Ken Bascom


One of the most recognizable architectural features on 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023s campus is the large circular beacon that glows brightly atop the library at night. As the highest point on campus visible from many points across the university its also one of the most meaningful, with its light serving as a prominent and continual reminder of 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023s calling to be a light to a dark world.

For Ken Bascom (72), the man who envisioned the beacon and so many other significant elements of 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023s campus, it was a calling he took seriously. For more than four decades, Bascom who passed away unexpectedly on June 25 at the age of 62 played a crucial role not only in improving and developing 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023s campus, but also in modeling to others what it means to follow Christ.

One cannot walk these beautiful campus grounds without seeing the physical marks of Kens giftedness everywhere, 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 President Barry H. Corey said soon after the news of Bascoms death. But far more profound is the godly and gracious influence he has had on countless people over many decades.

An alumnus with deep family ties to the university, Bascom devoted much of his life furthering 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023s mission not least by helping to build and beautify the universitys physical campus. In his role as senior director of facilities planning and construction, he oversaw the construction of more than 600,000 square feet of new buildings in the past dozen years alone, including the library, Hope Hall, Horton Hall, the Crowell School of Business building and the recently completed parking structure and Talbot East building.

Bascoms connections to 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 dated back to the schools earliest days. His grandmother took classes at the original Bible Institute of Los Angeles in 1914 (six years after its founding), and his parents, Harry and Alma Bascom, met at 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 in 1947. As a third generation student, Ken met his wife, Greer, in the summer of 1968. The couple married in 1970, and later had two children, Joel and Faith, both of whom graduated from 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 and married 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 graduates. All told, Bascom had 39 relatives who attended 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 over the past century. (The family was honored with a Legacy Award from the Alumni Relations office during the universitys centennial year in 2008.)

Bascoms career at the university began in 1970, when he was hired as a 20-year-old student worker on the facilities grounds crew. Though he had originally planned to go into teaching earning a B.A. in history from 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 in 1972 and an M.A. in history from California State University, Fullerton he decided to stay in facilities and eventually moved into the departments administrative offices as the first campus coordinator. From there, he became involved in planning and managing the construction of several significant projects, including the redevelopment of the creek and the completion of Metzger Hall.

Other significant projects followed, including the universitys well-known Bell Tower in 1986, Thompson Hall and the Welch and Li apartments in 1991, and the library in 2001. The past decade in particular brought unparalleled growth to campus, with Bascom playing an essential role in the design, approval and construction process of several major facilities and renovation projects.

What you build says a lot about who you are, Bascom told 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023s Inside Story newsletter in 2010 on the occasion of his 40th anniversary at the university. For Bascom, the desire to reflect 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023s values in its building projects meant being a wise steward of resources, planning well to meet the needs of future generations, and incorporating artistic elements to inspire spiritual reflection.

The Talbot East building, for example, includes Scripture windows with etched letters that project verses onto the walls as sunlight streams in, bringing Gods Word literally into the building in a very real way, in Bascoms words. Other touches in the building included stone quarried in Israel and a rooftop garden that both encourages community and helps to keep the building cool.

His construction projects blended knowledge of theology, art, bricks and mortar, and the needs of students, faculty and staff along with the wisdom to create a collection of buildings that wonderfully serve the mission of 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 now and will for decades to come, said Greg Balsano, vice president of university services, Bascoms longtime supervisor.

Bascoms contributions to 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 extended far beyond his official role.

He was a resident historian who sought to keep the university connected to its heritage, whether by giving public presentations, writing historical articles, offering campus tours or helping to establish the librarys museum-like Heritage Room. He was a worship leader who led singing at employee meetings and took joy in introducing the community to little-known hymns.

He also played an instrumental role in defining the schools future for years to come by serving as co-chair of the search advisory committee that selected President Corey as the universitys eighth president in 2007 making Corey the fourth 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 president under whom Bascom served.

On July 1, Corey welcomed hundreds of people to a standing-room-only memorial service in Sutherland Auditorium to honor Bascoms life of service.

Nobody loved 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 more or knew 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 better than Ken Bascom, wrote 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023s Board of Trustees chair, Stan Jantz, in a tribute read at the service. I dont know why he left us now; none of us do. However, this much I do know: In the economy of Gods great eternal construction project, Ken is at perfect peace, enjoying the heavenly campus Jesus has prepared just for him.