San Diego Business Journal

Viridiana Diaz

EDUCATION: Student Affairs VP Raises Millions for Programs

■ By JEFF CLEMETSON

Dr. Viridiana Diaz began her tenure as Vice President for Student Affairs at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) in January of this year and in her short time at CSUSM has already made a tremendous impact on student's lives.

She has demonstrated a solid commitment to removing systematic barriers for all students, and has worked across departments, programs and divisions to advance student success. She has also identified opportunities for synergetic partnerships while elevating the vital work and contributions of Student Affairs across the student life cycle.

Dr. Diaz was named by the San Diego Business Journal as the 2022 Business Woman of the Year Rising Star.

Fundraising Success

This year, Dr. Diaz has been successful in securing a variety of funding for CSUSM.

She led CSUSM through a renewal of the TRIO Student Success Services grant – a competitive $1.74 million grant over a five-year period. TRIO offers academic, personal, and professional support to first-generation, students with low-income, and/or disabled backgrounds who persist and graduate.

The Latin@ Center received a CSU Student Success Equity grant to expand on the success and impact of the Unidos: Latinx Leadership Certificate program at CSUSM as well as a $40,000 CSU STEM Vista-AmeriCorp grant to support Latinx students pursuing STEM fields.

CSUSM Associated Student, Inc. received a $39,000 Basic Needs & College Success Grant from the San Diego Foundation to support expanded services in the Cougar Pantry. The Cougar Pantry serves, on average, 600 students each year experiencing food insecurity.

Veterans Services at CSUSM renewed the Veterans to Energy Careers (VTEC) Program grant from the Office of Naval Research in the amount of $6 million over three years. This grant will help student veterans translate their military experience into sustainable energy careers through internships and professional development,

Diaz also helped secure a $50,000 grant award for Project Rebound to work with At Promise Youth. The grant will empower the formerly incarcerated and those impacted by the criminal justice system by advocating for access to higher education and offering support services.

CSUSM's College Assistance Migrant Program secured another five-year grant, providing $2.4 million over five years to serve students from migrant and seasonal farm working backgrounds. This summer, the school also received a $3.4 million Child Care Access Means Parents in School grant from the U.S. Department of Education to supplement the childcare fees for our neediest student parents with children.

And CSUSM Readiness and Success Services received a $45,000 grant to work with high school personnel to promote academic preparation and success.

Commitment to DEI in Education

Throughout her 20-year career in higher education, Dr. Diaz has exemplified a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as cross-divisional campus partnerships and community engagement.

Previously, she served at California State University, Sacramento as assistant vice president for strategic diversity initiatives, special assistant to the president, co-director for the DEGREES (Dedicated to Educating, Graduating and Retaining Educational Equity Students) program, director of the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), career counselor/coordinator and admissions and outreach counselor.

Dr. Diaz is a first-generation college student holding a bachelor's degree in communications studies, a master's degree in Latin American literature, a second master's degree in history, and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy. She is also a graduate of the UC Berkeley Executive Leadership Academy, Stanford University Executive Leadership Management Institute, and the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education.

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2022-11-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-11-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://sdbusinessjournal.pressreader.com/article/282016151337711

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