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BCCC’s Brewing & Fermentation Science Program Partners With Moss Mill Brewing
BCCC’s Brewing & Fermentation Science Program Partners With Moss Mill Brewing Company to Release Centurion Ale
The STEM Department at Bucks County Community College is excited to announce the release of Centurion Ale, an exploratory beer release made possible by a collaboration between Bucks County Community College’s Brewing & Fermentation Science Program and Moss Mill Brewing Company in Huntingdon Valley, PA.
Centurion Ale, named after the College’s mascot and sports teams, was made with several malted barley grains from Proximity Malt; German Tettnang hops; and a German ale yeast strain. It has a deep amber color with an ABV of about 5.5%. The flavor is one of malt (biscuit) with just enough hop bitterness producing a well-balanced beer. Amber in color, Centurion Ale is available now on tap at Moss Mill Brewing Company as well as in canned 4-packs to-go. The artwork for the can was selected via a county-wide contest and the winner was Susan Alexander of Quakertown.
The College offers an associate of applied science degree in Brewing & Fermentation Science—the only brewing science associate degree in the Philadelphia metro area—to prepare students for employment within the brewing and/or fermentation industries. Students must be at least 21 years of age prior to registering for courses involving beer production. To learn more about the 60-65 credit program, visit the Brewing & Fermentation Science page.
Bucks County Community College and Moss Mill Brewing Company anticipate that this will be an ongoing partnership, with each new Brewing & Fermentation Science cohort having the opportunity to be a part of the brewing process.
Moss Mill is located at 109 Pike Circle, Unit D, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006, and is open Wednesday and Thursday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
BCCC Hosted Its Second Annual President’s New Student Convocation
Continuing the tradition launched last year, Bucks County Community College (BCCC) held the Second Annual President’s New Student Convocation on Thursday, August 31 at the Newtown Campus (275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA 18940) in the Gymnasium. Convocation is the official introduction to academic life at the College and welcomes new students and their families with a ceremony to mark the milestone.
BCCC’s president, Dr. Felicia Ganther, introduced the inaugural event in 2022. “The start of our students’ academic journeys is an exciting time for them and for the College— it’s a new beginning, the next step on their pathway to their educational and life goals—and the entire college community is happy to celebrate the occasion.”
This year’s keynote speaker was Bucks County native Karen Gross, founder of She Rocked It, a media and mentorship platform, who was accompanied by acclaimed musician Tim Motzer. Together, the duo presented the Rock-It Roadmap™, a series of six lessons for a courageous life, education, and career. Through words and music, Gross energized the new students to raise their unique voices, follow their audacious dreams, and build a supportive community at Bucks.
“We’re proud to keep this tradition going for our new students and really let them know how monumental this moment is in their academic careers,” said Dr. Rodney Altemose, Interim Associate Vice President of Student Affairs at BCCC. “The start of a new academic year is always an exciting time, and we’re celebrating in true Bucks style.”
BCCC Launches 47th Bucks County Poet Laureate Competition
The search is on for the 47th annual Bucks County Poet Laureate, according to Bucks County Community College (BCCC) Professor Ethel Rackin, Ph.D., director of the longest-running poet laureate program in Pennsylvania.
The contest is open to Bucks County residents over the age of 18 who have not previously served as poet laureate, said Rackin, who teaches language and literature at BCCC, where the program is based.
Each entrant must submit 10 original poems of any style or length along with an entry form to the college’s Language and Literature Department. Entries must be submitted online by Friday, September 8, 2023. The winner receives a $500 honorarium, a proclamation from the Bucks County Commissioners, and will be featured at a Fall reading and reception at Bucks County Community College with the previous year’s poet laureate, Tom Mallouk.
Poetry of any kind is welcome. The entry requires 10 poems, any style, form, or length. All work must be original, published or unpublished, typewritten or word-processed, one poem per page, in black ink. The poems and entry form must be submitted online. There is no charge to enter the contest, but there is a limit of one entry per person.
Two judges will blindly select the winner. The preliminary judge will narrow the entries down to a few dozen for the final judge, who will choose the winner and three runners-up from the pool of finalists.
The 2023 final judge will be Joanna Fuhrman. Fuhrman, an assistant teaching professor in creative writing at Rutgers University, is the author of six books of poetry, most recently To a New Era (Hanging Loose Press, 2021). Fuhrman's next book Data Mind, a collection of prose poems about the internet, is forthcoming from Curbstone/ Northwestern University Press in 2024. Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming on The Slowdown podcast and in The Pushcart Prize Anthology and Best American Poetry 2023. Last year—after publishing with them since she was a teenager, Fuhrman became a co-editor of Hanging Loose Press.
The preliminary judge will be Courtney Bambrick. Bambrick is poetry editor at Philadelphia Stories. Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Inkwell, Invisible City, New York Quarterly, Beyond Words, The Fanzine, Philadelphia Poets, Apiary, Schuylkill Valley Journal, Mad Poets Review, and Certain Circuits. She teaches writing at Thomas Jefferson University’s East Falls campus in Philadelphia.
The Bucks Poet Laureate Program is one of the oldest in the country. It also holds a High School Poet Contest every spring, yet another way that Bucks County Community College contributes to the cultural heritage of the region.
For more information, contact Ethel Rackin at ethel.rackin@bucks.edu.
Evolve Arrives to Sculpture Walk on Newtown Campus
The Hicks Art Center Gallery is thrilled to announce the recent addition of Wendy Liss’ Evolve to the Sculpture Walk on the Newtown Campus of Bucks County Community College. Evolve by Wendy Liss is the latest addition to the Sculpture Walk on the Newtown Campus of Bucks County Community College. In the fall of 2022, Clifford Eberly, Exhibitions Associate at the Hicks Art Center Gallery began a conversation with Liss and invited her to create an original piece for the site after researching sculptors in the region and seeing a video of her discussing her site-specific installation at Sculpture in the Glen III, located in Gladwyne outside Philadelphia in the fall 2021.
Eberly explained, “What struck me about Wendy’s approach to placing her sculpture, Presence, was how she responded to the environment by finding a tree trunk in situ for the base and adding moss to make it appear as though the clay body was born out of the ground.”
In her studio, Liss and Eberly discussed the location and scale of the campus site, and Liss set about making drawings and creating maquettes for the piece after several site visits. She collaborated with Tom Ransom, a metal fabricator, who created the steel support portal that is bolted to the salvaged base of the sculpture. Evolve is a site-specific work and is brilliantly positioned so when viewed from a distance or up close, the steel ring shifts its visual volume from a thick curving ribbon to a thin encircling orange line contrasting with the sky while framing the rhythmic organic shape of the ceramic elements within.
Inspired by nature and the human figure, Liss works out of her studio in the suburbs of Philadelphia where her creative process is driven by the energy and environment that surrounds her.
Liss earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (‘84) and an Art Education Certification (‘85) from Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, PA. Her work is shown throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and is available through InLiquid, The Art Shop at Moore College of Art and Design, and Parisa Rugs & Decor in Old City, Philadelphia. Currently she is exhibiting in Claybash at the Hunterdon Art Museum in Clinton, NJ on view until September 3. On First Friday in October 2023 her work will be featured at Parisa Rugs & Decor in Old City, Philadelphia.
The community is invited to view Evolve 24 hours a day, 7 days a week located along Linden Lane on the Newtown Campus of Bucks County Community College. To schedule a free Sculpture Walk tour, email Clifford Eberly at gallery@bucks.edu.
Gene and Marlene Epstein to Fund 100 Scholarships for Lower Bucks Students
Gene & Marlene Epstein are partnering with the Bucks County Community College Foundation and are giving 100 local Bucks County high school graduates the opportunity for higher education! One hundred area high school graduates will receive a scholarship award thanks to a very generous donation from the Gene & Marlene Epstein Humanitarian Fund. Committed to helping students in need earn a degree or credential, Gene & Marlene donated to the Bucks County Community College Foundation.
"Figuring out how to pay for college should not be a barrier for a person who wants to make a better life for themselves. We want every student in Bucks County to know that there is a path forward for them at Bucks County Community College, and this scholarship will help you get started today. Don’t think you can afford college, well now you can!" says Gene Epstein, long-time supporter, and advocate of Bucks County Community College.
"We are honored and gratified by the generosity of Gene and Marlene. Their support of our students enables us to stand firm on our mission of providing accessible educational opportunities for our community," says Dr. Felicia L. Ganther, President of Bucks County Community College.
The Gene & Marlene Epstein Humanitarian Fund will award 100 scholarships to students who have financial need. In combination with students’ financial aid package, this fund will result in full scholarships. The full scholarship awards will be announced by the College’s Foundation by the start of the Fall semester which begins on August 23. Scholarship eligibility is based on financial need and is for recent high school graduates from Lower Bucks County. For consideration, students must apply for admission, and complete a FAFSA application. College admission counselors are available in person and virtually for consultations and for support in applying to Bucks.
"Every student’s story is different, but the financial gap in paying for college is still apparent. Through the generosity of Gene and Marlene Epstein, a student can earn achieve greater success in college without a financial burden." says Dr. Rodney Altemose, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs.
Gene and Marlene Epstein have been generous donors to the College for many years. In 2017, the Foundation in collaboration with the College’s Board of Trustees dedicated the College’s Bristol campus as the Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks.
"We are grateful for their commitment to helping others and serving the Bucks County community. Gene’s motto is, ‘what can I do to make someone’s life better today?’ Every day, through their philanthropy and advocacy, they answer this question with intention and with pride." says Christina Kahmar, CFRE, Executive Director, Foundation, and Interim AVP, Advancement at Bucks County Community College.
In addition to this new scholarship, the Bucks County Community College Foundation also offers more than 150 scholarship funds for students pursuing their education at Bucks. For more information about the scholarship, please contact scholarships@bucks.edu or 215-968-8416.
Bucks Launches New Weekend College Program
With the Newly Launched Weekend College Program, Students Will Earn Credentials Faster in as Few as Eleven Months, leading to an Exciting and In-Demand Career or Accelerating the Transfer Process to a Four-Year University Faster! Bucks County Community College announces the launch of the new Weekend College Program beginning on August 23. Students who enroll in the Weekend College option will prepare for a new, exciting, and in-demand career while quickly and affordably accelerating their path to the workforce or a four-year university. Courses start at just $687 each, including both tuition and fees. Financial aid, scholarships, and payment plans are available! Bucks proudly launches the Weekend College option in the following disciplines:
Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice
Associate of Science in Health Science
Paralegal Certificate
“In as few as 11 months, the ABA-Approved Weekend College Paralegal Certificate program will prepare individuals with the practical skills and knowledge needed to excel in the high-demand, high-earning potential paralegal field.” – stated Greg Luce, Dean of Business + Innovation.
These accelerated cohorts will meet Fridays and Saturdays using a hybrid model for students’ needs for flexibility. Enrolled students will be able to learn from and work with industry experts while participating in networking events with local employers, alums, and students. Additional opportunities will be offered through dinners and breakfasts with faculty and guest speakers. Workshops will also be provided for students, focusing on career development, interviewing skills, resume building, and more. Financial aid and scholarships are readily available.
“Bucks is already well known for developing successful graduates who are fully prepared for gainful employment throughout our region. That said, we fully acknowledge the reality that some potential students simply cannot afford to give up time during the workweek to acquire the skills necessary for advancement to the next level. This program addresses that need and provides a flexible pathway for these students to pursue their dreams on their schedule” – Jody Seutter, Interim Associate Provost & AVP, Academic Affairs.
“The nursing profession is a well-respected, high-demand career. Students are getting recruited even before they graduate from our program. We are well known for developing successful graduates who pass the licensure exam and are respected employees of a great variety of institutions in the county.” – Dr. Connie Corrigan, Dean, Health Sciences
“A Criminal Justice degree from Bucks prepares you for the workforce or to transfer to a four-year college or university. This program offers you the opportunity to earn your degree in an accelerated timeframe while learning from and working with experts in the field.” – Samantha Gross, Dean, Social & Behavioral Science
Classes are forming now for the Weekend College cohort that begins August 23! Interested students can request more information online or contact weekendcollege@bucks.edu.
*Disclaimer: Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law.
