Cerritos College received a five-year, $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education through its Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) program to implement the new Mentoring, Access, Data, and Equity (MADE) project.
The U.S. Department of Education’s DHSI program provides 49 grants totaling more than $28 million to assist Hispanic-serving institutions in expanding educational opportunities for Hispanic students.
The MADE project aims to enhance Hispanic/Latinx student enrollment and success in postsecondary programs by increasing dual enrollment and Cerritos Complete participation, reducing course-level equity gaps, improving student persistence, and boosting graduation rates. The five-year grant will support the MADE project in upgrading essential infrastructure, providing new mentoring programs for staff and students, and providing critical resources to reach the college’s equity goals.
As a Hispanic-serving institution with a nearly 70 percent Hispanic/Latinx student population, Cerritos College built its reputation on successfully serving the needs of its diverse students. Its Cerritos Complete Promise Program has supported more than 10,000 students since 2015, leading to three-year graduation rates that are nearly three times higher than the general student population.
The dual enrollment program has made significant strides in increasing college access for the community. The program has grown by more than 566 percent since 2016, ensuring that participating students get a head start on their higher education goals. These efforts have led to a record-breaking 8,157 degrees and certificates awarded in the 2023-24 academic year, with the number of awards received by Hispanic/Latinx students increasing by 179 percent in the last decade.
“We are excited to continue our work of advancing Hispanic/Latinx student success through this grant,” said Cerritos College President/Superintendent Dr. Jose Fierro. With a proven track record of intentionally serving our Hispanic/Latinx students, we look forward to expanding our programs through the MADE project and supporting more of our community to graduation and to achieving upward social and economic mobility.”