FREE Tuesday September 15, 2026
C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y, B a k e r s f i e l d
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Grand opening of The Nest with the podium set up for speakers
CSUB Launches a Mini Market Experience Story by Melissa Jorge, Sports Editor After six years of planning, California State University, Bakersfield opened The Nest; CSUB’s new food pantry. No longer will students, staff or faculty have to wait in line outside of a seatrain to gather some items they will now be able to shop comfortably within the newly expanded pantry space. “I think it signals our like institutional dedication to essential needs, to supporting students. Not just in the classroom but all the other parts of that student identity,” said Director of Essential Needs Dr. Jason Watkins. The CSUB food pantry had been launched back in 2017 after a survey being put out by
Forming History Through the New Mariachi Ensemble News | Page 2
Photo By Raul Rico
campus found that about 40 percent of the students faced food insecurity. The project to launch a food pantry on campus started off being believed that it would only see around 100 students per month. However, the pantry ended up seeing 100 students in just the first week of opening. After seeing the high demand in April 2020, the CAEN team came together to map out this new building for the campus for a more comfortable shopping experience. “When students stop out oftentimes it’s not because of stuff in the classroom, its financial challenges, it’s things like housing and food that become a struggle. And so having this space here...it really tells our campus it tells our stu-
dents, that you matter — that your needs are important to us and that we’re going to support you any way possible,” said Dr. Watkins. Last year, the pantry recorded more than 25,000 visits. That’s approximately 3,000 pounds of food per week being distributed, along with also distributing 8,000 pounds of fresh produce from the CSUB Edible Garden and 3,400 food boxes during the monthly food distributions. This was all done inside of a seatrain. “I think more students will visit because it’s more like a store it doesn’t have a stigma attached to it.” said Library Assistant II at Walter Stiern Library, Aide Zaragoza. The Nest, which was the name chosen by the Associated Students Inc. along with the pantry’s student leadership is now quadruple the size of the seatrain. It is 2,500 square feet which gives enough space to visitors to give them a small grocery store experience. “It seems bigger and it seems like the temperatures are gonna be better. Yeah, that was
Meet the ASI Executive Board 2026-2027
Who’s Got Spirit? We Don’t.
Features | Page 3
Opinion | Page 5
Volume 52, Issue 1
one of the main issues that I had,” said frequent student shopper, Rina Sorto. New amenities were added to this space such as new freezers and refrigerator space, a section for parenting students which include wet wipes, diapers, baby food, and long-term things like formula and a total of three offices where the Case Manager and CalFresh Application assistance can be found. In addition to the new sections, this pantry will still have all the popular items such as mac and cheese, yogurt, ramen, cereal, protein bars, bread, diapers, wipes, personal care items, and more. The point system will remain the same. Visitors will be able to get a total of 10 points; visitors are able to get three hygiene products. Just be mindful that those items count towards your 10 points. The only items that do not go towards your points are baby products; those are all free. This will all be operated by the food pantry’s three student assistants, along with the support they get from programs such as College Corps, Climate Action Corps, and volunteers. The Nest will be able to welcome 8-10 shoppers at a time, as opposed to the regular 3-4 that used to be able to shop in the seatrain. Hours will remain the same: Monday and Wednesday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location of The Nest can be found if entering campus from Don Hart Drive East and entering Lot M. “A big thank you to both the students over the years who voted and allocated funds to make this happen...it is such a big lift to make something like this happen,” said Dr. Watkins.
Photos By Raul Rico Above: The Nest Logo on the entrance door of the building Below: Crowd gathers for the grand opening
Search for Director of Athletics Narrows Down to Three Finalists Sports | Page 8
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Features
September 15, 2026 fessionals in Kern County. After graduation, Hogg-Madden plans to pursue a career in the cattle industry and own a farm. Inspired by Reedley, California, a small town located in Fresno County, and realizing Kern County had a similar agricultural climate, he fell in love with the farming lifestyle. Outside of CSUB, Hogg-Maden enjoys playing the guitar and makes his own music; he is a singer and writer. He loves playing basketball and spending time with his friends.
Picture by Alexia Nankil/ASI
Left to Right: Malachi Hogg-Madden (ASI Vice President of Finance), Rigoberto Onofre Gutierrez (ASI Vice President of Campus Life), Noor Kaur (ASI President and CEO), Skye Odom (ASI Vice President of University Affairs), and Nso Ifemeje (ASI Vice President)
Meet the ASI Executive Board, 2026-2027
Story by Mariana Abad, Features Editor
It’s the fall semester. Incoming and continuing students navigate the California State University, Bakersfield campus. The hustle and bustle of campus life brings an air of excitement. It’s the perfect time to make new friends, learn from professors, and create long-lasting memories. There’s always novelty in change, and the Associated Student Inc. is experiencing it. Upon entering the ASI office, one can notice the door placards on the Board of Directors’ offices are different. There’s new leaders in town, and they’re ready to advocate for student voices and interests at CSUB You might’ve noticed them around campus – attending events, working hard at the ASI Board meetings, or simply walking to and from class. So… who’s representing students at CSUB? It’s time to meet them! Noor Kaur, ASI President and CEO Noor Kaur is a junior Political Science major. In her role as ASI President, Kaur wants to emphasize career readiness and civic engagement. Because of the upcoming midterms in November, she wants students to understand that their votes matter. There’s a few unique events that are being planned that’ll make politics accessible and exciting for CSUB students. Furthermore, Kaur wants to increase campus life. Many CSUB students primarily attend classes and return home afterwards. Kaur wants to encourage students to spend more time on campus and truly get involved in the CSUB community, whether it’s through clubs or other activities. One of Kaur’s goals is to establish an internship for CSUB students. She hopes to bring local community figures to inform students about
politics. CSUB students will be paired with a mentor and gain hands-on experience in their intended field. This internship isn’t specific to any major. In addition to ASI, Kaur is the President of the Runner Democrats, where she focuses on civically engaging students and educating them on the importance of politics. After graduation, Kaur plans on attending law school to become a corporate attorney, inspired by her family, who are in the business world. Outside of CSUB, Kaur enjoys Pilates, drinking matcha, and spending time with her golden retriever puppy, Raja.
of color at CSUB. The program seeks to build leadership skills, provide internship opportunities, and foster brotherhood. After graduation, Ifemeje plans on pursuing a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in epidemiology. He hopes to work in a healthcare facility or research lab. His ultimate goal is to become a Clinical Epidemiologist and help children fight life-threatening diseases. Outside of CSUB, Ifemeje enjoys playing basketball, intramural sports, being outdoors, and spending time with his friends and family. Because time moves by fast, Ifemeje wants to make lots of memories with those closest to him.
Nso Ifemeje, ASI Executive Vice President Nso Ifemeje is a senior Public Health major. In his role as ASI Vice President, Ifemeje wants to focus on student engagement. He encourages students to attend events and become involved at CSUB. ASI is in the process of providing scholarships and increasing funding for clubs, ensuring students have the resources to create awesome events. Ifemeje says ASI wants to have a “better relationship with the students and with the administration, and bridging that gap in between.” By continuing to build a good reputation, Ifemeje hopes CSUB students are inspired to join ASI as well. Besides student engagement, one of Ifemeje’s goals is for students’ voices to be heard. He wants to ensure students have something to look forward to and feel supported both academically and socially. In addition to ASI, Ifemeje is a member of Excel Scholars, a program that focuses on increasing retention rates of undergraduate men
Malachi Hogg-Madden, ASI Vice President of Finance Malachi Hogg-Maden is a junior Agricultural Business major. In his role as ASI Vice President of Finance, he wants to focus on increasing campus life and incentivizing clubs to have more events. Rather than the usual tabling events, ASI is working to create more inclusive events for CSUB students. Hogg-Maden discovered that clubs had no idea they could request funding for ASI. The student government plans to further inform students. ASI’s Finance Committee is currently in the process of creating an incentive program to motivate students to create large-scale events on campus. One of Hogg-Madden’s goals is to ensure all CSUB clubs understand the chartering process and apply for funding. Besides ASI, Hogg-Maden is a member of Excel Scholars and the Agricultural Business Club, which seeks to provide students with opportunities to network and work with industry pro-
Skye Odom, ASI Vice President of University Affairs Skye Odom is a junior Psychology major. In her role as ASI Vice President of University Affairs, she wants to strengthen the connection between CSUB and its students and ensure students feel represented. One of Odom’s goals is to create organized and accessible ways for students to voice their concerns. She hopes to achieve this by creating surveys, doing tabling, and ensuring CSUB students have the opportunity to connect with different departments and campus leaders. As ASI Vice President of University Affairs, Odom hopes to guide students to the right people and resources in order to resolve student concerns. Besides ASI, Odom is the Vice President of SAAC – the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. As a student-athlete herself, she participates in Track and Field. Odom is also part of the Sensational Sophomores, a campus group that seeks to develop academically responsible freshmen into leaders. After graduation, Odom plans to pursue her master’s in hopes of becoming a sports therapist. Outside of CSUB, she loves spending time with her friends and family and traveling to beaches. Rigoberto Onofre Gutierrez, ASI Vice President of Campus Life Rigoberto Onofre Gutierrez is a senior English major. In his role as ASI Vice President of Campus Life, he wants to focus on events geared towards student engagement, whether its to give CSUB students time to unwind or provide them with valuable resources. During students’ busiest days, Onofre Gutierrez wants to make things easier for them. Events like Runner Hour let students participate in a short activity before heading on their way. One of Onofre Gutierrez’s goals is recognition. He wants CSUB students to understand how ASI contributes to the campus: everything from events, advocacy, and the functions of student government. It’s especially important to ensure incoming students are aware of the resources available to them. In addition to ASI, Onofre Gutierrez is a student assistant at the EOP office, which focuses on improving retention of low-income and first-generation students. After graduation, Onofre Gutierrez has big plans. He will potentially pursue a master’s and teaching credentials at the same time, and hopefully advance to a doctorate. Education is incredibly important to him. Onofre Gutierrez is interested in teaching English to high school seniors and preparing them for a successful future.
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Opinion
September 15, 2026
Who’s Got Spirit? We don’t. Written by: Kassie Herrera College campuses thrive on traditions, shared experiences, and a strong sense of community. From packed student sections at athletic events to campus-wide celebrations, school spirit often serves as the heartbeat of university life. Yet at California State University Bakersfield, school spirit remains a challenge. Despite the university’s growing academic opportunities, dedicated student body, and Division I athletics program, many students struggle to feel connected to campus life. One of the biggest reasons for CSUB’s school spirit problem is because it is known as a commuter campus. Unlike residential universities where students live, study, and socialize, many CSUB students drive to campus, attend classes, and leave right afterward. For students balancing work, schoolwork, and home life, spending extra time on campus feels impossible. Therefore, opportunities to build connections and bonds are difficult. Commuter culture affects everything from student involvement to attendance at athletic events. While the student athletes compete at a high level in athletics, crowds at games often fail to have the same excitement levels seen at larger colleges that play at a high level. Attendance is inconsistent, and student sections are usually smaller than expected. Without the strong presence of students at games, it becomes more difficult to create an energetic atmosphere that fuels excitement. Another challenge is the diversity of student experiences. CSUB serves a large population of college students and working adults. This diversity is one of the university’s strengths, but it can also make it harder to create a campus culture. Students come to school with different priorities and schedules, meaning most events don’t
line up with their plans so they won’t make the effort to go. The lack of tradition also prevents school spirit. At most universities, traditions come from rivalries against other schools, annual events, and from the former generation of students. These traditions become symbols of belonging and school pride. While CSUB hosts events such as Rowdy Run, campus celebrations, and athletic competitions, not many students involve themselves in these events to get that college-student experience. Traditions take time to build, but they also require consistent participation and support. Social media is another issue we face. Many students prefer to make connections online rather than at in-person campus activities. While digital engagement can help promote events and build awareness, it does not always turn into participation. It’s easier to watch a basketball game online than sitting in the stands with classmates and cheering together. But the community that creates school spirit is difficult to recreate through a screen. However, blaming students would be unfair. Universities must create environments that encourage participation. Some students report feeling disconnected from campus events. Others are simply unaware of opportunities until after they happen. Better outreach, stronger incentives, and more creative programming could help bring more awareness to students. Students are more likely to engage when activities feel relevant, accessible, and worth their limited free time. Even with these challenges, there are solutions to the problem. Student organizations give other students opportunities to get involved, and many faculty and staff members work hard to build a stronger sense of pride on campus.
Just recently, CSUB obtained a new “Rowdy” statue to resemble school pride. Dr. Vernon Harper, President at CSUB, presented this statue and shared an encouraging message about school pride. “Rowdy is our mascot. Rowdy is the spirit and excitement of being here at CSUB.” Said James Burger, Director of Marketing and Communications. As this statue stands semi-tall near the Red Brick Road, students are still feeling a lack of school pride. The statue seems to represent a community in the school that is already represented the most. Although it wasn’t said directly, when looking at the statue, you can only assume who it represents. Success in athletics can also help bring people together. When teams are doing well, students and community members often rally behind them. The real challenge is turning that excitement into lasting traditions that remain strong after a winning season or major event has passed. Strengthening school spirit at CSUB will take the effort of everyone. University leaders can continue investing in programs that encourage student involvement, but students also play an important role by taking advantage of those opportunities. Simple actions, such as attending a game, joining a club, or showing school pride by wearing CSUB gear, can help create a stronger and more connected campus community. School spirit is about much more than cheering at sporting events. At its core, it is about building a shared identity and creating a place where students feel they belong. For many people, college is not just where they earn a degree. It is where they make lifelong friends, create meaningful memories, and develop a lasting connection to their university. CSUB has the potential to provide that kind of experience, but it must first overcome obstacles such as its commuter culture, students’ busy schedules, and the lack of campus traditions. If CSUB can continue to strengthen connec-
tions among students and encourage greater involvement, school spirit could become one of the university’s greatest strengths rather than one of its biggest weaknesses. Roadrunners already have plenty to be proud of. The question is whether the university community can turn that pride into a visible and lifelong part of campus culture. The question is whether the university community can turn that pride into a visible and lifelong part of campus culture.
Photo by Kassie Herrera
Keeping up with the trends: Is it worth it? Written by: Kassie Herrera
If there’s one thing that’s for sure, there is always a new trend to follow. Social media has made it easier to keep up with trendy clothes, dances, makeup, etc. At this point, is it even possible to avoid trends? Our society flows on them. You aren’t cool if you don’t know about the latest trends. But is living a life of following worth it? When you follow a trend, you crave to be like everyone else. You see others get praised for what they possess or have accomplished, and you decide you want that attention too. Subconsciously, everyone wants to be liked, and the easiest way to do that is to keep up with what’s popular. Most trends tend to be harmless on the outside; however, it impacts how a person views themselves on the inside. People use trends to define themselves, especially children. Children are the easiest crowd to influence. When a child sees someone they look up to do a certain trend, they automatically want to do it. Children repeat what they see not because they aren’t smart, but
due to their young age, they truly believe that is how life is supposed to be. It’s not out of the ordinary to see a 10-year-old child in Sephora begging their parents to buy them the latest ‘Fenty’ lip gloss because everyone at school has it. There is nothing necessarily wrong with children playing with makeup, but the moment they let what’s popular determine their self-worth, it becomes a problem. As adults, trends are easier to ignore. At a certain age, you start to do the things you love, even if no one else loves them. Besides, not all trends are horrible. Trends that encourage people to be active, read, dress how they like, save the earth or, in shorter words, better themselves and others are something to consider. Many positives come from trying out trends. People find what they like and what they don’t like. People build communities that way as well. Trends that bring people together should be highlighted more often and recognized the same way every other trend does. However, like everything else, some trends go to the extreme and don’t benefit a person the way influencers portray it. For example, the health
journey trend that has been going on in the last couple of years. Being fit, healthy, and wanting to do better for yourself isn’t the problem. The problem is how fake everyone is about it. This is harmful to the younger audience whose bodies aren’t fully developed, and to people who don’t fully understand their bodies yet. Body image issues have been on the rise, and pushing an unrealistic standard is harmful. Most fitness influencers lie to their audiences about how they got their physique. Many use dangerous peptides, GLP-1s, and steroids that optimize body goals at a faster rate. Following trends isn’t always innocent and fun. Allowing random people to define who you are based on something so temporary is toxic and lonesome. Trends alone aren’t the problem, but taking trends to the extreme and centering your life around them can have a negative effect on your life. Be yourself, be open to new ideas, try new things but don’t feel left out when you can’t please everyone.
Graphic by Kassie Herrera
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Arts & Entertainment
Celebrating Our Third Annual Faculty Concert Story by Marco Hernandez, Staff This past Sunday, the Music and Theatre Department filled the Doré Theatre with its annual Faculty Concert. The concert featured some of the CSUB faculty members alongside several guests performing with different instruments such as the flute, trombone, and violin. The concert gave students and community members an opportunity to see faculty members perform live. The audience was given a different musical experience with each performer bringing their own sound to the concert. The Faculty Concert lasted an hour and featured 20 songs dating back to 1920 giving the audience a variety of music styles. Some of the pieces included were “I Sing of a Maiden” by Gustav Holst and “The Spanish Cavalier” from 36 Favorite Home Duets. The concert offered solo and group performances allowing musicians to show off their individual skills and ability to perform with others. Throughout the performance the mood shifted between energetic and calm depending on the piece that was being played.
The Faculty Concert opened with “Sonata in C Major, BWV 1033” being performed by Mary Cervantes’ on flute, Michael Ljungh on cello, and Soo-Yeon Park on harpsichord. The first piece began with an energetic flute performance while the cello and harpsichord supported Cervantes’ throughout the song. The song felt like a duet between the cello and flute, going back and forth picking each other as one instrument stops. What stood out to me the most during this piece was Cervante’s impressive ability to play long sections with only a few breaths. One of the most memorable performances during the Faculty Concert was “Pond” performed by Nathan Culcasi on trombone. This piece completely changed the mood from the previous performance to an eerie energy, matching the title of the song. During Culcasi’s performance, he moved with a slow and relaxed energy matching the chilling sound being produced. In order to create these sounds the trombone’s F-valve tuning slide was removed so that a quiet sound comes from the back of the in-
September 15, 2026 strument when the F trigger is pressed. The Faculty Concert attracted audience members of different ages. This included students and community members who wanted to enjoy live music. Throughout the concert the audience was respectful and remained attentive. The final performance was fast-paced with the musicians full of passion causing the audience to applaud loudly due to their high energy. Although the audience only saw the finished performances, each musician had to prepare extensively before stepping on stage. Nathan Culcasi, who played tXhe trombone at the concert, has 13 years of experience. Over this time, he has earned several degrees in trombone and joined a number of high-level orchestras. When asked how he made time to practice, Culcasi explained that since his job doesn’t require him to come in early morning, he took that opportunity to perfect his performance. Overall the Faculty Concert showed the amount of hard work and skill the Music and Theatre Department put into their performances. Thanks to events like these students and community members of all ages get a chance to enjoy live music while taking in different musical experiences.
Faculty Performers consisted of: - Mary Cervantes, Flute - Nathan Culcasi, Trombone - Ina Gutierrez, Soprano - Julia Lawson Haney, Violin - Michael Ljungh, Cello - Soo-Yeon Park, Piano - Amelia Smith, Clarinet - Heather Walkover, Cello - Brent Williams, Trumpet
Faculty members perform together during the Faculty Concert
Photo By Marco Hernandez
ADÉLA, A Star in the Making Story by Zya Jimenez-Ledesma, Staff From leaving her home at the age of 18, to becoming a star in the making; ADÉLA has proven that rejection, is truly redirection with her newly released album, PRIMA. Pop artist, ADÉLA, released her first album on the fourth of September. The album consists of 11 songs; ranging from soft spoken ballads, R&B, and paying ohmage to early 2010’s music era. ADÉLA first hit our screens on the competitive, reality TV series, The Debut: Dream Academy. She was one of the first to be voted off the show. It was devastating as a viewer to watch her get eliminated because you could see the passion that Adéla had. Her story at Dream academy ended, but that did not mean her journey as a rising pop star sensation had to end. She knew what she wanted and strived to achieve it. ADÉLA starts her album strong with her hit song “KGB.” The song talks about how badly she wants to succeed as a pop star. A young girl, living in a small unknown town, with a big dream. “Just a little European girl was plotting on my rise/ 18 immigrated (yeah)/A star in the making (yeah).” Many young girls can relate to this, and as ADÉLA references this idea in her song “Ain’t In LA.” The song talks about her mother’s life as a young child. Living in a small , low-income home and; having to share a room with her brother. But this didn’t stop her mother from dreaming big. And with those ideologies passed down to ADÉLA, who knew that in order to achieve her dreams, she may have to leave home. The title “Ain’t In LA” pays tribute to “all the girls in the unknown cities” who dream of big life for themselves, similar to ADÉLA’s story. But she sings about how you do not need to move away to a big city, like LA, to make it. She sings, “And you’re taught that/Your dreams
Comic strip by Haley Corral
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Arts & Entertainment
September 15, 2026
Buddy the Sinister Version of Barney
Forming History Through the New Mariachi Ensemble
Story by Sophia Nava, Arts & Entertainment Editor Cal State Bakersfield music department has formed its first ever mariachi ensemble this semester. Taught by Instructor Jorge Laris, who is also the mariachi director at Arvin High School, this ensemble has been in the works for quite some time. With help from faculty in the Arts and Humanities department, the mariachi ensemble came to life.
By Shaila Rubio
The formation of this ensemble came with support from many faculty members who had been feeling there was more the department could do. Such as Dean Alicia Rodriquez, who has been an avid supporter of the ensemble since her arrival at CSUB. Rodriquez explained how it was initially the faculty’s who came up with the idea of the mariachi, and her role was being the support they needed. She described the process of getting this ensemble into formation as being lengthy because of factors such as lack of space and resources, such as instruments. She further elaborated that, as the dean, she wanted to help the department get what they needed to make it happen and let the faculty take it from there. Her overall goal with this ensemble is to help bring something new to CSUB, the community, and to help display the talent that comes from the entire department.
Photo by Sophia Nava
“Music is universal regardless of the background,” Rodriquez said, as she hopes that this ensemble also helps to create connections and belonging between the students. Similarly, she describes how her goals for future students are that they take what they learned and apply it to their own mariachis in the future, so they can spread their learned knowledge and experience to others. In a statement from the Music Department Chair, Ángel Vázquez-Ramos, he stated, “Through this ensemble, we look forward to expanding our musical community and enriching the experiences we offer to our students and the broader community”. This is exactly what Laris described the environment of the class already looking and feeling like. He put into words how the class is sight-reading and playing songs already. With a “willingness to learn and wanting to grow,” from the students, Laris explained that, while not knowing what to expect, the class appears good and enthusiastic. He stated that he and the students were nervous as this was an entirely new class, but their effort and participation, despite being such a late class, helped ease the worry. As far as the history Laris and the students are making, he described how not many of them realized they were a part of the first mariachi ensemble here at CSUB. “I was jumping with joy… it’s an honor to be teaching at a university,” Laris described in excitement about being asked
Photo by Sophia Nava Mariachi sectional practicing with their stringed instruments
to come teach this ensemble. Student Leah Turner recounted her thoughts at the history they are making. “I am honored and grateful to be a part of the first-ever Mariachi Ensemble here at CSU Bakersfield, playing alongside talented musicians across Kern County,” Turner described, “It is amazing that we can celebrate and share our culture through music.” Laris shared that their first concert will be on November 29th. Not only are they expecting their first concert, but Laris, similarly to Rodriquez, described how he wants to highlight the talent many students came in knowing before the class. He would like to showcase the “hidden talent” as many of these students come from a background of already playing in a mariachi or having music experience. Another goal Laris would love to accomplish is recruitment. He reiterated how important it is
Photo by Sophia Nava
Instructor Jorge Laris leads his ensemble
to build up a diverse class and ensemble. They are still taking in new students this semester. He stated that while the class is “brand new, [they] are wanting to take in,” more students interested in the class. The class offers many instruments, so students do not have to worry about bringing their own instruments. For more information about this ensemble, contact Instructor Laris or Music Department Chair Vázquez-Ramos, or stop by the Music building to talk to them about possibly joining. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for their performance in the fall and anywhere else they may be performing
Buddy is a horror comedy directed by Casper Kelly, starring Keegan-Michael Key, who voices Buddy, the orange, cuddly unicorn who hosts a kids’ TV show. At first glance, you wouldn’t think anything wrong with Buddy, he’s just a typically colorful children’s character. Similar to Barney, the purple dinosaur, only Buddy is much more sinister. The film takes place in a colorful world that is reminiscent of the 90s. The children are wearing bright overalls, suspenders, scrunchies, and big bows. What can be more 90s than that? The film brings back a sense of nostalgia; with its colorful sets and nursery rhymes, it brings you back into your childhood. I think the nostalgic look and feeling are what make the darker parts of the movie much more effective. You are brought back to this innocent state, only to watch as the innocence you perceived becomes increasingly disturbing. Although Buddy was hilarious, it catered to all audiences with its humor. Buddy’s one-liners and the children getting into more adult language created some laughable moments. I can see memes and stickers being made of these scenes. However, Buddy does carry a dark message of child exploitation. Beneath this colorful, humorous atmosphere, the movie explores the trauma a child can experience when being exploited, with each child in the film representing the various traumatic responses to exploitation. The film also includes disturbing actions, which reminds you why the film is rated R. Although the scenes were dark, the comedy gave the audience a break. The horror aspects of the film were very effective from my standpoint. I don’t usually get scared at jumpscares, I can typically predict them, but with Buddy I was jumping out of my seat and flinching at the screen. Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse, Buddy can prove you wrong. It’s shown that Buddy needs the children’s love in order to survive, so he feeds off their happiness, slowly absorbing the life from the children. Which I interpreted as how predators who exploit children usually abandon them when they no longer fit their image or become of use to them. The film’s cinematography was excellent; it really did look like a set of a 1990s children’s TV show, with the huge colorful house and wide backyard. Full story on the web: therunneronline.com
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Photo Gallery
September 15, 2026
Geeeet Involved! Narrated by Raul Rico, Photography Editor Photos and interviewed by Haley Corral, Staff “What is the purpose of joining a club?” “Is it worth registering or am I going to regret not giving it a shot?” “Will this all be worth it or a waste of time?” are some of the questions that run through the minds when coming across table sections of clubs/organizations here at Cal State University, Bakersfield. Hosted by CSUB Office Of Student Involvement, September 9, 2026 was “Get Involved Day!” Many clubs, organizations, and campus departments had their own table setup that would inform, define, and welcome Roadrunners’. Some may have settled with the club they chose, others are still skeptical or 50/50 on joining the club. To help those people, Haley Corral interviewed various various clubs/organizations to break down the uncertainty and unify the clarity. Before venturing, come back to the final message below here once you are done processing the many responses from the club members. Now with that in mind, let your interests and passion and desires lead you to your decision. Even if you are still doubtful, have trust and confidence into the club members that have been through the same shoes you are in. Now, “What is the purpose of joining a club?”... To Get Involved!
A.N.C.H.O.R Club
Gracie Curiel
“The purpose of this club is to serve as a support group for people who have a physical or mental disability. We are also open to supporting those who don’t have a documented disability because there are some people that go undiagnosed until adulthood and the older you get the harder it is to find support for your disabilities. So, we have opened this club to be able to serve as a support system that’s been needed for a long time,” said Gracie Curiel.
Christine Ziemann Marketing Club Gracia Patino “The purpose of this club is to give students an opportunity to network, make “Our vision is to bring people from all different backgrounds to discover friends, be part of a community, as well as learn from each other and be able to who Jesus really is just to saturate our campuses with the love of God and have experiences and do activities that they can put down on their resume in build a really positive community together,” said Christine Ziemann. cases where they’re not able to get an internship,” said Gracia Patino.
InterVarsity
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Photo Gallery
September 15, 2026 “I founded CSUB Filmmakers because I saw that there was no film in the central valley. Unfortunately, there is no installed film department within anywhere two hours radius of this entire area. So, I decided to find somewhere where people could actually learn about film making. People could learn about photography, film acting, film lighting, film audio, that kind of thing. Unfortunately, there is a bit of a media drought in Bakersfield because of an overreliance on iPhones and an overreliance on AI and so we seek to stop that drought by fighting it with real genuine student filmmaking and real genuine passion for the arts,” said Aris Gomez.
CSUB Filmmakers
Aris Gomez
IEEE Computer Society: Wendy Chapa, Tanja Sotto, Alejandro Gonzales Salazar, and Zion Magdangal “This club is basically a different sector of IEEE, so IEEE is for context, electronics, and electrical engineering. So, this is basically our computer society section of IEEE, and we focus on computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, basically everything related to computers,” said Tanja Sotto.
LGBTQ+ Network “The purpose of this club is to create a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ individuals that go to CSUB... and pretty much we are trying to find like-minded individuals that are similar or allies as well that we can help finish graduating, getting their undergrad and also pursuing careers and building connections,” said Kwamme Washington.
Tanja Sotto
Kwamme Washington
Full photo gallery on the web: therunneronline.com
8
Sports
September 15, 2026
Search for Director of Athletics Narrows Down to Three Finalists Story and graphic by Melissa Jorge, Sports Editor Photos courtesy of CSUB Athletics, Humboldt Athletics, and Sacramento State Athletics
Since the immediate departure of Athletic Director Kyle Conder, announced by President Vernon B. Harper on Sept. 8, 2025, California State University, Bakersfield has been on the search for a permanent replacement. The duties and responsibilities of a Director of Athletics are to provide executive leadership and establish a long-term vision and strategic direction for CSUB. Build relationships in the community and partner with University Advancement to develop fundraising and revenue-generation strategies, serve as a chief ambassador for Athletics, increase visibility, and strengthen relationships with the NCAA and conference partners. Lastly, being able to oversee the department’s multi-million-dollar budgets, manage revenue sources, and be able to provide regular financial reporting and analysis to the University leadership. The athletic search has narrowed down to three candidates, who all visited the campus to speak in an open forum. Dr. Sarah Tuohy Active Athletic Director, Sarah Tuohy, was the first candidate to speak on Sept. 9. Dr. Harper announced in the same email about Conder’s departure that Dr. Tuohy would take on the active role of athletic director effective immediately. During her open forum, she presented the audience with her recap of the year so far in the position. Her 25-26 recap consisted of hiring five new head coaches, Todd Lee, Kristen Wright, Shane Pelton, Ray Alvarado, and Jenny Topping, as well as 20 plus assistant coaches, filling up more than six staff positions, and three senior staff positions; that’s 65% of the athletic department turned over. During her 12 months in the position, Dr.
Tuohy has already been in the projects of athletic facility improvements, such as the new Hardt Field turf and the revamp of the basketball court. Along with new programs and “new energy” around the campus, Dr. Tuohy wanted to upgrade those spaces. During her term, the 2026 Rowdy Run broke the attendance record for women’s soccer. Dr. Tuohy’s five-year vision for CSUB Athletics involve: • Improve athletic facilities to be competitive, to be able to share compelling stories with coaches, student athletes and community members for recruitment. • Invest in student athlete development to ensure employment or graduate school opportunities. • Create a positive and lasting culture within athletics to create “outstanding” student-athlete experience. • Lead the Big West attention, create first class in game experience and finish at least 5/10 in the Big West Commissioner’s Cup. “The community is our superpower.” said Dr. Tuohy. “We owe it to our campus community to be a pride point and to get you to want to come back and to support us.” Dr. Nick Pettit Second candidate introduced on Sept. 10 was Dr. Nick Pettit, Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation at Cal Poly Humboldt. Dr. Pettit comes into the forum with nearly three decades of experience in NCAA Division I and Division II athletics. During his time at Humboldt, Dr. Pettit built campus and community partnership in order
to elevate the program’s visibility and effectiveness, directed budgeting, capital planning, and long-term department strategy, expanded mental health and well-being services for student-athletes, played a key role in fundraising initiatives and external relations to support programming and facility upgrades, and much more. Dr. Pettit shared his first 100-day plan which consisted of: • Listening to teams, stakeholders and interviews to get a pulse of where CSUB is at. • Being able to align three to five priorities, assign owners to those priorities and timelines with clear communication within the 31-60 days. • Be able to quickly act and report on three to five priorities they established to help develop trust within the new team during the span of his 61-100 days. Dr. Pettit mentioned “understanding creates partnership, advocacy, attendance, and investment.” He would organize groups within CSUB that would consist of student-athletes, coaches, athletics staff, cabinet, president and partners in order to listen and see how they can all work together to make the student athletes experience better. “The biggest compliment you can have is when its student graduates...when they come back and they say I had the best experience there.” said Dr. Pettit. Andy Fiske The third and final candidate was Senior Associate Athletic Chief Revenue Officer of California State University, Sacramen-
to, Andrew Fiske. Fiske has accomplished athletics and business executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience. Fiske comes with several revenue experiences, increasing annual ticket sales revenue by 314%, corporate partnership revenue by 1,019%, and total athletics revenue by 598% at Sacramento State, and also achieved over 225% revenue growth in four years during his time at UC Davis. Fiske had a vision for his 100-day plan; turning listening into action: • Meeting up with constituents on campus and off campus; listen to the questions that are repeatedly asked. • Evaluate the culture, compliance, finances and build a draft plan for the vision. • Voice the draft plan and assign leaders to take accountability. • Communicate decisions and track all progress and adjust to any quick changes happening; “you got to be fluid.” Communication and trust were topics Fiske emphasized during his presentation; he believes trust is built through consistent actions, accountability, and being as transparent as they could be with information. “We got to keep out commitments visible maintain that...communication and report results honestly.” He finished off his presentation with his leadership promise to “listen first, lead with integrity, put student athletes at the center, will align it, deliver what was promised, measure progress and keep the university and community informed.” This search for CSUB Director of Athletics has been advertised since July 3, 2026, and the last three candidates being considered for the position have now all presented in an Open Forum at CSUB. The search committee consisting of Academic Administrator Dr. Kristen Watson, Faculty Representative Craig Harnetiaux, Faculty/Coach Representative Luke Smith, Staff Member Esteban Leon, Faculty Dr. Kyle Susa, Student Skye Odom, Community Member Vernon Varner, and Community Member Shelly Carlin, will now recommend their top choice for the position.
The Recent Uproar Surrounding the WNBA and Its Trans Athlete Policy
Story by Ash Griggs, Staff
The WNBA has been gaining major attention lately, but it’s related to something off the court. Some fans are now demanding the WNBA put in place a trans athlete policy, prohibiting trans women from being eligible to play in the WNBA. This outrage was sparked around July 21st when Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said during an ESPN interview, “I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in a sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.” She then doubled
down on her comments when asked about them again by an Indiana Fever reporter a few days later, saying, “I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense. And I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children, and that includes little girls who are also involved in that category. And so, I stand on what I said, and I’ll always believe that.” These comments became polarizing, leading to protests and counter-protests outside WNBA venues. Many fans showed strong support for the side they stood on. As fans continued to protest, media coverage increased,
and more players began to give their opinions on the topic. Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson was posted on the Storm’s Instagram wearing a shirt reading “TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS.” Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wore a shirt reading “Trans Kids Belong” during a game against the Indiana Fever. Even former NBA players such as Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White started to chime in, giving a very strong stance on the topic. Kanter and White stated that if the WNBA didn’t listen and put in place a policy against trans athletes, they would both identify
as trans women and enter the next WNBA Draft. On August 23rd, Kanter was sitting courtside at the Indiana Fever versus the Chicago Sky game wearing a shirt reading “WOMAN noun. Adult human female.” He would later get into an exchange with Sky guard Natasha Cloud, which led to Kanter being escorted out of the building. The Chicago Sky announced two days later that Enes Kanter Freedom is banned from their arena. Story continued on therunneronline.com
9
The Runner
September 15, 2026
The Runner: The Runner is an independent student news organizaion committed to exposing the truth and promoting accoutability while upholding professional journalistic integrity. We engage with the community through print, digital and social media publications as the premier news outlet for the sudent body. Scan the QR to code check our website , where you can find all of our recent stories and multimedia!
Converge: Converge is an editorially independent branch of The Runner, focused on creative and long-form storytelling. It includes magazine features, blogstyle writing, and the potential for expanding into multimedia and literary content. Converge provides space for personal narratives, cultural commentary, and experimental work that pushes the boundaries of traditional journalism.
Podcast:
Runner On Air is the offical podcast platform for Cal State University, Bakersfield. Through a variety of student led podcast shows, each with unique aesthetic. Hosts lead discussions on a range of topics with students and faculty. Exploring what it means to be a Runner. “For The Students, By The Students.”
Letter from the Editor:
ABOUT US The Runner is a labratory newspaper with a bimonthly printed and digital edition, in conjunction with the Department of Communications at California State University, Bakersfield. therunneronline.com
LOCATION California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099 COPYRIGHT Copyright belongs to the Department of Communications at California State University, Bakersfield
Runner on the Air
Hello everyone reading this, I’m incredibly honored to be the Editor-in-Chief of The Runner and I don’t think I’d be in this position if it weren’t for my adviser, so thanks to her. If I told myself I would be in this position when I signed up for this class I would think I’m lying. My ultimate goal is to leave this place better than when I first walked in. It’s been a blast these first few weeks seeing everyone so dedicated to their stories and content.
CONTACT US Send corrections requests, letters to the editor, op-ed submissions, and press releases to runner@csub.edu. Send advertising inquiries to Bianca Moreno bmoreno1@csub.edu. DISCLAIMER Views and opinions expressed in The Runner are not necessarily those of the editors, staff or the Department of Communications. The staff of The Runner reserve the right to refuse or omit any advertising or material which advocates illegal activity, or which may be considered libelous, irresponsible or tasteless.
Thanks to my incredible staff for putting hard work into this issue. Enjoy the first issue and on to the next one! Oh, by the way, Go Birds! -Andrew Gonzalez
Staff Alyssa Rodriguez
Haley Corral
Samuel Bautista
Ash Griggs
Idallas Gomez
Sabrina Garza
Ashlei Vann Marie Gabales
Ivanna Verastegui
Shaila Rubio
Bryan Tremillo
Jared Buys
Sophie Nava
Cayleigh Nieto
Jacqueline Villatoro
Steven Kertis
Josue Rosas, Social Media Oswald Fernandez, Podcast Director
Devyn Kendrick
Marco Hernandez
Vanessa Perez
Paige Gaylord, Converge Magazine Editor Jessica Ross, Public Relations
Dresha Moore
Mariano Garcia
Vee Lopez Nachor
Emma Carbajal
Melissa Gonzalez
Yareli Rodriguez
Enya Flores
Rubi Cervantes
Zya Jimenez-Ledisma
Andrew Gonzalez, Editor-in-Chief Mariana Abad, Features Editor Sophie Nava, Arts & Entertainment Kassie Herrera, Opinion & Blog Editor Melissa Jorge, Sports Editor Raul Rico, Photo Editor
Bianca Moreno, Faculty Adviser
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