Los Medanos College has been named part of the inaugural cohort of California community colleges to receive the state’s new Black-Serving Institution designation, a milestone administrators and faculty say recognizes years of intentional work to support Black student success.
LMC is one of 30 community colleges statewide included in the first group to earn the designation, which was formally recognized through Assembly Bill 1346. The designation acknowledges colleges that enroll and support significant populations of Black and African American students through equity-focused programs, services and outcomes.
“This was the very first time anyone’s ever done this in California,” LMC President Pamela Ralston said. “It took a really long time for them to work through all the processes, and we were finally notified in December. We’re thrilled because it honors work that we’re already doing.”
Ralston said the designation sends an important message to students that they belong at LMC and that the college is designed to support their academic and personal success.
“This says to our students that we’ve hit critical mass,” she said. “Black and African American students across our community will recognize that they come to a college that is really designed to make sure everybody belongs, feels informed, gets engaged and succeeds.”
While the designation itself does not automatically come with new funding, Ralston said it creates greater accountability and intentionality in how the college uses existing equity resources, particularly funds from the state’s Student Equity and Achievement Program.
“It doesn’t magically change a light bulb and everything’s perfect,” she said. “What it does is amplify the work and puts more pressure on us to hold ourselves accountable to do a better job for Black students.”
LMC currently serves a racially and ethnically diverse student population and has long held Minority-Serving and Hispanic-Serving Institution designations. Ralston said the college is applying lessons learned from its work as an HSI to better serve Black students through culturally relevant and inclusive practices.
Ethnic Studies professor La’Cole Martin-Tatum said the BSI designation is significant because it formally recognizes the college as a space where Black students are valued.
“It’s important because it says this is a space in which Black students are seen and being heard,” Martin-Tatum said, “and a place where they can belong.”
Martin-Tatum, who teaches an introduction to Black studies course and works with the Umoja Scholars Program, said culturally responsive curriculum and student-centered programs play a critical role in student persistence and success.
“Our Umoja program is truly amazing and an example of our commitment to students,” she said.
She added that while the designation is an important milestone, there is still more work ahead.
“I think we can still do better, and I see that we are on the right track,” Martin-Tatum said, noting the need for more Black studies courses within the Ethnic Studies and history departments.
Programs that support Black students at LMC include the Umoja Scholars Program, Brothers of Excellence and the Black Student Success Initiative, alongside a Black faculty and staff group that meets monthly to foster community and support across campus.
College leaders say the Black-Serving Institution designation formalizes the college’s responsibility to intentionally support Black student persistence, completion and transfer.
