2018 State of the College Highlights Progress and Success

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FOR IMMEDIATEL RELEASE: November 6 2018

Media Contact: Aya Abelon, Public Affairs; 562-653-7878

NORWALK, Calif. – November 6, 2018 – Cerritos College hosted its 2018 State of the College on October 29. President/Superintendent Dr. Jose L. Fierro delivered the inaugural State of the College address to more than 60 community, business, and K-12 partners, providing attendees with an update on the College’s growing list of progress and success.

Dr. Fierro focused on four core tenets that highlight the College’s efforts to advance student success and its impact on economic growth across the region.

• Robust Student Support Programs – Cerritos College offers strong student support services, including mental health resources, financial aid, counseling, diversity/equity support groups, and more. The College is also addressing food insecurity with the help of the L.A. Regional Food Bank that is on campus twice a month to distribute food to our campus and community. Nearly 80 percent of Cerritos College students could qualify for the CalFresh food assistance program. The College is also advancing student achievement through its Success Center. This year, the District invested $1.7 million in tutoring hours and logged 105,795 student visits to the Success Center. Students who regularly visit the Success Center for support increase their chances of passing their classes with a C or better.
• Student Investment and Community Partnerships – Investing in student achievement is critical to the region’s economic stability. For every $1 of public money spent on community colleges, taxpayers receive a cumulative return of $6.80 over the course of a student’s life. Cerritos College graduates earn $58,500 by mid-career and 60 percent of alumni consider their occupation as a high-meaning job.
• Transforming the Landscape of Cerritos College – Cerritos College continues to grow with new state-of-the-art facilities and resources. To date, the District has completed eight major projects funded through Measure CC (2004) and Measure G (2012). A new Performing Arts Center and a Health and Wellness Complex are currently under construction. To maximize cost savings, during its last bond sale in 2017, the District secured a reduced interest rate that will ultimately save taxpayers about $22.4 million.
• Funding Student Success – In 2016, the Cerritos College Board of Trustees allocated $250,000 to launch Cerritos Complete, the District’s official California Promise Program. Cerritos Complete allows eligible graduates from any high school within the District to earn a free year of college through a merit-based scholarship. To date, Cerritos Complete has served 2,500 students. Cerritos Complete was recently awarded the 2018 Examples of Excelencia Award for helping to accelerate Latino student success. The program was also selected as a finalist for the prestigious 2018 Bellwether Award. The College is partnering with the Cerritos College Foundation to develop an endowment for scholarships to meet unfunded student needs.

“It was a great honor to host our community, chamber, and K-12 partners on campus for the 2018 State of the College. We are always excited about the opportunity to highlight our ongoing progress towards student success,” said Dr. Fierro. “The College has been working hard to set higher academic standards and develop more innovative programs that benefit students and the community. We are already looking forward to next year.”

The 2018 State of the College was co-sponsored by the Artesia Chamber of Commerce and the Cerritos Regional Chamber of Commerce. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Cerritos College Foundation for student scholarships.

 

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