The Compton College District Community Meeting was held September 14, at the NHS Center for Sustainable Communities in Compton. The meeting was full of current students and faculty who spoke with excessive pride about their experiences and their achievements at Compton College, and what the school has to offer.
President/CEO Keith Curry and his colleagues spoke with passion about the new programs offered at Compton College and the upcoming renovation projects. The school currently has 10,426 students enrolled.
“Here at Compton College, we are meeting students where they are at by addressing the basic needs of the students,” said Barbara Calhoun, a member of Compton College Board of Trustees.
“We are going above and beyond to make sure that students’ needs are being meet.”
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Sharing an example of responding to students’ needs, Curry cited the Compton College Farmer’s Market held every Wednesday on the campus. The college distributes $20 vouchers once a week to assist students with purchasing fruits and vegetables at the market. Also, students can receive a free meal on the campus and obtain free Metro passes to aid with their transportation needs.
“Compton College provided enrolled students with a wealth of free benefits during the pandemic including $5.5 million in emergency aid, food and housing resource referrals, laptop and computer and WIFI hotspot loans, waived enrollment fees, health care services and academic support,” explained Curry.
“With all this, we have upcoming renovation projects which include a Residential Student Housing Project funded by state grant under bill AB183. This bill will revise and recast various provisions of the higher education student housing grant program and allocate funds for housing,” he said and added that construction of a physical education complex, a visual and performing arts building, and more are planned.
Kendra Carnes, a student trustee, stated, “Compton College offers incredible opportunities for students and a quality education and ensures that students can pursue their passion. The college has multiple counselors and there are plenty of activities and clubs.
“I had an opportunity to travel to Sacramento and Washington D.C., for conferences and I met elected officials including Congresswoman Maxine Waters. Elected officials are excited about helping students.”
Crystal Moore, associate student president, also offered a testimonial of her experience at Compton College, saying, “I was selected to be part of a fellowship called the Diamond League Institute through California State University Dominguez Hills. The fellowship has offered me a chance to travel to Africa and next Summer we are going to Egypt. I saw the beauty of Africa and the different cultures,” recalled Moore.
“Compton College has so many opportunities. I fought through the pandemic and transitioned after the pandemic. I’m also a single mom and Compton College made me feel comfortable.”
In addition, Compton College has a partnership with the Compton Unified School District. According to Dr. Ayanna Davis, a member of the CUSD Board of Trustees, 225 Compton Early College High School students have graduated with both a high school diploma and an associate degree through the partnership since 2019.
“This provides the students with college credits and makes the students competitive. Compton is often associated with gang banging but, we are doing great things in Compton. We were ranked in the top 300 in the nation for our dual enrollment and our students have won Robotic awards as well,” said Davis.
Odell Smith, 18, who graduated from high school in June 2023, said of his experience at Compton College, “I have 38 college credits and I had dual enrollment at Compton College and Early Compton High School. I’m majoring in Business Administration and Real Estate.”
Also, Compton College is a certified Hispanic Serving Institutions designated by the U.S. Department of Education, which enables the college to access additional resources to better serve students, said President Curry.
“All students are welcome and are encouraged to apply for financial aid. We are thriving, and I am really excited about our enrollment which is up by 20%,” said Curry.
Anyone interested in attending Compton College can visit the Admission and Records Building at 1111 East Artesia in Compton or call (310) 900-1600. The college offers degrees in Business Administration, Childhood Education, Nursing, Psychology and Sociology, Cosmetology and Automotive Technology and much more.
