Cerritos College hosted its 19th annual Transfer Ceremony for the Scholars Honors Program.

The event was held on Wednesday, April 27 at the Student Center.

More than 30 students graduated the event.

Kimberly Rios, business administration major expressed, “It is a really rewarding experience and I really enjoyed having been in the program and completed it.”

“There are so many benefits to the Scholars Honors Program whether it is priority registration, a helpful network, or the wonderful professors that you meet in the program and also the experience to be able to say that you were in the Honors Program is just so rewarding.”

Rios was accepted to Cal State Long Beach, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Berkeley Hall School of Business.

Matthew Botello, English major, is also a graduate from the honors program. He stated, “I just wanted to say I am extremely blessed and thankful to have been able to graduate from the honors program.

“I am grateful that these opportunities are in place for us students. We all want to work hard and be successful and it is programs like these that gives us guidance and direction, we need as students to be able to strive to achieve our goals.”

Botello was accepted to Cal State Long Beach, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, and UC Berkeley.

He adds, “I owe much of my success to SHP.”

In order to qualify, students need a minimum 3.0 GPA and place into English 100 and Math 80. Students can apply, as long as they have met the requirements, and have not taken English 103 yet.

Timothy J. Juntilla, Director of Scholars’ Honors Program states, “If students are serious about joining the SHP, they should start taking honors classes during their 1st semester at Cerritos College.

“Honors courses are open to all students. If a student does not meet the minimum requirements to join the SHP, but will eventually meet them in the near future, then he/she should register for an honors course and try it out. See the requirements posted on the website.”

Anyone with questions should contact Professor Timothy Juntilla in the Fine Arts Department. If incoming freshman place into English 52, Botello states, “I recommend they contact Ms. Rosa Carrillo from Puente Program or Ms. Chelena Fischer and Ms. Shelia Hill from UMOJA because they help transition students into the honors program.

According to the program for the ceremony, “Today, over 150 students are enrolled in the SHP and 30-40 students complete the program and transfer to their respective universities each year.

“SHP students continue to have the highest admission rates to UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UCLA, and USC.”