San Diego Mesa College made history on August 25 when it opened its doors to 32 freshmen who will have the opportunity to complete an entire four-year degree program in Health Information Management.
Mesa is the first of 15 community colleges in California to launch a bachelor’s degree program as part of California’s baccalaureate pilot program. The Health Information Management degree builds on Mesa’s current two-year Health Information Technology associate degree.
Sen. Marty Block, a former president of the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees authored Senate Bill 850, which authorized the baccalaureate pilot program. SDCCD Chancellor Constance M. Carroll chaired the statewide coalition that built overwhelming support for the bill, which was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in September 2014.
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new program, Mesa College President Pamela Luster told the program’s students, “This is a point in history. You are the first class who will have access to this bachelor’s degree.”
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