College Of The Desert Wins Prestigious Award

PALM DESERT, CA - From College of the Desert: College of the Desert won a 2018 Bellwether Award for its innovative EDGE (Engage, Develop, Grow, Empower) Program on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

The annual Bellwether Awards are part of the Community College Futures Assembly, established in 1995 and sponsored by the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Florida. The prestigious national awards – given in three categories, with 10 finalists in each – focus on innovative programs that other colleges might consider replicating.

College of the Desert was the only college nominated in two categories, winning in the Instructional Programs & Service category.

The College’s submission was “Breaking Down the Basic Skills Barrier: Creating Pathways through the Basic Skills Sequence to Support Student Success, Equity, and Completion.” The entry focused on EDGE, the College’s 3-week summer bridge program that offers a fast-paced review of basic skills in mathematics and English, incorporating student success strategies and exercises to ensure a smooth transition into college life.

“The Board of Trustees and I are extremely proud of this recognition of the efforts of everyone at College of the Desert,” said Superintendent/President Joel L. Kinnamon, Ed.D. “We have a really great story to tell and were proud the Assembly recognized its value to our students and their success.”

The College was also nominated in the Planning, Governance & Finance category and submitted “Moving Towards Excellence and Student Success: Using simple, data-driven technology tools to enhance shared governance within a culture of inquiry and a transparent integrated planning and resource allocation model.”

As a 2018 Bellwether Finalist Winner, College of the Desert presented at the Community College Futures Assembly on Jan. 29 in Florida. The award winners were announced on Tuesday (Jan. 30, 2018).

In October, College of the Desert was named one of 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation's signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America's community colleges. The school was selected from a pool of nearly 1,000
public two-year colleges nationwide to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize.

About College of the Desert:
Established in 1958, College of the Desert (COD), located in Palm Desert, is an accredited community college serving eastern Riverside County, California. The College leads the region in providing quality, higher education, technical training and lifelong learning opportunities, in response to the dynamic needs of our diverse community. The College serves more than 15,000 students each year and is the number one source of transfer students to California State University, San Bernardino Palm Desert Campus. For more information, visit www.collegeofthedesert.edu.

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