It has been a beautiful and busy week celebrating educators in our community.
Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to speak at the Delta Kappa Gamma and the AAUW (American Association of University Women) about Title IX. Dr. Micheller Mille-Galaz is the incoming President of DKG and Dean of Instruction at Porterville College.
Later in the week, on Thursday, the Kern Community College District honored John Means at the Board of Trustees meeting.
Here is an excerpt from my remarks at the Board meeting.
Colleagues are impressed not only by what John does, but also by how he does his work, which is rooted in who he is. John’s character, integrity and humility garners the trust and respect of others, resulting in strengthened partnerships and life-changing outcomes for our students and for the communities in which they live.
Throughout his career, John was tough-minded in doing what is right, yet tender-hearted in his interactions with colleagues, regardless of their rank, title or position.
I will share video from the presentations in a later blog, but for now please enjoy these photos.
Good morning, friends.
It is June 11, 2022.
The sun shines bright over KernCCD.
Porterville College
Student Veterans Help the Porterville Homeless Community
Partnering with the Homeless Outreach Project (HOP), our Student Veterans Organization (SVO), ventured out into the local homeless community to handout solar lanterns, which were purchased by the SVO, as well as dog food, hygiene kits, and water.
The PC SVO meets every two weeks to build camaraderie and discuss ways in which they can help fellow Veterans and the surrounding community. The SVO has raised thousands of dollars through fundraising events to help provide resources such as these to those in our community who need them.
If you would like to contribute to PC’s SVO, and their efforts, please consider purchasing a SVO Fundraising T-shirt, available inside the PC VRC, or by contacting us at 559-791-2222.
PC Hosts Campus Tour for Native American High School Students
The Porterville College Native American Club recently hosted a group of Native American high school students for a campus tour, lunch, and admissions presentation.
The PC Native American Club helps to build an on-campus sense of community for those students who identify as Native American.
The high school students in attendance for the tour came from various local high schools, including Monache, Porterville, Butterfield, and Harmony High Schools. The Native American Club did an amazing job at exposing these students to what college life looks like at Porterville College.
Also of note: This year, Porterville College had 18 Native American student graduates!
Cerro Coso Community College
CC Hosts Eastern Sierra Entrepreneur Regional Summit for Climate Innovation and Business Opportunities
The Eastern Sierra Small Business Resource Center (BRC) and Cerro Coso Community College hosted the Eastern Sierra Entrepreneur Regional Summit for Climate Innovation and Business Opportunities on May 31, 2022.
The event brought together over 75 small business owners, entrepreneurially-minded professionals, and stakeholders from the climate innovations sector together to learn from each other, network, and generate business opportunities for the surrounding area. It was designed for founders and owners of companies, as well as entry and executive-level employees who were looking to grow their network or find new opportunities in the climate opportunities and innovations sector.
Professor Peter Fulks spoke at the event and shared Cerro Coso’s upcoming forestry, land management, and sustainable recreation pathways that are in development. Katie Bachman, Jennifer Marshall, and Nicole Harper attended the event to promote Cerro Coso’s programs and networked with employers for potential internships.
Mid-Night Madness Co-Ed Grass Doubles Volleyball Fundraiser
Grass doubles are a great way to build volleyball skills while having fun outdoors.
Cerro Coso Volleyball is hosting a Mid-Night Madness Co-Ed Grass Doubles Fundraiser on the college soccer field on Saturday, July 9, 2022 at 6 p.m.
Cost to participate is $60 per a team of two and includes a t-shirt and prizes.
All those interested in participating are encouraged to reach out to Coach Andy at Andrew.cole@cerrocoso.edu. Rules and more information provided after sign-up.
Employees Receive CPR, First Aid, AED Training
It’s an investment you hope you’ll never need to use, but it’s one that everyone should make. CPR, First Aid, AED training for employees is an important step for emergency preparedness and safety in the workplace. Approximately 400,0000 people die each year from sudden cardiac arrest.
The training provided by High Desert Training Services provided correct knowledge and skills for handling emergency situations that helps respond appropriately to an emergency situation. Employees received training on workplace chemical injuries, cuts, sprains, fractures, eye burns, abrasions and various other injuries. This training also helps employees become more aware of safety hazards and spot potential hazards before they occur.
CCCC Proud Sponsor of Eastern Sierra Pride Festival
Eastern Sierra Pride spearheaded an inaugural Pride Festival on June 4th and 5th at the Tri-County Fairgrounds, and other venues, in Bishop. The first-of-its-kind Pride Festival to celebrate local and visiting LGBTQIA2SP+ community.
The festival included a drag show, dancing, a Tupperware party, bingo, musical performances, stand-up comedy, and more.
In addition to scheduled Pride Festival events, there were many local businesses and organizations hosting vendor and information booths on the 5th.
“The inaugural Pride event was very special to so many people,” said a post on the group’s Facebook page. “It was even more special, with the presence of the local agencies that we all know so well, in our every day lives. The Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, and the National Park Service collaborated to have a presence at Pride, and they brought their special friend!” Smokey the bear. “This meant a lot to so many people.”
Cerro Coso Community College was there too and was a proud sponsor of the event.
In addition to organizing the Pride Festival, Eastern Sierra Pride will continue to host local community meetups in Bishop on the 1st Monday of each month at Mountain Rambler Brewer from 6 to 9 pm, and in Mammoth Lakes at the Mammoth Brewing Company.
True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are. – Brené Brown
Bakersfield College
BC Foundation Hall of Fame Tickets Still Available
The Bakersfield College Foundation Hall of Fame dinner and recognition of the honorees will take place July 7th at Seven Oaks Country Club. Tickets are available ($150) and can be purchased online using this link: BC Alumni Hall of Fame Sponsorships & Tickets
The event will begin at 6:00 PM and sponsorship packages are still available as well. Tax-deductible sponsorship packages include Presenting Sponsor ($10,000), Legend Sponsor ($5,000), Knight Sponsor ($2,500), and Red & White Sponsor ($1,000).
The Bakersfield College Foundation nominates alumni who have made a significant impact through their profession, public and community service, or by making a positive influence in the lives of others. This year the honorees include Congressman Kevin McCarthy; NaTesha Johnson, the founder and owner of Upside Productions Management; Lou Barbich, a certified public accountant with 40 years of leadership in the community; and Shirley Haney, who has fostered more than 109 children in her home.
Steven Watkin Recognized as Career Technical Education Administrator of the Year
The Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) has announced Steven Watkin as the recipient of the Career Technical Education Administrator of the Year recognition. The ACSA is the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the United States, serving more than 17,000 California educators.
Watkin, Bakersfield College’s Executive Director of Outreach and Early College and Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Services at KCCD, will be recognized with the award on Thursday, June 9th at Coconut Joe’s Banquet Hall.
With over 30 years of experience in the area of recruitment and retention, Steven Watkin has represented four higher educational institutions including Fresno Pacific University, Fresno State, CSU Bakersfield, and Bakersfield College.
For Bakersfield College, Watkin developed, implemented, and evaluated a college-wide outreach plan that included pre-collegiate student success programs, strengthened the college-going culture throughout Kern County, and built up and developed dual enrollment and BC’s Early College program.
Under his leadership, Bakersfield College saw growth in the areas of enrollment and in first-time students attempting increased unit loads in their first term. His goal was that students felt supported and knew their pathway towards a degree with clarity from the very start of their college journey and developed support such as the Comprehensive Student Education Plan to accomplish this hands-on support.
BC’s Lindsay Ono Presents at Bakersfield Home Show
This past weekend, the Bakersfield Edible Education Garden took center stage at the Bakersfield Home Show thanks to professor Lindsay Ono. Various presentations were given each day on things to enhance home gardening for those interested. It was a great opportunity to get new students into BC’s upcoming Edible Education Garden Noncredit courses.
Learn More about Edible Gardening – Enroll in BC’s Non Credit
Learn about what plants need to grow and flourish in the garden. Explore the origins of the fruits and vegetables we eat today.
Learn how to choose the right gardening method for your lifestyle and how to harvest produce year-round from your backyard. Hands-on activities to make it fun!
Enroll in ORNHB70NC to save your seat in class!
Veterans Resource Center Missing Man Table
BC’s Veteran Resource Center staff honored the over 81,600 military service members and DoD personnel missing in action in a Missing Man Table ceremony. The VRC saw incredible support from our Board of Trustees, senior administration, staff and faculty. Thank you to our community partners and veteran brothers from the Kern County Veteran Service Office, Wounded Heroes Fund, and Congressman McCarthy’s office and to our own BC History department for assisting in the ceremony.
Veterans Resource Center to be Recognized with CMAA Architectural Innovation Award
The Southern California Chapter of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) will honor BC with a Project Achievement Award for the excellent work completed on the college’s VRC. The Award will be presented at the CMAA SoCal 29th Gala on June 30, 2022.
Oliver Rosales Receives Grant from Whiting Foundation
The Whiting Foundation has announced the grant recipients for 11 public humanities projects with one recipient for $50,000 being Bakersfield College History Professor Dr. Oliver Rosales.
Dr. Rosales will utilize the grant funding to work with cultural heritage organizations and historic landmark sites in the San Joaquin Valley, on classroom resources, and a series of virtual and in-person events to teach teachers about history in rural California and train them to lead digital story mapping projects with their students.
Remembering Archie Sherman
I’d like to share this email I received from the BC Archives about the passing of Archible (Archie) Sherman:
Jackie Fisher let the Archives know that ARCHIBLE (ARCHIE) SHERMAN has died. Archie was a gentle giant on campus for many years. He was quiet spoken, but his very presence invited respect and attention. He always had a warm smile and was known for the efficiency with which he carried out any assignment, and he had quite a variety in his years on campus. Raised in Bakersfield, Archie had been a student at BC and received his AA before going on to a BS and MBA from California State University at Long Beach. He became a teacher at BC in 1974, while teaching, Archie went on to receive his EdD from Nova University. His quiet, efficient manner led him to be the Chair of the Public Service Department for many years. When he retired in 1996, he was the Director of Admissions and Records. Archie was an unusual person. In whatever assignment he had, Archie was totally immersed in quietly helping others, whether students or faculty. He was a calm force for peaceful, non-violent resolutions of challenges and problems. Archie had a wisdom about him that was sought out by others. He was a willing and natural mentor to many. Archie Sherman will be missed both by Bakersfield College and the Bakersfield community.
Jerry Ludeke for the BC Archives
In the News
BC’s Broadway concert at Stars to raise funds for European tour
Chris Glaser wrote this piece for The Bakersfield Californian about the upcoming “Something’s Coming: An Evening with the BC Chamber Singers and Friends” concert.
“BC Chamber Singers will take a meaningful message to Central Europe: Our unwaveringly rigorous programs strive to bring joy and purpose to the lives of our students and audience members alike.”
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
Nick Strobel shared these pictures of the blooms & buds on his saguaro cactus:
Cerro Coso Community College shared a snap from their recent movie night:
Jessica Wojtysiak introduced her new puppy Stanford:
Dr. Claudia Habib shared this from “First Friday Coffee”:
Great to see many friends, fellow Rotarians, agencies and business partners this morning at the Porterville Chamber of Commerce “First Friday Coffee”, sponsored by Eagle Mountain Casino.
KHSD tweeted about their incoming cohort of Early College students:
Daisy Gonzales shared a post from this week’s rally for an equitable CalGrant system:
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That’s a wrap for now.
See you next Saturday!
The future is bright at KernCCD.
-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor
#KCCDDaringMightyThings
