Tag Archives: students

GI Bill Workshop for Veterans Coming Thursday

Uncategorized July 17, 2013 1 Comment

ImageMaking sure all Bakersfield College students have what they need to complete their educational goals is an essential aspect of our student success plans. And veterans, either returning to school or continuing their education, are an important set of students to assist. Their needs are different from those of the average Bakersfield College student, and meeting those needs takes a partnership between Bakersfield College and the veteran.

Last year, 381 veterans attended Bakersfield College. Our veteran students are primarily male, and Latino or Caucasian. Most are between the ages of 25 and 39. For Bakersfield College, these students are highly successful – returning for additional coursework or completing their educational goals at a higher rate than the average Bakersfield College student. [Source: IR Office]

That’s why Bakersfield College is having a GI Bill workshop on Thursday, July 18. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., experts in veterans benefits will help veterans plan their education through the various veterans programs.

The event will be in the Student Services building, room 151. Veterans need to bring their DD214 or NOBE, along with any transcripts from other colleges attended.

For more information, contact Bernadette Martinez at 395-4410.

Science Minds at Bakersfield College: Student NASA project wins an award

Uncategorized July 1, 2013 Comments: 2

This summer, two teams of Bakersfield College students ventured to Montana to participate in the National Student Solar Spectrograph Competition at Montana State University. This competition pitted teams from around the country in a battle to build a ground-based solar spectrograph.  Check out my first post on this project on April 18th at

BC STEM students on a NASA project

What’s a solar spectrograph? Bakersfield College astronomy professor Nick Strobel explained the project on his website.

Teams design, build, and test optical instruments to answer questions about the Sun or use sunlight to investigate some science question about the earth. The real goal is to train future scientists to solve problems as a team.

Nick also explained the project and each of Bakersfield College’s team efforts to build a solar spectrograph in an article for The Bakersfield Californian. Following the competition, Nick said it was a great learning and growing experience for all the students.

Team Mass Effect

Team Mass Effect present their results at the “Science Results Talks” session on day 3 of the NSSSC. Left to right: Alfredo Arevalo, Joanna Moraza, Andres Leyva, and Marco Guerra.

Bakersfield College’s teams were up against students from around the country, and students with upper-level engineering and physics backgrounds from major universities. Despite the competition challenge, Team Mass Effect received the “Inspire Award” for their determination to overcome obstacles and proceed with their project.

Photos from the National Student Solar Spectrograph Competition are on Nick’s Flickr account for all to see!

Plz join me and SGA at the Oxfam Hunger Banquet on March 8th, 6:00 p.m. at BC

Uncategorized March 7, 2013 1 Comment

Hello fellow Renegades:

You were recently invited by our SGA President to attend the Oxfam Hunger Banquet scheduled for this Friday, March 8th, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Campus Cafeteria.  I am planning on attending and have been invited to make a few remarks.

The issue they are taking on is Poverty.

We know from our recent economic downturn that many are having financial difficulties to the point of slipping into situational poverty.  Generational poverty continues to impact much of American society – even those who may have escaped poverty economically continue to be adversely affected by having grown up in poverty. It is not just the economic barriers that make poverty persist, but especially the intellectual, emotional and sociological effect that poverty has on those who have that experience.

Society has made many efforts to address poverty with varying success, reflected in a shift from declining rates in the 1970s, to fluctuation in the 1990s, to a more recent rising trend in the early 2000s. Poverty is persistent and requires innovative and lasting solutions.  These are essentials that continue to need to be addressed by many entities in our society, including community colleges with the increasing emphasis on student access, success and equity.

So do come and join us. Please bring a colleague, bring your family, bring your friends to event.

With Renegade Pride and Collegiality,

Sonya