BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Raji Brar of Bakersfield has a slew of leadership positions on her resume, from serving on the Arvin City Council and the Kern High School District Education Foundation Board to being the president of the California State University Bakersfield Foundation Board. Last week, Brar earned another title when Governor Gavin Newsom named her to the CSU State Board of Trustees.
Brar says it's important for Kern County to be a part of the conversation going on within the nation's largest system of public higher education. She sees her appointment as an opportunity to give the area a seat at the table.
"It just makes sense that we are engaged back and forth with our community and service. I've been very lucky to have the chances I've had and the opportunities I've had. For me, that just becomes more of a call to action," said Brar.
Brar, who also serves as Chief Operating Officer at Countryside Corporation, says that as a first-generation Sikh-American, she was taught to not only value education, but to give back and serve the community in which she grew up.
Brar says she believes the Cal State system creates an array of opportunities, and the goal is to enhance accessibility and quality of education for all.
"The CSU system is the most effective that folks who traditionally might not have the ability to go away to college have. A lot of folks can't afford to move away to go to a UC or attend a different school. Having a CSU at home where you might have to stay with your family, have a job, is very much accessible to so many folks," said Brar.
Brar goes on to say that she, too, is a "product" of the CSU system, and understands firsthand just how impactful her recent appointment to the board of trustees is.
"I am, quite frankly, aware that if it were not for CSUB, I would not be sitting here having this conversation, let alone being on the board of trustees. For folks, I can relate to what it means to have that opportunity for an accessible education, and the upward mobility that students get from a CSU is life-changing," said Brar.
Brar adds that she believes an education is one of the most valuable things someone can have, and having a variety of different people, voices, and perspectives when it comes to higher education is key in one's academic journey.
