# Cerritos College

Cerritos College is a public community college in Norwalk, California. 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

| Men's sports | Women's sports |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross Country |
| Cross Country | Soccer |
| Football | Softball |
| Soccer | Swimming & Diving |
| Swimming & Diving | Track & Field |
| Track & Field | Volleyball |
| Water Polo | Water Polo |
| Wrestling | Wrestling |

## Notable alumni

Fall 2017 Demographics of student body :
| Hispanic and Latino American | 74% |
| African American | 1% |
| Asian American | 8% |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 1% |
| White European Americans | 1% |
| Multiracial Americans | 1% |
| International students | 1% |
| Unknown | 7% |
| Female | 55% |
| Male | 45% |
* Bob Apodaca – Colorado Rockies retired pitching coach
* Marcelo Balboa – US National soccer team captain
* Rod Barajas – Los Angeles Dodgers catcher / San Diego Padres Quality Control Coach
* Bret Barberie – Major League Baseball player
* Mike Benjamin – Major League Baseball infielder
* Corey Bojorquez – Cleveland Browns punter
* Rich Camarillo – former New England Patriots player
* John Corbett – actor
* Eric Draper – personal photographer for US President George W. Bush
* Fou Fonoti – former American football player
* John Force – NHRA Funny car driver
* Joe Gibbs – former Washington Redskins head coach
* George Horton – University of Oregon former baseball coach
* T. J. Houshmandzadeh – former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
* Brian Hunter – Major League Baseball former infielder
* Kareem Larrimore – former Dallas Cowboys cornerback
* Bobby Magallanes – Atlanta Braves assistant hitting coach
* Bobby McFerrin – 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
* Tom Nieto – Major League Baseball former catcher, coach
* Art Olivier, Mayor of Bellflower, California
* Damacio Page – state champion wrestler; current mixed martial artist, formerly for the WEC and the UFC
* Elijhaa Penny – National Football League player
* Tupe Peko – National Football League former player
* Bao Quach – wrestler; Professional MMA fighter
* D. J. Reed – New York Jets defensive back
* Rodney Allen Rippy – actor
* Lorenzo Romar – former Washington Huskies head basketball coach
* Bubby Rossman – major league baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
* John Saul – horror author
* Jeff Tedford – Fresno State Bulldogs head coach (note: Tedford graduated from California State University, Fresno State)
* Jim Vellone - former Minnesota Vikings guard
* Dusty Wathan – third base coach for the Philadelphia Phillies
* Herb Welch – former New York Giants player
* Ray Wersching – former San Francisco 49ers kicker
* Craig Worthington – former Major League Baseball third baseman
* Kirk Jellerson – college football coach
* Demetrin Veal – Tennessee Titans former defensive tackle
* Bobby Lane – former American football player
* Broderick Thompson – former National Football League player
* Tom Tolbert – radio sports talk host and former NBA player
* Rhamondre Stevenson – New England Patriots running back
* A.J. McKee – former Bellator MMA featherweight champion
* Ron Yary – former Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle, member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
* Han Ye-seul – South Korean actress
* Steve Seungjun Yoo – Korean-American singer
* Jim Zorn – former Seattle Seahawks quarterback and Washington Redskins head coach