Cerritos College ranks 19th among nation’s top 100 schools for Hispanics

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 19, 2023

Media Contact:  Aya Aoki; Public Affairs

NORWALK, Calif. – October 19, 2023 – Cerritos College is ranked 19th with the number of associate degrees awarded to Hispanic students in the United States, according to the Hispanic Outlook on Education magazine. This is a substantial leap from 28th place in 2022.

Hispanic Outlook magazine recognized the College as one of the leading institutions for Hispanics in the U.S. in its Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics issue, published on October 16.

The magazine created the rankings based on the National Center for Education Statistics/Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Department of Education database. Cerritos College is also ranked eighth among the top 100 colleges and universities for the highest Hispanic enrollment.

“Our efforts to address the needs of underserved students are bearing fruit,” said President/ Superintendent Dr. Jose Fierro. “We will continue our measures to help Latinx students transform hardship into academic and professional success. 

Cerritos College is a Hispanic-Serving Institution with a nearly 70 percent Latino student population and a proven record for increasing success rates among Latinx students – especially first-generation students from underrepresented backgrounds – through innovative programs. Puente is a one-year cohort model that guarantees students access to transfer-level courses, including Latinx literature classes. Cerritos Complete provides eligible high school seniors with two years of free tuition, priority enrollment, one-on-one counseling, and career exploration, among other benefits. Falcon’s Nest offers a free campus food pantry featuring healthy and fresh food, clothing assistance, hygiene support, emergency aid, and housing resources, including The Village, California’s first community college housing project available exclusively for homeless students. 

 

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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