About Bakersfield College
Established in 1913, Bakersfield College is one of the nation's oldest continually-operating community colleges. The college serves 33,000 students annually on the 153-acre main campus in northeast Bakersfield, at the Delano Campus 35 miles north of Bakersfield, the Weill Institute in downtown Bakersfield, and BC SouthWest in southwest Bakersfield. We also offer classes at several alternative locations, including Shafter Learning Center 18 miles northwest of Bakersfield, Arvin/Lamont, McFarland, Olive Drive Training Facility in northwest Bakersfield, Wasco and other community locations.
Our students are diverse and represent the communities we serve, with BC holding designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution. You can see details about our student population on the BC Scorecard.
Classes are offered on a traditional 16-week semester calendar as well as in a variety of non-traditional scheduling options: evenings, weekends, short-term vocational programs and online.
Below you will find our:
Mission, Vision & Values
Our Mission
Bakersfield College provides opportunities for students from diverse economic, cultural, and educational backgrounds to attain Associate and Baccalaureate degrees and certificates, workplace skills, and preparation for transfer. Our rigorous and supportive learning environment promotes equity and fosters students’ abilities to think critically, communicate effectively, and demonstrate competencies and skills in order to engage productively in their communities and the world.
Approved by College Council, October 18, 2019
Our Vision
Building upon more than 100 years of excellence, Bakersfield College continues to contribute to the intellectual, cultural, and economic vitality of the communities it serves.
Our Core Values
- Learning:
- We foster curiosity, inquiry, critical thinking, and creativity within a safe and rigorous academic environment so that we might be empowered to radically transform our community into one that gives voice and power to all people.
- Integrity:
- We continue to develop and follow an ethical and moral consciousness which places the collective wellbeing and health above the self; this principled environment allows for open, constructive conversations and teaches us to trust each other’s vision so that we will be useful and effective in providing support, resources, and encouragement.
- Wellness:
- We believe health and wellness to be integral and foundational elements, and we understand that a holistic education improves all aspects of the individual and the society including the mind, body, and spirit; through education, we will positively impact the health of the natural environment and the global community.
- Diversity:
- We insist that diversity be valued and promoted, recognizing that multiple perspectives lead to a better education and knowledge of the world; listening and witnessing different experiences helps us to understand and contextualize power and privilege related to gender, race, class, religion, disability, and sexuality in terms of access and barriers to resources and opportunities.
- Community:
- We commit to the wellbeing of all members of our community; we maintain strong ties with the surrounding community, and we respond to their needs by serving as an open institution which engages all students, faculty, and staff; in our college, we have built and continue to build an environment in which all members participate as a community through democratic engagement.
- Sustainability:
- We recognize our responsibility for continuing and maintaining this institution which has been shaped by over 100 years of resolute and tenacious labor and judicious foresight, so we unceasingly place our energies into imagining how we might sustain and renew our fiscal, human, and environmental resources into the future.
Strategic Directions
Student Learning
A commitment to provide a holistic education that develops curiosity, inquiry, and empowered learners.Student Progression and Completion
A commitment to eliminate barriers that cause students difficulties in completing their educational goals
Facilities and Technology
A commitment to improve the maintenance of all facilities, technology, and infrastructure and implement Measure J funding to build a better BC.
Leadership and Engagement
A commitment to build leadership within the College and engagement with the community.
More Information
To learn more about our goals and our work, visit these sites:
Guiding Documents
Accreditation
For documents and information about accreditation, visit Bakersfield College Accreditation.
