Lori Varlotta is passionate about helping students develop not only in their academic careers, but their social and civic leadership skills. As the new vice president for Student Affairs, she will have a key role in the services provided for students at Sacramento State.

&I want graduates to be able to look back on their college lives and perceive it as being a very full experience,& Varlotta said.

&I hope they make choices deliberately, they access programs and services that are available and take advantage of some of our cultural events. These are the experiences that shape us and I hope their college experience is filled with all kinds of opportunities.&

Varlotta was named to the position after 18 months of working as the assistant to Vice President of Student Affairs Shirley Uplinger, who has retired. A nationwide search was launched to find Uplinger&s replacement.

The office is responsible for on-campus housing, student advising, student government, admissions, career services, intramural events and numerous other services available to students.

Born on the east coast, Varlotta has lived in many parts of the country, following her job opportunities. Her most recent move came from the University of Wisconsin, where she was dean of student life.

&I love higher education in California,& Varlotta said. &I deliberately targeted the Cal State system in my job quest because I value the diversity and access.&

As the first person in her family to go to college, Varlotta sees her life experience as a great attribute in her current job.

&I felt like an outsider in the higher education system,& Varlotta said. &I learned by trial and error, by making mistakes to navigate this complicated system. The thing that best prepared me for this job really was my own ignorance.

&I can&t take for granted that those first generation college students, or their parents, understand our language or our system. So, to speak in simple but accurate terms and have the type of personality that welcomes all people to our campus is very important.&

Varlotta said she feels fortunate to have a tremendous team behind her and that they are all moving in the same direction with Destination 2010. She explained that each department would choose how to best improve their own departments to achieve the goals of Destination 2010.

One of her primary goals in leading her team is to help everyone remember that students come first.

&We have to keep that philosophy alive!& Varlotta said. &We are here to help students in every dimension of their lives: social, career development, communication skills and civic leadership skills. It&s essential for happy, productive, engaged citizens.&

Students need to utilize their classroom learning with practical application, Varlotta said, and the university prides itself on the opportunities for internships and co-operative education that she hopes many students will participate in.