Happy Birthday Citrus College! Our college turns 100 years old this school year, and students and faculty, past and present, have shaped our 100-year history and have all played an essential role in making our school into the institution that we know and love today. We are all apart of a historic landmark year.
And along with those immediately involved with life on campus, Citrus College would not be able to exist today without the continued support from the surrounding community, that has housed our institution with pride and love from the very beginning, and for the entire past century.
This celebration is as much of a celebration of our age as to the city that Citrus calls home and to its generosity that has kept us a thriving institution. While Citrus College may at times feel like it’s own little community for those within, we would be nothing without the cities of Glendora and Azusa.
In our 100 years of existence, our institution has grown and strived exponentially. Citrus College’s modest beginnings featured only 27 students enrolled in 1915. Fast-forward 100 years and that number has doubled many times over, with over 15,000 students enrolled today.
Citrus College was founded by educator Floyd Hayden and first opened its doors in 1915, making our institution the fifth oldest community college in California.
Along with being one of the oldest community colleges in the state, as well as the country, we are also the second oldest in Los Angeles county.
Our school made it’s home on 104 acres nestled in the hills of the beautiful city of Glendora, back when a majority of the Southland was laced in orange groves (hence our school’s appropriate name).
The first graduating class featured 7 graduates. This year’s commencement ceremony will feature hundreds of students crossing the stage, with many more preparing to transfer to 4- year schools.
And as if graduating from college isn’t cool enough, to achieve that goal on their colleges most important birthday to date is quite a special honor.
Whether you are graduating this term from our school or looking at being with us for a few more years or semesters, you are still important and help make our college go round, and especially this year everyone contributed to the most impressive anniversary this college has ever had.
Just as important as current students, are our past students. Citrus College has released 1,000’s of college graduates into the world over it’s 100 year history, with many more transferring from our school onto other institutions to graduate.
Many view community college a stepping stool to bigger achievements, and it truly is. And no one can ever forget those that were with you from the very beginning and helped open the doors to get you on the path you were meant to be on and thrive.
Citrus College has been serving as this stepping stool for the past 100 years, and it’s greatest accomplishments are the students that have used this stepping stool to its fullest potential.
And students come back to show their appreciation for the college that gave them their start all the time, to show their children their old school and swap old tales. And especially this momentous year, alumni have come back to take part in the celebration that they just as equally deserve.
Citrus College has been celebrating this entire school year in preparation for such a momentous birthday, with a birthday celebration party that took place on June 5th in the school’s quad.
Students current and past can all say that Citrus College has changed their lives for the better, and that we all owe this institution in some way for creating our futures. However, it is the College that is saying the big THANK YOU, to those who shaped it for the 100 years of its existence.
