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
And the Registration Rocks started with a massive banner for enrollment hanging off the Center for Student Success! What an exciting time to be at BC!
BC’s completion coaching teams serve students through “high touch” (emails, phone calls, texts, group meetings, faculty classroom announcements) within the Learning and Career Pathways, sometimes called meta-majors. This high touch, proactive coaching of students is dependent upon high tech information to determine WHICH students need WHAT information WHEN. Each completion coaching team has a specified data coach, that may be a faculty, classified or management volunteer, who is trained in getting the information to the completion coaching teams. Data coaches fulfill several functions within the completion coaching communities. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) provides live, regularly updated data based upon a wide array of variables and demographics, heretofore unavailable simply because their weren’t enough researchers for all the reporting necessary. BC currently has 31 data coaches that receive data training, including FERPA certification, and have a certain knack with data but also have day jobs that intersect closely with students every day.
I’d like to introduce you to Jasmit Thind. He was placed on the 2017 Men’s Scholar Athlete Honor Roll. CCCAA selects the winners and honor roll members from nominations made by CA Community Colleges. Candidates must have a minimum 3.5 GPA, participate in two seasons of sport at the college, and show outstanding leadership as an athlete, student or in college and/or community activities.
Now I’d like to introduce you to Aisha Maston, Bakersfield College Track & Field Alumna from ’96-97. Aisha was inducted into the CCCAA Hall of Fame Class of 2018. Aisha led the Renegades to the 1997 women’s track and field championship, holds four BC stadium records and still holds the CCCAA state championship record for most individual points. After Bakersfield College, Aisha earned a scholarship and transferred to the University of Nebraska where she studied and received her baccalaureate degree in psychology.
Basketball coach, Paula Dahl enthusiastically shared that the Basketball Academy is starting this weekend for youth aged 10-18.
Jessica Flores started volunteering for non-profit causes at a young age, and as she learned more about the struggles that women, people of color and other marginalized groups face in the United States and around the world, she felt a calling to dedicate her life to raising awareness of those struggles. As a progressive political activist, Flores often feels daunted by the magnitude of work that needs to be done in order to enact change, she continues to organize and participate in marches, write letters to politicians and do anything in her power to raise awareness of the issues important to her. “Whatever small way you can contribute, do so, because the revolution needs you,” Flores said.
Kimberly Kirchmer grew up in a religious household and attended a Mennonite college in the Midwest, where she was inspired by the compassion of pacifist Christians to pursue a life of advocating for women’s rights causes. A survivor of sexual assault, Kirchmer organized several local productions of the Vagina Monologues in Bakersfield shortly after moving her 13 years ago. She is also President of the Democratic Women of Kern and organized the 2018 Kern County Women’s March, which brought together over 5,000 people and 50 speakers to march for equality. Kirchmer offered a similar message to Flores, pleading for those who want to make an impact on the world around them to go ahead and do it.
Thanks to the generous support of the Norman Levan Center for the Humanities, anthropology professor Krista Moreland was able to bring renown Kenyan artist Andrew Kamiti to Bakersfield College’s Indoor Theater on April 5th.
I want to recognize Trustee Kyle Carter first and foremost for his support of BC’s choir. When I approached him a few weeks ago and asked for his help to strategize how we could bridge the gap in funding to get our students to Australia to perform at the Sydney Opera House, he immediately went into action and the result was the March 10th concerts (one at 5:00 p.m. and the other at 7:30) with two amazing musicians Monty Byrom and Lydia Ranger, who performed pro bono alongside the BC Chamber Singers to raise the funds. Kyle opened up the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame venue for this event and along with his wife Kim McAbee-Carter pulled off an incredible concert.
To celebrate the upcoming television premiere of the documentary “Dolores: Rebel. Activist. Feminist. Mother”, Dolores Huerta and her family came to the Levan Center on Monday night to answer questions about the work she’s done as a community organizer for over 50 years. BC’s Olivia Garcia and Tina Mendoza gave a brief introduction about the Huerta family before hosting a screening of “Dolores”, which premieres on PBS’ Independent Lens March 27th. (Btw, doesn’t Olivia look absolutely gorgeous and happy in this picture?)
The Renegade softball team is one of the ten best in the state, 
It was also nice to see Jerry Ludeke, Archives, Andrew Bond, English Faculty, Pete LeGrant and Anna Poetker, Philosophy Faculty, in attendance. We are truly fortunate to have such valuable learning experiences on our campus. The next Gadfly Cafe,
It was during my job as a Social Worker that I realized I had a passion to work with seniors. While working as a full time Social Worker, I completed my Bachelor’s in Science at University of Phoenix with a more flexible schedule. In 2011, I was hired at ADAKC as Director of Family Services Program assisting seniors, early on set clients, caregivers and family members in the journey of Alzheimer’s Disease and related Dementias. It was then that I also realized that I returned to my first internship and it has been 7 years working a ADAKC. ADAKC continues to be a site for students from Bakersfield Human Services Internship Program to complete internship opportunities. Having the experience in completing the Human Services Program, I am able to give back to the program in assisting and training students in the skills they need for their Human Services Career.
John Means (KCCD) Elizabeth Sanchez (BC student who came over from Bakersfield Adult School) Abel Guzman (BC Delano) Debbi Anderson (BC Outreach) Jessica Flores (BC AEBG) Karen Goh (Mayor-Bakersfield) Richard McCrow (BC Dean) Endee Grijalva (BC AEBG) Raquel Lopez (BC Delano) Mary Jo Pasek (BC Community Relations) John Hart (BC Department Chair-EMLS) Kim Collins (BC AEBG).
Hank Pfister (born October 9, 1953 in Bakersfield, California) is a former tennis player from the United States, who won two singles titles (1981, Maui and 1982, Newport) during his professional career. The right-hander reached his highest individual ranking on the ATP Tour on May 2, 1983, when he became World No. 19.
Two of our core values at Bakersfield College focus on wellness and community so this holiday weekend, BC has partnered with KGET to help stop drunk and drugged driving. Did you catch the piece on the news last night and did you snag your UBER credit? Please encourage your friends and family to always practice safe driving practices including designated drivers and utilizing safe driving options like UBER.
