Greetings, Roadrunners!

It is my honor to welcome you to California State University, Bakersfield, the only public four-year university in the heart of the nation’s most populous, innovative and diverse state. Here on our beautiful campus, you will experience a very rare quality in higher education: an entire region dedicated to supporting this university and extending opportunities for jobs, internships, mentorships and more to our students.

When you arrive on the first day of classes, chances are you will see me on CSUB’s famous Red Brick Road that leads into the heart of our large Bakersfield campus. I’m there to greet our Roadrunners and answer any questions you have. But the focus on students does not end with that warm greeting. Our faculty, staff and administrators live and breathe the mission of this university, which is to put students first. We know it takes a team to get you from Day 1 to the commencement stage, and we have an array of resources, programs and initiatives to help you get where you want to go.

Beyond offering support for your academic journey, CSUB works with our students to offer a full and dynamic collegiate experience, with opportunities to bond with other Roadrunners, stimulating lectures and conversations, concerts and activities, the outstanding Student Recreation Center, a Division I athletics program and so much more. It is here on our Bakersfield and Antelope Valley campuses where friendships are formed that last a lifetime.

The University Catalog is an important guide for your academic plan at CSUB, and I encourage you to review important information on your classes, major and campus policies. Becoming familiar with the catalog will help you understand how to navigate CSUB so that you avoid useless detours and graduate on time.

Though you will have the support of this entire university behind you, your experience at CSUB will be a personal one. May you listen with an open mind, challenge yourself to do something that intimidates you, say yes to new opportunities, join clubs, attend games, and never forget that this moment in your life is precious, for it will set you on a path of lifelong learning.

Thank you for choosing CSUB. You have made it this far with your brilliance and determination. With your CSUB degree, there will be no limit to what you can achieve.

Welcome to the ’Runner family!

Vernon B. Harper Jr.
President California State University, Bakersfield