The College of Southern Nevada has more than doubled graduation rates over the last four years, the college’s president, Dr. Federico Zaragoza, told a gathering of faculty and staff on Monday.
“Our graduation rates were 7 percent when I came here to CSN (in 2018),” Zaragoza said. “Every year since, we at the College of Southern Nevada have continued to move them higher.”
Students are also transferring to other institutions from CSN at record rates, and minority students in particular have seen incredible gains in college completion. The combined graduation and transfer rate for African American students, for example, has gone from 15 percent to 30 percent.
Zaragoza, at the traditional Convocation welcome back event, praised the college’s employees for their hard work since the COVID-19 pandemic began. He said CSN is rapidly becoming one of the top community colleges in the nation, with rising graduation rates, affordable classes, and both online and in-person choices for students from every background.
The college aims to keep the momentum going by making sure today’s high school students have opportunities to earn college credit with the development of dual credit pathways in Early College, CTE Academies, and Jump Start-Core 15 programs. “Every year almost 100 high school students graduate from CSN with associate degrees,” Zaragoza said. “This will continue to be a priority at CSN because dual enrollment helps to create college proven students who are positioned to seamlessly transition to CSN or other higher education institutions.”
Classes start at CSN on Tuesday, January 17, and registration will remain open through January 23.
Those interested can apply at www.csn.edu/apply. More than two-thirds of CSN students receive financial aid, including grants, loans and scholarships, and the college encourages all who are eligible to apply for aid. More information can be found at www.csn.edu/financial-aid.
