APTOS, CA – The Santa Cruz County College Commitment, a countywide collaborative comprised of public education institutions including all K-12 School Districts, Cabrillo College, CSU Monterey Bay, San Jose State University (SJSU) and the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) today announces it has appointed Ray Kaupp Executive Director.
Kaupp, who most recently served as the Director of Workforce Development at Cabrillo College, was also a member of the Santa Cruz County College Commitment Steering Committee, where he was responsible for many of its initiatives.
“In just nine months since its launch, the Santa Cruz County College Commitment has worked together to achieve major milestones, including a countywide Board of Trustees meeting, collaboration between area high school counselors, a meeting of all local high school principals, convening math and English faculties between the high school and college levels, and the first annual Samper S4C Fourth Grade Experience,” said Brian King, President of Cabrillo College. “The group acknowledged the need for infrastructure to take the organization to the next level and to ensure long-term sustainability. We are fortunate to have Ray Kaupp’s vision and leadership as Executive Director.”
The Santa Cruz County College Commitment, a historic partnership of public, K-12 and higher education institutions, was formed with the goal of increasing the college readiness and success of every student in Santa Cruz County.
As part of its participation in the Santa Cruz County College Commitment, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education contributed a $50,000 grant to aid the collaborative in building a sustainable infrastructure that would enable the organization to execute key initiatives and to pursue additional outside funding.
“We are honored to be part of the Santa Cruz County College Commitment, and we view our investment in the organization as an investment in the success of our county’s students,” said Michael Watkins, Superintendent, Santa Cruz County Office of Education. “We are pleased that Ray Kaupp has accepted the position of Executive Director and we look forward to achieving many more successes under his leadership.”
As part of the Santa Cruz County College Commitment, the participating educational organizations have committed to:
- Provide information, services and resources to help Santa Cruz County students and their families prepare for college.
- Deliver a K-12 academic program with rigor and support for admission to postsecondary education.
- Help students successfully transition to and succeed in college, or on a career pathway.
- Reduce or eliminate financial barriers so that every student can afford a quality, post- secondary education.
- Work together to deliver these commitments for the young people, families, and employers of Santa Cruz County.
“As a member of the Santa Cruz County College Commitment Steering Committee, having Ray Kaupp’s involvement has resulted in immediate progress on a number of key initiatives,” said Gary Bloom, Superintendent, Santa Cruz City Schools. “This level of collaboration among K-12 schools countywide and our local colleges is unprecedented, and in years to come, the work of the collaborative will result in better prepared high school graduates and more successful college students.”
Ray Kaupp has been with Cabrillo College since 2005, initially as a business instructor and most recently as Director of Workforce Development. Prior to joining Cabrillo, he spent more than 20 years in the technology industry, with 10 years at the VP level and above. His private sector career included more than five years at Apple Computer, followed by roles in a number of startup companies that resulted in private acquisitions and a successful initial public offering. Kaupp also served as board chair at SeniorNet, a nonprofit educational organization that teaches older adults computer and Internet skills.
A product of California's public school system, Kaupp attended Mesa Community College, then transferred to San Diego State University, where he earned a B.S. in Business Administration. He also has an MBA from the University of California at Berkeley, and an Ed.D. from San Francisco State University.
“My experiences as a Cabrillo College instructor and as the Director of Workforce Development have given me an unwavering commitment to student success,” said Ray Kaupp, Executive Director, Santa Cruz County College Commitment. “In this new role, I look forward to working with members of the S4C collaborative, to not only increase the college- going rates in Santa Cruz County, but also to prepare students for greater success in the pathway of their choosing, be it college or the workforce.”