Cerritos College Selected for L.A. County's College Promise Support Initiative

NORWALK, Calif., April 3, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cerritos College is one of seven Los Angeles County community colleges selected to participate in a Promises That Count Community of Practice (CoP).

The Los Angeles County Promises That Count initiative was launched this month by WestEd, UNITE-LA, and the Campaign for College Opportunity. Funded by the California Community Foundation, the three-year initiative focuses on ensuring stronger academic support and student services in College Promise programs throughout Los Angeles County. Teams from seven College Promise programs will participate in the CoP over a 15-month period to guide the continuous improvement of the student support features of their programs. In addition to the CoP, all of the College Promise programs across Los Angeles County will be invited to join a Promises That Count Alliance that is designed to share best practices and strategies from each program. The initiative will enable additional personal assistance and support to participating students, increased counseling capacity, and faculty/staff development.

Cerritos College's official Promise Program called Cerritos Complete provides high school seniors from local school districts with their first year of college free. The program also provides student support services, including one-on-one counseling, early enrollment, and financial aid to help students succeed. Cerritos Complete was one of 10 community colleges in the nation selected as a finalist for the prestigious 2018 Bellwether Award.

"We are thrilled to be selected to work with fellow colleges and partners to improve College Promise throughout the region," said Dr. Jose Fierro, president/superintendent, Cerritos College. "Our Promise Program, Cerritos Complete, offers students more than the traditional promise initiative that focuses mainly on access to college. With Cerritos Complete, our aim is to give students access to college with a strong focus on finishing a degree or certificate on time. High school seniors who participate in Cerritos Complete receive free tuition, early enrollment for one year, one-on-one counseling, financial aid assistance, career exploration workshops, and personalized schedules."

View online release here: http://cms.cerritos.edu/releases-2018/04/Promises.htm

Media Contact: Aya Abelon, Public Affairs; (562) 653-7878

SOURCE Cerritos College