Graduating with Purpose: How CCDC Tracks and Supports Women to Succeed

CCDC tracks student outcomes closely, revealing a dramatic rise in women’s graduation rates. As shown above, the percentage of Cordillera Career Development College (CCDC) graduates who are female jumped from 45.22% in 2021 to 63.50% in 2022, and climbed further to 65% in 2023.  In 2024, 81% of the graduates are women, numbering 354 of 437. This data-driven approach – collecting and analyzing student performance by gender – allows the college to celebrate successes and pinpoint where more support is needed. By measuring women’s graduation rates in various programs, CCDC ensures its gender equality initiatives are on track and making a difference. For instance, in STEM courses, 100% of CCDC’s graduates were women in 2022, up from 88% in 2021. Likewise, female graduates in the arts and social sciences rose from 33.33% in 2021 to 60.11% in 2022, indicating progress toward gender balance across disciplines.

Tracking Progress: Measuring Women’s Graduation Rates

CCDC has a system in place to measure and track women’s graduation rates through diligent gender-disaggregated data collection. The college systematically gathers data on enrollment and graduation, broken down by gender, to monitor how female students are faring. This tracking isn’t just for show – it drives action. Administrators regularly review these metrics to identify trends and gaps. Such detailed tracking helps CCDC gauge the impact of its programs and ensure that women are not only enrolling but also successfully completing their degrees. It also allows the school to spotlight areas where women excel and where additional support might be needed, guiding continuous improvement in gender equity efforts.

Support Services to Help Women Succeed

A key factor behind the rising graduation rates is CCDC’s robust student support services designed to help women thrive academically and personally. The college offers counseling and mentoring programs, which female students readily utilize – in 2021, 73.22% of students who accessed mentoring and counseling were women, and this remained high at 57.47% in 2022. in 2024, women in talk therapy sessions numbered 42 of 64 total clients or 66%. This shows that women at CCDC are actively seeking support to excel in their studies. Such willingness to ask for help is encouraged by a campus culture that makes support accessible and stigma-free. “We have noted that more [female] students are now more comfortable and open when it comes to seeking help and recognizing the signs of anxiety and depression,” shares Michelle Palongdias, CCDC’s Student Development Officer. Whether they need academic guidance, mental health counseling, or career advice, women know there are dedicated resources to back them up. These services help students overcome challenges that might otherwise hinder them from finishing their degree.

Financial support is another crucial service. CCDC provides scholarships and financial aid, with women consistently receiving more than half of all scholarships in recent years. This commitment ensures that financial barriers do not derail women’s education. Many female students are also the first in their families to attend college, so CCDC pays special attention to first-generation women students. In 2022, 55.10% of CCDC’s female freshmen were first-generation college students (81 out of 147 new female students) – pioneers breaking new ground for their families. By 2023, the share of first-generation women among new enrollees grew even further, with roughly 64.5% of new female students being first in their family to pursue higher education. The college’s mentoring, counseling, and financial aid programs are especially beneficial for these trailblazers, offering guidance and encouragement so they can stay on track and graduate.

Expanding Access and Breaking Barriers

From admissions to graduation, CCDC works to expand access for women and break down barriers that might impede their success. The college follows an Open Admission Policy that ensures all qualified applicants – regardless of gender – are given a chance to enroll. This inclusive approach means women are welcomed into every program from day one. Once enrolled, female students find opportunities to advance through scholarships, as noted above, and through proactive outreach. CCDC conducts career guidance sessions in local high schools, encouraging young women to pursue fields where they have been underrepresented, like criminology and technology. By showing girls that they have a place in such programs, the college challenges traditional gender roles and inspires more women to follow non-traditional career paths.

Safe and Inclusive Campus Policies

CCDC understands that women’s success isn’t just about academics and finances – it’s also about feeling safe and included on campus. The college has put strong policies in place to maintain a harassment-free, gender-inclusive environment. Annabelle B. Gondales, CCDC’s Vice President for Administration, notes that the school has strengthened its reporting systems for harassment cases, protecting the privacy and interests of those who report incidents. This improved system encourages students to trust that if they speak up about issues like sexual harassment or violence, the college will respond effectively and protect them. CCDC’s Student Handbook explicitly emphasizes protection from all forms of gender-based violence, abuse, and discrimination, reflecting the institution’s commitment to zero tolerance for harassment. Every student, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, is ensured a learning environment free from intimidation.

Conclusion: Women Graduating with Purpose

All these initiatives – rigorous data tracking, targeted support services, expanded opportunities, and safe campus policies – work together to help CCDC’s women students succeed and graduate. The impact is evident in the numbers: women have gone from less than half of graduates to nearly two-thirds of graduates in just a couple of years. But beyond the statistics are countless individual stories of female students achieving their dreams. Each percentage point increase represents more lives changed – more mothers, daughters, and sisters earning their degrees and graduating with purpose. CCDC’s comprehensive approach shows that when a college truly commits to women’s empowerment – by measuring progress, providing support, and creating an inclusive environment – it can dramatically boost women’s graduation rates. At CCDC, women are not only earning diplomas in greater numbers than ever before; they are stepping into the world as confident graduates ready to lead and inspire the next generation.

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