Jeff Pyle honored at groundbreaking of new BC3 college in Ford City

As a line of public officials spoke at the groundbreaking of the new Butler County Community College (BC3) in Ford City on Friday, most of them uttered the same name: Jeff Pyle.

Pyle is a former Republican state representative, former Ford City mayor and a former teacher at Ford City Junior-Senior High School. As a state representative, he long championed the project to build a college on the site of the former school in the economically beleaguered town. Pyle, 56, stepped down from the legislature in March after nine terms for health reasons.

Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, and others assembled on a perfect sunny fall day — flanked by yellow mums and with new shovels trimmed in neat white bows and a few discreet piles of dirt along Fourth Avenue — to break ground for the new $4.5 million campus.

“This is a historic day and a historic site,” said BC3 President Nick Neupauer. Like other community colleges, BC3 will offer affordability, accessibility and quality education to Ford City, he said.

“Your community will reap the benefits for many years to come,” Neupauer said.

Neupauer said he remembered talking to Pyle in his Ford City office about bringing BC3 to town a decade ago.

“He always believed, and he never wavered,” he said.

Sen. Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, said he met Pyle when he was mayor of Ford City and couldn’t believe the two would be together celebrating the groundbreaking for a new college.

“Ford City High School stood for 105 years, and this college will stand for another 105 years,” Pittman said.

Cutler traveled to Ford City for the groundbreaking to honor Pyle, who once shared a legislative office with him.

“Jeff Pyle’s passion for this college will open doors for others for years to come,” Cutler said.

Pyle was always the strong voice of small communities, he said.

Cutler remembered hearing Pyle championing small towns in a speech in the legislature.

“He rattled off the name of every community in the county, even Yellow Dog.’ ”

Although speakers delivered many accolades, Pyle cut through with his signature regular-guy demeanor. The first sentence of his speech was, “Cutler, I owe you a beer.”

Pyle gave a nod to the past, talking about how his family, including his grandfather and mother, attended the former Ford City Junior-High. Pyle’s mother taught at high school and, collectively, they taught for almost a half-century there.

Pointing to the empty building site, Pyle said, “Take a look over there. You can’t see it right now, but that’s opportunity. That’s a chance for our young people to better themselves.”

He touted BC3 and how the community college excels at identifying emergent job fields, which will help not only educate residents but to find jobs.

“Ford City has had rough times,” Pyle said. “I think this is the beginning of the climb back out of the hole.”

Pyle couldn’t finish his speech without having a little more fun and shining the light on a local business.

“Yeah, the hot sausage at Stanley’s down the street, you want it with the cheese and onions.”

Other speakers included Armstrong County Commissioner Pat Fabian; NexTier Bank CEO Clem Rosenberger; Joseph Ruble, a current BC3 student; and alumnus Matthew Reitler.

The 12,500-square-foot facility will be built at 1100 Fourth Ave. The school will offer programs in business administration, general studies, psychology, pre-nursing and other courses and programs under development.

Although the namesake of the new college in Armstrong County is Butler County, it has been this community college’s mission to open branches in underserved rural counties such as Armstrong, Jefferson, Lawrence and Mercer.

If construction goes as planned, BC3 could be open for classes in the spring of 2023, said William Foley, a spokesman for BC3.