JUNE 2022

Vol. 8

Hall of Fame 2022 Inductees Announced
Celebration Set for July 7, 2022

The Bakersfield College Foundation, in conjunction with the BC Alumni Association, is bringing back the BC Alumni Hall of Fame.  A public call for nominations brought in a wide variety of nominees who demonstrate the best of what Bakersfield College has offered the community since 1913…our students!

The Hall of Fame dinner will be held Thursday, July 7 at Seven Oaks.  Tickets and sponsorships are available at this link:  Alumni Hall of Fame tickets and sponsorships

We are proud to announce our 2022 inductees:

Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Congressman McCarthy proudly serves California’s 23rd district and is currently the Republican Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Kevin’s leadership at the local, state, and national level is well-known and is an excellent example of the type of success that comes out of Bakersfield College.

NaTesha Johnson

Among her many accomplishments, NaTesha Johnson is the founder and owner of Upside Productions Management, specializing in relationships focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion outreach. T is committed to helping local nonprofits succeed and has helped raise more than $550,000 to benefit local programs

Louis Barbich

Louis “Lou” Barbich has more than 40 years of experience serving the community as a certified public accountant, specializing in diversified and integrated agricultural operations. He has held many leadership roles in our community and in his profession.

Shirley Haney

Shirley has fostered more than 109 children in her home, giving each of them a loving, caring, and compassionate start in life.  She most definitely put her BC child development education to work as she impacts our community!

BC Hall of Fame History

The BC Alumni Association presented a Hall of Fame between 1987 and 2013, honoring members of the Alumni Association who were outstanding representatives of Bakersfield College and who were supporters of the Association and/or BC. 

The Bakersfield College Athletics Department will present its annual BC Athletics Hall of Fame in October.  Details will be available soon.

From the Executive Director

When fireworks filled the sky over Memorial Stadium on the evening May 12, 2022, it was an appropriate celebration for the nearly 2,000 students on the field who had worked so hard to earn their degree. 

This was the first in-person commencement since before the pandemic, so we celebrated grads from the classes of 2022, 2021, and 2022.  I enjoyed talking with students during some of the pre-commencement ceremonies that were held for various groups around campus.  One of those students was Regan Lewis, who completed her Industrial Automation (INDA) baccalaureate degree back in 2020. 

I first met Regan at a Project Management Institute conference in 2019.  She was attending thanks to her BC professor and Tasteful Selections, the local potato company where she was interning at the time.  I was emceeing the event as a representative of Kern County Women in STEM, and was drawn to Regan as a perfect example of a young woman preparing to dive into an exciting career where she would be one of a relatively small number of women.

Since completing her studies in 2020, Regan has moved from Engineering Intern to a full-time Controls Engineer at Tasteful Selections, and she’s loving her career!  BC helped her do that!

Since the day I joined the Bakersfield College Foundation in 2020, I had heard about “The BC Family,” and how wonderful it was to be connected with a huge team, working together for the good of our students. 

Now that I’ve wrapped up my first full academic year of working on campus, I finally understand what all the “BC Family” excitement is about!  I have seen first-hand the way the on-campus community supports each other, and I am thankful for the partnerships between the BC Foundation and the college.  Our entire mission at the Foundation is to support the college, of course, but we can’t really do that without the help FROM people on campus!  Whether it’s Campus Safety helping us manage event-related situations, or Food Service helping us welcome donors to campus with delicious treats, or the Events Team helping us with event logistics…the list goes on and on.

And of course, we deeply value our relationship with the academic side of campus.  They are the boots on the ground, working with students to prepare them for their futures.  Staying close to instructors, department chairs, deans, and others keeps our BC Foundation team (and board members, too) in touch with the current needs of our students so we can work with our community to try to fill those needs.  If you’re curious about how you can help our students achieve their education and career goals, please call me at (661) 395-4800.  I’d love to hear from you!

Wishing you a beautiful and safe summer,

Cheryl

New Car Dealers Provide Training Opportunities
for Automotive Technology Students

The Greater Bakersfield New Car Dealers Association (GBNCDA) has long been a supporter of BC students through scholarships, and now the partnership is soaring to new levels with the recent opening of BC’s new Automotive Technology Training facility at the Bakersfield Auto Mall.

The facility is a result of a partnership between Bakersfield College, the GBNCDA, and WSM auctions, and it will provide students the opportunity to train on trade-in vehicles provided by GBNCDA dealerships.  The vehicles will then be auctioned, resulting in financial support for the college’s program!

The 10,000 sq. ft. building, located at 2703 Blue Mountain Way, features a classroom and multiple shop bays. Also housing the business operations of WSM Auctions, the building includes a full auction floor where the vehicles may be auctioned.

1965 BC European Tour Choir Alumni Association
Entrusts their Scholarship Funds to the BC Foundation

It all started in 1963, when a Bakersfield College Choir instructor, Joseph Huszti, received a postcard inviting his choir group to audition for the International Eisteddfod Music Festival in Wales. They created an audition tape and then, months later, received an acceptance to compete in the 1964 festival. With financial obstacles and lack of support, making the 1964 festival wasn’t possible, but it was clear what they had to do – start fundraising in order to compete the following year! The goal to raise $54,000 (compared to a current value of about $500,000!) was accomplished by washing cars, painting curbs, selling records, and so many other creative ways in time to make it to the 1965 festival. Finally, it was set, the Bakersfield College Choir was going to compete in the 1965 International Eisteddfod Music Festival for 6 weeks, touring ten European countries.

 The choir competed with fifteen of some of the best choirs from around the world. With their hard work and dedication, the Bakersfield College Choir was the first American choir to win first place at the International Eisteddfod Music Festival. What an astounding way to represent our community of Bakersfield! Becoming instant celebrities gave them amazing opportunities, including singing for a private audience of Pope Paul VI and the former President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson. The whole experience was described as a “fairytale” by some of the choir members.

Fifty years later, the choir held a reunion and decided to form a non-profit organization to fund scholarships for vocally talented students in our community. The 1965 Bakersfield College European Tour Choir Alumni Association was created, and the fundraising began again!

The “Joseph Bela Huszti Choral Scholar” scholarship award provides funds to Kern County high school graduating seniors who are enrolled in a school choir and Bakersfield College students who are majoring in music.

To ensure that this experience lives on and is remembered well into the future, the 1965 BCETCAA has decided to hand over their scholarship fund to the Bakersfield College Foundation for management and distribution. It is with tremendous gratitude that the BC Foundation will honor the long-lasting legacy of the 1965 Bakersfield College European Tour.

Spotlight on BC Agriculture

bC agriculture department is growing

Bakersfield College is ramping up its Agriculture Department, and the reason for it is simple. Kern County is the No. 2 agriculture producing county in the state, and the Central Valley produces 25% of the nation’s food!  BC is committed to training the future (and current!) ag workforce in order to meet the needs of local employers – and a hungry nation.

Transformations are taking place to best serve BC students, so they can then go on to serve our ag employers. The Edible Education Garden is almost complete, and to go alongside it, there will be new Edible Education Garden non-credit courses offered this Fall. The Delano Campus is about to break ground on a Regenerative Farm which will be used to teach students about paper plot planting systems, commercial and home hydroponics, and traditional row crop seasonal crops. The Ag Department was recently awarded a grant for commercial and home hydroponic systems as well. Topping it all off, the BC Agriculture building and Horticulture laboratory will be demolished and replaced with brand new construction beginning this summer. Construction is planned to be complete in the fall of 2024.

adolfo briseno, bC agriculture program manager

All the exciting changes in the Agriculture department would not be possible without the leadership of many, including Adolfo Briseno, BC Agriculture Program Manager. Adolfo has been around the agriculture industry his whole life, from accompanying his father to different orchards as a child to working for ag companies while in college. After receiving his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from CSU Fresno and obtaining a science teaching credential, he was a STEM teacher at the Wonderful College Prep Academy in Delano. There he managed their STEM and agriculture labs and learned different growing practices such as aquaponics, hydroponics, and greenhouse growing. During that time, Alolfo even helped design a greenhouse and farm for one of their new campuses! Adolfo enjoyed it so much that a few years later, he pursued and completed his Master of Science in Agricultural Education from CSU Chico.

Adolfo’s experiences have not only made him a valuable asset to the Agriculture Department, but to Bakersfield College as a whole. He is excited to implement more ideas and is looking forward to continue to grow here at BC. He says his inspiration is “the positive impact that we can be to the students when they join our programs. I truly believe that we are doing life-transforming work here for our students and that work will only continue to get better in the future.”

Our agriculture program here at BC is growing and thriving and will continue to do so for years to come! If you would like to contribute to this growth, please contact the BC Foundation office at (661) 395-4800.

Attendees Enjoyed a Roaring Good Time at Sterling Silver

Some of BC’s most devoted supporters were honored at the 2022 Sterling Silver, held in the new Renegade Ballroom on the third floor of the new Campus Center. 

The evening featured a spectacular Roaring 20’s décor and, even better, many of the guests came dressed in the theme!  Honorees brought lots of family and friends, and the community came out in a big way to support the honorees and BC’s scholarship program.

Congratulations to this year’s honorees:  Bank of America (Corporate Philanthropist of the Year); The Contreras Family (Individual Philanthropist of the Year); Assemblymember Rudy Salas (BC Service Medal); and Congressman William “Bill” Thomas (Lifetime Achievement Award).

Jamming with the BC Alumni

The music was jamming, the food was delicious, and the drinks were flowing! Our first post-pandemic BC Alumni Association (BCAA) event, held at Temblor Brewing Company in April, was a hit! The BC Alumni Association teamed up with BC alum Don Bynum’s Temblor Brewing Company and Mento Buru (led by BC alum Matt Munoz) to help raise money for the Alumni Association and to bring alums back together. 

If you’ve ever attended Bakersfield College, now’s the time to join the BCAA!  Fees have been removed and now it’s FREE to be an Alumni Association member! Be sure to stay up-to-date on all the upcoming alumni festivities, and keep up with “all things BC” by signing up at Join the Alumni Association. You can also contact Courtney Carter via email at courtney.carter@bakersfieldcollege.edu with any questions or comments. 

Bakersfield College Receives National Recognition
from National Arbor Day Foundation

All the tree planting happening at Bakersfield College is appreciated locally and is being recognized nationally, too!  Thanks to Maintenance & Operations and our campus tree committee, more than 200 trees have been planted in the past year at the Panorama and Delano campuses. In fact, BC recently celebrated the 150^th National Arbor Day by planting a Ginkgo Biloba tree on the Campus Center lawn.

In recognition of Bakersfield College’s commitment, the college has received a 2021 Tree Campus Higher Education designation from the National Arbor Day Foundation. BC is only the second community college in California to receive this designation!

We Renegades pride ourselves on our beautiful campuses, and we’re extra proud to contribute to a healthy environment at the same time!

If you haven’t been on campus in a while, we invite you to come take a look! 

Scholarship Recipients Awarded Medals

Congratulations to the 530 Bakersfield College students who were recently awarded a total of $570,000 in scholarships! The BC Foundation team had the honor of awarding students with medals and taking photos of them at this exciting time. We are so thankful to our many donors who make it all possible!

Students Meet Scholarship Donors
at Year-End Social

After two years of COVID protocols, the BC Foundation was thrilled to be able to hold our Scholar and Donor Social in person. The annual gathering provides a chance for the Foundation to honor Scholarship Donors and to invite students to share first-hand how donors’ support impacts their achievements. The Foundation, in collaboration with Financial Aid, will award more than half a million dollars in scholarships and awards for the coming academic year, benefitting more than 530 students.

BC Foundation Board Member and scholarship donor Jeff Bell welcomed guests and explained the impact that education has had on his family, dating back generations.

Students then shared what their Bakersfield College experience has meant to them. They expressed how some professors have paved the path they are currently on, and how thankful they are for their BC experience. Student Lidia Jacob said, “This event in itself, as a student, is very dear to me. It is something that really made me realize that hard work really pays off…it’s something that I will always remember dearly because it is just proof that I was able to accomplish something while at BC. And I will continue to pursue my desires, what I love to do. Wherever I do end up going…BC will always be a base for that. And for that, thank you.”

The Foundation and Financial Aid also teamed up recently to celebrate students who received scholarships and/or department awards. Medals were awarded to students, many of whom wore them proudly at commencement.

Record Number of Grads Participate in 2022 BC Commencement

Over 1,700 graduates and 12,000 guests filled Memorial Stadium to celebrate the 2020, 2021, and 2022 BC graduates – it was the largest commencement ceremony in BC history! The night was filled with pride, excitement, and joy as students received their diplomas.

More 2022 BC Commencement photos can be found here: BC 2022 Commencement Photos

Panorama Feature: Your BC Story

In every issue of PANORAMA we highlight proud BC alums. You can share “Your Story” in our next issue of PANORAMA.

Dr. Catherine Nelson-Powell – BC Class of 1999

My name is Dr. Catherine Nelson-Powell, I am an alumna of Bakersfield College and a first-generation college graduate. I earned my Associate of Arts Degree in Human Services, from Bakersfield College, I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, from California State University Bakersfield, I earned my Master of Arts, in Education (Early Education), finally, I earned my Doctorate’s Degree in Organizational Leadership/Education.

My Story: While still in high school, I married the father of my 3 daughters at the age of 17, during my senior year at East Bakersfield High School (this decision to marry while still in high school was not mine, but that is another story). Sadly, this relationship failed after 3 ½ years because of domestic abuse, which almost took my life. Nonetheless, I knew that if I did not get away I would not be around to see my daughters grow up. In an effort to give myself and my children a chance at life, I decided to walk away from a financially stable situation, yet unhealthy situation. Hence, I sacrificed not knowing where our next meal was going to come from. I stepped out on faith in God, that the provisions would be made for me and my 3 girls and they were. Once I was healthy enough emotionally, psychologically, and socially, I made the decision to pursue my education.
Post-domestic violence, I positioned myself, reclaimed my life, identity, and independence. With the understanding that I would be a single parent, I realized that I needed to further my education so that my daughters could have a better life. Once I made the decision to go back to school, I chose Bakersfield College to start my educational journey. Bakersfield College was very instrumental in supporting me with getting my life back as a single parent after a failed abusive marriage. Afraid and unsure of myself, Bakersfield College provided resources and support to assist me with addressing issues that I struggled with post-domestic violence. Attending Bakersfield College allowed me to slowly transition into a life of freedom, self-worth, empowerment, and independence.
Prior to my life being disrupted in my senior year in high school (getting married), I was an accomplished athlete in track participating in the 110 meters, 220 meters, 4×4 relay for East Bakersfield High School. I planned to attend college on a scholarship to pursue my dreams of being a sprinter in track and field, however going to college after high school did not go as planned.
I remember meeting coach Pam Kelly, who welcomed me with open arms on the women’s track team. She made me feel accepted and worthy. Although my time on the women’s track team was short, I was able to connect with other women, maintain a healthy lifestyle, stay in shape, improve my social skills, and support with positive mental health. After completing my bachelor’s degree in Psychology, I began my professional career at the Kern County Department of Human Services in 1996. I served in the capacity of Group Counselor and later as a Social Service Worker (1996-2001). Throughout my service, at the Kern County Department of Human Services, I realized my passion for working with diverse populations of at-risk children and families. After serving in the capacity of a Social Service Worker, I had a vision that started me thinking, “what could I do to help our vulnerable population of abused and neglected youth?” From that thought, the vision of opening New Destiny Youth Facility, Inc., was birthed. While simultaneously working on opening New Destiny Youth Facility, Inc., I accepted a new assignment and began working with the Community Action Partnership of Kern, Head Start Program, as a Content Expert in Mental Health (2001-2008), providing intensive comprehensive case management, non-rehabilitative mental health services, and education services to at-risk children and families.
While working simultaneously at Community Action Partnership of Kern, and New Destiny Youth Facility, I was approached by the Founder of Jasmine Nyree Educational Centers, Inc., to assist with bringing Special Needs Services to the Bakersfield Community. In 2008, I accepted a position as Director of the Jasmine Nyree Educational Centers, Inc. While working in the capacity as Director of the Jasmine Nyree Educational Centers, Inc., for 5 years, I was actively involved with helping Mrs. Porter develop programs, policies, and procedures to develop and run a successful educational program for special needs students.
To date, I am the Founder and CEO of New Destiny Youth Facility, Inc., a nationally accredited Residential Care Facility for youth that receives 24-hour care and supervision while receiving non-rehabilitative services to assist with healing from trauma-related issues, in a loving, caring, and nurturing environment. New Destiny Youth Facility, Inc., in collaboration with community partners, addresses deficits in the area of social skills, emotional health, psychological health, mental health, and education. Since 2005, New Destiny Youth Facility, Inc., has been committed to offering quality trauma-informed services to ensure youth are rehabilitated to begin their journey of healing from the trauma experienced in their life.
My accomplishments since obtaining my education are receiving the Social Worker of the Year Award (2000), Community Action Partnership Service Award 5 years (2006), Jasmine Nyree Educational Center, Employer of the Year Award (2009), California Legislature Assembly Certificate of Recognition “for commitment to helping educate and empower foster youth” (2018), Selected for Inclusion into the Trademark Women of Distinction Honors Edition (2021), CARF National Accreditation (2021), Received the “Women of Excellence Award” from No Sister Left Behind Organization (2022), in recognition of the excellent work over the years working with at-risk youth, children and families.

Andy Bernard – BC Class of 1995

My Mom, Patty Bernard, worked in the Agriculture Department at BC when we were kids. The Bernard kids got to live behind the scenes at BC. My brother, Matt, and I had jobs where we worked at the BC-Ag Xmas Tree Farm. I started practicing baseball with BC Baseball Team while still in high school where all of those amazing players became my older brothers. I trained with the BC Baseball program through my Junior and Senior years of HS, where Coach John Moncier put me on a path to capture my full potential. I was drafted by the Kansas City Royals as a HS Senior in 1993 in the 63rd round. Such an incredible honor, but elected to go to BC and continue my education instead of professional baseball. In Spring of 1994, I recorded a 9-3 record as a pitcher, tying the school record for wins. In the Fall of 1994, I was recruited by several Division I schools nationally, and signed at the University of Alabama on baseball scholarship. In the Spring of 1995, I recorded a 12-1 record as a pitcher breaking the school record for wins. In both years, we competed at the highest level of the Western States Conference playoffs. My transformation while at BC was incredible. I matured as a man, a scholar, and an athlete. I earned my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from BC.

In the Fall of 1995, I moved to Tuscaloosa, AL. I met my wife Kristin my first week. We like to say now that we’ve been dating for 26 years, but only married for 25. We have 3 children.

I played for the University of Alabama on the 1996 Team which won the SEC Championship and went on to compete in the College World Series. I was honored to throw the first pitch of the 50th College World Series. Our 1997 team not only went to the College World Series but, competed in the National Title Game. In the Fall of 1998, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from UA. In 2003, I published a book on pitching mechanics, Seven Steps of Pitching. It is available on Amazon.

I have started a few businesses. In 2007, I started my own small construction company, Lime Green, Inc. We specialize in energy efficient technologies and construction methods and help owners bring powers bills to zero.

In 2008, I developed my own spice company called Bernard Bayou. Products are currently available at several specialty stores and online.

Perhaps our favorite adventure so far is starting our own wine company. Côtes de Femme, which translates from the French “Sides of Woman” representing the many beautiful shapes, sizes, tones, and types of women. It also represents the mystère of a woman, a powerful creature that cannot be truly tamed or understood but cherished and loved. We purposefully created Côtes de Femme to be a Certified 100% Woman-Owned wine brand, founded and owned by my wife Kristin as the community of female-owned brands is growing. Our Lifestyle Brand is about happiness, empowerment, about love, being uplifting, and putting a smile on your face.

Entering our 3rd year of business, we are distributed nationally (and in Bermuda), serving select grocery chains, on- and off-premise retailers, and online. Now entering our 3rd year, we are distributed in 15 states and growing. We offer two varieties of wine at this time. We have a Côtes de Provence Rosé, from Southern France. We have already received 85 points from Wine Enthusiast and a Gold Medal from the American Fine Wine Institute for the 2021 vintage. We also offer our 2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley, CA which is an amazing well-balanced earthy cabernet adorned in her velvet dress. We are incredibly excited to share that we received a Gold award of 94 points from USA Wine Ratings and 87 points from Wine Enthusiast! What makes our wine even more special than the quality in the bottle is our one-of-a-kind packaging with BLING! Every bottle comes with our patented rhinestone bracelet that decorates the neck of the bottle which can be removed to decorate your stemware. When we were developing our packaging, we wanted something to stand out on the shelf. I am proud to say that we are quite EXTRA and Kristin is blingy. I thought it would be sad that whatever we created would be thrown away after they enjoyed the bottle. So, I went to work, and produced a prototype of a rhinestone bracelet that could decorate every bottle and then be removed to decorate your stemware. When I finished, I filed the US Patent application, and voila, I have a patent!!!! This is so cool as with the many beautiful wines that are out there, we developed something that had not been thought of or created. Truly a fun accomplishment! For reference, it is US Patent D948279.

I want to thank the coaches, teachers, and staff of Bakersfield College that encouraged me to always work hard and dream big!

Introducing our New Team Member Kylee Gregory-Gutierrez

The BC Foundation team has grown and we are so happy to introduce Kylee Gregory-Gutierrez, our new Executive Secretary.

Kylee grew up in Lamont and attended Arvin High School, then moved on to CSUB where she majored in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.  She let no grass grow under her feet, and she now holds an MBA, too!  She said, “I would love to be a leader one day, and break the glass ceiling as a woman in business and a child of an immigrant that came here to give me a better life.”

Kylee says she felt welcome from her first day of work at BC and she appreciates the tight-knit community.  She discovered her passion for higher education as an employee at CSUB before coming to BC.  “I enjoy doing work that means something and has a positive impact,” she said.

When she’s not working, Kylee enjoys spending time with her one-year-old son, Dom.  “Life can get pretty busy sometimes, so I find that spending time with my family reminds me of what’s most important in life.”

The Executive Secretary position is critical at the Foundation and Kylee interacts with all the departments on campus, and also with our community and donors, too.  We can’t wait for you to meet her!