The College of Alameda's mission is to meet the educational needs of its multicultural and diverse community by providing excellent comprehensive and flexible programs including basic skills, transfer, and occupational, which will enable each student to achieve his/her own unique goals. The College is California's only island-based community college and it offers both park-like tranquility and easy access to urban resources. Having served almost half a million day, evening and weekend students since its 1970 founding, College of Alameda enjoys a well-deserved reputation for excellence in its academic, vocational, and student support programs. The College of Alameda is proud of its strong ties to the City of Alameda and is recognized for its strong partnerships with the local business community. Laney College, in the heart of vibrant, multicultural downtown Oakland, features the cosmopolitan atmosphere and human energy of a big-city university. Since 1948, Laney has provided educational opportunities to students throughout the East Bay and beyond. Serving approximately 14,000 students each semester, Laney reflects the incredible diversity of the community that surrounds it and provides opportunities to traditionally underserved populations. The school boasts a proven track record of success with exceptional educational programs. Merritt College is a public, comprehensive, two-year college, maintained by the Peralta Community College District in Alameda County. With a comprehensive day and evening program of transfer, technical, occupational and basic skills education, the College is committed to meeting the educational needs of the diverse student population it serves. Berkeley City College is just blocks from the University of California - Berkeley. The energetic new urban campus stands on the cutting edge of community college education. University preparation and occupational training classes form the core of the Berkeley City College curriculum, which also features model programs in fields as diverse as American Sign Language, Biotechnology, and Multimedia.