By ONME Newswire

To continue to execute and build a strong foundation for students of color to attend a four-year college, UC Merced held its first Black California Community Colleges CEO’s Retreat. The three-day event welcomed to the campus several Black community college leaders from around the state.

Attendees had the opportunity to learn about UC Merced’s mission and the pathways the campus created for transfer students to attend the university, including the third party online program called Program Pathways Mapper. This online program allows students to explore vetted transfer pathways independently and gives counselors an excellent tool for advising.

“A critical component of our institution’s success is ensuring that students who begin their academic journey at a California community college can envision a clear pathway from your institutions to completing their bachelor’s degree at UC Merced. So, we are creating innovative pathways for transfer students,” Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said.

UC Merced, in collaboration with Stanislaus State, recently announced the expansion of the 1300 Campaign, an initiative aimed to send an additional 1,300 young people of color into the UC and California State University (CSU) systems by 2030.

The 1300 Campaign will focus on high school students in the Northern Central Valley, including the areas of Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin counties.

“What truly sets us apart is our mission and our momentum. We are here to create a better future for students and their families, and we have more than words to back that up,” Muñoz said.

The Black California Community Colleges CEO’s Retreat was led by Vice Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer Delia Saenz with a welcome by UC Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Brown.