Establishing a Faculty Diversification Fellowship

The Central Valley in California is known for its rich agricultural and oil resources. This region has experienced significant growth in population over the last couple of decades. This expansion has resulted in a dramatic change in demographics regarding race/ethnicity, income, and residential needs. The latest Census data show that only 16% of Kern County residents over the age of 25 hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to 31% at the national level. In Merced County, the number is lower at 14% for educational attainment. These data show the need for educational resources and opportunities in this area. Bakersfield College (BC) has committed to providing community members with various opportunities to enter the workforce and advance educationally, socially, and economically. To continue this work, it is vital to address issues of equity to ensure that the most vulnerable populations of students are able to succeed at a rate that is comparable to their peers.

One approach to address this is through diversifying our faculty. In the last few years, BC has deliberately identified barriers to student success through the Guided Pathways framework with specific attention to identifying and addressing equity needs. Within this scope of work, the college has strategized ways to attract a wider range of faculty candidates. Specifically in the recruitment and retention of Underrepresented Minority (URM) candidates in the STEM disciplines.

In the last year, the college launched the Aspire Faculty Diversification Fellowship Program with the goal of recruiting, training, and mentoring URM candidates interested in faculty positions. Partnerships with UC Merced and Fresno State led to the recruitment of graduate students in STEM disciplines interested in teaching at a community college. In the next two years, the work with this collaboration will continue to expand and scale through reaching more institutions and expanding the disciplines targeted for this program.

Programmatic Websites

Institutional Website

Central CA Regional Collaborative