The SBCC Wake Campus is named for Selmer O. “Sam” Wake, a champion and longtime leader of Santa Barbara adult education (now the School of Extended Learning). He was appointed program director in 1947, and served for 25 years as the principal architect of what became one of the best continuing education programs in the nation.
Wake was also committed to raising funds for SBCC. He served on a committee that created the Foundation for Santa Barbara City College in 1976, served as its first executive director for several years, and later as an honorary board member. He continued to raise funds for adult education programs, and with his wife Bee, established two charitable remainder trust gifts which on their passing created the Wake Family Endowment to support diverse needs of continuing education programs.
In 1972, Sam volunteered to head the successful bond campaign which raised $3.8 million for the purchase of the SBCC’s West Campus Property. He recruited campaign co-chairs Gertrude Calden and Eli Luria.
“I really believe in the mission of the community college. When I first learned of Junior College, I thought it was a tremendous program. It had open enrollment for anyone. Low-cost education, particularly adult education, provided me with the opportunity to take classes that would enrich my life, not just classes I was told I had to take. That’s real education.” – Selmer Wake
