Thursday, March 5, 2026
Recently, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Department at Bakersfield College hosted
Financial Aid Fest 2026. The event created a fun and engaging atmosphere for current
and future students to learn about financial aid options and community resources.
A variety of BC departments and community partners were available to talk with attendees,
share information, give out swag, and more. There was even a popcorn and cotton candy
booth where attendees could grab their salty or sweet treat for free! Some of the
participating vendors were Kern Regional Center, Valley Achievement Center, U.S. Postal
Service, and others. There were also several BC departments there as well – ready
to promote the wide variety of on-campus student services and resources.
Walter Rivas, Supervisor for the Financial Aid Department at BC, talked about the
importance of the event. “A lot of times students don’t know where to go to get services,”
he said, “so we help connect everybody at this event.” He also talked about the importance
of including community partners. “BC has a lot of campus resources, like financial
aid, and there are other services in the community where they can go – like a food
bank,” he said, “students may know about the Renegade Pantry here on campus, but there
are also food banks in the city. So, we try to connect everybody in that regard.”
Bakersfield College’s goal is to equip students with the resources they need to be
successful in their academic journey. A big thank you to the Financial Aid Department
for hosting another incredible event that benefits our students.
