BC named once again as Champion of Higher Education
Monday, November 23, 2020
For the third time, Bakersfield College has earned recognition for its innovative statewide work to advance student success and completion, as a Champion of Higher Education. On Thursday, November 19th, The Campaign for College Opportunity named Bakersfield College a 2020 recipient for exemplary work to ensure strong transfer pathways.
2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the legislation that established the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT). The Campaign for College Opportunity reports that since its creation, more than 284,000 ADTs have been conferred, supporting hundreds of thousands of California students to reach their college dreams.
Over the past few years, Bakersfield College has been working to break down barriers, increasing access and affordability, increasing efficiency by reducing extra credits at graduation, and creating a clear path for rural students to earn a degree. Through a variety of innovative efforts, including the expansion of transfer pathways, the development of the Pathways Program Mapper, and the Early College program, Bakersfield College has made substantial headway in moving the dial closer to statewide goal attainment levels and efficiency.
“Faculty and staff at Bakersfield College continue to pave the path for Renegades towards baccalaureate degrees with relentless efficiency, directional clarity, and strong supportive programs,” said Dr. Sonya Christian, President at Bakersfield College. “Receiving this award for the second year in a row is confirmation to each and every member of the Renegade family that our work is meaningful and making a difference. Through all the challenges this year, I am proud that BC continues to keep students at the center of our decisions, keeping them safe and focused on their education while we aim to develop a diverse and skilled homegrown workforce, and a healthier Kern County economy for generations to come.”
Over the past six years, Bakersfield College has seen tremendous growth and improvement across a spectrum of student success metrics, including degree completion. Most noticeably, the college has grown the number of graduates earning Associate Degrees for Transfer by 799.4%.
In 2018, Bakersfield College expanded its transfer pathway mapping work, aligning programs of study with CSU and UC transfer destinations. Additionally, since the implementation of the Program Pathway Mapper, students have had a more focused and efficient academic pathway, expending fewer resources to complete their degrees or certificates and enter the workforce. On average, Renegades are now completing their degrees with 6.9 less units compared to four years ago, resulting in an average savings of $647.50 for the individual student and their families. For the graduating class of 2020 with 1,556 ADT graduates, this was a savings of approximately $1,007,510 to and for local taxpayers.
Bakersfield College is also a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution where 70.6% of BC students are Hispanic/Latino/a/x. In the past few years, BC has achieved parity in enrollment and completion for this population with 70% of Associate Degree for Transfer earners identifying as Hispanic/Latino/a/x in 2019-20. “At Bakersfield College, we do not leave student equity and completion to chance. We show up, engage fully, and make it happen for all Renegades,” said President Christian.
