Cerritos Complete Honored at State Assembly for National Recognition
California State Assembly Member Cristina Garcia (D-58) honored Cerritos College for
its official California Promise Program Cerritos Complete in the State Capitol today. The commendation recognizes the College’s Promise Program’s
success as a national award recipient.
Cerritos Complete won the 2018 Examples of Excelencia Award in the Associate Level category. Examples of Excelencia is the only national effort to identify and promote evidence-based practices that help accelerate Latino student success in higher education.
“It is an honor to be recognized in the California State Assembly by our esteemed lawmakers for the College’s efforts to increase access and completion rates in higher education for students,” said Dr. Jose L. Fierro, president/superintendent of Cerritos College. “We are proud that our Promise Program Cerritos Complete has gained national prominence for its successful track record of opening doors to students who traditionally do not have a clear pathway to education.”
Cerritos Complete was officially established as the College’s California Promise Program in 2016, and has served over 2,500 student participants from the College’s local high schools, to date. Since its inception, the College has seen a 30 percent increase in the number of degrees and certificates awarded. Cerritos Complete provides local high school students with a merit-based scholarship that covers tuition free for one year. The Promise Program gives students personalized, one-on-one support to help them graduate in less time.
More than 70 percent of Cerritos College students are Latino, and most of these students are first-generation. Program participants generally outperform non-participants in units completed, persistence, and completion of entry-level math and English, among other areas.
Cerritos Complete was also named as a finalist for the renowned Bellwether Award in 2018.
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