Scott Berte figures he’s experienced more than 20 of the annual Easter egg hunts that were in yard of the President’s House at Birmingham-Southern College.

The youngest son of retired BSC President Neal Berte said he was 3½ when the family arrived on campus.

“I was here until I was 20-plus and then we brought our kids back to be Easter egg-hunters,” Berte said. “It’s been many, many years. I can’t remember how many.”

But Berte does remember the campus that was his home and the college that became his alma mater in 1994. Those are fond memories, but he said he can see a bright future as the 192-acre BSC campus becomes home to the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Birmingham-Southern.

“The four of us kids, mom and dad’s kids, we all grew up on campus,” he said. “This is the house that we remember and grew up in. (I’m) excited about the transition, with the change. It’s a great investment in the community. The Hilltop’s going to continue on, just in a different chapter, so we’re excited.”

Excitement was an oft-mentioned emotion as alumni and others assessed what’s coming as a ribbon-cutting was held for the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Birmingham-Southern.

Berte wore a gold tie in honor of the college’s black and gold colors. The Rev. Keith Thompson, chairman of the BSC board of trustees, wore a Birmingham-Southern bowtie and at least one alumnus wore a lapel button from the 2023 BSC homecoming, the final homecoming of the school.

Thompson said he is thrilled about the campus’ new chapter.

“Once we realized there was no turning back and that the college was going to close, you go through your grief but you also have a responsibility,” Thompson said. “I couldn’t have written a better next chapter, beyond the fact that we had to close. You recognize this is going to do a lot of good, not only for the Coast Guard but for the community. They have been so intentional about talking about how they want to be a part of the community. They don’t want to just sit behind the fences; they want to be engaging (with) the community around them.”

Joanice Thompson has been a resident of Bush Hills since 1976. Beyond living just blocks from the BSC campus, she said her brother retired from the Coast Guard.

“When I heard that the Coast Guard was coming, I could not think of a better partner to have in Bush Hills,” she said. “We were looking for someone who could help us because we’re trying to revitalize Bush Hills. I served as the past president for the 501(c)3 Bush Hills Connections. We focus on education, health and wellness, and the environment. We hated to lose our students because they were a great resource. But if we couldn’t get them back or keep the school open, then this is just a perfect benefit to have the Coast Guard here.”

Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniella Vizcaya, a maritime enforcement specialist, said in a previous employment life she was an assistant women’s basketball coach at LaGrange College. She recalled her Panthers hosting the Birmingham-Southern Panthers. Now the BSC campus is her employment home.

“Man, God has a serious way of working things out, Vizcaya said. “I’ve always known of the college, but to see the Coast Guard take over and really utilize it for what they’re going to be doing, I think it’s a tremendous thing. I’m super excited that they’re able to just keep the history of the college rich and keep the college going. I hope that they’re able to really integrate with the local community too, and that the community enjoys having the Coast Guard here.

“I think it’s going to be awesome,” the petty officer said. “I think it’s truly going to be an amazing thing.”

An alumnus asked Adm. Kevin Lunday about alumni getting the commemorative coin that melds the emblems of the closed college and the Coast Guard. He suggested that former BSC President Daniel Coleman might help facilitate that through the school’s alumni network.

Lunday was also asked about the possibility of alumni visiting the campus.

“We want to figure out what is the way that alumni can come and visit the training center while we’re still doing training here,” the admiral said. “We think there’s a way to do that. We’re going to work on that with the community and with the alumni because we want the alumni to be able to visit too. We’re going to work on that. That’s part of that partnership.”