Cerritos College is transforming lives, president says at State of the College

NORWALK - President/Superintendent Dr. Jose L. Fierro delivered Cerritos College’s State of the College address on Oct. 30, focusing on the college’s efforts to transform the lives of students and the district’s economic impact on the region.

Dr. Fierro highlighted three extraordinary students who have persevered against the odds to become successful.

He told Jesus Ayala’s story, a 31-year-old single father who survived a violent crime that left him with paraplegia. Jesus is the recipient of the Cerritos College Foundation’s Darleene Gomez Memorial Scholarship.

Nicole Rodriguez-Cano and Edgar Romo-Munoz are students in the College’s Court 2 College (C2C) program. Both students transformed their lives after enrolling in Cerritos College in 2016 as a condition of their probation.

Court 2 College is a partnership between Cerritos College and Los Angeles County Superior Court Norwalk that provides an alternative to jail time. Since its inception in 2015, more than 80 participants have enrolled.

Dr. Fierro also highlighted the College’s efforts to accelerate student success and the District’s effect on economic growth across the region:

·Pioneering Student Programs – Cerritos College boasts innovative student programs, including the College’s award-winning California Promise Program Cerritos Complete. Since 2015, Cerritos Complete has benefited 4,376 students. The College is one of only 12 California community colleges that offers two years of free tuition.

·Robust Academic Programs – The College’s NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) partnership makes it possible for underserved students to flourish in STEM-related education. Subsequently, the new Stats in Motion program features a collaboration between the mathematics and athletics departments that provides a customized curriculum for athletes.

·Meeting the Needs of Students – The College is addressing ways to meet the basic needs of students. The District co-sponsored AB 612, CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program. AB 612 will make it easier for campus food vendors to become eligible to accept CalFresh/EBT benefits from students who are enrolled in the state’s food assistance program. The College is also working to acquire a small housing development in the City of Norwalk to provide transitional housing for students who face housing insecurity.

·Regional Impact and Strong Community Partnerships – Bristol Farms and Lazy Acres are stand-out examples of the District’s workforce training efforts. The Economic Development office helped provide leadership training to more than 500 employees.

·Major Gifts Supporting Student Success – Cerritos College has generous partners that believe in student success. The Cerritos College Foundation received a $2.3-million gift from the estate of late alumnus John B. Smith, Jr. and established the John B. Smith Woodworking Scholarship.

Additionally, the award-winning TeacherTRAC program received more than $1 million to prepare future educators. Late Dr. Connie Mayfield, professor of music, and her mother Lois Mayfield, gifted the College with $500,000. During the 2018-19 academic year, the Cerritos College Foundation awarded 400 scholarships, totaling nearly $200,000.

·Transforming the Footprint of Campus – New state-of-the-art facilities and resources continue to transform the footprint of Cerritos College. In April, the College officially opened a substantial portion of its new Health & Wellness Complex as the campus’ first green-certified building. A new Performing Arts Center is scheduled for completion in fall 2021. Cerritos College secured a reduced Bond interest rate and saved taxpayers $22.4 million dollars.

“Thanks to the leadership and support of the Board of Trustees, our efforts to transform the lives of our students is more laser focused than ever. We have been able to allocate more resources to ensure that students are able to cross the finish line whether to earn a degree, certificate, or transfer,” said Dr. Fierro.