CAMPUS Page 6 The Renegade Rip I www.therip.com Wednesday, March 3, 2010 BC archive displays Olympic torches UC Merced OLYMPICS I Former BC staff members donate their respective Olympic torches to Bakersfield College on campus Denise M. Gonzalez Reporter The Olympic t.orch, which is a symbol oft.he Olym­ to recruit pic Games, is now being displayed at the Bakersfield College library archives. Two former staff members, By Anthony B. Ellrodt Chuck Wall and Ray Maranda, donated their Olympic­ Copy editor torches to BC for the community to view. The 01igins of the Olympic torch or Olympic fire At a time when some university come from ancient Greece, where a fire was kept burn­ campuses ai·e slowing their recruit­ ing due to the celebration of the ancient Olympics. The ment efforts, the University of Cali­ honor of cai1ying an Olympic torch for the summer and fornia, Merced campus is stepping winter games is an extraordinaiy privilege to perform. up their effor1s at community col­ To be selected as a cai1ier one must have pe1fonned leges across the state. well in leadership qualities. Frank Ramirez, southern region Wall is a retired human relations instructor from Ba­ recruitment and outreach coordina­ kersfield College, motivatfonal speaker in the fields of tor for UC Merced, said the young communications and a published author. He was born in university is doing well despite hard Los Angeles. Although Wall is partly blind, he achieved economic times. a doctorate in educational administration and market­ "Our campus opened its doors ing mai1agement from the University of California, Los in 2005, and we just had our first Angeles. graduating class last year," he said. Wall created the "Random Acts of Kindness" move­ "While it's true that the UC Regents ment, which has received international attention. The PHOTOS BY DAVID KARNOWSKI /THE RIP have raised fees, most of our money United States House of Representatives instituted an Former Bakersfield College professors Ray Maranda (above) and Chuck Wall (below) show doesn' t. come from the Regents; it Act of Kindness Awareness Week in honor to his per­ comes from the reseai·ch t.hat we do formance. the torches they used to carry the Olympic flame as it traveled around the world Feb. 24. Wall on our own campus." In September 2002, Wa!J was nominated to carry the carried his torch for the 2002 winter games, Maranda carried his for the 1984 summer games. On Feb. 18, Ramirez met with Olympic torch as it traveled across America to Salt Lake students in the executive board City for the Wint.er Olympics. The Chevrolet Division Los Angeles, in the 1984 Summer Olympics. room to educate them on taking of General Motors and Coca Cola sponsored Wall to "I 1-an it through King City, and being there at the time, pait in their STEM program which continue in the relay. Wall carried the torch in Ventura. people came up wanting to hold the torch and it was re­ includes science, technology, engi­ "I was not awai·e of being nominated until I was cho­ ally a great expe1ience," said Mai-anda. nee1ing and math programs. sen to be one of the catTiers. My wife sent a letter to Mai·anda was also selected to keep the torch. "When­ Approximately 35 faculty and recommend me for the relay," said Wall. "The torch ever I watch the Olympics, I always think back to 1984 students attended the meeting and was heavy along with the two-foot flame I had to call'y and say I was able to receive one and rnn with it," he several questions were asked re­ with me while rnnning. It was an incredible expe1ience said. garding eve1ything from transfer­ I will never forget." Both Wall and Mai·anda donated their torches to BC ability of courses t.o whether or not. "I am blind, so the thought of me being part. of t.he and asked for pennanent. displays at the archives. a course taken at another university Olympics never even entered my mind:' said Wall. Rosalee Pogue, ai·chive assistant at BC, is pleased to would transfer to Merced. Wall was selected to keep the original silver 2002 have helped display the torches for all BC students and ''That would depend heavily on Winter Olympic torch. "After I was done running with t.he community t.o view. the nature of the course taken and the torch and passed the flame, security took the torch A display has been set up in the lobby area at the BC it would have to be researched and t.o puncture the propane tank so that it will never be libraiy. The display will be moved upstairs in the ar­ then approved by faculty at Mer­ used again," said Wall. chives for pe1manent display by the end of this week. ced," said Ramirez. "Basically it Kai·en Gai·za, staff at BC libraiy, and her student as­ "It is ve1y unique and extraordinaiy to have two for­ comes down to whether or not our sistant Vinny Rivera, were told to set up the torches and mer staff members who have catTied an Olympic torch faculty believe that. you received props for proper viewing. from one institution," said Wall. "We ai·e ve1y proud to the same insm1ction at the other "I was given the torches and props and it took me an be a part of BC." university as you would at ours for hour to set up the equipment just right," said Garza. "I "BC frequently honors, at heart, anything going on, the same course." then added some extra touches. It is so neat to know I and we are both honored to share our memorable experi­ Denise Satherton, Bakersfield was able to hold the Olympic torches." ences with BC and t.he community," said Wall. "Even resident, said she heard about the Ray Mai-anda was sponsored to caI'ly the torch as it though the flame went. away, the memory Mai-anda and I meeting and has been reconsidering made its way across the United States, leading up to have received will li ve on forever." going back to school. "I'm just thinking that maybe it's time for me to change what I'm do­ ing in my life," she said. "I heard about this meeting from a f1iend of mine who's a student here at BC, LA riots, racism and I've just decided that maybe I'm not t.oo old to go back to school after all." Anyone interested in auending UC Merced, or is interested in t:he STEM progi-ain may contact UC depicted in new Merced at www.ucmerced.edu, or the BC Transfer Center in the Stu­ dent Services building. theater drama Fewer coffee By Kelly Ardis San Francisco mayor George Editor in chief Moscone. Chin said her plays seem t.o have more similarities choices in "Twilight: Los Angeles, t.han differences. 1992" is the newest produc­ "I guess I'm kind of known tion by Bakersfield College's for thought-provoling, if not theater depai1ment. W1itten by controversial, productions," GREGORY D. COOK /THE RIP Anna Deavere Smith, the docu­ Sheila Willis rehearses for the play "Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992" in the Bakersfield BC cafeteria said Chin. "I try to bring diver­ mentaiy play is about the Los sity to our community." College Indoor Theater Feb. 24. The play begins on March 4 and closes on March 13. Angeles 1iots that took place Although "Twilight: Los An­ By Mateo M. Melero in 1992 following the acquit­ geles, 1992" was 01iginally a me, so he was very challenging Although the play is an en­ dents should see ''Twilight: Los Reporter tal of four Los Angeles Police one-person play, Chin has de­ to play. I've never experienced semble with no leads, Chin Angeles, 1992" because of the Deparrment officers of police cided to have 14 actors, and in­ anything like that, I had to said, audience members might leaining experience it offers. With the loss of the River Oaks brutality charges after beating a stead of having them come and channel that anger that would enjoy more chai·acters than oth­ ''When these riots happened, Espresso Bar, owned and operated man named Rodney King. The go on stage, they will remain on make him do those things." ers. most students were probably by Gary Wallace in the Bakersfield story is told in monologues by the stage throughout the play, For some students, playing "There might be some stai1d­ babies, if they were born at College cafeteria, students at. BC are those people affected by the listening t.o their castmates as a real person was hai·der than out pe1formances to our audi­ all," said Willis, 50, ai·t major. left to the Farmer Brothers coffee riots, in their own words taken if they were the interviewer t:hat. playing a written chai-acter. ence because they might have "This would be a great way to offered at Panorama G1ill. from interviews by Smith. Smith actually was. Another "It's so different because I've more interesting, funny or see what it's about. The media BC student Ch1istine Abai·ca said, Director and BC theater way Chin is putti ng her direc­ done so many skirs and dia­ flamboyant characters. Like the only shows you so much. I've "I'm happy with it, I always get the professor Kimberly Chin said to1ial touch on the play is by logues where I'm a character chai-a.cter Elaine Young, (who learned a lot doing this play." cappuccino." many of her students were avoiding obvious castings.