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07/28/2008 07:37 AM

 

BC3 Opens New Facility, with More Educational Opportunities July 28, 2008 ECO Staff -- Laure Cioffi, senior journalist NEW CASTLE – When Butler County Community College came to Lawrence County in 1989 it offered a few classes at area high schools and the Lawrence County Learning Center. Next month, the college is set to offer a full range of classes at its newly built facility on U.S. Route 224 on the site of the former Riley’s Fun Spot. Students will even have the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree at the facility without ever leaving Lawrence County. “With the growth of our student body averaging 10 percent a year, we felt the need to consolidate to one location,” said Diane DeCarbo, director of the Lawrence Crossing site. Lawrence Crossing is a 25,000-square-foot building that includes seven classrooms, science laboratories, computer classrooms, a student lounge and offices. Prior to this fall, the school offered classes at the Lawrence County Learning Center in New Castle, the Lawrence County Career and Technical Center in Shenango Township, Neshannock High School and even a few courses at Lincoln High School over the years, DeCarbo said. The college will continue to offer some of its continuing education classes outside of the Lawrence Crossing location, but its degree program classes will be in the new building, she said. The response to the new facility has been exceptional. Earlier this month, enrollment was nearly equal to last year’s fall enrollment of 954 course seats filled, said Bill O’Brien, vice president of continuing education and off-campus operations. He said they expect that number to jump to about 1,100 by the time classes start in late August because many community college students enroll in the last few weeks before classes start. College officials say the new building is only the start. Developer Leo Golba is working on a strip plaza to be located just off of Route 224 where they would like to see a coffee shop, pizza or sandwich shop, daycare center and an exercise facility, O’Brien said. Additional buildings are in the works too, he said. According to O’Brien, they intend to add a second 25,000-square-foot building that will serve as a space for workforce development courses and customized training. He said they have already been in talks with Centaur, the group planning to open casino and racetrack in Lawrence County, about their staffing needs. O’Brien said the goal is to train workers before they open the racetrack and casino. They are also talking about another building that will serve as a business incubator. O’Brien said they have been in talks with StartingGate, a Beaver County based incubator. “This would be for people who don’t have the capital to rent a facility,” he said. The college does offer an entrepreneur program to its students. While these additional buildings will take some time, the college is set to sign agreements next month with three colleges that will offer full bachelor’s degree programs at the Lawrence Crossing site. O’Brien said students will complete their first two years as BC3 students on the site. Then they can take courses offered at Lawrence Crossing through three other colleges offering bachelor’s degrees. LaRoche College will offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Point Park University will offer a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and Edinboro University will offer a program in elementary education. Youngstown State University is planning to offer a degree in power plant technology at the Lawrence Crossing site. O’Brien said that is a two year program and will train workers for the nuclear power plant industry. The public can check out the new building at an open house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 5. (Laure Cioffi can be reached at LaureCioffi@ellwoodcity.org)