INTRODUCTION As Bakersfield College (BC) celebrates its centennial, the institution is poised to enter its second century with stability in leadership, solid academic offerings and a strong, focused plan for the future. This Educational Master Plan for 2014-2017 represents an exciting time of innovation and brings new opportunities for student success at BC, which has become an indelible landmark in the greater Bakersfield area. As local industries from petroleum to health care have blossomed, so to has the college as it continues to deepen its roots to Delano in the north and to reaffirm its commitment to educating 21st Century learners throughout 5,000 square miles of California’s southern San Joaquin Valley. Active advisory committees and robust community partnerships have led students to steady jobs through vocational coursework. A web of networks with high schools and other colleges is producing more clearly defined outcomes for students who are the first in their families to attend college. Challenges remain, however, in educating growing numbers of students who are unprepared for college-level classes. The message of success is the same for all of the diverse students who enroll at the college: BC meets every student where they are, regardless of income, rural lifestyle, language spoken at home, ethnicity or family experience with higher education.
INTRODUCTION As Bakersfield College (BC) celebrates its centennial, the institution is poised to enter its second century with stability in leadership, solid academic offerings and a strong, focused plan for the future. This Educational Master Plan for 2014-2017 represents an exciting time of innovation and brings new opportunities for student success at BC, which has become an indelible landmark in the greater Bakersfield area. As local industries from petroleum to health care have blossomed, so to has the college as it continues to deepen its roots to Delano in the north and to reaffirm its commitment to educating 21st Century learners throughout 5,000 square miles of California’s southern San Joaquin Valley. Active advisory committees and robust community partnerships have led students to steady jobs through vocational coursework. A web of networks with high schools and other colleges is producing more clearly defined outcomes for students who are the first in their families to attend college. Challenges remain, however, in educating growing numbers of students who are unprepared for college-level classes. The message of success is the same for all of the diverse students who enroll at the college: BC meets every student where they are, regardless of income, rural lifestyle, language spoken at home, ethnicity or family experience with higher education.