Schools

Nearly 900 to Graduate from BCCC Thursday

Fred Beans, president of Fred Beans Family of Dealerships, will be the commencement speaker during Thursday's ceremony.

Bucks County Community College will celebrate its 46th annual commencement Thursday at 6 p.m. at the . Fred Beans, president of Fred Beans Family of Dealerships, will be the commencement speaker.

Nearly 900 students are expected to graduate during Thursday's ceremony.

A life-long Bucks County resident, Beans heads an extensive automotive organization that includes 19 dealerships selling 17 automobile brands. Based in Doylestown, the group also owns and operates Fred Beans Collision Centers, AutoExpress of Doylestown, NAPA of Doylestown, Autorent of Doylestown and Fred Beans Parts Warehouse.

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In addition, Beans is involved in a number of professional and community groups, using his personal and business resources to support the arts, education, and recreation. He has received the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce’s Business Achievement Award and the Boy Scouts of America; Bucks County Council’s top Scouting award.

Beans, who lives in Doylestown, is an avid reader and a licensed commercial pilot, according to a press release from BCCC. His three daughters all have significant roles in the family business.

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The college will recognize Beans’ achievements by granting him an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree, to be presented by college president Dr. James J. Linksz and Board of Trustees chair J. Peter Dominick.

The class of 2012 will also hear from one of its own. Newtown’s Alexandra Bowe was chosen to address her classmates in recognition of her outstanding achievements. The business administration major served as president of the Ski & Snowboard Club and secretary of Kappa Beta Delta, the honor society for business students. She was also active in the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and the Student Government Association and served as a student ambassador. 

The ceremony will feature live music from the BCCC Madrigal Singers, who will perform a special arrangement of our national anthem composed by Professor Steve Bresnen. The BCCC Student Wind Ensemble will also perform.

Also that day, Bucks will celebrate top students, faculty and alumni at its annual Honors Convocation ceremony. The ceremony, which gets underway at 2 p.m. in the Gateway Auditorium, will include the presentation of more than $200,000 in scholarships and awards. More than 150 awards will be presented. Most of the funds come from the BCCC Foundation, a nonprofit educational trust that manages a $5 million endowment, school officials said. 

Nursing graduates will also be honored with a pinning ceremony at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Gymnasium. Keynote speaker will be Linda Sesa, a 1995 graduate of Bucks currently working at Fox Chase Cancer in Philadelphia. The student speaker will be Siau-ching “Theresa” Chong, who came to this country five years ago from Malaysia and earned several scholarships for her academic achievements. 

The more than 100 students who completed the college’s associate degree nursing program are poised to become registered nurses upon completion of state licensing exams.


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