Staff
This article is based on a press release from Cerritos College.
Cerritos College has been awarded a $3 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) program. The funding will support the college’s new Mentoring, Access, Data, and Equity (MADE) project, designed to enhance Hispanic student enrollment and success in postsecondary programs.
The DHSI program, which provided 49 grants totaling over $28 million this year, aims to expand educational opportunities for Hispanic students. Cerritos College plans to use the MADE project to increase dual enrollment, participation in the Cerritos Complete Promise Program, and reduce equity gaps in student outcomes. The project will also focus on improving persistence and boosting graduation rates.
As a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) with a student population that is nearly 70% Hispanic/Latinx, Cerritos College has built a strong track record of supporting its diverse community. The college’s Cerritos Complete program has aided over 10,000 students since 2015, with three-year graduation rates that significantly outperform the general population. Dual enrollment, which allows high school students to take college courses, has grown by more than 566% since 2016.
The college recently celebrated a record 8,157 degrees and certificates awarded in the 2023-24 academic year, with a 179% increase in awards earned by Hispanic/Latinx students over the past decade.
Cerritos College President/Superintendent Dr. Jose Fierro expressed enthusiasm about the grant, saying, “We are excited to continue advancing Hispanic/Latinx student success through this grant and look forward to expanding our programs.”
Cerritos College serves southeastern Los Angeles County and offers nearly 300 degrees and certificates across nine divisions, with an annual enrollment of around 21,000 students.
