3:20pm | Long Beach City College has been selected by the prestigious Lumina Foundation for a major collaborative partnership focused on the student success of Latinos. Latinos not only represent the largest population of students at LBCC, but they are also the fastest-growing student population in America. This new effort is focused on leveraging the critical connection between their educational attainment and the future of the national economy.
“If California is going to succeed and remain competitive, we must increase Latino graduation and transfer rates at our community colleges and universities,” said Long Beach City College President Eloy Ortiz Oakley. “Latinos make up the largest population of students at Long Beach City College, and their success is critical to our local and state economy.”
At more than 50 million, Latinos represent the largest and fastest-growing population group in the United States. By 2025, half of the nation’s workers will be of Latino descent. At that time, 63 percent of all jobs in the United States will require some form of postsecondary education or training, according to labor economist Anthony Carnevale of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
The goal of this initiative is to specifically increase the student college access and success amongst the Latino population. Under the project, Lumina will provide a total of $7.2 million over a four-year period to 12 partnerships in 10 states with significant and growing Latino populations. Long Beach City College is one of two sites selected in California and will receive $600,000 to launch the program.
LBCC will focus much of its Latino student success efforts on the Long Beach College Promise. Through the College Promise, a program designed to create clear pathways for students to follow as they move from one education institution to another. The College Promise has been replicated by numerous colleges and universities throughout California and is cited as a model education partnership by several education organizations and foundations, including the Washington DC based Business Higher Education Forum and the White House Initiative for Excellence in Education for Hispanics.
“The Latino success project is the culmination of nearly two years of planning and engagement with many foundations and national leaders in the Latino community,” said Lumina President and CEO Jaime Merisotis. “Through these partnerships, we aim to build bridges among leadership groups already working to improve Latino college student success.”