September 2024

Vol. 17

From the Executive Director

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As Fall approaches, Bakersfield College is excited to welcome alumni back to campus for October’s Homecoming Week festivities.

BC’s Alumni Association board members are teaming up with the BC Foundation to host the BC Alumni BBQ on Saturday, October 19.  The festival will be held on campus immediately before the Homecoming Game where the Renegades will take on Allan Hancock. 

Tickets for the barbecue are available now for tri-tip or hot dog dinners with all the trimmings.  Cost is $40 (tri tip, macaroni and cheese, potato salad and a drink) and $25 (hot dog, macaroni and cheese, and a drink).  Plus, meal tickets include entrance into the football game! The festival itself is free, and everyone is invited to visit vendors, catch the Homecoming Float Parade, and enjoy entertainment provided by Bakersfield College students. 

More details are available later in this issue.

Other Homecoming events include the BC Athletics Hall of Fame on Wednesday evening, October 16 at the Luigi’s Warehouse and the Back to BC Golf Tournament at Rio Bravo Country Club on Friday, October 18. 

Registration and tickets for all Homecoming Events are available online at www.supportbc.org. 

Hoping to see you soon at one of our Homecoming events! 

Warmest Renegade Regards,

Cheryl

From Tri-Tip to Touchdowns: Join us at Bakersfield College’s Alumni BBQ

Food, friends, music, beer, football, and a whole lot of Renegade pride… you’re invited to join us! Mark your calendars because the Bakersfield College Alumni BBQ is back! The fun-filled event will be held on October 19 at Bakersfield College, immediately before the Homecoming football game vs. Hancock College. We’ll bring together generations of alumni and members of our community, fostering connections and celebrating our shared BC spirit.

We are bringing some extra flavor to the event this year and are thrilled to announce Harris BBQ as our presenting sponsor! Come enjoy their mouthwatering tri-tip paired with mac & cheese and potato salad, or an all-beef hot dog cooked to perfection, with the help of the BC Culinary team. Bakersfield College is grateful for the support and partnership provided by Harris BBQ for this event. Harris BBQ, a new addition to our Bakersfield community, will have two open restaurants in town by this Fall. Their collaboration has been instrumental in ensuring a memorable experience for all who attend!

FUN FACT: Darren Filkins, the CEO of Harris Farms, Inc., is a proud BC alumnus!

Alumni BBQ attendees will be treated to live entertainment featuring some of BC’s most talented groups, including jazz, drumline, and choir performers. Surrounding the festival, community exhibitors will offer various interactive activities for the entire family to enjoy. A beer garden awaits those 21 and over, offering a relaxing atmosphere amidst the festivities. But wait, there’s more! Every meal ticket purchased will include general admission to the Homecoming game – let’s fill Memorial Stadium with our community’s support for BC Football!

Exhibitors, beer garden, and entertainment will begin at 2 p.m. while meals will be served from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Memorial Stadium gates open at 5 p.m. and kickoff is at 6 p.m. For more ticket information and details, visit www.supportbc.org/alumnibbq.

Proceeds from the BBQ will benefit the Bakersfield College Alumni Association, directly supporting scholarships and ongoing efforts that enhance alumni engagement and provide resources for success among our past, current, and future students.

Tee Up for a Great Time: Back to BC Golf Tournament

The Bakersfield College Alumni Association will be hosting the 4th Annual Back to BC Golf Tournament on Friday, October 18th at Rio Bravo Country Club, 15200 Casa Club Drive. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Bakersfield College Football program!

Registration and sponsorships are now open for the tournament at this link: Tickets and Sponsorships. This year’s entry fee is $125 per person or $500 for a 4-man scramble. Each fee includes a cart, a box lunch, a bag full of BC goodies, and a reception and dinner to celebrate the winning teams at the end of the tournament.

For more information on this event, please call (661) 395-4800.

Back to BC Golf Tournament Schedule:

Registration & Range Opens: 10:30AM

Box Lunch: 11:00AM

Shotgun Start: 12:00PM

Social, Dinner, & Awards: 5:00PM

BC Alumni Association on the Move: Fall Events, Speaker Series, and More

The Bakersfield College Alumni Association (BCAA) is dedicated to fostering lifelong connections between alumni and the Bakersfield College community. Their mission is to strengthen relationships, provide networking opportunities, and support current and future Renegades through engagement and service.

The BCAA Board of Directors, composed of dedicated alumni and community members from various fields, held a retreat on August 1, planning activities designed to reconnect alumni with the campus community and amplify alumni pride across the community and beyond.

This fall, we are excited to launch our newest initiative, a speakers bureau designed to bring alumni back to campus for presentations and interaction with students. Additionally, the board has planned several upcoming alumni events for Homecoming Week. The Back to BC Golf Tournament is set for Friday, October 18, and the BC Alumni BBQ will take place on Homecoming Day, Saturday, October 19. We have also begun early planning for the next BC Alumni Hall of Fame and for activities surrounding the 2025 Commencement, which will not only support students but also encourage them to join the Alumni Association before they walk the stage!

As we continue to grow, the BCAA is looking for passionate alumni and dedicated community members to join our Board of Directors. If you are interested in helping shape the future of alumni engagement and supporting the BC community, we invite you to send us an email to inquire about open board positions at Foundation@BakersfieldCollege.edu. 

Alumni Spotlight – What’s Your BC Story?

Growing up, I was raised in a very small town called McFarland or for some of my Disney movie fans, McFarland USA. I knew very early on that our lives (as in my 2 brothers and I) looked different from the lives of the kids at school, our friends, other kids in our neighborhood, and our cousins that we grew up with as well.

I was the daughter of a mother who struggled with mental illness that stemmed from a life-altering car accident that resulted in severe brain trauma, and an absent father who chose drugs over his children and family.

After several early years of instability with my well-intended but mentally troubled mom, it was determined by county officials that she was no longer capable of caring for my brothers and I….a day in the second grade I’ll never forget. From that point forward, my childhood and upbringing would look even more different than it already did. From a few different temporary placements, experiencing being separated from my brothers to being raised by my grandmother, + 2 different aunts (one who is still my mother figure to this day)… and all the confusion and mixed emotions in between.

However, there were two things that never left me—my faith, and the feeling of knowing I was meant to be different in the most positive ways. Becoming a young mother to my firstborn Noah amplified certain convictions even more. I wanted a home to call our own, I worked towards independence and self-reliance, & more than anything wanted to prove to myself that I could still do anything I set my mind to. Driven to be more than just another young mom served me well, even through the lonely and often heavy challenges.

Eventually, trusting my gut led me back to social work through relationship building, and most recently becoming a returning college student in hopes of obtaining higher education and picking up where I left off, in the fields that I’m most passionate about: serving and building up those who need it the most.

I am proud to say I have come such a long way and now have the little family + an amazing significant other that I always prayed for, and Lord willing— will continue to build the life I hoped for as a little girl, in addition to living out the ways I intend to continue to give back.

Attending and commuting to classes at the Delano, Shafter, and the main Panorama campus throughout my 15-year BC journey was not always easy, but I finally obtained my Associate of Arts for Transfer degree despite many obstacles over the years. To most, this is an associate of arts degree that now allows me to transfer to CSUB. To me, this is a huge and meaningful personal accomplishment that I’ve never been more proud of.

To anyone here today that any of this resonates with or to those who feel like too much time has gone by to go back to school—this was also for you. A seemingly small goal is a representation of so much MORE. This to me represents finishing what I started years ago, continuing to change statistics, true resilience + innate determination to always keep pushing forward. Through unseen struggles, single motherhood before meeting my future husband, late nights, years of focusing on and building career experience instead, and prioritizing everything BUT my education…the timing has never felt more right.

May we continue to celebrate each other, be proud of one another, and look forward to seeing each other shine bright in our own unique ways.

BC Spotlight: The Renegade Room

Did you know Bakersfield College hosts a restaurant on campus that delivers a fine dining experience to the community? The Renegade Room, operating every semester since 1970, is a public restaurant run by students enrolled in the Foods and Nutrition Program. It serves as an excellent learning environment for the students, offering them hands-on experience in the culinary arts!

The program covers a wide range of skills, including nutrition, cost control, supervision and management, baking, food production, dining room services, and food safety and sanitation.

Students then apply these skills through hands-on training in both the Kitchen and Dining Room Lab stations. They work with production menus and schedules to prepare fresh meals, while others focus on customer service, managing the dining experience by waiting tables.

The Renegade Room offers Tuesday Night Fine Dining (5:30-6:30 pm), Wednesday Lunch (11:15 am- 12:30 pm), and a Thursday Night Buffet service (5:30-6:30 pm).  They also offer takeout orders!

They are located in the north-east corner of campus at Mt. Vernon Avenue and Panorama Drive, next to the Child Development Center.

Contact the Renegade Room for more information, directions, or reservations at (661) 395-4441.

Here is a link for updated menus and reservations for this Fall semester: Renegade Room
Donations to the BC Culinary Scholarship: Donations

In Memory of Renegade Legend, Coach Carl Bowser

It is with great sorrow that we share the news of the passing of Carl Bowser, a renowned coach and legendary Renegade.

Coach Bowser was a physical education faculty member at Bakersfield College, as well as a widely respected football coach beyond BC, but his love for Renegade football began when he was just a child and served as water boy for the football team.

After graduating from Bakersfield High School, Coach Bowser started at half back for the Renegades in 1957 and was an all-conference player before continuing on to play for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  He began his coaching career at Burroughs High School in Ridgecrest, then Shafter High School.  In 1967, Coach returned to Bakersfield College as an assistant coach under Gerry Collis before becoming head coach in 1984. He retired in 1996 as Athletic Director of Bakersfield College, a position he held for seven years.

As Head Football Coach at Bakersfield College, Coach Bowser posted a remarkable 83-31-3 from 1984-1994. He guided the Renegades to the 1988 National Title with a Potato Bowl victory over Fullerton College. BC won six Western State Conference titles and appeared in seven Potato Bowls during Bowser’s 11 years at the helm of the Renegade football program. Bowser was named Conference Coach of the Year four times and in 1988 was named California Community College Coach of the Year. He had just one losing season as head coach. Four times he led the Renegades to 10 or more wins in a season.

In October, 2023, the Kern Community College District Board of Trustees announced that the weight training room in the under-construction Renegade Athletic Center would be named the Carl Bowser Performance Enhancement and Training Facility.  Kern CCD Trustee Kay Meek spoke fondly of Coach Bowser.  “Carl is a true legend in our community.  His impact goes beyond the Renegade walls.  I feel honored to have seen his trajectory and to know that our institution and our students benefitted from his dedication and knowledge.  This honor is not bestowed lightly and is important given his contributions to our student athletes.” 

Many thanks to Coach’s generous family who designated the Bakersfield College Athletics Red Shield Fund (through the BC Foundation) as the recommended way to honor him. Donation details are available at this link: Donate to BC Athletics.

A special thank you to Bakersfield College Archives for providing the photos featured in this article.

In Memory of Bill Kelly, Cherished BC Professor

We are sad to share the passing of Bill Kelly, a cherished member of our Bakersfield College family. Bill dedicated 41 years to teaching Agriculture at BC, where his passion and commitment left a lasting impact on students and colleagues alike. In 2020, Bill was honored at our annual Sterling Silver gala as the Individual Philanthropist of the Year, a testament to his generous spirit and support for our students.

Bill was deeply loved and respected by all who had the privilege of knowing him. His presence will be missed, but his legacy will continue through the countless lives he touched.

Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Bill’s family, friends, and all who are mourning his loss.

For those who wish to honor Bill’s memory, donations to his scholarship fund can be made here: Donate to Kelly Family Scholarship.

Ways to Give to Bakersfield College

Supporting Bakersfield College is a powerful way to impact the lives of our students and contribute to their future success. Your generosity ensures that students receive the support they need to achieve their educational and career goals! Here’s how you can make a difference:

Foundation Financials at a Glance
7/1/2023 – 6/30/2024

Get to Know the BC Foundation Team