California State University, Northridge has been recognized as a CollegeNET Social Mobility Innovator for its groundbreaking programs that foster social mobility.

CollegeNET’s Social Mobility Index ranks four-year U.S. colleges and universities according to how effectively they enroll students from low-income backgrounds and help them graduate into promising careers.

CSUN was named a Social Mobility Innovator due to its supportive culture that helps build resiliency in students facing significant obstacles to academic success. CollegeNET cited CSUN’s Educational Opportunity Programs, which provide critical access and retention services — including transition support, academic support and financial support — to historically low-income, educationally disadvantaged, first-generation college students.

The university also received praise for its faculty mentoring program, which trains mentors who help students overcome barriers they’ve experienced before college matriculation.

“CSUN champions diversity and inclusion across the university, and we continually work to ensure access to life-changing educational opportunities for all students,” said CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison. “Faculty and staff are providing the critical support that helps students succeed and realize brighter futures for their families, their communities and the entire region.”

Coming in at No. 13 nationally in the 2017 rankings, CSUN has ranked among the top 20 schools on CollegeNET’s Social Mobility Index in three of the past four years. Nearly 40 percent of CSUN undergraduates are the first members of their family to attend college. More than 50 percent of CSUN students receive need-based financial grants.

“CSUN faculty, staff and alumni, and our community partners work hard to ensure our students have the resources they need to achieve their degree objectives, move into productive careers, and enjoy the new life possibilities that accompany those outcomes,” said Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students William Watkins. “We will continue to do this important work as we strive to make a difference in the lives of our students and the communities from which they come.”