The Department of Programs and Services for Disabled Students (DSPS) at Bakersfield College (BC) held their “coffee/convo” event at Mar. 6, after 4 years without doing so.
The conversation began with two guest speakers, Nicole Alvarez, the Program Director and student Organization Advisor, and Abigail Tamayo, the Director of Student Organizations; discussing how students with disabilities can both feel welcome at BC and where they can go to get help.
Tamayo began her presentation and explained the different benefits of student’s professional, personal, and academic growth. At BC it is not only important that students grow academically but also that they grow personally, and that people are willing to step out of their conformity zone.
Further showing the different clubs that BC has, and how each of them helps students in different areas; not only academically, but also socially.
She also mentioned the office of student life who organize events like: Campus Rush, Veteran’s Festivals, Welcome week events, Trunk or Treats Events, workshops and much more.
Tamayo also explained to the students in attendance what the requirements are to obtain help from the school to start a new club.
Afterwards, Victoria Cortez spoke, explaining the functions of DSPS and how it helps students who have different disabilities so that they can also achieve their goals in BC.
Cortez also explained that before Covid-19 started, the DSPS office had a club where students could come and do fun things in which they would find out about the help that BC has for them and is starting again.
She mentioned that many times, students only come to their classes and go home and thus do not get involved in school activities every day. She believes that it is important that students also do extracurricular things to have more experience.
If you are interested in knowing more about this club, they are meeting Mar. 20 at CSS 3A from 1:30 to 2:30. For more information email at [email protected] or call at (661) 395-3526.