LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE WINS NATIONAL AWARD FOR ADVANCING INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY AND BELONGING

LBCC Receives Prestigious American Association of Community Colleges Award of Excellence

/EIN News/ -- Nashville, Tennessee, April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Long Beach City College (LBCC) was named the national winner of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Award of Excellence in the category of Advancing Institutional Equity and Belonging. This distinguished honor was presented at the AACC’s annual national conference in Nashville and recognizes LBCC’s trailblazing efforts to embed equity, belonging, and inclusion throughout its campus culture and operations.

“This distinguishing accolade is a testament to the incredible dedication of our entire LBCC campus community,” said Uduak-Joe Ntuk, LBCC Board of Trustees President. “Our faculty, staff, and administrators have been intentional in transforming our college into a space where every student and employee feels seen, heard, and supported. LBCC is now recognized across the nation leader for what can be achieved when you center equity and belonging at the heart of everything you do.”

LBCC Superintendent-President Dr. Mike Muñoz accepted the award on behalf of the College on April 15 in Nashville, Tennessee.

“We are deeply honored to receive this national recognition from the AACC,” said Dr. Muñoz. “At Long Beach City College, equity is not just a commitment—it is a daily practice. This award affirms the extraordinary work of our employees and reflects the transformative change that happens when you build a culture where students know they matter and belong.”

Under Dr. Muñoz’s leadership, LBCC has experienced historic outcomes in student success and institutional culture, including:

• A 43-point increase in student-reported mattering and belonging, rising from 49% to 92% in just two years.
• Achieving the highest enrollment in the college’s nearly 100-year history.
• Increasing the three-year completion rate by 50%, helping more students earn degrees, certificates, or transfer.
• Closing racial equity gaps in first-year completion of transfer-level math and English, especially for Black and Latina/o/x students.
• Increasing basic needs access by expanding food, housing, and mental health support, including California’s first Safe Parking program for housing-insecure students.

As a Hispanic-Serving Institution with significant Black/African American, Asian Pacific Islander Desi, and LGBTQIA+ student populations, LBCC has also launched and strengthened several equity-centered initiatives, including:

• Establishing a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Public Art Advisory Group to ensure campus art reflects student identities and cultures.
• Expanding Cultural Heritage Month celebrations with film screenings, speaker series, career panels, and arts activities across multiple communities.
• Reinvigorating employee resource groups such as the Black Faculty & Staff Association and COLEGAS, while launching new spaces for LGBTQIA+, Disabled, and Asian Pacific Islander Desi employees.
• Creating an Equitable Teaching Community that trains faculty to implement inclusive practices that support diverse learners in the classroom.
• Partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach to offer an on-campus afterschool program that provides child care support for student-parents while helping K-12 youth thrive.

“These results are not coincidental—they are the result of courageous, intentional leadership,” said Dr. Muñoz. “We believe that student success and racial equity must be intertwined, and this award validates that belief.”

# # #

About Long Beach City College

Long Beach City College consists of two campuses with an enrollment of more than 35,000 students each semester. The education program’s primary purpose is to prepare students for transfer to baccalaureate-granting institutions, entry into work or career development, and to support businesses in economic development. Long Beach City College serves the cities of Avalon, Lakewood, Long Beach, and Signal Hill. Long Beach City College promotes equitable student learning and achievement, academic excellence, and workforce development by delivering high-quality educational programs and support services to our diverse communities. Visit www.LBCC.edu for more information on Long Beach City College.

Stacey Toda
                    Long Beach City College
                    5629384004
                    stoda@lbcc.edu