(Butler, PA) Amber Barger, of Butler, received the clinical excellence award and its financial gift toward funding her state licensing examination during a ceremony Thursday evening in which Butler County Community College presented pins to its Class of 2025 in registered nursing.

The event in the Succop Theater recognized 62 graduates from seven Pennsylvania counties who completed the 70-credit associate degree career program instructed on BC3’s main campus.

Registered nurse, according to the state Department of Labor & Industry, is a high-priority occupation in the Tri-County Workforce Development Area, which includes Butler County.

Nearly half of the graduates have accepted job offers with hourly rates reaching $41.27 and signing bonuses of $10,000.

Barger, one of 43 graduates from Butler County, was presented with the Autumn Rose Cooper ’18 Nursing Award funded through the BC3 Education Foundation by the former Autumn Gressly, a 2018 BC3 graduate in registered nursing.

BC3 also presented pins Monday evening to 18 graduates of a registered nursing program instructed at BC3 @ Brockway in Brockway.

This is a photograph of a student after receiving a pin

Amanda Claypoole-Hagen, left, of Clarion, is shown Thursday evening with Michelle Rock, a Butler County Community College faculty member, in the Succop Theater on BC3’s main campus during a ceremony that recognized graduates of the college’s registered nursing associate degree career program.

This is a photograph of a student with an artificial candle

Allyson Long, center, of Grove City, is shown Thursday evening in the Succop Theater on Butler County Community College’s main campus during a ceremony that recognized graduates of the college’s registered nursing associate degree career program.

This is a photograph of a woman applauding.

Audrey Yanosky, center, of Uniontown, applauds Thursday evening in the Succop Theater on Butler County Community College’s main campus during a ceremony that recognized graduates of the college’s registered nursing associate degree career program.

This is a photograph of a student receiving a pin

Raegan Onizuk, of Mars, receives a corsage Thursday afternoon outside the Succop Theater on Butler County Community College’s main campus before an evening pinning ceremony that recognized graduates of the college’s registered nursing associate degree career program.

This is a photograph of a graduate lighting a candle

Amber Barger, of Butler, lights a candle Thursday evening in the Succop Theater on Butler County Community College’s main campus during a pinning ceremony that recognized graduates of the college’s registered nursing associate degree career program. Barger received the clinical excellence award and its financial gift toward funding her state licensing examination.