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The founding president of Bucks County Community College has passed away.
Dr. Charles E. Rollins, who served as the Newtown-based college’s top administrator for 22 years, passed away July 18 at his home in Pennswood Village in Middletown. He was 93.
“We were very saddened to learn of Dr. Rollins’ passing,” said Dr. Stephanie Shanblatt, current president of the college. “His leadership guided the college through its early years and first two decades, and created the strong foundation on which the college has grown and prospered.”
Rollins, who was born in 1922 in Wisconsin as the youngest of eight children, graduated from Lawrence College (now Lawrence University) in his hometown with an A.B. degree. He served in the U.S. Marines, taught history, then earned an M.A. and an Ed.D. from Columbia University in New York City. He was a dean at York Junior College in York, Pa., for nine years before serving as founding president at Edison Junior College in Fort Myers, Fla., from 1962 until his appointment at Bucks in April 1965, according to a recent release.
Significant growth occurred at Bucks during Rollins leadership; including the college expanding from 730 students to more than 9,000. Rollins, who retired in June 1987 to focus on travel, later had the former student union building named in his honor. The college has grown from its main campus in Newtown to have facilities in Bristol Township and Perkasie.
A memorial service to celebrate Rollins’ life will take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, August 2 in the Solarium, located on the second floor of the Charles E. Rollins Center. The service is open to the public, but a response is requested by calling 215-968-8219 or emailing Casey.Grunmeier@bucks.edu.
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