Land Acknowledgment
Respectfully, Citrus College acknowledges the land it stands on and recognizes our responsibility to the original and current caretakers of this land, water, and air: the Gabrielino-Tongva peoples and other local tribes and all their ancestors and descendants—past, present, and future.
Today, we are dispersed, and each of our homes is also home to many Indigenous peoples from all over the world. We are grateful to have the opportunity to live and work on these homelands. We recognize that a land acknowledgment is an opportunity to restate our investment to a larger landscape of individual, collective, and institutional commitments.
Here at Citrus College, we are called to do our work in a welcoming and inclusive way as an institution of higher education. We are grateful for each other: our students, faculty, and staff. We will continue our work to make a fairer, more inclusive community that celebrates the diversity of the whole.
Citrus College History
Celebrating over 100 years of service, Citrus College is located in Glendora in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, approximately twenty-five miles northeast of metropolitan Los Angeles. The college has the distinction of being the oldest community college in Los Angeles County and the fifth oldest in California. This public community college serves the residents and the students of the Azusa, Claremont, Duarte, Glendora, and Monrovia school districts.
Citrus College, founded in 1915 with a class of 27 students, was led by
Dr. Floyd S. Hayden, who helped bring the community college movement to California. The college's first graduating class in 1917 boasted four graduates. While enrollment had nearly quadrupled to 100 students by 1925, only 11 students graduated from the college in its first decade.
From 1915 to 1961, Citrus College was operated by the Citrus Union High School District. Between 1946 and 1959, Citrus College purchased 88 acres of land to expand the campus from 16 acres to the 104 acres it occupies today. In July 1961, the Citrus Junior College District was created to include the Azusa and Glendora unified school districts. In 1967, the district expanded to include the Claremont, Duarte and Monrovia school districts. In 1970, the district was renamed the Citrus Community College District to better represent the college's mission.
By 1975, enrollment had grown to more than 11,000, with nearly 700 degrees conferred that year. Citrus College also maintained its reputation as having one of the best transfer records in the state. Ambitious building and expansion projects in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1990s led to new buildings and many renovations of the campus facilities. These projects enhanced the learning environment, increased access for the disabled, improved safety, and added technological capabilities to classrooms. The addition of the adapted physical education facility and the computer lab greatly improved Citrus College’s educational resources.
Since 2004, Citrus College has undergone a major facilities expansion project that is changing the look of the campus and providing facilities that will enhance learning.
Today, Citrus College occupies a 104-acre campus, and offers classes on a 16-week calendar (fall and spring semesters), as well as a variety of non-traditional scheduling options -- winter session, evenings, summer sessions, and optional class formats with hybrid and online education courses.
Student Body Composition
The ethnic composition of the student body has gradually become more diverse over time, and today the student population is over 60 percent Hispanic. This demographic composition has earned Citrus College a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) designation, which is defined by the U.S. Department of Education as a college or university whose Hispanic students comprise 25 percent or more of the total student body.
The HSI designation has allowed Citrus College to receive several Department of Education grants to assist Hispanic and other students who can benefit from enhanced services and programs.
As advocates for student equity and success, Citrus College offers many free student-support services, including academic counseling, mental health services, transfer information and assistance, academic tutoring, veteran support, and career planning.
Acknowledgement
Citrus College has received accolades and honors for the quality of its academic programs and the effectiveness of its student services. Over the years, Citrus College has garnered acknowledgment at the national, state, and local levels. Out of more than 1,100 community colleges in the United States, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has recognized Citrus College as a national leader. Citrus College's sustained commitment to student achievement earned the AACC's 2019 Award of Excellence in the Student Success category. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education has included Citrus College in its annual ranking of the top 50 community colleges nationwide for nearly a decade. In addition, Citrus College has been named a Military Friendly School® by G.I. Jobs magazine every year since 2011, and most recently, it was named one of the 2023/2024 Top 10 schools in the nation for student veterans.
Course of Study and Student Life
Today, Citrus College grants associate degrees in over 70 fields of study, including over 30
associate degrees for transfer and over 40
associate of arts and associate of science degrees. The college offers over 115
certificates of achievement,
noncredit certificates of competency/completion, and
skill awards in over 50 academic and career/technical areas. Citrus College boasts an active student government, numerous social clubs and events, student organizations, and college-wide activities. The college offers many free student support services, including personal and academic counseling, transfer information and assistance, academic tutoring, veteran support, and career planning. Through its community and noncredit education division, Citrus College provides courses that encourage learning at every stage of life.
Accreditation and Affiliations
Citrus College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 428 J Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, California 95814, (415) 506-0234, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. Additional information about accreditation, include filing of complaints against member institutions can be found at
www.accjc.org
Citrus College's professional memberships include the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the Community College League of California (CCLC), the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), and California Colleges for International Education (CCIE). Citrus College is also a G.I. Jobs magazine "Military Friendly School."
