After an interim year as director of public information, Don Clark has decided to move on.
Clark, a former news anchor, came to Bakersfield College after his 17-year stint at local CBS affiliate KBAK. After leaving the station, he was unemployed for five months, seeking a job within the Bakersfield community.
He described how he came to the job as the result of his own frustrations causing him to turn to prayer. Shortly after his pious request, Walt Howald, executive director of Bakersfield College Foundation, called Clark to request his help with the enormous task of enhancing community outreach.
Clark invigorated the newly re-established office with many programs he speaks proudly of. He launched the BC Today radio program on Newstalk 1410 which airs every Saturday morning, and has about 40 episodes. The popular show became the ratings leader for its time slot. He described the time spent on the news show with former BC professor Chuck Wall as his favorite BC memories.
He also changed “The Source,” BC’s previously one-page employee newsletter, into a 12-page full color community magazine. He cites that the magazine is often referred to by many public figures, and he has received lots of positive feedback throughout the county.
So why has he chosen to leave? For Clark, this has been a difficult decision involving many personal choices and internal debates. Since leaving KBAK, he has had to work four jobs at the same time to make a living. This amount of work was overwhelming to him and as a result, one of the jobs had to go. While BC paid the most and was the most secure, it also demanded the most of his time.
Clark also discussed how he has let his faith guide more of his decisions, allowing Christianity to play a role in his decision-making. With that in mind, he has made his primary job working at the Bakersfield Rescue Mission, where he “Really gets to see lives transformed by the power of God.”
Clark did not leave an empty seat, though. His replacement, Amber Chiang, comes into the job with impressive credentials and high expectations. Clark proclaimed that the college “had really picked a winner” and discussed how she would help to enhance BC’s image as “the bridge to the workforce and to higher education.”
Chiang comes from a public service background, having been involved in various non-profits, including Girl Scouts of America and First Five Association of California (a pre-school initiative group). Her “love of causes” inspired her to apply her skills to the field of education. She has helped various central valley schools improve their overall enrollment through her public relations initiatives.
Chiang had been “keeping an eye out” for this position for a while, saying that “I was waiting for a time when I was ready for it, and when the school might be ready for me.” At the time of this interview, she was on her fourth day at work and was already enjoying the constant pressure and challenges of director of public information.
When asked about the current FTES issue – fewer full-time students attending California community colleges – she told of some of the ideas she had in mind to confront the problem. The first step was to speak with as many people on campus as possible, to get a broad perspective on the scope of the problem. She intends to create a coordinated outreach program, making it clear that every person enrolled in or employed by BC is a representative of the school.
Her goal entails transforming the school into a public relations machine through coordinated outreach programs such as grassroots advertising, open channels to local media, and the formation of a Speakers Bureau.
“You don’t know how many calls I get from people asking for speakers from BC for various events,” she said.
To meet this demand, the Speakers Bureau will be made up of interested faculty and students who are willing and able to engage in discourse on various topics for various events throughout the community.
She is also aware of the problem surrounding public transportation to and from the school, and is attending a conference with Golden Empire Transit in March to discuss possible local programs for discounted bus fares for BC students.
Chiang feels that Clark has left her with a solid reputation with the local media, and has “a great legacy for me to uphold.”
Clark commented on his legacy humbly, stating, “I just hope I did the job with excellence.”
Amber Chiang encourages contact from anyone regarding her various initiatives, or just to share stories or anecdotes.