The Bakersfield College Foundation welcomes Cheryl Scott as its new Executive Director.
In this new role, Ms. Scott will oversee and direct all aspects of the Foundation, including fundraising, operations, management of staff and consultants, and outreach to the community. She will work closely with the Foundation Board of Directors and Bakersfield College President Sonya Christian.
“On behalf of the Bakersfield College Foundation board of directors, I am thrilled to have Cheryl Scott joining the Foundation as our new executive director. Her previous leadership experience with the KEDC and KEDF, and her passion for community service as an active member of the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club have uniquely prepared her to make an immediate impact leading the BC Foundation,” said Jeff Bell, Chair of the Bakersfield College Foundation Board of Directors. “We share a passion for higher education and I am excited to partner with her to support the unique learning opportunities Bakersfield College provides our community.”
“The support of the community has been a constant in the 100-year history of Bakersfield College, and the BC Foundation has been fundamental in strengthening and deepening this relationship. I am excited that Cheryl Scott said ‘yes’ to leading the Foundation in its mission of supporting our student Renegades,” said Dr. Sonya Christian, President of Bakersfield College. “Cheryl is smart, kind, committed to our community, connected to business and industry, believes in the transformational power of education, and has always been a friend to BC. I believe that the best is yet to come with the partnership of BC and the BC Foundation.”
Cheryl Scott enjoys strategizing in the areas of business, communications, and promotion, creating successful and rewarding partnerships for everyone involved. She is a lover of excellent customer service and has developed and conducted training programs to help others deliver top-notch service for clients.
“Throughout my entire career, I’ve been fortunate to work in roles where I felt I could contribute to local residents’ quality of life. After 15 years of working in economic development, I’m excited to join the Renegade family, where I can continue on that path,” said Ms. Scott. “I’ve seen, first-hand, the impact Bakersfield College has on individuals and local businesses by preparing students for career and/or transfer to four-year universities. I look forward to working with the BC Foundation team and its Board of Directors to support the college and its many programs that create countless opportunities for students.”
Since 2005, Ms. Scott has been the Vice President for Kern Economic Development Corporation. For the last three and half years, she has also served as the Executive Director of the Kern Economic Development Foundation. In her role with the KEDF, she led the launching of the Kern County STEMposium, created to help close the gap between the business and education communities. Ms. Scott also led the creation of the KEDF’s Women in STEM initiative, an effort to encourage girls and women to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The native Kern County resident earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from California State University, Bakersfield. Ms. Scott currently serves as the president of the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club, of which she has been a member for 27 years. She also was a member of the Bakersfield College Foundation Board from 2012-2019.
Ms. Scott’s appointment will begin July 6, 2020.