Kern Community College District Receives Award

The Kern Community College District was awarded the 2023 Pacific Region Equity Award the
previous evening for their continued leadership in dual enrollment. Kern CCD is home to the
fastest growing dual enrollment program in the state of California. Under the leadership of the
Kern CCD Board of Trustees, Interim Chancellor Tom Burke, and former Chancellor Dr. Sonya
Christian the college district has prioritized college access for all students beginning as early as
the 9 th grade and is fiercely committed to removing the barriers that underrepresented and rural
students traditionally face when attempting to access post-secondary education.

Through intentional outreach efforts in rural communities, strong partnerships with local high
school districts, and support services that range from the fields to the classroom, Kern CCD is
rapidly and effectively moving the dial on college attendance and completion rates in some of
California’s most impoverished communities. According to ACCT, “The dual enrollment and
early college work in Kern Community College District provides an exceptional example of the
equity work that must be done to increase access and success for all students.”