After 18 months, students, and staff are back on campus at Bakersfield College. Educators and student services worked hard to provide remote support during the challenging stay-at-home period of the pandemic. Now they can provide in-person instruction and services again to the maximum benefit of all new and returning students.

The financial aid office is continuing remote support in addition to their office being re-open on the second floor of the Center for Student Success building. The Student Health and Wellness Center is also resuming on-site care providing all Renegades with basic health and mental wellness support. Mental health services are available to all students who have paid the health fee upon enrollment.

COVID-19 is an ever-present factor affecting peoples’ ability to attend the school’s reopening. A student, whose name is withheld, contracted the virus at work and is not allowed on campus until they return a negative COVID-19 test result. They will have to call into class via Zoom until after their quarantine period.

“I’ve always really liked school and the structure of being on campus, so it was mostly very exciting for me! It’s honestly very fun getting to socialize with classmates face to face after feeling so disconnected and isolated for a year and a half. I have struggled with sitting for two hours in the classroom, though,” said Emma Scott, a BC returning English major.

A lack of structure and routine were loss when transitioning to remote work and education. Peer support was overlooked, active listening skills and non-verbal communication are beneficial to the learning process. Zoom meetings continue to support students who cannot yet attend class, yet the personal interaction is missing.

The Fall 2021 experience is new for incoming freshmen, Marina Gradowitz is a theatre student stepping onto campus for the first time. She graduated with the high school class of 2020 and has had a strictly online experience at BC so far.

“I’ve been really enjoying coming to campus… I am a little wary of it actually staying like this though, and I’m very aware of the possibility that we’ll have to go back online so I’m enjoying it as much as I can now.”

Construction has been ongoing through the pandemic and will continue until 2024. All building projects are listed on the Bakersfield College website in the section “A Better BC.” Some of the completed projects include the renovated Levinson Hall, and a new Campus Center!

BC provides many beneficial programs for the welfare of the student body and with their ability to help in person, students retain the support of the Renegade Pantry, EOPS services, the tutoring and writing centers, and Veteran resources.

For more information on campus resources, visit the “Student Services” section on the BC website.