Cerritos College Celebrates Historic Number of Degrees Awarded in 2021-22

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 6, 2022

Media Contact:  Aya Aoki; Public Affairs

2022 commencementNORWALK, Calif. - September 6, 2022 – Cerritos College awarded a record-breaking 5,167 degrees and certificates in the 2021-22 academic year, making the Class of 2022 the largest graduating class in the 67-year-old campus’s history – a 10 percent increase from 2021. The College also awarded more than 1,000 Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-T/AS-T) this year. The AA-T/AS-T degree guarantees admission for eligible students to transfer to the California State University system. The College currently has 30 AA-T/AS-T degree programs.

Cerritos College has a proven record for increasing success rates among students – especially first-generation students from underrepresented backgrounds – through innovative programs. The College’s innovative programs include Cerritos Complete, the College’s official California College Promise program, which provides two years of free tuition to high school seniors. Cerritos Complete is the 2018 Examples of Excelencia Award recipient and a 2018 national finalist for the prestigious Bellwether Award. In March 2022, the College opened The Falcon’s Nest, a network of resources that supports meeting the basic needs of students, including a free campus food pantry, clothing, hygiene support, emergency aid resources, and housing resources, including The Village, California’s first community college housing project exclusively for homeless students. In June 2022, the College was ranked 11th among the nation’s best community colleges by College Consensus.

“It is an incredible honor to witness the largest graduating class in the history of the institution during such unprecedented times,” said Dr. Jose Fierro, Cerritos College President/Superintendent. “Many of these students started college in the middle of the pandemic with limited in-person instruction and support. I am proud of our students for their hard work and commitment to earning a degree or certificate. Their success is a testament to a campus-wide effort of support and the hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff.”



About Cerritos College: Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers nearly 300 degrees and certificates in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently averages 21,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu. 

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