Renegade Rip, issue 2, Sept. 21, 2022

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Page 2 News The Renegade Rip www.therip.com Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022 BC celebrates STEM building By Amanda Hernandez Reporter Bakersfield College held a public ribbon cutting event Sept. 7 to celebrate the new Science and Engineering building. The idea for the project began in 2016, and the entire process took over six years to complete. The full cost of the new structure was well over $40 million and paid for with bond funding made possible with the passage of Measure J. Bakersfield College president Zav Dadabhoy speaking on September 7 BC president Zav Dadabhoy speaks at ribbon cutting ceremony for BC’s new STEM building on Sept. 7. (Amanda Hernandez) During the ribbon cutting event, BC President Zav Dadabhoy stated that former Congressman Bill Thomas was really the one who pushed to make the building idea become a reality. The creation of the building was part of an effort to give students more opportunities to expand their knowledge, increase essential career skills and graduate from BC with hands-on experience. The overall design of the building has gained a lot of attention because of its unique structure, filled with secrets. There is a tree design that is made to absorb sounds, and it follows a famous math sequence found in nature. It has bricks that look like all of the other BC buildings, however, they are different. To crack the code, you have to learn about orbitals. The windows that represent the blueprint of life and how scientists decode the blueprint. It also has a peg board also known as a binary board that codes words following the language of computers. Christina from HMC architects said of designing the project, “It wasn’t hard at all, it was actually really fun. The design took us two years and then the construction was an additional two years. As the architects we stay throughout the entire process and help the construction team if they have questions or when things need to be changed.” Professors who were on hand shared their point of view, and how effective the new building makes the process of teaching students. Timothy Plett, who teaches physics in the new building stated, “I have mostly been using the new building for labs and conducting office hours. The students have more space to learn, are able to interact with state-of-the-art equipment, and it definitely makes a difference in them being able to fully grasp what I am trying to teach them.” AMANDA HERNANDEZ/ THE RIP Stephen Waller, Executive Dean of Instruction, Math, Science and Engineering, speaks Sept. 7 at the ribbon cutting ceremony for BC’s new STEM building. Ag webinar and water crisis By Nicholas Watson Reporter Bakersfield College hosted the first of a series of webinars on water policy in the Central Valley on Sept. 13 as part of their partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Valley Strong Credit Union. It featured three speakers representing different organizations and institutions that have partnered with the Valley Strong Energy Institute, all of whom touched on different aspects of the ongoing water crisis that is gripping the Central Valley. Alivar Escriva-Bou, a senior fellow from the Public Policy Institute of California Water Policy Center, explained the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of the recent Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA. He was then followed by Thomas Ott, an assistant research hydrologist with the Desert Research Institute, who has been working on openET, a public database for water management data funded and worked in part by organizations such as NASA, the Department of Agriculture, the Desert Research Institute, and Google, among many others. Following this, Josué Medellín-Azuara, an associate professor of environmental engineering at the University of California Merced, gave a general rundown of the severity of the ongoing severe drought in the Central Valley, with specifics on the data behind the severity of the water crisis. The webinar concluded with a Q&A session, where members of the public were able to ask the panelists questions regarding the things they discussed or just general questions regarding water conservation and management in California. The key takeaway from the webinar as a whole was that, while the situation is certainly dire, there is still action that can be taken, along with the new tools that are emerging through continued dedicated research, that will allow the Central Valley to mitigate and manage this crisis. While the webinar’s topic was one of crisis, the main theme was one of hope – something that all three guest speakers wanted to drive home.
Page 3 News The Renegade Rip www.therip.com Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022 BC hosts Transfer Day By Jason Mena Reporter A crowd of BC students gathered for the Transfer Day college fair, held in the College Center ballroom on Sept. 12. Representatives from UC, CSU, and other nonprofit, private institutions dedicated to the student experience, helped guide those who were interested through the admission and application process while also providing key information on FAFSA and the Co-op program. Co-op prepares students for their field of study by balancing school curriculum with hands-on experience, prior to graduation. A BC booth was also present and provided pamphlets with information about college and university representatives pertaining to admissions, cost, programs, etc. Many staff members and students expressed their excitement at meeting in-person once again, as last year’s event was hosted online. It produced a personal environment for students to ask many questions, and hosts said that they were grateful to provide information that could help lead students down their higher educational paths. Booth hosts came prepared for any questions thrown their way, ready to test their mettle against the upcoming storm of new transfers. “ Pacific has a $40,000 scholarship for those entering their first year with a gpa of 3.7 or higher,” said Matthias Lopez, Host of the University of The Pacific booth when asked about the schools financial opportunities. He added, “Including FAS- FA and other financial aids available, the $60,000 average graduation cost is minuscule compared to other institutions.” California institutions were not the only ones present at the event, with universities such as Arizona State University (ASU) and Drexel University making an appearance as well. When asked the question, “What do you say to convince students who are nervous to leave their home state to join your school?” an ASU Representative replied,” That’s a Good Question. We have a big community waiting in Phoenix to welcome any out-of-state students and encourage them to feel at home, and if you still don’t feel comfortable leaving the state, we also have a campus in LA.” Representatives made sure to leave students with their questions answered, school pamphlets containing the steps to apply, and school merchandise to remember them by. Kern County College Night By Jaspreet Multani Reporter and designer After two years of virtual events, the Kern County Superintendent of schools hosted the 23rd Annual Kern County College Night at Mechanics Bank Arena on Sept. 12. Several colleges and universities participated in the event, including Bakersfield College, California State University Bakersfield, Taft College, San Joaquin Valley College, California Aeronautical University, and state universities. The annual event was a huge opportunity for students to meet and discuss their career goals with representatives from public and private colleges and universities. This event allows students to be exposed to multiple colleges and universities in one setting. KCCD arranged breakout sessions with college counselors on various topics, including how to get financial aid and scholarships to help students and parents decide which college or university best fits their needs. Wendy Ward, the event organizer, says, “this is the largest college night in the state in which over 100 colleges and universities present seminars and workshops.” Bakersfield College welcomed the students by performing dance art from the Folklorico club. BC also provided info on two programs under the Bakersfield College Kern Promise; Finish-In-4 and Transfer-In-2. Each program is unique in its requirements. Students are then guaranteed admission to CSUB, with a similar major, and will complete an additional 60-semester units to earn a bachelor’s degree! Information provided at college night helps students determine which campus lifestyle is best suited for them according to their preferences and needs. They have a chance to meet representatives from universities of the east coast and the west coast, and it opens students’ minds to possibilities they may not have been aware of, according to Ward. BY JASPREET MULTANI/THE RIP A college mascot at Kern College night on Sept. 12
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Renegade Rip, issue 2, Sept. 21, 2022

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