CONTACT: Doug Schultz
Communications Supervisor
626‐852‐6497
dschultz@citruscollege.edu
Citrus College Recognized for Successful Implementation of State's Transfer Degree Program
Glendora, Calif. (Oct. 23, 2017) - Citrus College ranks fifth among California's 113 community colleges for producing associate degrees for transfer (ADT); a fact that once again earned the college recognition from the Campaign for College Opportunity.
A California‐based nonprofit research and advocacy organization, the Campaign for College Opportunity works to ensure that all Californians have an equal opportunity to attend and succeed in college. The organization recently announced that it would be honoring nine community colleges and four California State University (CSU) campuses for excellence in implementing California's ADT program.
"To once again receive recognition from the Campaign for College Opportunity for being a top producer of transfer degrees is a great honor. Not only is the college ranked fifth in the state for producing transfer degrees, we are also ranked second for the number of ADTs conferred relative to our enrollment size," said Dr. Geraldine M. Perri, superintendent/president of Citrus College. "Encouraging students to consider associate degrees for transfer as a viable option is something Citrus College has been doing since the legislation first passed. Our progress in this area is a source of pride for the college community because it affirms that we are serving our students well."
ADTs were implemented in 2012, two years after the Campaign for College Opportunity and then‐Senator Alex Padilla co‐sponsored historic transfer reform legislation that created a clearer path for students. A collaborative effort of the California Community Colleges and CSU system, ADTs provide community college students with guaranteed admission to the CSU system and priority admission to a CSU campus. To date, more than 69,000 students in California have earned transfer degrees.
At Citrus College, a total of 2,675 ADTs have been awarded over the past five years. The college first awarded transfer degrees during the 2011‐2012 academic year, with 39 students choosing this academic path. Five years later, 803 transfer degrees were awarded to the Citrus College class of 2017, a new institutional record.
"Citrus College's commitment to providing students with the academic preparation they need to achieve success is undeniable," said Dr. Barbara R. Dickerson, president of the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees. "To be one of California's leading community colleges in terms of implementing associate degrees for transfer is a reflection of the college community's hard work, dedication and enthusiasm. It is a true honor for Citrus College to be recognized again by the Campaign for College Opportunity."
Citrus College currently offers 19 ADTs in programs ranging from administration of justice and art history to studio arts and theater arts. They are intended for students who plan to complete a bachelor's degree in a similar major at a CSU campus.
Upon enrolling at Citrus College, the majority of students indicate that transferring to a four‐year college or university is their ultimate goal. One way in which the college helps students reach this goal is with ADTs.
"Transfer should not be a maze. This year's honorees are stellar examples of what can be done when leaders work together," said Michele Siqueiros, president of the Campaign for College Opportunity. "Our honorees have redefined what is possible and, as a result, have helped thousands of students transfer and reach their educational goals."
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