Institutional mission statements are public declarations of the campuses purpose, why it is important, and its core vision of excellence. Several professionals in higher education use their area of expertise to help ensure that the institution mission, as well as their own specialized department mission, is actualized. Asking students and faculty if they feel the mission statement is being portrayed accurately, will help foster the integrity and success of the institution, its departments, and its students. Consequently, I conducted interviews with two individuals who are Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) students and participants of CalWORKs, and a counselor from the CalWORKs department. Several similarities of opinion between the interviewees were apparent in the interview.
LAVC’s mission states that it serves as a leader in student success, with pathways for certificates degrees, transfer, and continuing education. The mission goes on to state that the campus has a diverse community and enables students to
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John states the campus has offered him resources he was unaware of before and wish he had known of sooner to avoid certain undesirable outcomes. John shares that he was homeless for seven months and had food insecurities, and this was affecting his studies. He eventually spoke with a professor about his grades, and the professor had referred him to visit the CalWORKs office and ask about a program called Helping Hands. John then opened a file and was supported by a counselor to figure out living situations. He was provided with food, school supplies, and other vital materials to help foster his academic and personal development. John now has found a place to live and a job, and regularly visits the pantry room. He believes Helping Hands helped him continue towards obtaining his educational goals, a future he, at one point, thought to be