Butler County Community College is acknowledging a late politician after receiving the single largest donation in its history.
The late State Senator Tim Shaffer of Prospect left half of his estate to the BC3 Education Foundation—which was a total of $3 million.
Shaffer had previously donated $1 million to the college.
BC3 President Dr. Nick Neupauer said in a statement that Shaffer loved the college’s mission and loved the students.
“Tim wanted to give to a winner, and clearly BC3 has demonstrated that it is a winner, whether it’s with our No. 1 rankings, our outstanding programs and faculty, or our community partnerships,” Neupauer said via email. “The largest gift in our history is symbolic of his belief in BC3.”
Megan Covel, the college’s foundation director, says the money has been set aside for scholarship funding.
“But what is particularly notable is that he chose for those funds to be designated to BC3’s scholarship program. This is a gift of opportunity and a gift of access to higher education, which will, of course, have exponential impacts not only on the student, but on the entire community,” Coval said.
Shaffer’s previous gift in 2018 helped to fund construction of the Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building, a 25,000-square-foot facility that will open this month on BC3’s main campus.
The facility will house the college’s 5-year-old Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health, which as of Wednesday had the most students enrolled for fall among BC3’s five academic divisions, according to Sharla Anke, the college’s assistant dean of institutional research and planning.
