President, Bakersfield College
Dr. Sonya Christian became president of Bakersfield College (BC) in 2013. An advocate for continued education across social and economic boundaries, Dr. Christian has shepherded BC through an exciting phase of expanded opportunities for current and future students. In recognition of her accomplishments at Bakersfield College, Christian was named the 2016 “Woman of the Year” by Californian Assemblyman Rudy Salas. She was also named Woman of the Year by the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (2016) and educator of the year by the Delano Chamber of Commerce (2018). Christian began her three-decade career in education at BC in 1991, first as a math faculty member and later as division chair, then Dean of Science, Engineering, Allied Health and Mathematics. Christian earned her bachelor of science degree from University of Kerala in Kerala, India; a master of science in applied mathematics from University of Southern California; and her doctorate from University of California, Los Angeles.
