California’s Central Valley faces a growing healthcare crisis—from long ER wait times to a severe shortage of nurses and primary care providers. In this episode of the Stan State EduCast, we explore how Stanislaus State is tackling the issue head-on by training local students to become the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Host Frankie Tovar is joined by Dr. Sarah Sweitzer (Dean of the Stockton Campus) and Dr. Wendy Matthew (Associate Professor of Nursing) for an in-depth conversation about nursing shortages, health equity, burnout, and how simulation labs, bachelor’s programs, and community partnerships are reshaping the region’s healthcare future.

Whether you're a student, parent, faculty member, healthcare partner, or community advocate, this episode will show you how Stan State is “growing local, training local, and keeping local” — all while building a healthier, more equitable Central Valley.

Dr. Sarah Sweitzer: https://www.csustan.edu/people/wendy-matthew
Dr. Wendy Matthew: https://www.csustan.edu/people/dr-sarah-sweitzer

Stan Magazine Article: https://issuu.com/csustanislaus/docs/stan_magazine_spring_2025/s/84341041

School of Nursing Website: https://www.csustan.edu/nursing

HealthForce Partners: https://healthforcepartners.org

Produced by the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing, edited and recorded in the KCSS studios on the campus of Stanislaus State.

This episode of the Stan State EduCast features Meggan Jordan PhD. (Professor of Sociology) and Phyllis Gerstenfeld PhD. (Criminal Justice Department Chair & Professor of Criminal Justice).

Meggan Jordan and Phyllis Gerstenfeld join host Frankie Tovar to discuss the high-profile case of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's murder and the upcoming trial of suspect Luigi Mangione. The crime has sparked a whirlwind of discussion both online and in the media about corporate greed, healthcare reform, and morality. This episode highlights the societal tensions surrounding for-profit healthcare, the phenomenon of cult hero status for the accused, Luigi Mangione, and the implications for legal and ethical discourse in the U.S.

Meggan Jordan: https://www.csustan.edu/people/dr-meggan-jordan
Phyllis Gerstenfeld: https://www.csustan.edu/people/dr-phyllis-gerstenfeld

Produced by the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing, edited and recorded in the KCSS studios on the campus of Stanislaus State.