New CSUB scholarship honors fallen deputy

The legacy left by a Kern County Sheriff's deputy who died heroically in 2021 will help members of the military, law enforcement officers, first responders and their children earn a degree at California State University, Bakersfield.

A new annual scholarship established by the Phillip Campas Foundation will be available starting next year to support the educational journeys of students with backgrounds in public safety. The intent of the scholarship is to support students interested in a career path that helps others, such as public service or community outreach.

"It feels amazing to be able to do this," said Phillip's wife, Christina Campas. "I'm hoping we can help these students succeed. We want to be a light for them in any way that we can."

CSUB is accepting applications for the scholarship through Dec. 7. It is open to both current and incoming students.

"With this scholarship opportunity, CSUB and our students - in a small way - get to be a part of Deputy Campas' legacy of family, community and country support," said Vice President for University Advancement Heath Niemeyer.

Phillip Campas worked in the Kern County Sheriff's Office for five years, serving as a SWAT operator, recruit training officer and range master in addition to his regular duties as a deputy. He was killed in the line of duty in 2021 while trying to rescue a family in Wasco from a relative with a gun.

He previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 10 years. Phillip was deployed to Afghanistan as a machine gunner and later served as a senior drill instructor at Parris Island, South Carolina.

After Phillip's death, Campas received an outpouring of donations from individuals and organizations to support herself and the couple's three children. She recalled receiving a letter from a woman who lived in another state who apologized for only being able to give $20 to the family.

"I thought 'wow, somebody just gave me $20 that they probably couldn't have spared, and they did because they wanted to support me. Then I thought 'now, how am I going to support other people?'" she said. "It was really that letter that made me think about what I need to do and who I'm going to serve. I decided I was going to serve the community that Phillip loved the most - first responders, military, veterans. He was a part of that community, and he always felt most connected to them."

Campas decided to establish the Phillip Campas Foundation last year and use the money the family received to support the community.

"When I started the foundation, I wanted to give back the way others have given back to me. Fortunately, this is one of the ways we can help the community that we serve," she said. "It's been an honor to be able to do it."

Campas hopes her children will one day lead the foundation and help keep their father's legacy alive.

"I want my kids to be able to follow in my footsteps. I want my kids to know that in such a dark time, we were blessed tremendously and that we are blessed enough now to be able to give back and pay it forward," she said.