For the third year in a row, Grossmont College is being recognized as a Champion of Higher Education by the Campaign for College Opportunity for its work to significantly increase the number of students earning an Associate Degree for Transfer, an associate degree that guarantees transfer to a California State University institution.
“We are honored to receive this award for the third year in a row,” said Grossmont College President Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh. “Our college is proud to have shown leadership in transfer success and helping our students find their paths to a California State University campus. As the No. 1 transfer institution to San Diego State University, we are also gratified to see their campus honored among the CSUs.”
The award for the college’s achievements will be given at a virtual celebration on November 19 that will feature California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Assemblymember Marc Berman. Grossmont College was recognized for one of the largest rates of ADT conferrals in the state for the 2018-2019 school year.
“Grossmont College has been named a 2020 Champion of Higher Education for exemplary work in implementing the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT). We are proud to recognize their dedicated leadership in working to ensure a strong transfer pathway on their campus,” said Michele Siqueiros, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity.
Grossmont College was one of 12 community colleges to be recognized throughout California, and it was also the only community college in San Diego and Imperial counties to be honored. The Campaign for College Opportunity honors colleges that lead the state in ADT implementation as “Champions of Higher Education.”
The other recognized institutions include Bakersfield College, Berkeley City College, Clovis Community College, East Los Angeles College, Evergreen Valley College, Glendale Community College, Long Beach City College, Los Angeles Pierce College, Moorpark College, Mt. San Antonio College and Pasadena City College, along with California State University, Fresno; California State University, Fullerton and San Diego State University.
The Associate Degree for Transfer was created via legislation in 2010. Sponsored by then-State Senator Alex Padilla, the historic transfer reform legislation created a clear pathway for students to earn an associate degree and guarantees admission into the California State University system. To date, more than 200,000 students have earned an Associate Degree for Transfer, and of those who enrolled in the California State University, they earned a bachelor’s degree almost twice as fast as other transfer students, according to the Campaign for College Opportunity.
The Campaign for College Opportunity is a California nonprofit bipartisan policy and research organization focused on a single mission: to ensure all Californians have an equal opportunity to attend and succeed in college in order to build a vibrant workforce, economy and democracy. For more information, visit www.CollegeCampaign.org, Facebook.com/CollegeCampaign or follow @CollegeOpp.