Contra Costa College Named One of California’s First Black Serving Institutions

San Pablo, CA – Contra Costa College is proud to announce that it has been officially named one of California’s first Black‑Serving Institutions (BSIs). The designation comes under the newly enacted California Black‑Serving Institutions Program Act (SB 1348).

“Though CCC has a long history of serving Black students, the designation simply hasn’t existed until now,” said Contra Costa College President Dr. Kimberly R. Rogers. “With this designation, Contra Costa College is now an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, an Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Black-Serving Institution.”

Contra Costa College offers a robust set of programs designed to support, celebrate, and empower Black students through community, culture, academic opportunity, and leadership. Among these offerings:

• The African American Male Leadership (AAML) program gives Black men a space to build leadership skills, connect with mentors and community leaders, and develop a success mindset through events, guest speakers, and networking.
• The African American Studies pathway provides an academic foundation exploring the histories, cultures, and experiences of people of African descent, combining humanities, behavioral, and social sciences, to sharpen critical thinking, writing, and civic engagement, and preparing students for transfer and careers in fields such as law, education, public policy, journalism, and social work.
• The Black Student Union and the Black Experience series both offer community, cultural affirmation, and opportunities for dialogue, activism, and shared identity.
• The annual Get on the Plane Tour of HBCUs, which takes CCC students to explore historically Black campuses across the country, and HBCU Transfer Guarantee agreement that provides direct pipelines to 37 HBCUs.

What the BSI Designation Means

The BSI designation recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting Black and African American students through robust academic resources, culturally responsive support services, and comprehensive pathways to success. To qualify under SB 1348, an institution must have either at least 10% of its enrolled student population identify as Black or African American, or enroll at least 1,500 Black or African American students.

Looking Ahead

As a newly designated Black‑Serving Institution, CCC will continue to engage in its decades-long efforts to strengthen Black student access, retention, academic success, and transfer or career outcomes.

Contra Costa College
West County’s hub for transformation, innovation, and student success

Contra Costa College (CCC) is a nationally recognized leader in providing real-world research and working experiences for students of all backgrounds. In 2025, CCC was one of only two community colleges in the nation to be invited to compete in NASA’s prestigious Student Launch. This follows CCC’s recognition as Northern California’s only NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars campus.

CCC is also home to one of the nation’s most awarded student newspapers, The Advocate, and its Middle College High School partnership was recently recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School, one of the highest honors for academic excellence in the U.S. Programs in nursing, automotive technology, culinary arts, early childhood education, and STEM are designed with strong academic rigor and direct ties to regional workforce needs.

Located in San Pablo, California, CCC serves more than 10,000 students annually through two-year degree, career certificate, and university transfer programs. Ranked by the Chronicle of Higher Education as having one of the five most-diverse faculties of any two-year college in the country, the college is also a designated Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, Black Serving Institution, and Hispanic Serving Institution.

Students at CCC benefit from affordable education, personalized support, and powerful pathways. Nearly all full-time students qualify for free tuition, and 99% graduate without student loan debt. 

CCC partners with local employers like Toyota, Cisco, and Lockheed to create hands-on training and career opportunities. Transfer agreements with CSU, UC, HBCUs, and out-of-state institutions make CCC an ideal starting point for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

Support services include academic counseling, tutoring, mental health care, emergency grants, a professional clothing closet, and housing assistance. These resources reflect CCC’s core mission: to remove barriers, close equity gaps, and ensure every student can thrive.