As KCCD launches an exciting partnership with NREL focused on energy opportunities at BC, I thought it would be a great time to look back and see what BC has done in the past to lead the way in the conversation about energy in the Central Valley.
In 1979, the Renegade Raconteur reported on BC professor Bob Tuttle, who was known across the state for teaching other community college professors about what was, at the time, the new and uncharted world of solar energy.
More than 40 years later, we have major solar energy projects in California City, Rosamond and throughout Kern County, and programs like Energy TT&WD will help us expand those projects even further.
Good morning Bakersfield.
It is Saturday, October 17, 2020…a great day to be a Renegade.
Check out the story by Raconteur Editor Gerrie Kincaid, with photos by Jeff Kasinger.
Solar energy workshop held at BC
By Gerrie Kincaid
Raconteur Editor
Bakersfield College instructor Bob Tuttle has been helping teach solar energy systems installation to other community college instructors from throughout California and the Western US. The work is being done under a $95,000 US Department of Energy grant to the League of Innovation in the Community College.
Tuttle and his partner on the project, Bill Abernathy of Orange Coast Community College, have designed a 28-foot mobile trailer with a built-in solar space heater using heat stored rocks and a hydronic solar energy system. This was put on display at the solar energy workshop held at BC in October. Twenty instructors attended this meeting for an intensive workshop on solar energy theory, practical systems and how to teach others to install them.
During the fall semester, Tuttle taught a night class titled Solar I, which dealt mostly with the solar heating and cooling of residential buildings. “I go into the basic theory of solar heating on their [the students’] own home,” stated Tuttle. “We discuss economics involved and the various types of systems.”
In order to make his students better shoppers for solar energy systems, Tuttle teaches the real application of solar energy rather than the arts and crafts aspect of it.
“I’m into proven working systems,” stated Tuttle. “This includes things you need to know to purchase, and what is needed for your own home.”
Tuttle said he would eventually like to teach day classes on solar energy that involved energy conservation in the home, sizing installation and designing systems.
Another Jack Hernandez, inspired by a hibiscus flower:
Silent Beauty
A single red flower
bows its head,
Perhaps in meditation
searching for a thought
about solitude’s consolation,
Perhaps waiting for another
to share the ecstasy
of opening to life,
Perhaps with sadness
in air woven with conflict,
Perhaps simply praying
that we will occasionally stop
to wonder at its silent beauty.
Project HireUp Video Premiere
On Thursday, October 15, 2020, the Project HireUp: A Community Collaborative to End Homelessness video premiered on YouTube and Facebook. Great partnersip with CityServ, Mission for Kern County, The Homeless Shelter, and Adventist Health.
Find out how a dynamic partnership among Kern County organizations is taking homeless people to a job with wraparound services designed to fill every gap that leads to homelessness. Thank you Endee Grijalva, Program Manager of Adult Education; Valerie Urso, Web Content Editor; John Harrer, Student Intern; and the many others involved in producing this video.
A Week of Celebration and Success for Outreach & Early College
This week was fun and busy for our Outreach & Early College team! They started off the week by celebrating our beloved Steve Watkin’s birthday with a virtual celebration and surprises delivered to his house throughout the day. Happy Birthday, Steve!
to have a fun Zoom celebration.
Amidst the celebration, they also planned an Express Enrollment event specifically for our 8-week late start classes that begin next week.
The team assisted 75 students on Wednesday with issues that would have prevented each of them from registering in classes if our team was not there to provide immediate assistance. This care and service for our students is what makes us BC. We are BC!!
BC Bowlers Bowl Virtually
The BC Faculty and Staff Bowling league returned to action on Thursday, October 8th in a new format–via Zoom. Bowlers have missed seeing each other each Thursday, so they’re excited to be together again. The league is using Cat Bowling.net just in time for Halloween!
If anyone would like to join them, please e-mail Susan Pinza at spinza@bakersfieldcollege.edu, and she’ll send you the link. This is a fun way to meet faculty and staff from all over campus.
Kern Shakespeare Festival moves online
From Brian Sivesind in our Theatre Department:
“For 35 years, Bakersfield College has found a way to mount its annual Kern Shakespeare Festival. We persevered through the Great Recession, through years with no theatre to call home, and through many a background football game, rainstorm, or helicopter adding “ambience” to our performances in the Outdoor Theatre. While we may not be able to present live productions this year, the show must… and Will… go on. (See what I did there?)
For the 36th annual Kern Shakespeare Festival, we will be presenting Bootycandy by Robert O’Hara, directed by Tevin Joslen. Along with this exciting new play, we will be presenting The Comedy of Errors, directed by Bob Kempf, and The Tempest, directed by Brian J. Sivesind.”
Information about the virtual productions will be available in the coming weeks. Check back with my blog, or see the Kern Shakespeare Festival Facebook page for more information.
Learning Together
This week, I continued my President’s Virtual Forum series with the second installment of Learning Together. This week’s discussion focused on two videos.
The first is a TED talk from diversity consultant Verna Myers titled “How to Overcome Biases?: Walk Boldly Toward Them” which encourages viewers to recognize their biases in order to overcome them. The video may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYyvbgINZkQ&ab_channel=TED
The second video of our discussion will be “A Conversation About Growing Up Black” from the award-winning New York Times “Op-Docs” series. African American young men candidly discuss the daily challenges they face. The link for this video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSAw51caEeg&feature=youtu.be
I’d like to share two segments from Thursday’s virtual forum.
Sara Manuel, Psychology Professor:
Mindy Wilmot, Reference Librarian:
I will be archiving all the President’s Virtual Forum series, including the Learning Together series, on my website at https://www.bakersfieldcollege.edu/president/events.
Welcome to the Renegade Family!
Rick Range, a professor of Automotive Technology, shared that he and Darlene have welcomed their new daughter, Naomi.
Congratulations to the Range family!
#LightACandle: A Juneteenth Conversation
I am continuing to share videos from our #LightACandle productions. This week, I am sharing several commitments from community members and BC faculty & staff. These aired on the final day of production, June 19.
Jay Tamsi & Nick Hill
Keith C. Wolaridge
Vikki Coffee
You can find out more about this production and view all the videos at https://www.bakersfieldcollege.edu/aai/lightacandle-a-juneteenth-conversation.
In the News
Science Sundays
Did you catch Dr. Timothy Plett, one of our physical science faculty, on 23ABC’s Science Sundays last week? He showed viewers how to find the center of mass on any object.
Check it out at https://www.turnto23.com/news/science-sundays/science-sundays-center-of-mass-experiment
Celebrating Higher Education in Bakersfield
BC History faculty member Olivia Garcia wrote the text for a new book celebrating CSUB’s 50th anniversary. Congratulations to Olivia for that labor of love and congratulations to CSUB for 50 years of transformation through education.
Find out more at https://www.bakersfield.com/opinion/community-voices-csub-at-50-book-chronicles-extraordinary-journey/article_e7bcb6e6-0a4e-11eb-9898-0736f46140fe.html
Spotted on Social Media
BC Nursing shared this photo on their Instagram page of Level 1 VN students after completing clinical. Congratulations to our students!
IT Director Todd Coston shared this photo of him and his wife Cari on a road trip to Texas:
The Jones Art Gallery at BC shared this piece of art on their Instagram page. It was created by Darlene Osterkamp in 1970. Darlene was a member of the BC Art Faculty from the 1960s to 1980s.
Nicole Alvarez, Early College Director, shared this photo on Twitter. She presented at the Strengthening Student Success online series along with Kylie Campbell, Teresa McAllister, and Angela Quinn.
Athletics
Once Again Football Dominates the State in Attendance
Since Memorial Stadium was opened to fans in the mid 1950’s, we have consistently led the state in average fan attendance over the course of a football season. This last 2019 football season was no different. As you can see from the graphic, we dominated the rest of the state (and most likely the country) in football attendance for yet another year. We are all anxious to see our Renegades back in action and hope their next football season will be able to kick off in spring 2021 as set by the California Community College Athletics Association (CCCAA) current contingency plan.
‘Out of Bounds’ Special on 23ABC with Coach Littlejohn
This last week 23ABC Sports Director Kari Osep aired a panel of local coaches to discuss racial inequity and injustice. Our very own head football coach R. Todd Littlejohn and a handful of other local high school and college coaches sat down at the Fox Theatre to discuss the topic.
To watch the hour long special on the 23 ABC Facebook page click here:
https://www.facebook.com/345739135535736/videos/343415713546238
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, Sonya Christian
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