Historic $100-million gift will help California community college students most in need

The California Community Colleges system announced Tuesday that it has received the largest ever gift to such institutions in the nation — $100 million — to help more students complete degrees, transfer to universities and support their basic living expenses.

The gift from the Jay Pritzker Foundation is described by college officials as a recognition of the role community colleges play in educating Californians and preparing them for the workforce. It also addresses the shortcomings of a system that is struggling in many regions to adequately and equitably address the higher education needs of some of the state’s poorest students.