UC Santa Cruz announces the 2024 UCSC Alumni Awards recipients, recognizing outstanding alumni who have made significant contributions to society, the university, and their respective fields. This year’s honorees include Compton’s very own Keith Curry, who will be celebrated for his remarkable achievements at a special ceremony on October 25, 2024.

Dr. Keith Curry (Oakes ‘99), president of Compton College, will receive the Alumni Achievement Award. He will be honored for his leadership in higher education and dedication to improving access and equity for underserved communities. Dr. Curry’s trailblazing work has earned him national recognition and numerous accolades.

Dr. Curry went from being the Ball Boy for the Compton Community College Football Team to being the President/CEO of Compton College and Compton Community College District. He is from Compton, California, and is an energetic administrator and innovative educator. Dr. Curry has been recognized locally, statewide, and nationally for his focus on student success.

Dr. Curry is the President/CEO of Compton College and Compton Community College District (CCCD). He oversees all departments and functions of Compton College and Compton District and serves as secretary for the CCCD Board of Trustees. He brings abundant energy and innovative ideas to Compton College and a wealth of experience as a postsecondary education administrator.

Under his leadership, many existing student services programs have been expanded, and others have been created, including the First Year Experience (FYE) program and the Tartar Support program established in 2017 to offer a food pantry and other support for students facing food and housing insecurities. In addition, the Formerly Incarcerated Students in Transition (F.I.S.T.) program was established in the fall of 2016 and was honored with the prestigious Dr. John W. Rice Diversity & Equity Awards for Advancing Social Mobility by the Foundation for California Community Colleges just one year later.

Before becoming the permanent CEO, Dr. Curry served as the interim CEO of the Compton Community College District for two years and as the El Camino College Compton Center dean of student services from March 2006 to June 2011. Before joining the district, Dr. Curry worked at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), as director of the Early Academic Outreach Program. While there, he was instrumental in re-establishing a partnership between local school districts, including Compton Unified School District and UCI.

For more
information about the event and to register, please visit the UCSC Alumni website at
https://alumni.ucsc.edu/events-programs/awards/.