(Butler, PA) The former vice president of policy and federal relations for a Washington, D.C., nonprofit organization who worked with members of Congress and with the U.S. Department of Education to benefit federal student financial aid programs has become executive director of the Butler County Community College Education Foundation and external relations.
Megan Coval, a Butler native, worked 11 years with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. She was selected following a nationwide search to succeed Ruth Purcell, who retired in December after serving 10 years in the position at BC3.
The executive director of the BC3 Education Foundation and external relations acquires and manages private resources for the benefit of BC3.
As an executive with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Coval oversaw the organization’s government relations, policy and grant work and led its advocacy efforts to secure federal COVID-19 relief funding for postsecondary institutions and students, an amount that totaled $77 billion.
“A great fit for this position”
She was also the organization’s liaison with members of Congress and with the U.S. Department of Education and advocated for its policy recommendations and for increased funding for federal student financial aid programs.
“When Megan interviewed,” said Dr. Nick Neupauer, president of BC3, “she talked about relationship management, and that was the perfect fit for this position because of our relationships with so many different stakeholders, elected officials at the federal level, state level, local level, and obviously alumni and colleagues at BC3. Her demonstration of that strength in forming relationships was so important.”
Those relationships, Neupauer said, are all “dotted lines to our great students.”
The BC3 Education Foundation will award more than $200,000 in named scholarships in the 2021-2022 academic year to students attending BC3’s main campus or its additional locations in Armstrong, Butler, Jefferson, Lawrence and Mercer counties.
Coval earned a master’s degree in higher education administration from Penn State University, a bachelor’s degree in political science from Allegheny College and is a graduate of Butler Senior High School.
" ... every time I would come back and read the local newspaper, and read the news or coverage of BC3, I was always struck by how accessible BC3 makes higher education to this community ... "
Exec impressed by BC3’s partnerships
Coval, a daughter of Rick and Carol McClean – who earned an associate degree from BC3 in secondary education – will serve on BC3’s President’s Cabinet and as an ex-officio member of the BC3 Education Foundation board.
“It’s really interesting because in D.C. I was working for an association where we represented thousands of institutions, and I worked in higher education at the sort of 10,000-foot view and knew of different colleges and universities all across the country,” Coval said.
“And every time I would come back and read the local newspaper, and read the news or coverage of BC3, I was always struck by how accessible BC3 makes higher education to this community, all the efforts to get students to BC3, to give them an opportunity, to open a door and all of the programs that exist to help them succeed.”
Coval said she was also impressed by BC3’s partnerships with the community, business leaders and elected officials, “and the level of collaboration and the quality of collaboration,” she said. “That speaks to the caliber of the institution.”
Brings “wealth of experience” to BC3
The executive director of the BC3 Education Foundation and external relations serves as principal point of fundraising expertise for the college and ensures that all fundraising activities support the college’s overall mission, goals and strategic objectives.
Coval’s “wealth of experience” will be an asset to the college, said Tony Shakely, a commercial loan officer with Armco Credit Union and chair of the BC3 Education Foundation board since 2018.
“She comes from a varied background and a unique point of view from which we can gain a lot,” Shakely said. “It doesn’t hurt that she is from Butler and understands the value and quality that BC3 provides our area.”
Coval began at BC3 on Sept. 20. She started her career in higher education as an admissions counselor at Penn State University, and was director of government relations for the U.S. Department of Education’s Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.
She and her husband, Nick, are parents of Annie, 4, and Gracie, 2.
