While California State University, Bakersfield’s year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary largely came to an end this past fall, the university is commemorating the milestone with one last ceremony — the burial of a time capsule.
Throughout spring and summer 2021, CSUB’s 50th anniversary committee collected items from staff, faculty, students and alumni — including a SpaceX model, 50th anniversary pennant, president’s coin and even a COVID-19 vaccination card — that will be buried on campus in a time capsule at the end of the academic year and reopened 50 years from now.
“The time capsule has been a way to connect the campus affinities and provide insight into this ‘moment in time’ for the future,” said Elizabeth Fergon, committee member and director of events at CSUB. “Our goal was to incorporate students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community in providing CSUB in 2070 a glimpse of this celebratory year. We not only celebrated CSUB at 50 years, but those celebrations fell during a very difficult year for all of us, and I think we captured the struggles, realities and resilience of our students, alumni, faculty and staff.”
The pieces collected for the capsule are currently available to be viewed in the Walter W. Stiern Library’s Historical Research Center as part of its CSUB at 50 exhibit, which runs through the end of the spring semester. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“We really hope the campus community, alumni and community members take the time to visit these mementos. They exemplify the heart of the campus and how even a pandemic doesn’t stop CSUB in striving for the future,” Fergon said.
Chris Livingston, director of the center and interim director of library operations and development, said he likes the idea of creating a time capsule because it will give future CSUB students, faculty and staff insight into this time in the university’s history.
“It’s kind of neat for people on campus to be able to come and see what’s going to be put in this time capsule that’s not going to reopen for another 50 years,” he said. “It gives you an idea of what the society and culture was like. I think that’s going to be really big for people on our campus 50 years from now. It will be a great resource for future students and history buffs alike.”