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Santa Monica College (SMC)—a longstanding Hispanic-Serving Institution—has also become a designated California Black-Serving Institution. The state’s Governing Board for Black-Serving Institutions named SMC among 31 higher education institutions throughout California to receive the designation— including the University of California Berkeley, CSU Northridge, Long Beach City College, Bakersfield College, and Loyola Marymount University,to name just a few.
SMC has maintained a streak as the No.1 transfer collegeto the University of California (UC) system for 35 straight years—and the record includes transferring more African American and Latinx transfers to the UC than any other California Community College.
Following the implementation of SB 1348, the first-of-its-kind designation was created to recognize institutions that demonstrate strong academic resources, tailored support systems, and significant progress in advancing the success of Black students. An official notification to SMC stated that the designation “[recognized SMC’s] leadership and longstanding commitment to advancing Black student success, equity, and belonging within higher education. . . [and] helped to shape a more just and responsive educational landscape for Black students across California . . .”
The initial designation is valid for five years. In the last academic year, 2024-2025, Santa Monica College enrolled 3,334 Black/African American students. For a university to gain the designation, SB 1348 states it must have at least 10% of enrolled students identifying as Black and African American or have at enrolled at least 1,500 Black and African American students.
“This year during Black History Month, Santa Monica College is particularly proud to celebrate being designated a Black-Serving Institution,” said SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery. “And we celebrate the great work that resulted in this recognition, most notably through SMC’s Black Collegians Program Umoja Community, a recognized pioneer statewide. We look forward to intensifying College efforts toward closing equity gaps, to ensure that Black students—and, indeed, all racially minoritized students—can thrive and succeed.”
The Black Collegians Program/Umoja Community at SMC was established over three decades ago to assist students of African descent in transferring to four-year universities and/or obtaining their Associate degree. It offers a comprehensive array of services including academic and career counseling, priority registration, a dedicated therapist to support mental wellbeing, community-building and networking opportunities especially through a student-run Black Collegians Club, workshops, book vouchers, access to a mentorship program offered in collaboration with the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, field trips, and much more.
Other programs and initiatives at the college—such as the Men of Color Action Network, the Student Equity Center, and the Pan African Alliance—form part of the vast network of support that assist in creating a sense of belonging, celebrating cultural and intersectional identities, and mitigating the challenges Black students face in their higher education journey.
“I am excited about this designation to expand the support to our Black student population,” said SMC Black Collegians Program LeaderSherri Bradford. “They deserve all that we can provide in terms of love and intentional services for them to be successful personally and academically.”
In addition to Black Collegians Program Umoja Community, many Black students enrolled at SMC also participate in a number of other special programs at the College including The SMC Law Pathway Program, Veterans’ Success Center, Scholars (Honors Program), Guardian Scholars, the DREAM Program, EOPS/CARE, and many more. For more information on SMC’s Black Collegians Program Umoja Community visit smc.edu/BlackCollegians.
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