Name: Anna Lopez
Class of: 2006
Major: Biological Sciences
Her Campus at Cal Lutheran: Why did you decide to attend CLU?
Anna Lopez: My parents, who immigrated from Mexico, didn’t have the luxury of going to college, but they held the expectation that my brothers and I would. I, as well as my family, benefitted greatly from the TRIO Program, Upward Bound, at Cal Lutheran. While in Upward Bound, I was able to get a college experience during the one-month residential component. We lived in Mt. Clef, and took academic enrichment classes. When it came time to choose between schools I had been accepted to Cal Lutheran, which was one of my top two choices, the other was the University of San Diego. Even though I lived on campus, it was comforting to know it was close to home. The campus is beautiful, and I knew I’d receive high-quality education, especially with the small teacher-to-student ratios. A plus was that my cousin and some of my Upward Bound friends also chose Cal Lutheran, and a couple of years later, so did one of my brothers, so I was surrounded by family. I’m extremely happy with my decision.
HCCLU: How was CLU before, compared to how you see it now?
AL: The campus is still as wonderful as I remember it, but there definitely has been a lot of positive growth. It has been exciting to see the sports center, stadium, Trinity Hall, Swenson, the new cafeteria, and the Student Union pop up. No matter how much it’s changed. Every time I drive by or step on campus, it still feels like home.
HCCLU: What were you involved in?
AL: I benefited from the services offered by Student Support Services and Multicultural Programs. I was part of ASCLUG; The Purple Pit, a school spirit club that my brother founded; the Latin American Student Organization (LASO); and the Rotaract Club. I also participated in the Clinical Care Extender Internship, now called the Health Scholar Program, at St. John’s Hospital in Oxnard for a year and a half.
HCCLU: What was your dream job when you were an undergraduate? Did you accomplish it? What are you doing now?
AL: My dream job was to become a physician to practice obstetrics and gynecology. After graduating, I wanted to gain experience with Planned Parenthood before applying for medical school. I joined our local affiliate as a Community Health Educator, and fell in love with the work. My dreams shifted. I’ve served in various positions within our Community Engagement Department, and am currently serving as the Director of Education, overseeing our sex education programming throughout the tri-countries. I celebrated my ten-year anniversary with Planned Parenthood California Central Coast on October 16, 2016 – the same day we celebrated the organization’s 100-year anniversary. I know I’m where I am meant to be.
HCCLU: Did you imagine your life to be like this when you graduated from college?
AL: I remember people saying that college is the “best time of your life,” so I expected that things would go downhill after that which wasn’t the case. I find true joy in my day-to-day work, spending time with my family, and traveling with friends. Although I didn’t study abroad while at Cal Lutheran, since then, I’ve participated in two programs through Santa Barbara City College. In 2012, I spent a month in Cuba studying Fine Art Photography, and in 2013, I spent a month in Paris studying nineteenth century art history. The experiences were invaluable, and not something I expected to do after college. I also didn’t expect that I would be visiting the CLU campus regularly, which makes me feel fortunate that I have the opportunity to regularly return, many times for work. I’ve attended the Vagina Monologues, World AIDS Day events, and more recently, the Apathy Effect exhibit around human trafficking.
HCCLU: Any piece of advice you’d like to give to current Cal Lutheran Students?
AL: My advice would be to practice self-care. We all have to make sure we give ourselves the opportunity to recharge so we can keep fighting the good fight.
HCCLU: Anything else you’d like to add?
AL: I applaud young leaders and activists that can and do use their voice, time, skills, and/or money to stand up for justice, whether that be by: volunteering for organizations who hold their same values, participating in marches or rallies, or visiting, calling, or writing to their legislator. I applaud them because they recognize that the ones before us have fought for the rights we were born into, and that we have to fight to protect them. We also have to keep fighting for equality for the vulnerable and oppressed, including people of color, women, the LGBTQ community, religious minorities, immigrants, and refugees. And we have to recognize that these communities intersect one another.