The Campaign for College Opportunity honored 40 California
Community Colleges and California State Universities (CSU) as
Pathway Champions today for their work paving pathways to college
and economic opportunity for thousands of California students by
strengthening the transfer process. Long Beach City College
(LBCC) placed in two categories: Total Campuswide Associate
Degrees For Transfers (ADTs), and California Community Colleges
ADT Implementation For Black Students.

“Our multiracial democracy and economy require us to support the
growing majority of diverse students to complete college and earn
a degree,” said Jessie Ryan, President of the Campaign for
College Opportunity. “At a time when students are increasingly
questioning their place in higher education due to mounting
attacks on their ability to thrive, we applaud the colleges that
are courageously meeting the moment to implement the policies and
practices we know transform student success and strengthen
transfer in California.

This year, there are 40 Pathway Champion honorees across four
categories (Pathway Champion of Placement, Pathway Champion of
Placement Equity, Pathway Champion of Transfer, Pathway Champion
of Transfer Equity) recognizing achievement and equity in
placement and transfer outcomes. Colleges were awarded for their
efforts in implementing two landmark policies: equitable
placement (AB 705 and 1705, Irwin), which maximizes student
success in transfer-level courses at California Community
Colleges, and ADT implementation, which has simplified transfer
between community colleges and CSUs.

LBCC was recognized for its excellence in supporting student
achievement through two honors. The Total Campuswide Associate
Degrees for Transfer award recognized LBCC as one of the top
California Community Colleges supporting the largest number of
students earning ADTs in the 2023–24 academic year. In addition,
the California Community Colleges ADT Implementation for Black
Students recognition honored LBCC for leading the way in helping
Black students earn ADTs—with at least 65% of Black associate
degree earners completing an ADT—and for ensuring that Black
students earn these degrees at rates comparable to their peers.

These reforms have been pivotal as students are increasingly
being supported to succeed in courses that count towards their
transfer goals and placed on an expedited, guaranteed path to a
four-year degree, particularly Latinx and Black Californians, who
have long faced disproportionate obstacles in completing their
degrees.

Supporting higher education is vital to the future of California,
especially community colleges, where nearly
two-thirds of California’s college students begin their higher
education journey. Historically, transferring from community
college to a four-year university has been filled with systemic
barriers, with only 7 percent of transfer-intending students
being able to transfer within two years, prior to 2015. In
the decade since, thanks to the implementation of ADT and
placement policies, more students are transferring faster,
with 10% of current community college students transferring
within two years and 19 percent after four years. While
there is room for improvement, this growth showcases the
vital importance of the work that this year’s Pathway
Champions are doing and presents a major solution to
the looming economic challenges that California faces.

About Long Beach City College
Long Beach City College
consists of two campuses with an enrollment of over 35,000
students each semester and serves the cities of Long Beach,
Lakewood, Signal Hill, and Avalon. LBCC promotes equitable
student learning and achievement, academic excellence, and
workforce development by delivering high quality educational
programs and support services to our diverse communities. Visit
www.LBCC.edu for more information
about Long Beach City College.

MEDIA CONTACT

Stacey Toda,
Director of Communications & Community Engagement
Long Beach City College
stoda@lbcc.edu
(562) 938-4004