FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Melissa Utsuki
Executive Director of Communications and External Relations
626-914-8872
mutsuki@citruscollege.edu
Citrus College Honored for Transfer Degree Success
Glendora, Calif. (Oct. 24, 2019) – The Campaign for College Opportunity has once again recognized Citrus College as a state leader in producing transfer degrees.
For the fourth consecutive year, the California-based nonprofit research and advocacy organization has named Citrus College a Champion of Higher Education for Excellence in Transfer. The Campaign for College Opportunity presents this annual designation to select California community colleges and California State University (CSU) campuses who have demonstrated success in implementing the state's associate degree for transfer (ADT) pathway.
Citrus College is one of only 12 community colleges in the state to be named a 2019 Champion of Higher Education.
"Every year, we are excited to see thousands of students earning their associate degrees for transfer and continuing their education at a university," said Michele Siqueiros, president of the Campaign for College Opportunity. "The campaign is proud to honor the top California leaders and campuses that are doing the necessary work to ensure transfer students can achieve their college dreams."
California's ADTs were implemented in 2012 and are a collaborative effort of the California community colleges and CSU systems. Also known as transfer degrees, ADTs provide community college students with guaranteed admission to the CSU system and priority admission to a CSU campus.
At Citrus College, thousands of transfer degrees have been awarded over the past seven years. During the 2018-2019 academic year alone, the college awarded 964 ADTs.
"The Champion of Higher Education designation is one that Citrus College is always proud to receive," said Dr. Geraldine M. Perri, superintendent/president of Citrus College. "The college awarded 39 transfer degrees in 2012, which was the inaugural year. Since that time, faculty and staff have invested a significant amount of time and effort into creating new transfer degree options and promoting transfer degrees as sensible academic pathways. We now offer 25 different transfer degrees, and the number of students earning these degrees has increased by nearly 2,500 percent. The progress has been astounding! We are very proud of our diligent transfer students who have excelled academically."
As a Champion of Higher Education, Citrus College will be honored during the Campaign for College Opportunity's 15th Anniversary Celebration in Los Angeles on Thursday, Nov. 14. Governor Gavin Newsom, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, Students Making a Change, and CSU Trustee Silas Abrego will also be honored during the event.
"It is a privilege for Citrus College to once again receive recognition from the Campaign for College Opportunity," said Susan M. Keith, president of the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees. "On behalf of the board of trustees, I extend my sincere appreciation to our dedicated faculty and staff. Their dedication to ensuring that students achieve their goals of transferring to four-year institutions is what has made this recognition possible."
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