Mark Graf, the previous chief of security and director of Public Safety Training at Bakersfield College, has moved into the classroom as a full-time instructor.
“I have been a faculty member since ’98, and last time I taught was in 2003,” said Graf, “but even though I now have a different position, I am still really thankful that I have the opportunity to get involved with students a lot more.”
Graf stated that he had to change teaching only because of health issues.
“I had a progressive injury here in college where I hurt my neck, and the school doctor said that I couldn’t be the chief anymore because if at sometime I face a confrontation, I could get re-injured.”
According to Graf, teaching is something he really enjoys doing, but if the opportunity for him to go back with his previous position opens, he would be glad to take it again.
“I really like this school a lot. All the faculty and classified are outstanding, including all my students, but if it’s possible and if I ever have the opportunity again, I would still like to be the chief,” Graf said.
Graf stated that he has recovered from his injury and that now he is a “full loaded teacher” willing to help his students learn, grow and face obstacles.
“I really like helping everyone, especially those who give it 100, or even 150 percent just to get far,” he said.
Graf is currently teaching criminal investigation, criminal law and correctional supervision courses that, as he said, are courses that “will help students make this place happen and, best of all, make it better.”
Graf claims that talking to the students and sharing his experiences with them is something he really enjoys. “I have teaching experiences from the police academy in Santa Barbara County in 1983 when I used to teach on my days off, and now I really feel that the students learn a lot from my experiences.”
Graf held positions in the military police in Santa Barbara County for more than 15 years as a police officer, where he discovered that helping and protecting people was the best part of all. “I always thought I would be an officer somewhere out there trying to stop bullies from people because it really makes me mad when people take advantage or take stuff that other people worked hard for.”
A very specific piece of advice that Graf gives his students is to stay in school and reach for their goals because his experience made him realize how important school could be. “Nobody plans to face bad things in life, but now I am simply really thankful that when I got hurt I had my education, otherwise things would have gotten very difficult.”
One thing that Graf really believes as a full-time instructor is in helping his students succeed in life. For that reason, he tries to have a very strong communication with each one of them.