Cerritos College is a public community college in Norwalk, California. It offers degrees and certificates in 87 areas of study in nine divisions.

History

The college was founded in 1955. It was named after

Rancho Los Cerritos :''This article refers to the land grant. For the Rancho Los Cerritos adobe, see Los Cerritos Ranch House'' Rancho Los Cerritos was a 1834 land grant in present-day southern Los Angeles County and Orange County, California The grant was the res ...

, a local ranch in the 19th century. In turn the college was part of the inspiration for the renaming of the neighboring city of Dairy Valley to Cerritos. The district covers Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Norwalk, La Mirada, and Hawaiian Gardens. Originally, classrooms were rented in the now defunct Excelsior High School in September 1956. On July 24, 1957, the Cerritos Junior College District won the case against Dairy Valley (now Cerritos) to use the undeveloped land as an educational site. In September 1959, the college moved from Excelsior High School to the current site.

Organization and administration

The founder was Ralph Burnight of Redlands, a resident of Bellflower and superintendent of the Excelsior School District. The current college president is Dr. Jose Fierro.

Campus modernization

On February 15, 2017, the school opened two new buildings: a new Math and Computer Information Sciences building, and a Fine Arts complex. Together, the new facilities cost over $55 million and were funded by Measure G bond dollars.

Housing

On June 11, 2020, Cerritos became the first California community college to have housing for students without a place to live or with uncertain housing.

Athletics

Notable alumni

Bob Apodaca Robert John Apodaca (; born January 31, 1950) is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher, and an assistant to Colorado Rockies General manager Jeff Bridich. Since 2013, he has worked with pitchers in the Rockies' lower-level minor leag ...

–

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retired pitching coach * Marcelo Balboa – US National soccer team captain * Rod Barajas – Los Angeles Dodgers catcher / San Diego Padres Quality Control Coach *

Bret Barberie Bret Edward Barberie (born August 16, 1967) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, Baltimore Orioles, and Chicago Cubs. Before his professional career, B ...

– Major League Baseball player * Mike Benjamin – Major League Baseball infielder * Corey Bojorquez – Cleveland Browns punter *

Rich Camarillo Richard Jon Camarillo (born November 29, 1959) is a former professional American football punter who played 16 seasons in the NFL for the New England Patriots (1981–1987), Los Angeles Rams (1988), Phoenix Cardinals (1989–1993), Houston Oi ...

– former

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player * John Corbett – actor *

Eric Draper Eric Draper is an American news photographer who also worked as the White House photo director and personal photographer for U.S. President George W. Bush. Biography and career Born and raised in Los Angeles, Draper worked for the Associated Pre ...

– personal photographer for US President

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

* Fou Fonoti – former American football player * John Force – NHRA Funny car driver * Joe Gibbs – former Washington Redskins head coach *

George Horton George Horton (October 11, 1859 – June 5, 1942) was a member of the United States diplomatic corps who held several consular offices in Greece and the Ottoman Empire between 1893 and 1924. During two periods he was the U.S. Consul or Consul Ge ...

– University of Oregon former baseball coach *

T. J. Houshmandzadeh Touraj Houshmandzadeh Jr. ( ; born September 26, 1977) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh ...

– former

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wide receiver * Brian Hunter – Major League Baseball former infielder * Kareem Larrimore – former Dallas Cowboys cornerback *

Bobby Magallanes Robert Magallanes (born August 18, 1969) is an American professional baseball coach for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. Career Magallanes attended Bell High School in Bell, California, and graduated in 1987. The Montreal Expos sele ...

– Atlanta Braves assistant hitting coach * Bobby McFerrin – musician *

Houston McTear Houston McTear (February 12, 1957 – November 1, 2015) was an American sprinter, who emerged from desperate poverty in the Florida Panhandle to become an international track star in the mid-1970s. McTear rated in the top 10 in the 100 meters ...

– former world record sprinter * Louie Medina – Major League Baseball * Steve Mooshagian – American football player and college football coach, National Football League coach *

Grace Napolitano Graciela Flores "Grace" Napolitano (; born December 4, 1936) is an American Democratic Party politician who has represented California's San Gabriel Valley and other parts of Los Angeles County in the United States House of Representatives sin ...

–

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* Emanuel Newton – (attended) professional mixed martial artist * Tom Nieto – Major League Baseball former catcher, coach * Damacio Page – state champion wrestler; current mixed martial artist, formerly for the WEC and the UFC * Elijhaa Penny – National Football League player *

Tupe Peko Siitupe Marcus "Tupe" Peko, (born September 19, 1978) is a former American Football offensive guard. Peko attended La Serna High School and first played at the collegiate level at Cerritos College before transferring to Michigan State Universit ...

– National Football League former player * Bao Quach – wrestler; Professional

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fighter *

D. J. Reed Dennis Duane "D. J." Reed Jr. (born November 11, 1996) is an American football cornerback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kansas State and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the f ...

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defensive back *

Rodney Allen Rippy Rodney Allen Rippy (born July 29, 1968) is a former American child actor, television personality, marketing director, producer, and politician. He appeared in TV commercials for the fast-food chain Jack in the Box in the early 1970s, as well as ...

– actor * Lorenzo Romar – former Washington Huskies head basketball coach * Bubby Rossman – major league baseball pitcher for the

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– horror author * Jeff Tedford – Fresno State Bulldogs head coach (note: Tedford graduated from California State University, Fresno State) *

Dusty Wathan Dustin James Wathan (born August 22, 1973) is an American former professional catcher who played for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB) in , and who is currently the third base coach for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is a form ...

– third base coach for the

* Herb Welch – former New York Giants player *

Ray Wersching Raimund "Ray" Wersching (born August 21, 1950) is an Austrian former placekicker in the NFL. He played in the NFL for a span of 15 years, from 1973 through 1987. Early career He attended Warren High School in Downey, California. NFL career Un ...

– former San Francisco 49ers kicker *

Craig Worthington Craig Richard Worthington (born April 17, 1965) is a former professional baseball player. He played all or part of seven seasons in Major League Baseball, between 1988 and 1996, for the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, and ...

– former Major League Baseball third baseman *

Kirk Jellerson Kirk Jellerson is a former American football player and coach. He served as the interim head football coach at Utica College in 2007 and as the head football coach at Whittier College in 2011. Playing career After graduating from St. Paul High ...

– college football coach *

Demetrin Veal Demetrin Leandro Veal (born August 11, 1981) is a former American football defensive tackle. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee. Veal was also a member of th ...

– Tennessee Titans former defensive tackle *

Bobby Lane Bobby Allen Lane (born October 30, 1939) is a former American football linebacker who played in eight games over two seasons with the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL). He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the elevent ...

– former American football player * Broderick Thompson – former National Football League player * Tom Tolbert – radio sports talk host and former

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

player *

Rhamondre Stevenson Rhamondre Stevenson (born February 23, 1998) is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma, where he was a bowl game MVP, a ...

–

running back *

A.J. McKee A. J. McKee (born April 7, 1995) is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in Bellator's Featherweight and Lightweight division, where he is the former Bellator Featherweight Champion. As of February 28, 2023, he is #4 in the Bel ...

– former

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featherweight champion * Ron Yary – former Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle, member of Pro Football Hall of Fame * Han Ye-seul – South Korean actress * Steve Seungjun Yoo – Korean-American singer * Jim Zorn – former

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...

quarterback and Washington Redskins head coach

References

External links

* {{authority control California Community Colleges Cerritos, California Educational institutions established in 1955 Norwalk, California Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Universities and colleges in Los Angeles County, California 1955 establishments in California