For Immediate Release
February 25, 2022

Suffolk Top Regional Two-Year College for Hispanic Students, First Among SUNY Institutions

Suffolk County Community College  has been named one of the nation’s “Top 10 2-Year Schools by Region 2019-2020” and is the top SUNY institution for Hispanic students in rankings released by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine.

The magazine said community college students “are frequently first-generation learners, full or part-time workers, single parents and minorities – with the best opportunities for improving their skills and moving forward in their careers.”

The rankings are based on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), and data from all 50 states.

Suffolk County Community College fosters an environment that honors, respects, and embraces students of all backgrounds,” said Suffolk County Community College President Dr. Edward Bonahue. “I am proud of the diversity of our student body and we will continue to welcome every student. Whether families have just arrived in Suffolk County, or are first- or second-generation residents, the college provides our community’s best and easiest pathway to English language instruction, workforce training, or traditional college classes.”

“Latinx/Hispanic students serve as important role models and leaders throughout the college, for example, within student government, clubs and organizations, as peer mentors and orientation leaders.  As a newly designated Hispanic Serving Institution, Suffolk is committed to ensuring Latinx student success and achieving goals, while creating inclusive and meaningful opportunities to see themselves reflected within our learning environment,” said Christina Vargas, Suffolk County Community College chief diversity officer. 

The top four community colleges granting Associate degrees to Hispanic/Latino students in the Northeastern region are:

• CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
• CUNY LaGuardia Community College
• CUNY Bronx Community College
• Suffolk County Community College

Hispanic-Serving Institutions are defined as non-profit institutions of higher learning that have a full-time undergraduate population that is at least 25% Hispanic.

The number of Hispanic students enrolled in college nationally between fall 2009 and fall 2019 rose by 48 percent from 2.4 million to 3.5 million students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.