2020 State of the College Underscores Efforts to Support Students through the Global Health Crisis
Cerritos College hosted a virtual 2020 State of the College on October 28. President/
Superintendent Dr. Jose Fierro delivered the State of the College address focusing
on the College’s efforts to support students through the ongoing health crisis. Despite
the College’s abrupt transition to an online format, the campus remains open online
and continues to support students as they pursue their education.
Although COVID-19 worsened conditions for many students who were already facing a number of obstacles, Cerritos College continues to serve as a safety net. According to the 2019 #RealCollege Survey Report conducted by the Hope Lab, more than 65 percent of Cerritos College students who responded to the survey experienced at least one form of basic needs insecurity in the past year. These students often struggle to meet their basic needs while navigating the demands of college life. As such, the campus swiftly streamlined its support services and made emergency resources available for students.
Dr. Fierro highlighted the following areas of student support during his presentation:
- The Cerritos College Foundation created a Student Emergency Fund to help students meet their basic needs during the pandemic. The campaign has raised
more than $73,000 to support students. The Foundation has allocated an additional $25,000 for emergency support using existing funds, totaling approximately $100,000. Nearly 300 students have received financial assistance and/or grocery store gift cards. Phase
two of the campaign is underway, with a goal of raising another $50,000 or more. The Foundation’s new community effort to raise emergency funds is its Race for Falcon Futures. Participants are encouraged to donate their time and dollars to complete a self-guided
5K, 10K, or half marathon race to raise money. More information about the campaign
can be found at FalconsCare.org.
- Over the summer, Cerritos College opened The Village, California’s first community college housing development exclusively for students
facing homelessness. The Village is an innovative model that provides a safe place for community college
students facing housing insecurity.
- Falcon’s Nest provides centralized support services for students who need help with meeting their
everyday needs. Students can access on- and off-campus resources.
- The College also distributed over 600 laptops, 100 hotspots for internet access, gas cards, and metro passes to students in need.
- Through its partnership with the L.A. Regional Food Bank, Cerritos College hosts monthly
food drives to help students and community members who need access to food and resources.
The College’s food drives have served more than 20,000 families since 2017, and more than 10,000 families since the pandemic.
- When students needed a safe, quiet place to focus on their studies, the Board of Trustees
worked closely with College leadership to quickly establish a study hall equipped with free Wi-Fi.
- To avoid gaps in job training, the College safely re-opened on-campus instruction for students enrolled in programs that train first responders and essential personnel. Some of these programs include nursing, dental hygiene, culinary arts, and welding.
“We are fortunate to have a Board of Trustees that remains steadfast in its commitment
to the health, safety, and success of our students and employees. With the Board’s
support and the help of our campus and community partners, we are providing our students
with resources to ensure their success during these unprecedented times,” said Dr.
Fierro. “We will continue to develop and implement innovative programs and services to support
our students as they continue their studies.”
View the Zoom recording of the 2020 State of the College: https://www.cerritos.edu/state-of-the-college/
Stay Connected