BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — More students are choosing business at Cal State Bakersfield, with enrollment in the College of Business and Public Administration increasing nearly 25% over the past three years.
College leaders say the growth has not happened by accident.
Dean Dr. Deborah Cours said faculty and staff have deliberately increased outreach across the community, working with local high schools, community colleges, chambers of commerce and professional organizations such as KCSHRM (Kern County Society for Human Resource Management).
At the same time, the college has focused its programs on skills and industries tied to the Bakersfield and Kern County economy.
“We focus on relevance to the region,” Cours said.
That includes programs and concentrations in areas such as entrepreneurship, accounting, health care management, public administration and the college’s growing supply chain and logistics program.
CSUB's agricultural business program has also grown since it was first offered 10 years ago, according to Cours. The college's MBA and Master of Public Administration programs continue to see healthy enrollment as well.
But Cours said the value for students extends beyond what happens inside a classroom.
Connecting the classroom to Kern County careers
CSUB has developed relationships with employers including Target Distribution Center, Valley Strong, PepsiCo, Frito-Lay, Grimmway and Bolthouse Fresh Foods. Those partnerships are intended to give students real-world experiences and opportunities to connect with people working in industries they may eventually enter.
Target's Shafter distribution center, for example, worked with CSUB on professional-development courses designed to prepare students for internships and management programs. Students have also toured the facility to get an inside look at potential careers.
“Those help students visualize themselves in those jobs, to understand what it takes to get those jobs,” Cours said.
Students say those connections can make a difference.
For Nikhil, president of CSUB's Financial Management Association, joining the student organization opened doors beyond his classes.
“Joining FMA has been one of the best experiences in my life because it brought me connections, it brought me opportunities to connect with people,” he said.
Business administration senior Grecia Patino said professors also play a role in helping students make those connections.
“Most of them are super amazing at keeping tabs with you, making sure that you’re doing good in class, but also, and most importantly, helping you network outside of class,” Patino said.
Cours said the college's student organizations also receive mentorship and support from local business leaders and alumni.
Growth creates another challenge: keeping students on track
With nearly 25% enrollment growth in just three years, the college also has to make sure more students doesn't mean greater difficulty getting the courses needed to graduate.
Cours said the college has worked closely with academic advisors to determine which classes students need and make sure those courses are available.
That's an important part of managing the growth: recruiting students is only the beginning. Once they're on campus, the college has to help them move through their programs and prepare for what comes afterward.
For CSUB, that means pairing degrees with internships, employer connections, professional development and mentorship.
And for students like Nikhil and Patino, those experiences are helping connect what they learn in the classroom with what they want to do next.
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