Bakersfield College celebrated the grand opening of its newest space Friday morning, a just-completed project set right in the heart of the campus.
It’s called Veterans Plaza and it’s designed to welcome and honor all U.S. military veterans, especially those who study at, work at, or visit the northeast Bakersfield campus.
“I walk past the plaza feeling inspired to achieve my goals, looking at the pillars with gratitude for the opportunity to obtain an education,” BC student and veteran U.S. Army Ranger Justin Foss told a crowd of nearly 200 gathered at Thursday’s ceremony.
The place Foss admires is adorned with benches, greenery, three flag poles, and six monuments containing a brief history and additional information about each of the six branches of the military, including the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Space Force.
Paul Beckworth, a U.S. Navy veteran and a member of BC’s faculty, told the crowd that he first approached the opportunity to speak Thursday as a chance to impress the many elected officials and distinguished guests he knew would be present.
But as he sat down to work on his presentation, Beckworth realized he was coming at it all wrong.
“I felt humbled,” he said. “Reminding myself what this plaza represents, and who it represents.
“It represents selflessness, sacrifice and service. It represents those living and dead who gave of themselves for something greater,” he said.
“How could I not feel humble?”
The ceremony began with the raising of the flags by local Marine Corps recruiters and members of the Marine Corps League led by Senior Vice Commandant Xavier Cordova.
Wounded hero Evan Morgan, a Marine Corps veteran who lost both legs in Iraq in 2005 when his humvee hit a roadside bomb, sang the national anthem to grateful cheers and applause.
BC’s Interim President Steve Watkin welcomed all the attendees at Thursday’s event, and spoke about the pride he feels in the way the Bakersfield and Kern County community consistently honors its vets.
“I recognize that none of us standing here today would have the privilege to enjoy the quality of life we have without the sacrifices of our veterans,” Watkin said.
“I want to say thank you.”
Watkin remarked that the location of the plaza is “front and center” in one of the busiest places on campus.
“Now, when our veterans first step on our campus here at the home of the Renegades, there will be no doubt in their minds that they are respected and have all the tools they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.”
There was one guest at the dedication Thursday whose presence came as something of a surprise, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. The longtime Bakersfield congressman has a long relationship with BC, and he spoke of that to the attendees.
“You know, I’ve walked on this campus for a long time,” McCarthy said. “I grew up just a few blocks down on University Avenue.”
This college, he said, is integral to the community. For generations of Kern residents, BC “was where it all started,” McCarthy said.
“When you think about our community honoring those that are fighting for freedom, it’s the most important thing you can do.”
