For many community college students, the idea of transferring to a private university like Bucknell can feel out of reach. That’s where the Bucknell Community College Scholars Program (BCCSP) comes in. Designed for high-achieving students who meet specific academic and income requirements, the program offers participants a six-week residential experience on campus. During the summer session, students live at Bucknell, take classes and gain a firsthand sense of the academic and social environment.
After completing the program, participants who apply and are admitted to transfer to Bucknell receive mentoring, tailored academic planning and scholarship support. For many, it provides not just a pathway to a degree, but a chance to reimagine their future.
One of those students is Elliott Centeno ’26, a senior psychology major who has taken a winding road back to education— and whose journey through the BCCSP has been nothing short of transformative.
Centeno, now 48, graduated from Lehigh Carbon Community College in 2024 with an associate’s degree in general studies before transferring to Bucknell. His decision to return to school after decades away was deeply personal.
“My inspiration was that I was really trying to return to school as a part of an overall life change, as an added activity to enhance myself as a person trying to start over and maintain sobriety from alcoholism,” Centeno said. “Returning to school was a part of my plan to start a new lifestyle.”
Having last been in school in the 1990s, that return wasn’t easy. “I started back up with classes in 2020, mid-Covid, so classes were all online which is something that I had no way to prepare for,” he said. “It was kind of terrifying in a sense to picture myself returning to school at this age knowing that I was in the middle of all of these other life transitions.”
Despite those fears, Centeno began to build momentum. “Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if I was going to even finish my Associate’s degree but since I took a class, and then took a couple more, I started realizing that I was able to be successful,” he said. “That’s when I kicked into a higher gear with determination and effort.”
When an email about BCCSP landed in his inbox, Centeno almost dismissed it. “A lot of us who come through the program think it’s some kind of scam,” he said with a laugh. “It usually comes as an email, and you’re like, ‘What is this?’” Encouraged by a professor, he applied “on a whim”– and was shocked when he got in.
The six-week program proved pivotal. “Honestly, I probably wouldn’t be here right now if not for the program,” Centeno said. “It exposes you to a challenging academic rigor. When I came here from my community college, it was an entirely different world. This program really does open your eyes.”
Since arriving as a full-time student as a part of the 2022 BCCSP cohort, Centeno has gravitated toward the biological side of psychology. “Since I’ve gotten here I’ve taken psychology and neuroscience courses, and I’m in my first biology course this semester,” he said. “I am participating in two research projects, one with the psychology department doing animal behavior studies and the other research project is through the Center for Access and Success researching the University experience for first-generation low-income college students.”
Today, Centeno is fully immersed in Bucknell life. He has taken courses in biopsychology and psychopharmacology, both of which are connected directly to his personal journey. “That class covered a lot about substance use and synaptic transmission in the brain,” he said of psychopharmacology. “My whole goal is to connect my past experiences with substance use disorders with my academic work and eventually contribute to the science of helping people overcome psychological challenges.”
Equally meaningful has been the support of his peers and professors. “My classmates have been invaluable,” he said. “Honestly, a lot of them have been way more welcoming and understanding of who I am and my background than I ever expected.”
Faculty and staff support has also been a cornerstone of his success. “I’ve had mentors who genuinely cared not just about my grades but about me as Elliott,” he said. “If it wasn’t for their encouragement, my path might have looked very different.”
As an older student, Centeno admits that one of his biggest challenges has been simply seeing himself as belonging. “I’m closer in age to some professors than I am to students,” he said. “So just believing that I can come to class, succeed and that I do belong here– that’s something I’ve had to keep reminding myself.”
For Centeno, success is no longer about chasing titles or grades. “For me, success means keeping myself at a stable balance- mentally, physically and spiritually,” he said. “It’s about existing at my highest possible potential and caring for the people I encounter, whether I see them every day or only once.”
Looking back, Centeno hopes his story inspires others who hesitate to take the first step. “Convince yourself that you’re capable,” he said. “Self-doubt can stop you before you even start. Applying to the summer program, applying to Bucknell— all of these were things I never thought I could do. But I kept reminding myself to take steps forward instead of letting doubt hold me back.”
For Centeno, BCCSP was not just a stepping stone– it was the catalyst that helped him rewrite his story. Looking back, Centeno says the most rewarding part of his journey has been “the combination of gaining so much academic enrichment and then also the positive additions to my life experiences that this has all brought. I have been able to form connections with people in ways that I had never been able to. Now, I have the brightest outlook on my future that I’ve ever had.”
As he reflects on sharing his journey, he said, “My biggest hope with sharing my story is to inspire others and serve as an example that our challenges can be overcome, no matter how difficult they are and no matter how distant our goals may seem.”
