Cerritos College is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...

community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...

Norwalk, California Norwalk is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 105,549 at the 2010 census and an estimated 103,949 in 2019. It is the 58th most densely-populated city in California. Founded in the late 19th century, Nor ...

. 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, 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 – Colorado Rockies retired pitching coach *

Marcelo Balboa Marcelo Balboa (born August 8, 1967) is an American former professional soccer who played as a defender in the 1990s for the United States national team, becoming its captain. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. After retiring ...

– US National soccer team captain *

Rod Barajas Rodrigo Richard Barajas (born September 5, 1975) is an American former professional baseball catcher and most recently catching and quality control coach for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). Barajas served as the interim mana ...

–

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

catcher /

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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 Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player * Mike Benjamin – Major League Baseball infielder *

Corey Bojorquez Corey Bojorquez ( ; born September 13, 1996) is an American football punter for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Cerritos College before transferring to New Mexico, and signed with the Ne ...

–

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...

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 New England Patriots player *

John Corbett John Joseph Corbett Jr. (born May 9, 1961) is an American actor and country music singer. On television, he is best known for his roles as Chris Stevens on ''Northern Exposure'' (1990–1995), Aidan Shaw on ''Sex and the City'' (2000–2003), ...

– 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 Fouimalo "Fou" Fonoti (born November 15, 1991) is an American football offensive lineman who is currently a free agent. Fonoti first enrolled at Cerritos College before transferring to Michigan State University. He has also been a member of the ...

– former American football player *

John Force John Harold Force (born May 4, 1949 in Bell Gardens, California) is an American NHRA drag racer. He is a 16-time NHRA and 1 time AHRA Funny Car champion driver and a 22-time champion car owner. Force owns and drives for John Force Racing (J ...

–

NHRA The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsp ...

Funny car driver *

Joe Gibbs Joe Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is an American auto racing team owner and former professional football coach. In football, he was head coach for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 to 1992, and ...

– former

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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 The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...

former baseball coach * T. J. Houshmandzadeh – former

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...

wide receiver * Brian Hunter – Major League Baseball former infielder *

Kareem Larrimore Kareem Maktrel Larrimore (born April 21, 1976 in Los Angeles, California) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2000 NFL Draft#Round four ...

– former

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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 The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...

assistant hitting coach *

Bobby McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American folk and jazz singer. He is known for his vocal techniques, such as singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in pitch—for example, sustaining a melody while also rap ...

– 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 Steven Ray Mooshagian (born March 27, 1959) is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Ventura College in Ventura, California, a position he has held since 2010. Mooshagian served as the head football coach a ...

– American football player and college football coach, National Football League coach * Grace Napolitano –

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Emanuel Newton Emanuel Newton (born February 1, 1984) is a retired American mixed martial artist who competed in Bellator's Light Heavyweight division, where he is a former Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion. He has also competed for WEC, King of the ...

– (attended) professional

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...

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– Major League Baseball former catcher, coach *

Damacio Page Damacio James Page (born September 30, 1982) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing for Legacy Fighting Championship in the Bantamweight division. A professional competitor since 2005, Page has also formerly competed ...

– state champion wrestler; current

, formerly for the WEC and the

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Elijhaa Penny Elijhaa Penny (born August 17, 1993) is a former American football fullback. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals after going undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft. He played college football at Idaho and Cerritos College. He has also played for th ...

– National Football League player * Tupe Peko – National Football League former player *

Bao Quach Bao Quach (born September 4, 1979) is an American featherweight professional mixed martial artist who has fought for Bellator, Affliction, M-1 Global, EliteXC, Strikeforce, World Extreme Cagefighting, King of the Cage, and Shooto promotions ...

– wrestler; Professional

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fighter * D. J. Reed – New York Jets 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 Lorenzo Romar (born November 13, 1958) is an American basketball coach and former player. He is the head men's basketball coach at Pepperdine University, a position he held from 1996 to 1999 and resumed in 2018. Romar also served as the head me ...

– former

Washington Huskies The Washington Huskies are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Washington, located in Seattle. The school competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac-1 ...

head basketball coach *

Bubby Rossman Charles Irvin "Bubby" Rossman (born June 29, 1992) is an American-Israeli professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He played college baseball for Cerritos College and California State University, Dominguez Hills. He was selected in the ...

– major league baseball pitcher for the

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– horror author *

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–

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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 Herbert Doyan Welch, Jr. (born January 12, 1961) is a former American football Safety (gridiron football position), safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions. He also played ...

– former New York Giants player *

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– former

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kicker *

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– former Major League Baseball third baseman * Kirk Jellerson – 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 ...

–

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former defensive tackle * Bobby Lane – former American football player *

Broderick Thompson Broderick Lorenzo Thompson (August 14, 1960 – February 4, 2002) was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Denver Broncos. He also pl ...

– former National Football League player *

Tom Tolbert Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

– radio sports talk host and former NBA player * Rhamondre Stevenson – New England Patriots running back * A.J. McKee – former

Bellator MMA Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) is an American mixed martial arts promotion (entertainment), promotion founded in 2008 and based in Santa Monica, California, owned and operated as a subsidiary of television and media cong ...

featherweight champion *

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– former

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offensive tackle, member of

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Han Ye-seul Han Ye-seul (Hangul: 한예슬; born Leslie Kim on September 18, 1981) is an American-born South Korean actress. She made her acting debut in the sitcom '' Nonstop 4'' (2003), and has since played leading roles in television dramas such as '' ...

– South Korean actress *

Steve Seungjun Yoo Steve Sueng Jun Yoo (born December 15, 1976), also known as his

Jim Zorn James Arthur Zorn (born May 10, 1953) is a former American football player and coach. Zorn was a left-handed quarterback, and is best known as the starting quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks for their first eight seasons. He was the quarterback ...

– former Seattle Seahawks quarterback and

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