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An education support nonprofit has recognized Diablo Valley College as the state’s top-performing community college in a program designed to increase the number of students transferring into the California State University (CSU) system.
DVC, with its main campus in Pleasant Hill and satellite campus in San Ramon’s Dougherty Valley, issued 824 “associate degrees for transfer” (ADT) during the 2015-16 academic year, representing a 258-degree increase over the previous year and earning the best overall mark in California, according to DVC officials.
The nonprofit Campaign for College Opportunity singled out DVC this week for its strong performance in the ADT program, a partnership among community colleges in California and CSUs that aims to make transfers between the two systems as efficient and seamless as possible.
“DVC is already the top transfer institution for students going to UC Berkeley, so our faculty and staff embraced the challenge of helping our students transfer to the CSU system,” interim president Ted Wieden said in a statement.
“The ADT program helps students take only the courses they need to transfer,” he added. “Kudos to our counselors and our Transfer Center for their focus and dedication to helping our students achieve their higher education goals at DVC.”
The program outlines a specific, 60-unit pathway that identifies almost all the courses a student needs to take, aiming to accelerate the time students need to study at a community college before transferring to a CSU campus to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Completing the ADT program earns a community college student an associate degree, and it guarantees students who meet the CSU’s minimum eligibility requirements priority admission to a CSU campus, though not necessarily to a particular campus or major, DVC officials noted.
“The numbers confirm they are leading the way in the state,” Jake Brymner, federal policy manager for The Campaign for College Opportunity, said of DVC’s ADT performance.
“At a time when California needs a more educated workforce, DVC is stepping up to ensure their students can reach their educational goals. Congratulations DVC,” he added.
The Campaign is a nonprofit focused on ensuring student access and success to higher education in California, including helping increase the number of students who complete their four-year college education.
DVC is one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District. Between its Pleasant Hill and San Ramon campuses, DVC serves more than 22,000 students each semester.
