Inaugural Open House To Showcase BC3 @ Lawrence on July 30

Visitors can explore a new Butler County Community College facility in Shenango Township designed with a “wow factor” and prospective students can learn about graduating debt-free from BC3 @ Lawrence during its inaugural open house July 30.

BC3 @ Lawrence will waive its $25 application fee during the open house, scheduled for 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 2658 Ellwood Road, Suite 129, Shenango Commons.

Guests can RSVP at bc3.edu/open-house

BC3 @ Lawrence supersedes BC3 @ Lawrence Crossing in Union Township and will offer 14 associate degree programs and a certificate program when its fall semester begins Aug. 25.

The high-tech facility features a student lounge, a technology bar, diner-style booths and ergonomic chairs.

“There is a wow factor to it”

BC3 @ Lawrence students “will feel like they’re a part of BC3’s main campus,” said Brian Opitz, the college’s executive director of operations.

“Everything is well-coordinated. What we hear from students at our other locations, and I am sure that we will hear it here also, is they just love the space. They love to hang out there. They want to spend time there. There is a wow factor to it.”

Justin Johns, 21, of Scott Township, visited BC3 @ Lawrence for the first time July 16 and as a speaker during its grand opening and ribbon-cutting.

“It was like a breath of fresh air,” said Johns, who earned an associate degree in early childhood education (Pre K-4) at BC3 @ Lawrence Crossing in May. “I saw blues and whites, because that is the school’s colors. There are a lot of gray accents. The floors are really, really detailed.

“It’s going to make students feel very welcomed.”

“There is everything around us”

BC3 @ Lawrence’s neighbors within the Shenango Commons plaza include restaurants, indoor pickleball courts, a multi-vendor marketplace, gymnastics and fitness centers, and nearby, the 35-acre Shenango Community Park with picnic pavilions, a walking trail, and volleyball, tennis and bocce courts.

“There is everything around us,” said Sean Carroll, BC3 @ Lawrence director. “Students have so many different options. If they have a gap between classes, they can think, ‘Let’s go get something to eat and be back here in a half-hour.’”

Residents of Lawrence and Mercer counties will pay $310 per credit in tuition and fees for an in-person course at BC3 @ Lawrence in 2025-2026.

“Thrilled with our son’s experience at BC3”

Johns was among the 93 percent of BC3’s Class of 2025 to graduate debt-free. He has transferred to Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, where he will pursue a bachelor’s degree this fall.

“My husband, Jerry, and I were thrilled with our son’s experience at BC3,” said Lara Johns, Justin’s mother. “He gained a quality education without a hefty price tag, and the smaller classes meant he benefited from personalized instruction. This solid preparation at BC3 has enabled a seamless transfer to SRU.”

Lindsay Meskel, 22, of Ellwood City, graduated debt-free from BC3 @ Lawrence Crossing in May with an associate degree in psychology. She has also transferred to Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and will pursue a bachelor’s degree this fall.

“BC3 worked with my daughter every stage of her journey to obtain her first college degree,” said Tedra Stiffler, Lindsay’s mother. “They saw her as a person. The staff and teachers helped her to figure out her next steps. I really appreciate the personal experience she had attending BC3.”

Prospective students at the open house can review BC3 @ Lawrence’s associate degrees in seven career and seven transfer programs, and its certificate program.

Four programs – accounting, business administration, business management and medical coding and billing specialist – align with the state Department of Labor & Industry’s high-priority occupation list.

Accounting and business management were among the top five associate degree career programs of graduates in BC3’s Class of 2025.

Psychology, business administration, general studies, criminology and early childhood education (Pre K-4) were the top five associate degree transfer programs of BC3 graduates in May.

BC3 @ Lawrence’s credits transfer to public, private and online four-year colleges and universities.

BC3 established its Lawrence County location in 1989 within the Lawrence County Area Vocational-Technical School in Shenango Township, and also held classes in the Lawrence County Learning Center in New Castle before moving in 2008 to Union Township.