Faculty Spotlight on Kimberly Chin

Friday, November 24, 2023

Kimberly Chin is a Professor of Theater Arts at Bakersfield College. She has been teaching theater at BC for almost 23 years. Her classes include acting, theater history, and lab classes where the students participate in productions and performances. “I always wanted to teach,” says Kimberly, “and I had a passion for theater. When I graduated from UNLV with my MFA, I saw this job opening (at BC) and I applied. It was a combination of my love for teaching and theater, and I couldn’t pass it up.” 

When asked about her favorite part of teaching at BC, she is quick to respond, “I have to say the students. They are so enthusiastic and so full of energy, and they make my job so interesting!” She continues, “In the Fall of 2023, it will be 23 years that I have taught here, and it does not feel like that at all. The students are so creative and talented, and I feel like it is my job to provide opportunities for them.”  

Kimberly believes that studying the arts is an important part of the educational experience. “We can’t have life without the arts. It encompasses so much,” she says. In one of her recent productions, the students did a performance of some of Luiz Valdez’s early works, which was set in the 1960s around the time of the Delano grape strikes. “We looked at the history surrounding the plays; the grape strikes, the history of El Teatro Campesino, and we had to do a lot of research for the time period. So, it encompasses other collegiate areas.” 

Kimberly also believes that BC is a great place for students to pursue their education and dreams in Theater Arts. “We have dedicated and experienced faculty members, and we want to provide students with opportunities, so they are prepared to move on to a university or be out in the real world.” Her hope is that each student in Theater Arts will grasp the education and experiences and take it with them after they leave BC.