Local CEO to Give Keynote Address at BCCC Graduation

Bucks County Community College will celebrate its 45th annual commencement on Thursday, May 19.

John T. Parry, president and chief executive officer of the First National Bank & Trust Co. of Newtown, will be the keynote speaker. The ceremony gets underway at 6 p.m. in the Gymnasium on the s, 275 Swamp Rd.

Approximately 900 students will receive degrees at the evening ceremony.

Parry joined First National Bank in 1973, working his way up the corporate ladder from branch manager to executive vice president to president and chief operating officer. In 1996, he was named president and CEO, and in 2004 became chairman of the board of directors.

In addition, Parry also finds time to serve on several professional and community committees.  A life-long resident of Bucks County, he and his wife have four daughters, two of whom are married, and four grandchildren.

The college will recognize Parry’s 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 2011 will also hear from one of its own. Quakertown’s Kimberly Kratz was chosen to address her classmates in recognition of her outstanding achievements. The communication major, who intends to transfer to Gwynedd-Mercy College, served as vice president of membership for the college’s PiXi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honors society for two-year schools.

She also served as a staff reporter and editor for the Centurion student newspaper, which earned her the Outstanding New Member Award at the college’s annual student awards ceremony.

The ceremony will feature live music from the BCCC Madrigal Singers, under the direction of Music Area Assistant Professor Rochelle Milhous, performing a special arrangement of our national anthem composed by Professor Steve Bresnen. Also, Assistant Professor Jeff Baumeister will lead the BCCC Faculty and Friends Jazz Ensemble.

Earlier that day, Bucks will celebrate top students, faculty and alumni at its annual Honors Convocation ceremony. More than $125,000 in scholarships and awards will be presented at the ceremony, which begins at a 2 p.m. in the Gateway Auditorium.

All told, more than 150 awards will be presented by President Linksz, Provost and Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Annette L. Conn, and Tobias Bruhn, Executive Director of the BCCC Foundation. Most of the funds come from the BCCC Foundation, a nonprofit educational trust which manages a $3 million endowment.

Nursing graduates will also be honored with a pinning ceremony at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, in the Gymnasium. Keynote speaker will be James M. Gentile, RN, MS, CPAN, CAPA. The student speaker will be Richard Mohammed. The 110 students who completed the college’s associate degree nursing program are poised to become registered nurses upon completion of state licensing exams.