CSUB, Antelope Valley College create STEM bachelor’s programs

New partnership game-changer for students, region

By California State University, Bakersfield

December 21^st, 2023

California State University, Bakersfield and Antelope Valley College (AVC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to expand the number of STEM baccalaureate degrees available at CSUB’s Antelope Valley campus, building a pipeline for scientists and engineers in a region that leads the nation in aerospace innovation and discovery, college officials announced Friday in a joint statement.

Through the partnership, CSUB-AV and AVC will work together to add new STEM pathways at CSUB-AV, which is located on AVC’s campus. The MOU also provides an extension to the current land-lease agreement for space occupied by the Antelope Valley campus and use of new space needed for the new baccalaureate programs.

“For over 30 years, CSUB has been a proud partner with Antelope Valley College, and now we are taking that partnership to new heights, all for the benefit of our students and the community that we serve,” said CSUB President Lynnette Zelezny. “The Antelope Valley is at the vanguard of discovery and exploration, and it is the honor and responsibility of the two institutions of higher education in the region to provide the leaders who will advance this proud legacy.”

CSUB-AV and AVC also will establish articulation agreements for the new baccalaureate degrees. When possible, AVC students with at least 30 units of designated prerequisites will be allowed early and deferred admission to CSUB-AV and will be able to participate in dual enrollment so they can complete their associate degree at AVC while they complete their baccalaureate degree with CSUB.

“This is a significant advancement in our collaboration that provides more opportunity for our students and the entire Antelope Valley community,” said Antelope Valley College Superintendent President Jennifer Zellet. “Because of this continued partnership, AVC and CSUB-AV will create new STEM pathways and provide new degrees that prepare students for rewarding careers. The best part is that our students will step right into meaningful careers that enrich our local communities and ensure that our talented graduates remain in the Antelope Valley.”

To develop the new baccalaureate degrees, CSUB-AV and AVC will continue to work with local business partners, including aerospace, to make sure the curricula meet industry needs.

"In the modern economy, workforce capabilities are more important to regional economic development than any other factor,” said Justin Salters, interim executive director of B3K Prosperity, the Bakersfield-Kern region’s inclusive economic development initiative. “This expanded partnership between two of our leading educational institutions will help address critical talent gaps identified by employers, strengthen pathways for local students to develop the skills needed to obtain a quality job and achieve self-sufficiency, and, ultimately, help grow the region’s aerospace cluster.”

Aaron Cassebeer, senior vice president of engineering at Stratolaunch in Mojave, welcomed the announcement.

“As a business located in Eastern Kern County, we are excited by what this agreement means for developing quality and homegrown STEM talent for the region’s aerospace employers," he said. "Stratolaunch is a very hands-on operation, and the future of our business depends on being able to attract technically skilled job candidates that want to live and stay in the area. It is initiatives like this MOU that will build technical vocational and four-year degree programs that enable students to get their education within the Antelope Valley and have clear sight on how that education translates into a high demand career in aerospace, without having to leave their family and community behind to pursue their career goals.”

The new bachelor’s degrees will be introduced over time, said CSUB-AV Dean Elizabeth Adams. The first available degree, in computer science, will potentially be offered in the fall of 2025.

“CSUB-AV gives students the unique opportunity to get a world-class education near their homes and families,” Dr. Adams said. “Adding STEM programs opens up even more opportunities for the people of the Antelope Valley and eastern Kern County to succeed and give back to their communities. We like to say that CSUB-AV gives students the opportunity to ‘stay near and go far.’ With these new degrees, we all will be able to go farther than we can imagine.”