CSUB President Zelezny

’Runners on the rise.

At the beginning of every semester, I welcome students to California State University, Bakersfield’s famous Red Brick Road because when you are a `Runner, you’re family. We start this journey together, and at every step along the way, we are there united in support of our students.

Located in the southern San Joaquin Valley, CSUB is home to the Roadrunners — moving forward at lightning speed and championing intellectual progress. CSUB continuously rises in national rankings for its economic value, social mobility and commitment to student success. Its students are brilliant and increasingly diverse. Our two campuses – in Bakersfield and the Antelope Valley – serve nearly 11,000 students.

The faculty and staff at CSUB give our students the rare opportunity to grow and thrive through hands-on learning and research in a setting that prioritizes meeting the needs of our ’Runners in a holistic way: academically, socially, and through resources that span the spectrum, including basic needs, health care, counseling, internships and beyond. Our community supports CSUB, the only public four-year university in 100 miles, and that benefits our students, most of whom stay in the region after graduation to begin their careers and move our community forward.

At CSUB, we know that diversity is our superpower. Access, equity and inclusion are at the foundation of all that we do, and students play a central role in helping us govern the university through student government and the frequent campus-wide forums that give our ’Runners a voice. 

But beyond the academic excellence and opportunities for engagement at CSUB, our students are treated to the full collegiate experience, from clubs to exciting concerts and events, and the thrilling competition of Division I Athletics.

With boundless opportunities for our students, CSUB continues to expand the landscape of hope and possibility here in the Southern Central Valley of California.

We invite you to be part of something bigger than yourself and rise with us at CSUB!

Lynnette Zelezny, Ph.D., M.B.A