Good morning Bakersfield.
It is Saturday, September 12, 2020…a great day to be a Renegade

BC Receives $1.3M to Support Teacher Preparation Pathway

Bakersfield College has been awarded $1.3M to support the Education Pathway for future teachers as California continues to face a rising teacher shortage. Specifically, over the next decade, it is projected that 30% of teachers in the state will retire at the same time that a rising number of children will be entering the school system. The Teacher Preparation Program will provide vital support services to 140 new eligible students every year over 5 years.

Dr. Kimberly Bligh, BC’s Title V Director and Chair of the Education Department says, “This pathway offers our community the possibility to create and further develop local teachers, giving them the opportunity to advance in their career and serve our youth. Plus, these are the individuals who understand better than anyone what it’s like to live and learn in the Central Valley.”

Learn more about Teacher Preparation Pathway at Bakersfield College.

Thank you Emma Gallegos for this story in the Bakersfield Californian.

Here’s another beautiful poem from Jack Hernandez:

A GARDEN OF PEACE
 
                                     There is a garden
                                     where we might gather
                                     to walk and talk as one
                                     to find the innocence
                                     of peace with ourselves
                                     and others in love’s
                                     tranquility and forgiveness,
                                     a garden where
                                     all voices are heard
                                     all lives are embraced
                                     in joyful grace.

Jack emailed me this poem, saying he was inspired after reading an amazing article about the new Bakersfield College Peace Garden. Stacey Shepard‘s article appeared front page above the fold in Sunday’s Bakersfield Californian.

I am so excited for the Peace Garden, and I love the ongoing collaboration between Bakersfield College and Dr. Naina Patel. Her guidance and commitment to peace and mindfulness have been an anchor during these turbulent times, and I am grateful that we will be able to provide a permanent place of peace and healing to our Renegade/Bakersfield Community.

It was such an honor when Dr. Naina Patel connected with me to get BC involved in community-wide celebrations, like when Arun Gandhi came to speak in Delano:

I would also like to thank Anthology Professor Krista Moreland and BCSGA Vice President Emma McNellis, who have been integral to the Bakersfield College Peace Garden project.

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Outreach & Early College Gear Up to Serve High School Students this Year

The Outreach & Early College team had a virtual planning retreat this week to plan how they are going to serve 50 high school partners and over 12,500 high school students this school year. They are excited to launch a new service model where one Advisor or Counselor from the team is assigned to assist each high school site with all of their Early College and Senior Matriculation needs.

As we continue to begin the on-boarding process as early as the 9th grade, the services provided continue to be student focused and built on the foundation of quality and partnership that the team has built over the last several years.

Stay tuned for more new and exciting things coming to you from our wonderful Outreach & Early College team!

Distinguished Speaker Series Continues with Louie Cruz Beltran

Next week, master percussionist and singer Louie Cruz Beltran will speak to students and the community as part of the BCSGA’s Distinguished Speakers Series.

Thank you to Kris Tiner for coordinating this speaker. 

There will be two sessions on September 16, 2020 via Zoom and BCSGA Facebook.

To register and for details, see the Distinguished Speakers on the BC Website.

Virtual Seminar Series Continues

Last spring, I held a series of virtual forums and seminars to share what Bakersfield College was doing to cope and shift our work during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are continuing these sessions into the Fall 2020 semester.

We have held two seminars so far this fall, on August 22 and September 8.

On August 22, we took a look at what Fall 2020 would look like at Bakersfield College.

Executive Director of Facilities Bill Potter and Interim Health Center Director Cindy Collier shared updates:

We used our seminar block of time the following week to wrap up our Opening Day celebration, and continued with the Virtual Seminar Series on September 8.

Our September 8 presentation focused on Renegade Athletics.

Sarah Lopez, one of our Renegade Athletes on the volleyball team, spoke on the importance of unity as we move through unchartered waters:

Keep a lookout for information about upcoming seminars, and please check back on my blog as I will be sharing videos from forums you may have missed.

We will also be archiving the seminar videos on the BC COVID-19 Resources web page.

Opening Day 2020

Our traditional Opening Day celebration was shifted to a virtual format this year, and our planning team rose to the occasion and provided 5 days of high-quality productions to inform and energize our BC faculty, staff and administration.

Today, I wanted to share this video highlighting the Student Information Desk. Our student services team has gone above and beyond in adapting to our current situation and finding new ways to effectively and efficiently serve our students – from a distance.

You can see all the videos from Opening Day on the Opening Day 2020 website.

In the news: Zav Dadabhoy Appointment President of CSSO Association

Bakersfield College’s Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Zav Dadabhoy has broadened the scope of his leadership by serving as president of the California Community Colleges Chief Student Services Officers (CSSO) Association. The Association focuses on student success, equity, and support for the 2.4 million students attending one of the 116 California Community Colleges.

Since June 2020 when he accepted the role, Dr. Dadabhoy began working directly with the State Chancellor’s Office to broaden services and support initiatives that ensure student success through technology, providing remote assistance to students during the COVID19 pandemic. Dr. Dadabhoy knew the importance that this played at Bakersfield College and wanted to ensure the same successful strategies are implemented statewide. 

At Bakersfield College, leadership was ahead of the curve in March when the campus was physically closed and moved to an online format even before the Governor announced the statewide stay-at-home order. BC’s commitment to academic quality and student support was undiminished in the move due to the use of innovative tools, such as the Student Information Desk (SID). Since its launch in May, the SID has assisted more than 9,000 visitors. 

KGET aired a video piece about Dr. Dadabhoy‘s new role.

#GoodTrouble: The Legacy of John Lewis

Over the past few weeks, I have been sharing videos from BC’s #GoodTrouble production honoring the life of Congressman and Civil Rights leader John Lewis, who passed away in July.

Today I am sharing the final videos from that project.

Julian West Closing Remarks

Jaimi Banks Sings “Lift Every Voice”

You can find all the videos from the John Lewis production on the BC website.

Commencement

Today I am sharing the last of our videos from the Special Televised Commencement Tribute that aired on July 11. I am deeply grateful for all the work and creativity that went into planning a production to celebrate our amazing Class of 2020.

Rudy Salas

Closing remarks

More information, including all videos, about the special Commencement 2020 Tribute can be found on the BC website.

Spotted on Social Media

Lesley Bonds, Director of Student Success and Equity, was nominated for the Beautiful Bakersfield Awards in the “Young Professional” category!

Dean of Academic Technology Bill Moseley shared these photos of the smoke in Bakersfield this week:

Enrollment Services Director Michelle Pena shared this photo with Admissions & Records Assistant Director Jackie Lau:

The BC Nursing Instagram Page shared these pictures of nursing students practicing with IVs while also engaging in social distancing:

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And speaking of nursing, the BC Career Education YouTube page shared this video highlighting Healthcare Simulation Week:

Athletics

Renegade Athletics Set To Return in Spring 2021

Last week would have been the start to our 2020-21 fall athletics season. As you know by now, all fall sports have been moved to the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) contingency plan, which places all of our fall and spring sports into two separate condensed seasons within this coming 2021 spring semester. Click here to view the contingency schedule. Above is a great shot of our beloved Memorial Stadium this last year that is patiently awaiting the return of all our Renegade athletics teams to action this coming spring.

Be sure to stay connected and up-to-date with Renegade Athletics on social media:

• Facebook: Bakersfield College Athletics
• Twitter: @GoGadesGo
• Instagram: @gogadesgo

That’s all for now.
Until next time.
With much Renegade Pride and Collegiality.
sonya –
the luckiest and happiest college president ever

Tagged: Bakersfield College, Early College Team, Kimberly Bligh, Sonya Christian