Welcome to Success and Inclusion for Graduate & Undergraduate Academic Excellence (SIGUE), a department within the Division of Academic Affairs. Our faculty and staff carefully and intentionally selected this name, SIGUE, because it means to continue – to proceed without pause – in Spanish, and we are dedicated to supporting our campus community and students seguir adelante (move ahead) to reach their goals. In SIGUE we have an unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility so that students can reach their goals.
Nearly 60% of our student body consists of Latinx students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend university. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), our department works to empower students by encouraging practices that are fundamental to their development and integral to our university mission. This designation and CSUCI’s achievement as a twice-certified Seal of Excelencia institution demonstrates our focus on student success for all historically marginalized students.* Our initiatives aim to remove obstacles that prevent Latinx and all historically marginalized students from graduating on time. Using asset-based and cultural wealth perspectives, SIGUE collaborates with CSUCI faculty and staff to enhance and amplify the concept of serving, not just enrolling, our students.**
Higher education is a powerful catalyst for personal and societal growth, igniting transformation in the lives of individuals and the families and communities they belong to. Education equips students with the tools to navigate complex challenges and make informed decisions. SIGUE provides students with opportunities for hands-on experiences that cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving and real-world application of knowledge such as undergraduate research, service-learning, internships, peer education, learning communities and collaborative projects. Through these immersive opportunities, students not only deepen their understanding of academic concepts but also develop a profound sense of social responsibility. As they engage in projects that address societal challenges, they not only grow as individuals but also contribute tangibly to the betterment of their communities, ultimately embodying the true spirit of higher education’s transformative potential.
Siempre Adelante.
Jessica Lavariega Monforti, Ph.D.
Vice Provost
* Historically marginalized students are those who identify as Latinx, Black/African American, Pacific Islander, American Indian, Alaska Native or any combination of these identities. Latinx is a gender-inclusive term used to describe people of all genders that are of Latina/o descent.
** Servingness is a concept that Garcia, Núñez, and Sansone (2019) argue is a multidimensional and conceptual way to understand what it means to move from simply enrolling Latinx students to actually serving them.