The idea for the Wholeness Portal grew out of a Loma Linda University assessment process on the concept of wholeness that began in 1997. Through a qualitative process of focus groups, transcribing and analyzing the feedback and engagement with a trial group, a tool to assess wholeness was developed. From 1998 – 2007, the wholeness assessment survey (as it came to be called) was distributed to the various schools at LLU. In the process of revising the survey instrument we felt that a web-based wholeness portal would allow students to assess their own lives. Thus, the idea of a “Wholeness Portal” grew out of the wholeness survey, as well as discussions of how to fully realize LLU’s mission, “To make man whole” in relation to the personal lives of students and employees. The idea grew out of the desire to do something other than simply teach the concept of wholeness, but rather, to develop an avenue whereby the student (and/or employee) could experience developing a plan for personal wholeness, as well as a plan for assessing the plan and making changes.

In the fall of 2007 a Wholeness Portal Committee was established. The responsibility for initial and continued development of the Portal was placed within the Center for Spiritual Life & Wholeness. The Portal is developing into a tool for two areas of health and wholeness. First, it is a tool to help the individual grow in the area of personal wholeness. The second level of the tool is to educate the individual in the area of health and wholeness in relation to job and career. During LLU’s accreditation review from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in 2008, one of the commendations for the university related to the Portal:

The University’s Wholeness Portal will serve as an exemplar for peer institutions of a tool that promotes both student learning outcomes attainment and assessment.

While the Portal began as a tool for the Loma Linda University campus, it soon grew into a tool that can be used by the internet community. We believe that the Wholeness Portal will not only function in our own university to help students, faculty and employees in the areas of health and wholeness, but will also be a tool that will help other people and institutions – both in education and healthcare.