxation (MBT) programs in the Villanova School of Business. This innovative partnership provides a streamlined path for students aspiring to careers in accounting.
The pathway program leverages BCCC’s strong foundation in business administration, Villanova's College of Professional Studies’ BIS program, and the Villanova School of Business’ accounting programs. Students will complete an associate degree in Business Administration at BCCC, including foundational courses in accounting. They will then transfer to Villanova’s College of Professional Studies to pursue a BIS degree in either Organizational Development and Management or Information Systems and Technology. BCCC students will be eligible for merit-based reduced tuition rates based on their GPA ranging from a 20%-25% reduction.
A key component of this pathway is the integration of graduate-level accounting prerequisites within the undergraduate curriculum. Students will take four crucial accounting courses — Intermediate Accounting I & II, Federal Income Tax, and Auditing — at the Villanova School of Business during their junior and senior years. These courses will count as electives toward the undergraduate degree and provide students with a head start in their graduate accounting studies.
“This partnership offers a tremendous opportunity for our students,” said BCCC President & CEO Patrick M. Jones. “It creates a clear and supported pathway to a graduate accounting degree at a prestigious university, building upon the strong academic foundation students receive at Bucks.”
“We are delighted to partner with Bucks County Community College on this important initiative,” said Christine Kelleher Palus, Ph.D., Dean, College of Professional Studies, Villanova University. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to providing accessible and high-quality educational opportunities. By integrating graduate-level coursework into the undergraduate experience, we are preparing students for success in their future accounting careers.”
“The Villanova School of Business is proud to offer this pathway program for BCCC graduates,” said Michael Peters, Ph.D., Chair, Accounting & Information Systems and Alvin A. Clay Endowed Professor of Accounting. “Our goal is to prepare the next generation of accounting professionals to become leaders in the field by embracing change, making ethical choices, and advancing the profession.”
Students will work closely with mentors and advisors throughout the program and will have the opportunity to network with accounting firms and interview for internships. Applications for the graduate accounting programs can be submitted as early as the fall semester of their senior year.
Students who complete the program, having started their education at BCCC and completed their Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Villanova and if accepted into the Villanova graduate accounting programs, will receive a $14,000 scholarship towards the MAC or MBT graduate program. They will also be eligible to apply for other Villanova University scholarships.
To learn more, please contact Greg Luce, dean of the School of Business, Innovation, and Legal Studies at Bucks County Community College at 215-968-8227 or email business@bucks.edu.
Get a Taste of Your Future at Culinary & Hospitality Open House
Bucks County Community College, which has been launching careers for more than 60 years, invites the public to a Culinary & Hospitality Open House on Monday, April 28, in Founders Hall on the Newtown Campus.
The free event, which takes place from 6 to 7:30 p.m., features tours of gleaming, state-of-the-art culinary labs, demos by chef instructors, and samples of cuisine prepared by students.
In addition, guests can learn about the College’s degrees and certificate programs in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, Hospitality Management, and Event Planning and Management. Each program of study is designed to help students launch careers in high-demand industries like restaurants, caterers, food service, lodging, and tourism.
The public, two-year college has been offering culinary and hospitality training for more than 45 years, according to Greg Luce, Dean of the School of Business, Innovation, and Legal Studies.
“What makes our program truly exceptional is our commitment to connecting students with industry leaders and providing real-world experience," Luce explained. "Our open house offers a unique opportunity to experience our state-of-the-art facilities, interact with our expert chef-instructors, and get a taste of the hands-on learning that sets us apart.”
Admissions representatives will also be on hand to answer questions. To learn more about the programs, visit the School of Business, Innovation, and Legal Studies.
The Culinary & Hospitality Open House takes place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 28, in Founders Hall on the campus at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., where there is ample free parking. For a campus map and directions, visit the Newtown Campus page. To learn more, email business@bucks.edu or call 215-968-8227.
Wordsmiths Reading Series Features Novelist Carolyn Kuebler
Bucks County Community College, which has been bringing widely acclaimed authors and poets to Newtown for more than 60 years, invites the public to the next Wordsmiths Reading Series event on Thursday, April 3, featuring author Carolyn Kuebler.
Kuebler, whose debut novel “Liquid, Fragile, Perishable” was published by Melville House in 2024, will read from her works at 12:30 p.m. in room 142 of historic Tyler Hall on the Newtown Campus.
For the past decade, Kuebler has been the editor of the New England Review, a quarterly literary magazine published by Middlebury College. She also co-founded the magazine Rain Taxi. Her stories and essays have been published in The Common and Colorado Review, among other prominent periodicals. Her essay “Wildflower Season,” published in The Massachusetts Review, won the 2022 John Burroughs Award for Nature Essay.
Originally from Allentown, Pa., Kuebler has an MFA from Bard College and a BA from Middlebury College. In addition to editing NER, she is a justice of the peace, a volunteer with 350 Vermont, a “bad birdwatcher, and an even worse gardener.” She lives in Middlebury, Vermont, with her husband, Christopher, and daughter, Vivian Ross.
The Wordsmiths Reading Series is another way that the College connects the community with the region’s vibrant literary heritage, according to Language and Literature Professor Ethel Rackin, Ph.D.
“These events give students an opportunity to connect what they're learning in their classes with the wider world of living writers and discourse,” said Rackin, director of the Wordsmiths Reading Series and a published poet. “Historically, the series has featured fiction writers as well as poets, and this seemed like a fine time to revive that tradition.”
Rackin, who is also director of the Bucks County Poet Laureate Program, has been organizing these public collaborations since 2010, shortly after she began teaching at Bucks. The College – which was founded in 1964 and opened its doors the following year – 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. To learn more, 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. For a campus map and directions, visit the Newtown Campus page.
Forum to Discuss Illustrated Memoir of the Holocaust
Bucks County Community College, which has been hosting free academic forums for more than 60 years, invites the public to discuss the Holocaust memoir “We Are on Our Own” at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, in-person at the Newtown Campus and online.
In her graphic narrative, Miriam Katin tells the true story of her and her mother's escape on foot from the Nazi invasion of Budapest. After faking their deaths, the two escape into hiding, disguised as a Russian servant and her illegitimate child.
The discussion, led by world-renown Holocaust scholar Rachel Perry, Ph.D., will focus on Holocaust graphic novels as a medium of memory. She will be joined by three other panelists, including Professor Paula Raimondo, who teaches in the Holocaust and Genocide Studies Certificate Program at BCCC.
Raimondo noted that most readers are familiar with written narratives of the Holocaust such as the “Diary of Anne Frank” and Elie Wiesel's “Night,” but graphic narratives show us a different perspective.
“Many people have heard of Art Spiegelman's ‘Maus,’ but there is a long history of the graphic narrative used as a medium for recording and remembering the Holocaust, from artists documenting in the camps and ghettos and in hiding, through the immediate post-war period, up to the present,” said Raimondo. “Works like Katin's, which use both pictures and words, ask us to think differently about the challenges of representing the Holocaust.”
A limited number of copies of “We Are on Our Own” are available, free of charge, at the Office of Social and Behavioral Science in room 301 of Grupp Hall on the Newtown Campus. Reading in advance is helpful but not necessary for attending the talk, which is free and open to the public, Raimondo added.
About the panelists
Rachel Perry teaches in the Weiss-Livnat Graduate Program in Holocaust Studies at the University of Haifa in Israel, and in the Holocaust and Human Rights program at Gratz College in Melrose Park, Pa. Her research focuses on the representation and memory of the Holocaust and the Second World War in visual culture. She is currently Scholar in Residence at the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute in Waltham, Mass., writing a manuscript on Holocaust graphic albums, and is preparing an exhibition on the same topic, “Who Will Draw Our History? Early Holocaust Graphic Narratives by Women Survivors, 1944-1949.” She will be participating live on Zoom.
Also joining the discussion at the Newtown Campus will be Sophie Don, Associate Director of the Philadelphia Holocaust and Remembrance Foundation; poet and visual artist Bernadette Karpa; and BCCC Professor Paula Raimondo.
Samantha Gross, Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Science at BCCC, will moderate. This program is supported by a grant from the Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation.
The discussion of “We Are on Our Own” takes place at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, in the Gallagher Room, located inside the Rollins Center building. The campus is located at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., where there is ample free parking. For a campus map and directions, visit the Newtown Campus page.
The event can also be viewed live online for those who register in advance.
For those interested in a deeper dive into the subject, the course “Rescue and Resistance” (course number HGNS 140) is offered online from March 24 to May 16. Students will explore why some people help while others “stand by,” the varied forms that resistance can take, and how these powerful responses to genocide and human suffering can help us better understand both our past and present.
For more information about the Holocaust and Genocide Studies Certificate program at BCCC, including current course offerings, contact the School of Social and Behavioral Science at sb@bucks.edu or 215-968-8270.
