PCC-USC Partnership Reinvents the American Dream for the 21st Century

Over the past decade, Pasadena City College (PCC) has transferred over 1,000 students to USC.  This represents a significant shift in the transfer patterns of our students.  PCC is in the top 10 community colleges in California and in the top 100 in the United States for degrees awarded and transfers.

Traditionally, most of our students have transferred to the California State University and the University of California.  Today, a growing number of our students are transferring to the top private universities, with USC their number one destination.

It may at first seem incongruent that a large public community college of 37,000 students like PCC teams up with USC, one of the elite global private research universities in the world.  Admission to USC is extremely competitive and the empowerments that comes with a USC education and degree is a privilege granted to a relative few.  For its part, PCC founded 90 years ago was an early innovator of a uniquely American idea:  the public open admissions community college where every person regardless of means has the opportunity for a quality higher education.  So what’s the connection between these colleges?

It is our fervent commitment to working together to reimagine the American Dream for any and all students, regardless of their personal circumstance.  The 21st-century version of the American Dream is less about achieving a material success won by a self-made person than it is the fulfilling of one’s human potential for making a meaningful contribution to a global society.  USC and PCC are working together closely toward this common goal-to create universal access to the very best college education in the world.

Dr. Mark Rocha, Superintendent-President, Pasadena City College

USC, Class of 1988; Member, Board of Councilors, USC Rossier School of Education

Reprinted, Higher Education Journal, USC Rossier School of Education