San Gabriel Valley Residents Vote Citrus College as the Best Community College in the Region

San Gabriel Valley residents have voted Citrus College as the best community college in the region, adding to the numerous accolades recently awarded to the college, including being named one of the top 50 community colleges in the nation and being selected by the Aspen Institute to compete for its $1 million prize for excellence.

Citrus College was honored with the 2014 Readers Choice Award for Best Community College in the San Gabriel Valley’s Best competition, which is conducted annually by the Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Whittier Daily News.

“Every year, the papers’ local readers – the people we directly serve as an educational institution – vote for their favorite people, places and things in the San Gabriel Valley, and for Citrus College to be chosen out of so many fine colleges in the area is truly a great honor,” said Superintendent/President Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D. “I want to thank the readers who voted for us and our local community for their recognition of our efforts to provide an outstanding education to each student that comes onto our campus.”

In addition to the local award, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program recently notified Citrus College that it has advanced to the next round of their national competition, meaning that it is one of 50 finalists out of the original 150 institutions that were nominated. The prize jury will select the winner of the $1 million award in early 2015.

Citrus College has been recognized in national publications such as Community College Week magazine, which acknowledged the college as a “Top Producer” of associate degrees in the United States for the past seven years, as well as G.I. Jobs magazine, which has designated the college as a “Military Friendly School” for the past four years.

In addition, The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education also ranked Citrus College among the nation’s top 50 community colleges out of more than 1,100 community colleges nationwide in the number of associate degrees awarded to Hispanics. The college has received this accolade for seven consecutive years.

“First being recognized by national publications and educational organizations, and now being honored as a distinguished community college by the very people we serve, is truly an exceptional acknowledgment of the college’s accomplishments in helping our students to achieve their educational and career goals,” said Board of Trustees President Dr. Patricia Rasmussen.

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