DECEMBER 2021

Vol. 6

Valley Strong Credit Union Makes $2 Million Gift to
BC Foundation

Excerpted from The Renegade Rip, by Nicholas Covello

Bakersfield College has been awarded a $2 Million donation by Valley Strong Credit Union as part of a deal to rename the school’s various energy-related programs the “Valley Strong Energy Institute.” This is the first private donation towards BC’s efforts to strengthen the local energy-related workforce.

“One of the greatest benefits about this generous gift is that it not only ensures expansion of our current efforts, it also gives us the ability to be innovative and create new energy education programming as we move forward.” Executive Director of BC’s Foundation Cheryl Scott said.

The large donation is expected to accelerate the relationship between BC and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) by offering free webinars to the public, as well as a new curriculum meant to ready the local workforce for the possible upcoming changes related to energy in Kern County.

The college’s public energy education efforts kicked off last year with the offering of free webinars meant to educate the general public featuring the local, state, and national perspective on the topics of energy, agriculture, and water, according to Scott.

“The panelists discuss the current state of industries that impact our local economy and look ahead to opportunities in the future. This support from Valley Strong Credit Union will ensure that public education and engagement opportunities like this continue and expand,” Scott said, referring to the webinars.

The Valley Strong Energy Institute was described by KCCD Chancellor Sonya Christian as a “virtual campus” that will eventually be turned into a physical place.

“I’m not aware of a specific timeline for a physical campus, but our partnership with NREL is accelerating quickly, thanks in large part to Valley Strong Credit Union,” Scott said.

From the Executive Director: Thoughtful Generosity Abounds at BC

Happy Holidays, BC Supporters!

These holiday months always bring about an immense feeling of thankfulness in me, and I hope you are feeling your own version of thankfulness and joy this season!

One of the things I am most thankful for these days is the thoughtful generosity of our community, and the many ways our BC family and friends show support for the college and our students.  I use the phrase “thoughtful generosity” because, in my experience, our supporters are very deliberate when they decide how to provide support and where to direct their donations.

If you follow the news, it would be hard to miss the fact that Bakersfield College has, indeed, been a frequent recipient of support lately.  Valley Strong Credit Union is a great example of thoughtful generosity.  Their recent $2 million gift came to BC after several conversations about how the college can be a catalyst for developing jobs and opportunities of our area’s future, and how we can prepare students for those future jobs as well as our jobs of today.  Valley Strong’s CEO, Nicholas Ambrosini, said earlier this year that he and Valley Strong wanted to support economic and workforce development efforts at BC.  We heard him loud and clear then went to work to identify an impactful use of funds that met Valley Strong’s goals.  The result is the new Valley Strong Energy Institute!

Another great example is the budding relationship between BC and the Scott Kirschenmann Family Foundation.  The Kirschenmann Family wanted to support BC’s agriculture program and they were anxious to learn about some of our greatest needs in that area.  Brian Kirschenmann and Christy Hornbuckle (siblings of the late Scott Kirschenmann), spent some time with the BC team to talk about specific needs. The next thing we knew, their support was helping the college de-rock and level the Agriculture Farm Laboratory at Panorama and Haley!  (Be sure to check out the progress!)

Another example of thoughtful generosity is Jayashree Manohara, a Bakersfield resident whose family has a long history in the medical field.  Mrs. Manohara wanted to support BC’s health students, especially those who plan to make their careers here in Kern County. Ultimately, Mrs. Manohara decided that scholarships for 25 nursing students would be the best way she could impact our next generation of health care providers.  Thank you!

As 2021 comes to a close, I want to say a hearty “thank you” to each and every person who has asked, “How can I help?”  For those of you who may be asking yourself that same question today, please give me a call at (661) 395-4840.  With so many different programs and needs on campus, I am confident we can find an opportunity that would be the perfect fit!

Wishing you a most joyous holiday season!

Cheryl

Board Members Represent Community, Help Guide BC Foundation

While the day-to-day operation of the Foundation is managed by a “small but mighty” team, an equally mighty (and engaged) board of directors helps in many ways.  Led by Chair Marko Zaninovich, the board of directors serves as an important link between the college and the local business community.  Nineteen directors are community representatives, five are college representatives, and one position is reserved for a KCCD Trustee.  They meet quarterly and provide oversight and direction, especially when it comes to the BC Foundation’s funds (which are invested and managed by UBS).

Recently, the board elected three new community members to the board, and elected Derek Yurosek as its new Vice Chair.

Derek’s breadth of experience in management and investing will benefit the Foundation, whose endowments and other assets exceed $58 million.  He is the managing director of Arable Capital, which invests in operating businesses throughout the agriculture sector. 

Prior to returning to Bakersfield for his work with Arable, Derek was the Head of Agriculture Operations for Cottonwood Ag Management, the agriculture asset management team for BMGI/Cascade Investment, the private holding company for Bill and Melinda Gates.

Derek comes from a long history of farming and agriculture in the central valley of California. Before joining Cottonwood Ag Management, he spent 14 years at Bolthouse Farms. 

New directors elected to the BC Foundation are:

Megan Person — As News Chief & Legislative Affairs for NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, Megan oversees all external communications and media relations, and she is actively working to connect NASA with the community. Megan is a BC alum and has nearly 20 years of experience in communications.  She has served as adjunct faculty at Bakersfield College, in the Communications department, where she enjoyed helping students learn to embrace the very things many people fear the most:  public speaking.

Prior to working for NASA, Megan was the Chief Communications Officer for Kern County where she worked to transform the day-to-day business of running a county into information residents could access and understand. 

Frank Wooldridge is Administrator of Investigations and Public Affairs for Law Offices of Young Wooldridge.  Frank previously spent 32 years as an investigator with Bakersfield Police Department where he was responsible as lead investigator for many high-profile Kern County investigations.

Frank is an alum of Bakersfield College, where he was also a member of the BC Baseball Team.  He has shared his knowledge with BC Criminal Justice students as an adjunct faculty.

John Petri is Chief Operating Officer of Motor City Sales and Service and Lexus of Bakersfield, and he is also CFO of Seven Oaks Country Club.  John was an advisor to General Motors on commercial vehicles for 15 years, and currently is an advisor on electric vehicles.

John is a long-time director with the Greater Bakersfield New Car Dealers Association and has been integral in providing opportunities for BC’s Automotive Technology program to prepare students for entry-level automotive technician jobs and to offer continued training and education for incumbent employees of the car dealers.

14th Annual Sterling Silver Set for March 19, 2022

Some of the most faithful supporters of education in Kern County will be honored on Saturday, March 19,2022 at the BC Foundation’s 14^th Annual Sterling Silver. 

BC’s brand-new event center, crown jewel of KCCD’s Measure J bond project, will be the site of the reception and dinner.  The spectacular new venue spans the third floor of the new Campus Center and will be the ideal setting for recognizing community members whose support is bringing to life many of BC’s new programs and campus improvements.

Honorees include:

• The Contreras Family, Individual Philanthropist Award–By joining together with family members, the Contreras’ have provided scholarships to hundreds of BC students.
• Bank of America, Corporate Philanthropist Award—Bank of America supports some of BC’s  newest programs, including Early College, with added emphasis on connecting students with internships and long-term employment opportunities.
• Assemblymember Rudy Salas, BC Foundation Service Medal—Assemblymember Salas is a tremendous champion of higher education and has stewarded millions of dollars to BC, allowing expansion in health care education programming and more.
• Congressman William “Bill” Thomas, Lifetime Achievement Award—Retired Congressman Bill Thomas has strong ties to Bakersfield College, dating back to his nine years as professor of history and political science, beginning in 1965, plus another two years as a member of the KCCD Board of Trustees beginning in 2018.  He was instrumental in securing funds to modernize the planetarium (now named in his honor) and he chaired the $503 million Yes on Measure J committee in 2016, leading to approval of the bond which is transforming BC’s facilities throughout the county.

Please join us as we celebrate these incredible honorees!  We promise a fun time with a bit of “Roaring 20’s” flair!  (In fact, word has it that some guests have already begun putting together their own Gatsby-style attire…not required, but definitely welcomed!)

Many thanks to our “Sterling Level” Sponsors Ordiz-Melby Architects and Chevron; and to our Sterling Silver “Reception” Sponsors Joel and Connie Perez-Andreesen.

For ticket or sponsorship details, call (661) 395-4800 or visit supportbc.org.

Bakersfield College Alumni Association Board Grows,
Plans Spring Event to Reunite Alums

The Bakersfield College Alumni Association (BCAA) is looking ahead to an exciting new Spring event designed to get the community back on the ever-changing campus, and they recently elected two new alums to the board to help guide the association’s efforts moving forward.

Mia Cifuentes, field representative for Assemblymember Vince Fong, is very active in the community and is well-known for her commitment to serving, especially in the area of non-profits. Mia previously worked for Court Appointed Special Advocates, and went on to earn her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees at CSUB.

BC alum Rick Anthony went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree at Lancaster Bible College (Lancaster, PA), and to attend the US Air Force Cryptology School.  Rick returned to Bakersfield earlier this year after three decades on the east coast to accept the role of Director of the City of Bakersfield Recreation and Parks Department. 

Even before he had considered joining the BC Alumni Association, Rick put himself to work organizing a golf tournament to support the BC Football team, led by his friend and fellow classmate, Coach R. Todd Littlejohn.  Rick rounded up some of his fellow alums, and a few friends old and new, to quickly arrange a tournament and a reception that would provide a mini-reunion opportunity and a fun day of golf at Rio Bravo Country Club.

At Rick’s first official meeting as a BCAA board member, the board began discussing how to make the Back2Bake Golf Tournament and Reception an annual event presented by the BC Alumni Association!

SAVE THE DATE for Renegade Promenade:  April 23, 2022

Looking ahead, the BCAA board of directors is planning an exciting spring event to bring alums and others from the community onto campus to see for themselves the amazing transformation taking place on Panorama Drive.  The brainchild of Board Member Holly Arnold, the Renegade Promenade, set for Saturday, April 23, will invite community members onto campus where they can stroll around the campus (or ride on carts) to get a first-hand look at the new construction going on.  Stopping points around campus will feature entertainment provided by BC’s performing arts students, plus food, drink and a great place to reminisce with friends and family.  

Ticket and sponsor information will be available soon!  If you would like to help in planning Renegade Promenade or other future events for the BCAA, email foundation@bakersfieldcollege.edu.

PANORAMA Feature: Your BC Story

In every issue of PANORAMA we highlight proud BC alums. We invite you to share “Your Story” in our next issue of PANORAMA!

Morgan Stewart – Class of 2015

My BC story is one that caught me by surprise! My name is Morgan Stewart, and since I was little, I wanted to be a teacher. After graduating high school, I had planned on moving out of Bakersfield for college; but changed my course and decided to go to BC for two years. When I started my time as a Renegade, I was sure I would finish my college career as a teacher. I was working on all my lower GE units when a friend suggested I take ASL with Mrs. Sampley to fulfill the foreign language requirement. That one ASL class, and more importantly Mrs. Sampley, led me to my current… and very beloved career. Mrs. Sampley inspired me. She inspired me to participate in a community that had different, but equal, communication skills. After spending a semester with Mrs. Sampley, she helped me to merge these two new passions of mine; working with children and communication. Mrs. Sampley suggested I look into Speech-Language Pathology. I transferred to Fresno State in 2015, graduated with my B.A., in Communicative Sciences and Deaf Studies in 2017, and my M.A., in Speech-Language Pathology in 2019. I am now in my third year as a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist. I am blessed to be working at my dream job serving children with varying speech/language skills and helping them discover their ability to communicate. I owe a huge thanks to Bakersfield College and the amazing DeAnn Sampley, for helping me find my way!

John Albert Frando – Class of 1990

Shortly after graduation from South High School in 1987, I discovered my career goal of becoming a firefighter. I would be the first in my family to attend college and not knowing the expectations of being a college student, I did not want to go far. Having been born and raised in Bakersfield amongst many family and friends, I knew the support I would have in this community so I enrolled in Bakersfield College’s Fire Technology program. As I began taking classes, I recognized the seriousness of higher education and earning a college degree. I became a better student during my years at Bakersfield College than I was while in high school. For these lessons, I will forever be grateful to my local community college. I earned my Associate of Arts degree and a Fire Certificate in 1990. Bakersfield College was the catapult to further education, having earned a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree. My dream of becoming a firefighter came true. I am part of the administration team of Bakersfield Fire Department as their Support Services Deputy Fire Chief. While I was the first Renegade in my family, I have not been the last. Through the Concurrent Enrollment Program, both of my children are now a part of the Renegade family.

The Passing of a BC Icon: Jack Hernandez

Jack Hernandez, beloved professor, dean of students, vice-chancellor, and “resident philosopher,” passed on November 17 at the age of 84.

He retired as founding Director of the Norman Levan Center for the Humanities in 2017, concluding 56 years of work with Bakersfield College and the Kern Community College District.

Jack’s friend and colleague, Jerry Ludeke, wrote of his passing in a message to the Renegade family:

“One of Bakersfield College’s best-known icons has just passed on to the Elysian Fields of his writings. Jack Hernandez has died.  In these later days he has become known as the Dagny Coffee Shop Poet, each morning rising for his drive to his window table at Dagny’s and his time for writing ….. the most beloved part of his morning routine.

“Jack arrived in Bakersfield 1961, hired by President Ed Simonsen as an English teacher and a Resident Assistant, which required him to live in the Men’s Residence Hall, a situation he could look back on with humor only years later.  He described his first look at his dorm room with Dr. Collins, Dean of Students, smilingly holding the door open: ‘I was stunned: it was smaller than a monk’s cell, with a bed the size of a cot, a 60-watt bulb dangling from the ceiling, and a small, stained sink in the corner. All that was missing was a dead mouse or two.’

“Jack spent his entire professional employment in service to Bakersfield College.  Among other positions, Jack has been an English and philosophy professor, the Dean of Students for five years, Vice-Chancellor of KCCD for five years, and the founding Director of the Levan Center as well as BC’s resident philosopher.  That adds up to forty-one years of service to BC—not counting his 5 years with the District nor his years as founding Director of the Levan Center after his retirement.

“Throughout it all, Jack has been Jack.  You always knew what you were getting with Jack…..clear thinking (maybe a bit esoteric or humorously a bit sarcastic), clear writing (going from essays to plays to academic papers and most recently free-flowing poetry), morally principled action (which sometimes appeared in Community Voices in The Californian),  and open-hearted honesty (speaking of hard times in his life and injustices witnessed today).”

The BC Foundation Team is Growing!

The BC Foundation has had some staffing changes, with the addition of two Donor & Alumni Relations Coordinators.  The change means more capacity for working with donors and alumni…which makes us very happy! 

If you’ve ever visited the Foundation office (or been to a Renegades home football game), it’s likely you have seen Courtney Carter.  Courtney is a BC alum, has held the Executive Secretary position at the BC Foundation for five years, and she’s been Renegade Football’s Cannon Team Captain for four years!  She’s well known on campus for her positive personality and her love of working with the different departments at BC.  Courtney has been promoted to this new role, and she’ll be able to hit the ground running, thanks to her extensive knowledge of BC and the Foundation!

We are excited to welcome to the team another BC alum, Alyssa Cross.  Alyssa has spent the past 10 years at Bakersfield ARC where she has led various programs for people with disabilities.  Her most recent position there was as a program manager, where she trained, coached, and mentored employees and developed community partnerships.  She earned her Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership at Fresno Pacific University.