Bakersfield College staff, students and community are preparing to celebrate BC’s centennial year. Bonnie Suderman, dean of instruction, spoke about “100” reasons for students to get excited about the centennial celebrations.
“I think the 100 Stars does that very well,” Suderman said.
Suderman explained that BC has started a program called “100 Stars” in which students, staff and members of the community are asked to nominate people from BC’s past who have done something to be proud of or to make an impact on BC or the community itself. These people will be the 100 stars.
“Throughout the year, we will be highlighting 100 of these people that the community chooses, and presenting to everybody what they did,” Suderman said.
“I think sometimes, especially with community colleges, students don’t understand all the amazing things that they can do with their lives after getting out of BC.
“So this will be 100 people that new students can look at and say ‘I could be an ambassador to that country,’ or ‘I could be a famous author,’ or ‘I could be a professional ball player,’ because somebody else from BC did it in the past.
“I think that’s an exciting thing for new students to be able to see all the things that they could possibly do,” Suderman said.
There are many other plans to get students involved with centennial celebrations. Suderman said, “At major events like the graduation commencement, they will have different sashes that they’re wearing to acknowledge that they’re graduating on the centennial year.”
The BC logo has even been changed this year to show the dates that BC has been here for 100 years.
Suderman spoke about many other plans for events in celebration of the centennial year.
There are plans of a choir concert that would have some BC alumni come back and have a joint concert with current students. There are hopes of a golf tournament, a fair for the Delano Center, and even a community barbecue.
Suderman explained that they plan to offer either free food or food priced the way it would have been 100 years ago. Suderman explained hopes of getting the part of the community who wouldn’t normally participate to join in and feel comfortable coming on campus.
Suderman talked about the possibility of combining the Gardenfest event with the community barbecue.
“We haven’t decided yet if that would benefit Gardenfest or not,” Suderman said. “We certainly don’t want to make it take away from the Gardenfest, so we haven’t decided on the actual date.”
Suderman also talked about the Centennial Gala, which is being planned by Neeley Hatridge, a BC adjunct instructor of Communication.
The Centennial Gala will take place on Oct. 25 in the Gil Bishop Sports Center. Tickets will be priced at $150 per seat. Anyone is welcome to come.
The gala will consist of dinner, dancing, a live band, auctions, and even giveaways.
Hatridge spoke about the ticket pricing. “The funds support the event and then all remaining funds are to support all other centennial celebration events,” Hatridge said.
Hatridge explained that any remaining funds after the fundraisers will be put in BC’s Renegade Fund.
Suderman said, “We purposely try to come up with events some of which would appeal to retirees and people with expendable incomes and some that would appeal to people who don’t have a lot of money to spend but that would enjoy or get something out of celebrating that we’ve been here for 100 years.”
Suderman explained the fundraisers that are being held in order to put on the centennial celebrations.
“It’s important to understand with the centennial that we will not use any state funds that would normally go toward classes toward the centennial parties,” Suderman said. “Everything that we do for the centennial will be funded through fundraisers.
“It’s just really important for students to understand that we won’t be closing any English classes just to throw a party,” Suderman said.
BC’s Agriculture Department is selling Centennial Rose Bushes and there is a Centennial Book that is selling for $20.13 in BC’s bookstore and Russo’s Books.
The author of the Centennial Book worked with BC’s archives committee to put together the book. Suderman explained that the book is filled with stories from people that are still around or stories and pictures that were archived.
“It’s really kind of fun to leave through and see all the odd hairdos and the different things that were important at different times,” Suderman said.
The Centennial Book shows the changes in BC over the years. It goes from the very first year, 1913, to present day.
Hatridge and Suderman both spoke about the planning of the events.
“It’s been interesting because I’m still new to the BC family as an employee,” Hatridge said. “I was a student here, but as an employee it’s been a great learning experience because I’ve got to meet so many new people that I wouldn’t have otherwise.
“Everyone has been so very helpful and welcoming.”
Suderman said, “We’ve been working on it for almost two years now, so now we’re at the point where we’re not just talking about what we want to do or what are good ideas, but actually doing them.
“Now it’s crunch time.”