Dr. Stacy Pfluger, interim president of Bakersfield College, says her top priority in her new role is building stronger connections with the community while ensuring students have the resources they need to succeed.

“I’m very focused on building partnerships with the community,” she explained. She acknowledged that one of the biggest challenges facing BC is the scale of instruction.

With the opening of the Arvin campus, Pfluger said the college is working to bring resources together and expand student support.

When asked what message she would give students, Pfluger shared “If I could have a message it would be my husband’s quote. ‘It’s hard to fail if you never quit trying’,” she said. “You’ve got to see the possibilities and keep pushing towards them.”

Stepping into the interim president role, Pfluger said she was inspired by the chance to have a broader impact on student success and the college’s growth. “The biggest draw for me is availability affecting student success and operation of success and in this role it’s broader and has the availability to be more intentional for improving the school and foundation of future growth,” she said.

Supporting student success both academically and outside the classroom remains one of her central goals. “I think we got a lot of things going with tutoring and writing, if we have opportunities to expand.” Pfluger explained.

She also highlighted BC’s strengths, pointing to the people who make up the campus community. “I think here, especially on campus, there are people wanting to be part of the BC family and a lot of community support,” she said.

To remain connected with students, Pfluger said she values being present and approachable. “Being available is the best and there are some groups I meet with like student government and try to get around campus walking around and engaging with the students,” Pfluger stated.