Alumni Association
The Legacy of the Alumni Association
By Deanna Rea
2025
The first college alumni association was founded in the early 1800s, and Bakersfield College was quick to follow suit. Guided by a spirit of community and hospitality, the college’s founders envisioned an institution that could foster lifelong connections, shape the lives of countless individuals, and serve as a cornerstone of the local community. Bakersfield College has long been a pillar of academic excellence and community spirit, and its alumni association has played a key role in shaping its enduring legacy. However, what the college had not anticipated was for the association to take on a life of its own, transforming over the years into much more than just a network of former students.
Founded in the early 1900s, the Bakersfield College Alumni Association quickly became an integral part of the college’s mission, reflecting the institution’s foundational values of commitment, integrity, and goodwill. However, an institution as distinguished as Bakersfield College is not without its challenges. Established in 1913, the journey of the college has been shaped by both triumphs and trials, none more significant than the challenges faced during the world war.
As the war disrupted lives and communities, the college was forced to adapt, with many students and faculty members drafted or affected by the global conflict. It was during this time of hardship and resilience that the need for support and familiarity began to take root in the hearts of our members. Grace Van Dyke Bird, the first president of Bakersfield College, understood the importance of staying connected and took it upon herself to bridge the gap, writing letters to former students in the Armed Services as part of her efforts to ease their sense of isolation.
Her commitment went beyond administrative duties, Miss Bird sought to make a personal impact during a time of widespread uncertainty. Reflecting on her motivation, she later shared: “I felt quite deeply that I wanted to do something personal that would be more than ‘help the war effort,’” said Miss Bird. “I concluded that one thing I felt sure they would want to know was what their friends or even just former fellow students who were now in the service were doing – where they were, promotions they may have received, other Kern County men they have met on duty.”
Grace was prepared, and without hesitation, to take on a project that would soon grow far beyond her alone. What began as a kind-hearted gesture quickly became something greater, requiring the dedication and support of many. Recognizing the scale of the task ahead, Grace first turned to former Superintendent Nelson to determine whether the letters could be stenciled, mimeographed, and franked on the district budget. His response, as Grace recalls, was “enthusiastically affirmative.” With his support secured, Grace sought further guidance, reaching out to Army and Navy intelligence officers in Los Angeles and San Francisco to learn what she could and could not report in the letters without jeopardizing military plans or compromising anyone’s safety. “You see, my purpose was to keep them in touch with one another – even to feeling close to one another,” said Bird.
In an interview with Ralda Sullivan, Grace revealed that she had written to nearly 350 students, with the first “Letter to Men in Service” spanning about three and a half single-spaced, legal-size pages. As other students requested to be included, the mailing list expanded to 700 recipients, and the letter eventually grew to seven pages. Although Grace recalls many sleepless nights and few recesses on weekends, she tells Sullivan, “A theory I had developed long ago and proven was now reaffirmed: that the kind of tired one gets from performing a loving act is soon repaired since that very act is life-giving.” Grace wouldn’t realize at the time that her dedication to maintaining connection during wartime would later serve as a meaningful precedent, guiding others toward a lasting future shaped by the belief that relationships are sustained not by proximity, but by the simple act of reaching out and being remembered.
As the war came to an end, several esteemed faculty members, including Miss Grace Bird, shared personal greetings and well-wishes with students in the 1945 Renegade Rip, setting the tone for the academic year ahead. In those years, as veterans, war workers and the wives who accompanied their husbands throughout the country returned home, a sense of separation and disconnect lingered. The bonds built through academia that once tied the community together had frayed, and many longed for the unity they had once shared. Grace urged students to improve their sociability, writing, “We want you to increase your social skills – the skills that help you meet people easily and graciously, that make it possible for you to enjoy more fully your associations with other people, that make others seek your help, your judgement, and your leadership.”
It was then that the idea for an alumni association came to the forefront of one determined student’s mind, seeking an organization that could rekindle the lost spirit of camaraderie and offer a lifeline to reconnect the college’s family, just when they needed it most. Virginia [Burriss] Mosconi, Class of ’39, envisioned an organization which could become a cherished link to the past – one where old friendships could be rekindled, memories relived, and the spirit of the college immortalized for generations to come. With ambitious ruminations of fellowship and everlasting spirit, and the words and efforts of Miss Bird strengthening her resolve, Mosconi envisioned the Bakersfield College Alumni Association.
After spending three years as an ‘army wife,’ Mosconi returned to Bakersfield and reconnected with Dave Fanucchi, an army veteran from the Pacific campaign, and they fell to discussing the vibrant days of pre-war Bakersfield Junior College (BJC). The pair were soon joined by John Boydstun, who had returned from army service in Europe. The trio began reaching out to fellow graduates in the fall of 1945, laying the foundation for what would become the BC Alumni Association—an effort driven by the sheer enthusiasm of three dedicated Renegades.
The three students then brought the idea to Miss Grace Bird’s attention, and with her kind-hearted spirit, it was no surprise that “the idea met her hearty approval and a promise of aid and encouragement.” Grace later reflected on her role in the decision, telling interviewer Ralda Sullivan, “I have been told that my purpose in helping to hold the former students close together influenced the decision to establish a Bakersfield College Alumni Association.”
As early as 1927, efforts were already underway to maintain connections among former students. Throughout the early 1930s, a tradition of alumni engagement quietly took shape through informal gatherings and events. One of the most beloved of these was the annual Christmas Alumni Dance, and it was during this cherished event, in 1945, that the sign-up for the association took place. Building on Grace Bird’s reflections, it becomes clear that the roots of the association’s values and principles trace back long before its formal establishment in May 1946. “And what a Christmas present that has been for the college ever since!” said Bird. “As it turned out, it was also a present for me.”
During that time, the association’s three visionary founders had already set the ball rolling. Driven by their strong desire to reconnect former graduates, they acted before the association’s formal recognition. Their enthusiasm sparked a series of social gatherings that drew crowds of more than a hundred alumni at a time. One standout was a spirited spring dance and picnic, held in the months leading up to the official launch. With music filling the air, laughter echoing across the venue, and exciting prizes awarded throughout the afternoon, these events set the stage for an alumni network that would thrive for years to come.
But as the momentum behind the budding association continued to build, the founders recognized the need for a clear structure and guiding mission. They looked to one Class of ’39 student, Hazel Morton Rees, to draft the association’s first constitution. The task assigned was no easy feat. This document would define the very heart of the organization, articulating not just what it stood for, but what it aspired to become. It committed the association to four essential goals: to support Bakersfield Junior College students and alumni in pursuing higher education and establishing themselves in the community; to inspire local high school graduates to continue their education; to reconnect former students through meaningful social events; and to amplify the influence of Bakersfield Junior College throughout Kern County and the state of California.
On July 1, 1946, the Bakersfield College Alumni Association took the next step forward by officially selecting officers to lead the organization and bring its ambitions to life. Fittingly, the three founders assumed key leadership roles with President Boydstun, Secretary Mosconi, and Treasurer Fanucchi at the helm. Roy Hubbard, Class of ’38, was elected vice president, and alongside five appointed committee chairs, these nine individuals formed the association’s executive committee.
As the association continued to take shape, it soon faced one of its first major challenges: reaching the alumni community at large. Inspired by Grace’s wartime efforts to keep in touch with former students, members turned to her example. They began using those same letter-writing practices as a model for reconnecting with servicemen, and the major task of compiling a card file of eligible persons had been undertaken by a group of members who spent their free hours going through the school attendance records. What began as an ambitious undertaking of few quickly became a collective effort, steadily growing in numbers with many sharing the same dream. As more alumni joined the cause, the purpose of the association evolved into something larger than any single founder could have imagined.
The Alumni Association wrapped up the academic year on a celebratory note by hosting a tea for 1946 BJC graduates, providing an opportunity for alumni and soon-to-be-graduates to connect while also laying the groundwork for plans in the future. As their involvement with the college deepened, the association became increasingly active in campus events and activities, reaching all new levels of engagement—even in athletics. Excitement began to build with the start of the new basketball season, especially around the traditional alumni game, where the Renegade All-Stars took on a team of former BC greats. This highly anticipated matchup, held at the Lakeside gym in the early 1950s, not only showcased the athletic legacy of Bakersfield College but also reinforced the strong sense of camaraderie and school spirit that the Alumni Association hoped to preserve.
The three founders’ vision soon extended beyond social gatherings—they sought to create a network that would support both past and future graduates, offering mentorship, scholarships, professional development, and a shared sense of pride in their alma mater. In the years that followed, the BC Alumni Association expanded its reach, hosting annual reunions, fundraising initiatives, and other community service projects that reinforced the deep bond among Renegades. Perhaps there was no fundraiser more successful than the annual BC Alumni Barbecue, which began in the early 1950s as a steak feed to celebrate and promote interest in the upcoming football season, a beloved tradition that continues every fall to this day.
Swiftly earning recognition for its efforts, the association quickly gained widespread support and admiration from the college community. Frequently highlighted in student publications, it was constantly praised for its contributions. According to the 1979 Raconteur, the association became known as “one of the most active and productive organizations affiliated with Bakersfield College,” solidifying its influential presence on campus.
The association was founded as a lasting reminder to students and graduates alike that no matter where life leads, or however far they may go, Bakersfield College will always be home. Through the decades, many alumni have continued their education at other prestigious universities, yet the sense of connection they felt at BC has remained unmatched. As one former student reflected in a 1985 issue of The Renegade Rip, after transferring to a university and becoming a proud BC alumna, she always felt “more at home here at BC.” It’s a sentiment shared by generations, proof that the Bakersfield College experience leaves a lasting imprint, no matter the era.
Regardless of the policies, fees, or formal procedures, one truth has always remained a constant: once a Renegade, always a Renegade. As Dr. Edward Simonsen, former chancellor of the Kern Community College District, once joked to a table of laughing faculty members, “I was considered an old grad because I’d taken one class – and, by the way, that’s the way it is here at Bakersfield. If you’ve taken a class, you’re eligible to be considered an alumnus.” His words, though light-hearted, reflect a deep-rooted belief within the Bakersfield College community that still rings true even today, that every student, regardless of how long they attended, is part of the Renegade family. This strong sense of belonging extends beyond the classroom, finding its home at the heart of the BC Alumni Association, where every story and journey matters.
The association proudly consists of a diverse and accomplished group of members, including journalists, educators, parents, attorneys, entrepreneurs, artists, farmers, administrators, and more. “Our alumni have a genuine love for the college, and it’s inspiring to watch that passion translate into action—whether through volunteering, attending events, or giving back,” says Courtney Carter, the current coordinator of the Alumni Association. “The connections we create today strengthen the Renegade family for years to come, and I’m grateful to play a role in that.”
While there have been significant changes in leadership since Johnny Boydstun, the purpose and goals of the association have always remained a constant. Its founding purpose, to foster connections, support students, and celebrate the enduring spirit of BC, continues to thrive today. That legacy has only grown stronger with the association’s transition into the Bakersfield College Foundation. Just as Grace Bird worked tirelessly to keep former students connected during times of great change, the Foundation now carries the same torch, providing great resources, broader outreach, and a unified support system for alumni and students alike. As the current coordinator, Carter spoke with great reverence for her role, saying, “I have the privilege of bringing alumni together, sharing their stories, and creating meaningful connections that support both the college and its graduates. Seeing the impact of our work—whether it’s a student receiving a scholarship, an alum finding new ways to engage, or a successful event that strengthens our community—is what inspires me the most.”
Through decades of dedication and commitment, the Bakersfield College Alumni Association has proven itself to be a force to be reckoned with, shaping the lives of countless graduates and strengthening the institution’s legacy. Its impact extends far beyond networking, fostering lifelong connections, professional growth, and a shared sense of pride. In an atmosphere of conviviality, alumni continue to celebrate traditions, support one another, and pave the way for future generations. What began as a simple vision, to keep former students connected, has flourished into something greater. As many have reflected over the years, this enduring community is living proof of what can happen when “A Wish Became A Reality.”
