BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Media Arts Center opened its doors to the CSUB community Monday morning after two years and $7.5 million dollars in renovations.
The new center includes more than 11,000 square feet filled with resources.
“It’s nice to work next to my faculty and department, because we get to collaborate, we get to feel more at home and more sense of belonging in here,” said Bianca Moreno, a professor with CSUB’s Communications Department. “And, of course, for the Communications students, they have a sense of belonging, they have a place they can go to. It’s just nice to go somewhere and be like, ‘Okay, this is ours.'”
However, the building will not only serve the 150 communication majors, as communication is involved with everything else.
“For my major I want to do, I want to be an OB/GYN,” said CSUB student Gabby Lopez. “So, I feel as if communicating is a big part of becoming a doctor, and just having that communication skill, it helps.”
“What I want to do when I graduate is nursing, and nursing does have a part in public speaking because you’re working with patients,” said student Kimberly Valeriano Lazo. “So, I feel like taking the communication class really just helps with my public speaking for my future.”
Communications even expands outside of the professional field.
“I mean, how many times do you go on TikTok a day, right? I mean, it’s everywhere. Media is not going anywhere,” said Moreno. “There’s so much potential at CSUB, and this is like an environment where we’re a Hispanic leading institution, and it’s great to have something and we’re not running behind.”
The newly-renovated building dates back to 1970, when the campus originally opened. In addition to being a new home for Communications, it also includes 14 offices, a computer lab and a conference room.
