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 sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...

community college A community college is a type of undergraduate higher education institution, generally leading to an associate degree, certificate, or diploma. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an open enr ...

Norwalk, California Norwalk is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 102,773 at the 2020 census. Founded in the late 19th century, Norwalk was incorporated as a city in 1957. It is located southeast of downtown Los Angeles a ...

. 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 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 –

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retired pitching coach *

Marcelo Balboa Marcelo Balboa (born August 8, 1967) is an American former professional soccer player 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 r ...

– US National soccer team captain * Rod Barajas –

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 (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

catcher /

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Quality Control Coach * Bret Barberie –

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player * Mike Benjamin – Major League Baseball infielder * Corey Bojorquez –

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...

punter * Rich Camarillo – former

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player * John Corbett – actor * Eric Draper – personal photographer for US President

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

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

head coach * George Horton –

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former baseball coach * T. J. Houshmandzadeh – former

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

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cornerback * Bobby Magallanes –

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assistant hitting coach *

Bobby McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter, and conductor (music), conductor. His Vocal pedagogy, vocal techniques include singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in Pitch (music), pitch—fo ...

– musician * Houston McTear – former world record sprinter * Louie Medina – Major League Baseball * Steve Mooshagian – American football player and college football coach, National Football League coach * Grace Napolitano – U.S. Representative * Emanuel Newton – (attended) professional

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

* Tom Nieto – Major League Baseball former catcher, coach * Art Olivier, Mayor of

Bellflower, California Bellflower is a city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It was founded in 1906 and municipal corporation, incorporated on September 3, 1957. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, th ...

* Damacio Page – state champion wrestler; current

, formerly for the WEC and the UFC * Elijhaa Penny – National Football League player * Tupe Peko – National Football League former player * Bao Quach – wrestler; Professional

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fighter * D. J. Reed –

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defensive back * Rodney Allen Rippy – actor * Lorenzo Romar – former

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head basketball coach * Bubby Rossman – major league baseball pitcher for the

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* John Saul – horror author *

Jeff Tedford Jeffrey Raye Tedford (born November 2, 1961) is an American football coach and former player. From 2002 to 2012, Tedford was the head football coach for the California Golden Bears, where he was twice named Pac-10 Coach of the Year and holds ...

– Fresno State Bulldogs head coach (note: Tedford graduated from California State University, Fresno State) * Jim Vellone - former

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guard * Dusty Wathan – third base coach for the

* Herb Welch – former New York Giants player * Ray Wersching – former

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...

kicker * Craig Worthington – former Major League Baseball third baseman * Kirk Jellerson – college football coach * Demetrin Veal –

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former defensive tackle * Bobby Lane – former American football player * Broderick Thompson – former National Football League player *

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– radio sports talk host and former

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player * Rhamondre Stevenson –

running back * A.J. McKee – former

Bellator MMA Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) was an American mixed martial arts promotion (entertainment), promotion founded in 2008 by Bjorn Rebney and operated until 2025. The promotion takes its name from ''wikt:bellator, bellātor ...

featherweight champion * Ron Yary – former

offensive tackle, member of

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...

* 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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...

quarterback and

head coach

References

External links

* {{authority control California Community Colleges Cerritos, California Universities and colleges 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 Two-year colleges in the United States