Continuing Ed.’s IMPACT Honored with Exemplary Program Award

February 03, 2022 - 03:55 PM

IMPACT, a program with Mt. SAC’s School of Continuing Education, has been selected as one of only two programs in the state to win this year’s California Community Colleges Board of Governors’ Exemplary Program Award.

The Adults with Disabilities IMPACT Program offers specialized courses promoting the development of self-determination, college and career readiness, and independent living skills among adults with disabilities.

The program has seen a nearly ten-fold increase in growth since its founding.

Director of the program, Sage Overoye, credits the staff and faculty for making the program exceptional.

“We take great pride in the service we provide for students who otherwise are left with little options after high school,” IMPACT Professor Briseida Ramirez said.

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors established the Exemplary Program Awards in 1991 to recognize outstanding community college programs. Meanwhile, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) selects annual themes related to the award’s traditions and statewide trends. The theme of this year’s awards: Addressing Inequity in a Time of Crisis. The second recipient of the award this year was De Anza College for its Guided Pathways Initiative.

“De Anza College and Mt. San Antonio College’s School of Continuing Education defined leadership during a time of unique and profound challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dolores Davison, president of the ASCCC. They were not “afraid to design transformative curriculum and capitalize on the transition to online platforms.”

Find out more about IMPACT at their website.

Photos courtesy of the IMPACT Program