About the Project

Project VITAL enhances California Lutheran University designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by increasing the ability of staff and faculty to ensure that students from underrepresented populations are rightly served and feel fully welcomed on campus.

Why Project VITAL?

Project VITAL aligns with Cal Lutheran’s DEIJ Strategic Plan to promote a campus culture that engages members from various departments in shared DEIJ concepts and practices to promote servingness in practice.

Project Overview

Project VITAL has three main goals with focus on the success of Hispanic and low-income students and to create institutional change.

Project Goals

Goal 1

Develop an advising program grounded in DEIJ principles that connects academic programs to meaningful university-sponsored employment opportunities

Goal 2

Provide a robust peer mentoring program, financial literacy support, and flexible online learning options.

Goal 3

Establish an endowment that will contribute to institutionalization of university-sponsored employment.

Project Activities

1. Provide workshops for faculty to develop advising that leads to discernment of vocation and purpose.
2. Expand internship opportunities and embed internships into the academic curriculum and graduation requirements.
3. Establish the Focus Mentorship program to pair Hispanic and low-income students with faculty and staff mentors to support students as a member of the University community, with a clear sense of identity and purpose.
4. Train supervisors of student workers in providing meaningful work that will allow students to explore vocation and career interests.
5. Revitalize peer advising program to help first-year students achieve a sense of belonging on campus and learn resources available to them.
6. Redesign courses for online instruction for post-traditional students.
7. Provide financial literacy workshops and online financial literacy service with a goal supporting Hispanic and first-generation/low income students.