NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: November 14, 2023
For further information contact:
Ryan Brown: Phone: 408-531-6172 | Email: ryan.brown@sjeccd.edu
EVC Recognized as Leader in Supporting Transfer Students
Evergreen Valley College was recognized Tuesday for success at enrolling and graduating Associate-Degree-for-Transfer-earners and closing racial/ethnic equity gaps.
(San Jose, Calif.) — Evergreen Valley College (EVC) continues to lead the way when it comes to creating seamless transfer pathways for students.
EVC has been named both a 2023 Champion of Higher Education and 2023 Equity Champion of Higher Education by the Campaign for College Opportunity, which recognized EVC as a top performer in three specific areas:
- Associate Degrees for Transfer Awarded as a Percentage of all Associate Degrees Awarded
- Equity Champion for Black Students
- Equity Champion for Latinx Students.
The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) is an instrumental pathway that has streamlined the transfer process and made it easier for students to earn a bachelor's degree after completing an associate degree program.
The Associate Degree for Transfer is designed to ensure that students are able to seamlessly transfer without accumulating excess units and spending more time and money on their education than necessary. Touted as "A Degree with a Guarantee," students graduating with an ADT are guaranteed admission and junior standing into the California State University system.
Racial equity gaps persist in transfer rates between Latinx and Black students and their peers. Because of this, the Campaign for College Opportunity developed an equity measure that assesses how Latinx and Black students are accessing and earning an ADT relative to the campus average.
Due to the strong performance of Latinx and Black students on its campus, Evergreen Valley College was honored as a 2023 Equity Champion for both Black and Latinx Students. In order to earn this recognition, two criteria had to be met: at least 65 percent of Black and Latinx associate-degree earners had to earn an ADT and these students had to perform as well or better in this metric compared to the full student body.
Evergreen Valley College was one of just three colleges in California to be recognized as an Equity Champion for both Black and Latinx students.
"While there is still much work to be done to ensure that all students who want to transfer to a four-year university have the opportunity to do so, this recognition shows that the hard work of our dedicated faculty and classified staff is having a positive impact on the lives of our students, particularly when it comes to closing the equity gap and achieving positive educational outcomes," said Evergreen Valley College President Tammeil Gilkerson.
The award ceremony for the Champions of Higher Education for Excellence in Transfer took place on Nov. 14, 2023. To learn more about how the honorees are selected, visit the Campaign for College Opportunity website.