Awards

Seal of Excelencia
2024 - earned the Seal of Excelencia certification for advancing Latinx student success

EX! Recognized Example of Excelencia
2024 – Examples of Excelencia finalist in the Associate Level (The Village and NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars)
2023 – Examples of Excelencia finalist in the Associate Level (The Village)
2018 - Examples of Excelencia Award in the Associate Level (Cerritos Complete)

Bellweather Award

2024 – Bellwether Awards national finalist – It Takes a Village: Supporting Student Housing and Basic Needs
2018 – Bellwether Awards Top 10 finalist – Cerritos Complete and OER initiative Making College Affordable for Adult Learners Using Online Education Resources


Top 100 community colleges for Hispanics The Hispanic Outlook on Education
2023 – 19th with the number of associate degrees awarded to Hispanic students in the United States

2023 Equity Designation 2023 Excellence in Placement The Campaign for College Opportunity
2023 – Named Equity Champion for Equitable Access for Black Students

Top 50 community colleges for Hispanics The Hispanic Outlook on Education
2023 – Fifth among the top 50 community colleges with the highest Hispanic enrollment in the United States

Hispanic Outlook Top 100 2022
2022 & 2021 – Seventh among the top 100 schools with the highest Hispanic enrollment in the United States
2020 – Eighth among the top 100 schools with the highest Hispanic enrollment in the United States

Universities.com Top 10 culinary arts colleges 2022
2022 – Sixth among the best culinary arts colleges in the U.S. by Universities.com

Best Universities
2022 – Second best cosmetology schools in California by Best-Universities.net

2022 Best Community Colleges College Consensus
2022 – 11th among the nation’s best community colleges by College Consensus

Stacker
2022 – Ninth among the best 10 community colleges in California

best value Business Degree Central
2021 – Named the best value accounting associate degree school in California by Business Degree Central

Hispanic Outlook on Higher Education Top 25 Community Colleges
2021 – Ninth among the top 25 community colleges with the highest Hispanic enrollment in the United States

2020 Champions of Higher Education
2020 – Honored as a 2020 Equity Champion of Higher Education by The Campaign for College Opportunity

College Media Association
 2019 – WPMD student radio station named America’s Best Community College Radio Station by the College Media Association

NASA
 2019 – Selected as 1 of 6 community colleges piloting the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars Program

California Community Colleges
2017 – Energy and Sustainability Award California for Science Building retro commissioning project (Community Colleges Board of Governors)

SBWIB
2017 – Outstanding Achievement Award awarded for the Electrical Field Service Technician training program

Department of Education
2017 – 14th in the nation for the highest Hispanic enrollment

Digital Learning Innovation
2016 – Online Learning Consortium’s Digital Learning Innovation Award – Open Education Resources (Business)

Pay Scale
2016 – Top 100 two-year colleges with the highest alumni salaries in the United States

California State University
2015 – 2nd in California for Mexican-American/Latino student transfers to CSU’s. Among the top 10 schools to transfer Latinos to UC’s

Nurse Journal
2015 – Top 10 Best Nursing Schools in the Western United States

Red Cross
2015 – Platinum Award – Donated 946 units of blood

Green California
2014 – Green Community College Leadership Award for water conservation efforts, saving the campus 30 million gallons of water annually

Innovation Awards
2012 – Campus Technology Innovator – Kaleidoscope Open General Education Curriculum at Multi-Institutional Scale, Campus Technology

California Community Colleges
2011 – Student Success Award – iFalcon: Habits of Mind

Department of Education
2010 – Center for Excellence – Veterans Student Success

CHESC
2009 – Honorable Mention for building retrofitting efforts and operations at the 8th Annual Sustainability Conference. Campus infrastructure, Central Plant and lighting upgrades acknowledged

CC Pro

2017, 2016, 2015 – PRO Award, First Place (Sports Media Guide)
2017 – PRO Award, Second Place (Media Success Story) 
California Community College Public Relations Organization


CITEA
2017 – Teacher of the Year – Jim Driskell (Woodworking)

PSI Beta
2017 – Dr. Kimberley Duff (Psychology) national president-elect of Psi Beta

WP

2017 – Outstanding Teaching Award – Dr. Kimberley Duff (Psychology)


League for Innovation

2016 – John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award – recipients Andrea Wittig, Bob Livingston, and Yvette Tafoya


SCMA

2016 – Foundation Directors Award – Dr. John Haas (History) for his global peace building efforts


CAPED

2016 – Teacher of the Year – Dr. Cynthia Alexander (Technology)


GD USA

2015 – Best In-house Design Award – Bonnie Barrett (Graphic Arts/Computer Graphics)


LAUP
2015 – Teacher of the Year – Diana Melina Echeverria (Child Development)

CADAT

2015 – Hazel O. Torres Excellence in Education Award – Donna Wedell (Dental Assisting)


CCCAA

2015 – Outstanding Athletic Trainer – Brian Cable (Athletics)
2015 – Outstanding Health Educator – Dr. Ni Bueno (Fitness)
2015 – Outstanding Fitness/Exercise Physiology Instructor Award – Dr. Carrie Edwards (Health/Wellness)
2015 – Outstanding Athletic Administrator – Dr. Dan Smith (Health/Athletics)
2008 – Coach of the Year – Alvin Kim (Men’s/Women’s Tennis), six-time recipient


CDHA
2015 – Educator of the Year – Adelle Krayer (Dental Hygiene)

Community League of California
2015 – Woman of the Year – President/Superintendent Dr. Linda L. Lacy

California State Assembly

2015 – Woman of the Year for Norwalk, CA – Assembly Member Cristina Garcia 58th District
2014 – #Pride58 Award – Raquel Lizarraga
Assembly Member Cristina Garcia 58th District


National Soccer Coaches Association of America

2014 – Assistant Coach of the Year – Memo Gonzalez (Women’s Soccer), Division III


ACCCA

2013 – Award for Progress in Diversity – Dr. Lucinda Aborn (Disabled Students)


California Press
2011 – Jack Bates Award – James Cameron (Journalism)

CITEA

2011 – Teacher of the Year – Richard Aragon (Automotive)


LAUP

2011 – Teacher of the Year – Astrid Feist (Child Development)


ADHA

2011 – Educator of the Year - Dani Carroll (Dental Hygiene)


APA

2017 – Outstanding Chapter of the Year – Cerritos College Chapter, Psi Beta


CCMA
2017 – Talon Marks journalism awards

Golden Globes

2017 – 24 culinary arts students helped prepare meals for the Golden Globes Award for the third year in a row


National Soccer Coaches Association of America

2016 – State Championship – Women’s Soccer (5-straight wins); NSCAA National Champions
2016 – Coach of the Year – Ruben Gonzalez (Women’s Soccer). Three-time winner


CCCAA
2016 – Team, Dual State Championship (Tennis)

Jack Kent Cooke
2016 – Top Scholar – Alejandro Carranza (Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program)

IBS
2016 – America’s Best Student Public Affairs Program – WPMD Radio

California State Assembly

2014 - #Pride58 Award – Student Tommy Diaz, Assembly Member Cristina Garcia (District 58)


All USA
2016 – Samantha Dawson All-California Community College Academic First Team member
2013 – Vannaren Long All-California Community College Academic First Team member
2011 – Alina Turpin All-USA Community College Academic First Team member

Coca Cola
2011 – Coca-Cola New Century Scholar – Alina Turpin

Jack Kent Cooke
2013 – Top Scholar – Vannaren Long (Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program)