STAN Magazine Spring 2024

Pursuing Higher Education to Set an Example

FEATURE STORY

A Word from the PRESIDENT

Hello, everyone!

I want to extend warm greetings to you, our dedicated alumni, donors, community members and friends of the University.

We have reached the halfway point of our academic year. The fall semester flew by, and it was full. I’m thrilled to share that our spring semester has been equally active.

Every day, I see reminders that illustrate how Stan State is one of the most amazing places I have had the privilege of working. I’ve seen the power of our collective efforts and the ways in which we are changing the world.

I could fill a book with page after page of stories from alumni, students, faculty, staff and donors who’ve shared heartfelt stories about our impact on their lives and in the community. I am grateful for every opportunity I’ve had to meet many of you at campus and community events.

There are so many incredible things happening at Stan State. From the start of construction on a new academic building at our Stockton Campus to innovative initiatives that are shaping our University’s bright future. Our journey is filled with progress and promise.

You will read about some of our progress in this issue of STAN Magazine. We are proud to highlight our campus community members who are making a difference and delighted to bring to you their inspiring stories of excellence and achievement.

I’ve said this before: I’ve often thought about what makes Stan State really special, and for me, it’s the people, our community and the students we serve. We are building a lasting legacy and helping to positively shape life in the Central Valley and beyond.

Warm regards,

Susan E. Borrego, Ph.D. Interim President

CONTENTS

STAN Magazine is published by the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing in the Division of University Advancement at Stanislaus State.

Interim President

Susan E. Borrego

Interim Vice President for University Advancement

Senior Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications & Marketing

Rosalee Rush

Director of Alumni Engagement

Tiffany Davis (’13)

Director for Communications and Creative Services

Kristina Stamper (’06)

Senior Writer and Content Specialist

Donna Birch

Trahan

Content Specialists

Gina Oltman

Lori Gilbert (’91)

Conor Demings (’20)

Andrew Cabrera (’20)

Kimberly Horg

Stay in touch!

Phone: (209) 667-3131 marcom@csustan.edu

Digital Communications Specialist

Sara Balisha (’13)

Website Accessibility Coordinator

Saul Avila (’17)

Senior Graphic Designer

Steve Caballero (’21)

Graphic Designer

Katie Dowling

Associate Director of Marketing & Digital Strategy

Mandeep Khaira (’02)

Photographers

Jas Khaira

Bea Ahbeck Casson

Kayla Lawson

Merri Hansen

Media Production Specialist

Frankie Tovar (’11)

www.csustan.edu/stan-magazine

If you receive more than one copy of STAN Magazine, please pass it along to a friend of Stanislaus State. If you would like to support Stanislaus State, visit www.csustan.edu/giving

Stanislaus State serves a diverse student body of more than 10,000 at two locations  in the Central Valley — a beautiful 228-acre campus in Turlock and the Stockton Campus, located in University Park, a 102-acre site in Stockton’s historic Magnolia District. Widely recognized for dedicated faculty, high-quality academic programs and exceptional value, the University offers more than 100 majors, minors and areas of concentration, along with 19 master’s degree programs, six credential programs and a doctorate in educational leadership. We are a proud member of the 23-campus California State University system.

This Page: Gentle babbles of water flowing into Sequoia Lake create a serene sanctuary in the heart of campus.

On the Cover: Victor Lopez left the agricultural backdrop of Avenal to pursue a college degree at Stan State. Read about how this decision impacted his family on page 14.

RANKINGS

The School of Nursing programs continue to earn impressive accolades. RNCareers.org. ranked the University’s traditional RN to BSN program No. 2 in the state as part of the organization’s eighth annual Nursing School Awards. Additionally, the organization ranked the School of Nursing No. 13 in the state and No. 30 nationally. Stan State’s online RN to BSN program nabbed a top spot for its exceptional value to students. BestColleges.com’s ranking places the program at the forefront of affordability. Their report also cited the University’s varied options for students and its flexibility for working nurses.

Students in Associate Professor of Social Work Sevaughn Banks’ Social Work 5030 course met with Ghana Parliament member Augustine Tawiah, who made a special trip to the Central Valley for the visit.

Leaders from E. & J. Gallo Winery, who are also proud Stan State alumni, hosted Stan State administrators in January to explore ways to partner and further support the career success of Warriors. Gallo, the largest family-owned winery in the world, employs about 460 alumni.

Friends, family, colleagues and former students of Viji Sundar gathered Friday, Nov. 17, for the dedication of the Dr. Viji Sundar Active Learning Classroom, located in Science 1 Building. During her 42-year tenure in the Department of Mathematics at Stanislaus State, Sundar established many educational programs to promote equitable access to education.

STANISLAUS STATE FOUNDATION BOARD HONORS GEMPERLE LEGACY

Ernie Gemperle, an immigrant from Switzerland who became a leading producer of eggs on the West Coast of the United States, was honored posthumously with the Stanislaus State Foundation Board’s Honoring the Past, Forging the Future Award.

As he grew his egg business with innovation and hard work, Gemperle worked on behalf of students who dreamed of their professional enterprises.

He served on the foundation board and spearheaded the fundraising and construction of the first on-campus residences.

When he passed away in 2008, friends and community members donated more than $500,000 to establish the Ernie Gemperle Scholarship.

Ernie stressed the value of education to his own children, and they have carried on his legacy, having the Ernie Gemperle

Lecture Hall in Demergasso-Bava Hall named in his honor and donating $250,000 in 2015 in their father’s honor to establish an endowment for future scholarships.

“He set the example for all of us to aim higher and give back,” said his son Steve, president of Gemperle Enterprises and soon to follow in his father’s footsteps as president of the foundation board. “I know there are a lot of people in the community who give back and are not recognized, or not as often, but there are so many people that are worthy of these awards, that it’s truly an honor, on behalf of my family, to accept this for Ernie.”

WEI CHALLENGE AWARDS ENTREPRENEURS SHAPING THE FUTURE

Stanislaus State’s Warrior Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group (WEI) recently concluded its inaugural WEI Challenge, a showcase of student creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. The event featured a friendly competition where participants presented their innovative business ideas to a panel of judges.

The winners of the competition wereollows: Claiming the top spot was Bradon Hoover, who presented Turlock Maker Space, a venture poised to revolutionize creativity in Turlock.

Surjevon Dhillon secured second place with The Vet Vendor, an initiative with a heartwarming mission to make a meaningful impact on the veteran community.

Logan Garcia and Carolyn Gallella, the innovative minds behind Free Fashion, a revolutionary concept breaking barriers in the fashion industry, clinched the thirdplace position.

Dan Vega, presented RC-E Hypersport, providing a sneak peek into the future of sports and technology, proudly secured fourth place.

The WEI Challenge wasn't just a competition; it was a platform celebrating innovation and the bright minds shaping tomorrow.

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY BUSINESS FORECAST

2022, the Federal Reserve announced three interest rate cuts in 2024. Experts warn that without intervention, the labor market’s downturn could reach a critical crossroads. Those were among the findings included in the biannual San Joaquin Valley Business Forecast, produced by Gökçe Soydemir, the Foster Farms endowed professor of business economics at Stanislaus State. Rate cuts in 2024 will likely avert a more serious contraction that would last into 2025.

To safeguard against economic uncertainties, Valley residents should consider the following measures:

• Maintain a larger cash reserve

• Delay buying a home and opt to rent

• Shift from fixed to flexible interest rate options

• Invest in bonds

• Consider leveraging student loans to acquire new skills in the event of job layoffs

Read the full report.

VASCHÉ LIBRARY HONORED FOR EXCEPTIONAL GOVERNMENT RESOURCES WEBSITE

Stanislaus State’s J. Burton Vasché Library shines as the first recipient of the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s excellence award for its Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) website. The award celebrates the library’s innovative presentation of government information, particularly praising the Federal Government Resources Guide.

“We want to showcase how libraries have and are embracing a digital FDLP,” said GPO Superintendent of Documents Scott Matheson. “The library’s website of plain language, clear organization and easy navigation made them a great choice for this inaugural award. I encourage all FDLP libraries to collaborate and learn from some of the examples we have seen with this year’s winner.”

This recognition not only elevates Stan State’s Library within the California State University system but also establishes a national benchmark for academic libraries.

Warrior Athletics’ annual Crab Feed was a rousing success with tickets to the event selling out in advance. Attendees enjoyed dinner, music and live and silent auctions. A record-setting amount of funds was raised to bolster the Warrior Athletics Scholarship Fund, further enhancing its vital assistance to student-athletes.

BY GINA OLTMAN

If you’re looking for examples of Stanislaus State’s positive impacts on Turlock and surrounding communities, the city halls of Stanislaus County’s three largest cities are good places to start.

If you’re looking for examples of Stanislaus State’s positive impacts on Turlock and surrounding communities, the city halls of Stanislaus County’s three largest cities are good places to start.

A dozen Stan State alumni hold toplevel staff positions at the City of Turlock, the City of Modesto and the City of Ceres, with nine alumni at the City of Turlock alone.

On top of that, Turlock’s mayor is Amy Bublak (’89), who graduated from Stan State with a bachelor’s degree in sociology before earning a master’s degree in public administration at San Francisco State University.

These public servants work diligently to provide their communities with a wide range of essential services, including the planning of orderly city growth, economic development, safe drinking water, sanitary services, well-maintained infrastructure and police protection.

Reflecting on their time as Warriors, the alumni agreed the hard and soft skills they acquired as students at Stan State prepared them well for the on-the-job challenges they face every day.

“Stan State provided me with a complete educational experience that not only included academics but also opportunities for socialization, mentoring, problem-solving and workforce experience,” said Nick Showalter (’12), information technology director at the City of Turlock. “The experience and opportunities I had while attending Stan State set the foundation for the

workforce and leadership skills I use today and continually work toward developing.”

At the City of Modesto, Christina Alger (’14) said the textbook and real-world knowledge she gained through studies and extracurricular activities paved the way for her to become the city’s human resources director.

“Stan State provided me with a complete educational experience that not only included academics but also opportunities for socialization, mentoring, problemsolving and workforce experience.”

- NICK SHOWALTER

“I can honestly say that I would not be where I am had I not pursued an education and attended Stan State,” Alger said.

Christopher Fisher (’00), Turlock’s municipal services director, echoed that classroom learning combined with hands-on experiences from labs, internships and research opportunities prepared him professionally by fostering skills like communication, teamwork and leadership.

“The knowledge I received in both physical and life sciences allows me to be a better employee and problem solver,” Fisher said. “In my career, I have worked in food manufacturing, water and wastewater, where both biological and chemical processes are often intertwined. The concepts I learned at Stan State are the foundation that allows me to make good decisions when complex issues arise.”

The alumni also agree that having Stan State in the region is an invaluable asset to local communities, providing a pipeline of college graduates ready to fuel the workforce and make a positive difference in the communities they serve.

“It is of tremendous value for us to have Stan State in Turlock and serving our region,” said Anthony Sims (’20), Turlock’s economic development director and communications officer. “The University provides a pathway for our population to become a skilled workforce with numerous talents to offer businesses in and outside our region. We are very lucky to have Stan State in Turlock, and we love the fact that the city has a strong partnership with the University.”

At the City of Ceres, Delilah Vasquez (’11), human resources director, said having a public university serving the region is critical to the community where she works and lives. And she notes the University’s proximity to her home was the key to her pursuing a higher education.

City of ceres

Delilah Vasquez (’11)

“The University provides a pathway for our population to become a skilled workforce with numerous talents to offer businesses in and outside our region.”

- ANTHONY SIMS

“I was born and raised in this area and have a passion for serving my community. Without a local public university, I wouldn’t have explored obtaining my degree,” she said. “The presence of local public universities leads to lower unemployment, higher education and higher earnings for college educated individuals. Public universities improve local communities.”

Sarah Eddy (’84, ’09), deputy city manager of Turlock, noted that she has enjoyed watching how her hometown University has evolved over the years.

“As a native of Turlock, I have watched the University grow into a beautiful facility offering outstanding educational programs and attracting a larger student population,” she said.

When asked about their favorite memories of Stan State, the Warriors offered a range of answers, including studying in the Library, enjoying the campus scenery, meeting future spouses, learning from favorite professors and discovering the joys of music and theatre.

For Vasquez, a favorite memory revolved around Commencement, family and how her accomplishment served as an example to her children.

“Graduating in the presence of my children was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life,” she said. “It gave me a sense of accomplishment and pride.”

City of turlock

From Left to right: Reagan Wilson (’75), Nick Showalter (’12), Jessie Dhami (’08, ’11), Amy Bublak (’89), Christopher Fisher (’00), Erik Schulze (’95), Anthony Sims (’20) and Sarah Eddy (’84, ’09)

A True Warrior

Turlock Mayor Credits Stan State for Shaping Her Adult Life

By Lori Gilbert

Amy Bublak arrived at Stanislaus State in 1983 with two goals: to play sports and distance herself from her hometown of Latrobe in El Dorado County.

The 1989 graduate did so much more, emerging as the epitome of a Warrior.

The Mayor of Turlock, serving her second four-year term after re-election in 2022, is hard-pressed to explain her improbable journey, from unhappy childhood to athletics success, bachelor’s degree in sociology, Associated Student Body president, police officer and the leader of a city of 73,000.

“I’m very blessed. I can only thank the many people who took a chance on me,” Bublak said. “Between the Turlock community and the Stan State community, I am where I am today.”

Her track coach, the late Mark Erickson, who saw her compete in the shot put at a high school meet, recruited her to attend Stan State. She was an NCAA Division III All-American for the javelin and in 2001 was inducted into Stan State’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

Walter Doraz, the professor who taught her first class on campus, Sociology 101, became a mentor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1989 and with Doraz’s encouragement, a master’s degree in urban government and public administration.

Ray and Romeo Piro — whom she met while serving as vice president of Stan State’s student government, Associated Students — introduced her to their family and she became an honorary member, welcomed home for every holiday celebration.

Her career began as an emergency medical technician for seven years, before Richmond police encouraged her to join the force. She did, serving that city for 13 years before becoming a member of the Modesto Police Department. She returned to the Valley after she married former Stan State Athletics Director Milt Richards.

She successfully ran for the Turlock City Council in 2008 and in 2018, became the first woman to run for, and be elected, Mayor of Turlock.

“When I first ran for council, I felt I had to do it for Turlock,” Bublak said. “I have to give back for everything I’ve gotten. I’ll probably never be able to repay what I feel I got out of this community, Stanislaus State and Turlock.”

Read more about Amy Bublak

Interim President Sue Borrego and Amy Bublak lead Stan State’s Turlock city tour.

STUDENT SUCCESS

Victor Lopez was in an almond orchard raking fallen nuts into the middle of the rows to be plucked up by a harvesting machine.

Dust was swirling around him, but as any 17-year-old boy would, he answered an incoming call on his cell phone.

It was Stan State student Alvaro Cabrera, who was following up after Lopez, on a visit to Stan State, signed up for the Male Success Initiative.

“The machines were just coming by. I was covering myself up and trying to listen,” Lopez said. “I could have just hung up.”

He didn’t though. He stayed on the line, and when he arrived at Stan State a few weeks later, he had a place to go.

The Male Success Initiative (MSI), located in the Warrior Cross Cultural Center, is where Lopez found a place to belong.

For him, that’s a rarity.

“I don’t feel like I’m a part of the U.S. because I’m a child of undocumented people from another country, and I don’t feel like I’m from their country because I wasn’t raised there,” Lopez said.

Connecting with MSI, and this year attending the California State University’s Young Males of Color Consortium, has helped him realize his challenges are not unique. His story is, though.

Lopez arrived at Stan State as a thirdyear business administration major. Through the Wonderful Company, Lopez obtained both a high school diploma and associate degree in agriculture through a dual-enrollment program at Avenal High School.

“After promotion from middle school, we started summer school the following week,” Lopez said. “Summers

would come around and you would take compressed courses. Then you’d do more courses in the fall and spring. I went to summer school every summer. After school I worked in the fields.”

Lopez might have been destined for work in the fields but in eighth grade, a woman named Lupe Rezendez began to care for him and his siblings while his mom worked, and she encouraged him to go to college.

“She’d always say ‘Victor, you’ve got to break the cycle. You’ve got to go to college,’” Lopez said. “She’s the one who sparked that idea in me.”

He enrolled at Stan State because it was small, like Avenal, and MSI made for a soft landing.

Peer mentor Luis Toledo became his closest friend. He introduced Lopez to the College Corps program and Lopez spent this year as a paid volunteer on the United Samaritans Foundation food delivery trucks.

Lopez also volunteered for every shift of the organization’s annual Legacy of Hope fundraising dinner.

“I’ve never been a part of anything like that, anything that big,” Lopez said. “You have people from various companies and talking to some of them was a good experience. It exposed me to many things.”

The CSU Young Males of Color Consortium provided other new experiences: his first airplane flight and visit to San Diego.

“Victor seized the opportunity to forge meaningful connections with fellow attendees,” said Carolina Alfaro, executive director of student leadership, engagement and belonging. “His initiative reflects not only his personal growth but also his dedication to learning from others and embracing diverse perspectives.”

He said it showed him that others have overcome similar challenges, although his dreams remain his own.

“The reason I pursued higher education was to switch the cycle, and it was for my siblings. I want to be an example for them,” he said.

Raised by a hard-working single mom until she remarried when he was 12, Lopez takes his responsibility to his four

younger siblings seriously. He wants to make going to college easier for them. MSI, and Toledo made college easier for him.

“He taught me to have different viewpoints, to be outgoing and take advantage of opportunities,” Lopez said. “Luis was a very good mentor to me.”

Lopez works as an ambassador in the Warrior Cross Cultural Center (WCCC).

“Victor’s growth as a student ambassador over the past semester has been impressive,” Alfaro said. “From his initial role as a mentee for MSI, he has blossomed into a confident and motivated leader. His journey reflects a profound transformation, marked by his increased self-assurance and commitment to excellence as a student. His innate curiosity about diverse cultures, identities and experiences has enriched not only his own understanding but also his cultural competency. I’ve witnessed how he has actively engaged at the WCCC including with his Male Success Initiative peers. He has made significant contributions, fostering inclusivity and empowerment among his peers.”

He’ll continue to do so for a while.

Lopez turned 19 in November and plans to spend another year as an undergrad as he contemplates pursuing a master’s degree.

He’s determined to make the most of his college days.

“I didn’t want to go through college and have any regrets,” Lopez said. “If there are opportunities there for students, I’m going to go for it.”

“His initiative reflects not only his personal growth but also his dedication to learning from others and embracing diverse perspectives.”

- Carolina Alfaro

SWEPT IN ON A CLOUD OF

Victor Lopez Left the Orchards of Avenal to Pursue Higher Education, Set an Example for His Siblings

By Lori Gilbert

Sounds from the

THUNDER ROOM

By Lori Gilbert

Deborah Kavasch Shares Her Talent as a Soprano, Composer, Violinist and Educator on a Global Scale

Deborah Kavasch Professor of Music: Theory/Voice

Deborah Kavasch’s late husband, fellow musician and composer John Marvin, had a “Thunder Room” in all his homes — a place to produce “thunderous music.”

When they moved into the Turlock home they would share until his death in 2018, they converted the attic, its peaked ceiling providing great acoustics for a Thunder Room. Whether Kavasch’s music is thunderous is a matter of interpretation.

Her most recent composition has soaring sections, then gives way to an emotional softness.

Italian violinist Davide Alogna, playing a Stradivarius on loan from the Italian government.

The composition by the Stanislaus State professor of music theory and composition was commissioned by Parma Recordings, which also arranged for her work “Desert Storm” to previously be recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra and other works to be recorded by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

“They sent me a contract and I didn’t read it as carefully at first as I should have,” Kavasch admits with a laugh that comes easily. “I was meeting with my librettist, Linda Bunney-Sarhad, and she mentioned the poetry of Wendell Berry. As she read ‘The Peace of Wild Things’ out loud, I started hearing music.”

California universities, all of which had professors who accepted commissions from the trio.

Kavasch’s piece is based on four poems about water by former Modesto Poet Laureate Salvatore Salerno.

Upon reviewing the contract for the commission more carefully, an environmental theme is called for. The choice for the text could not have been more perfect.

“Wendell Berry is an environmentalist. Every time I read the poem, I’m practically in tears by the end. It really affects me.

“I wanted to have this buildup of tension and anxiety and despair in the poem. It’s built into the first three minutes of the piece, and the last two minutes are the calmness. The poem is written so that maybe the first three lines deal with despair and waking in the night, and the rest is about seeking peace and calm of wild things.

“I’m really, really happy with this piece. I wanted it to have an emotional reach to people.”

Kavasch also accepted a commission to compose for the Greece-based Galan Trio, and it will be performed in Snider Recital Hall on April 26 during the group’s tour of

Another piece, “Feather on God’s Breath,” with words by Bunney-Sarhad and written in 2003, was recorded in early March by an a cappella group called The Crossing. The piece was originally written for the Stan State Concert Chorale’s 2003 tour of France, under the direction of Daniel Afonso.

It’s somehow fitting that in her final semester as a fulltime instructor after 45 years — she'll begin the Faculty Early Retirement Program in the fall — Kavasch will have one of her compositions recorded by one of the most famous orchestras on the planet and another debut on campus.

It’s how her career at Stan State has played out.

In between teaching theory and composition, and for about 20 years, voice — she’s a soprano who has performed around the world — Kavasch always has composed.

“I hope I always keep a hand in helping young people.”

- Deborah Kavasch

“Much of what I wrote in the beginning was for myself to perform,” she said.

She earned rave reviews, with one writer noting her resemblance to Meryl Streep, which makes her laugh.

She participated in new music concerts, festivals and womenin-music conferences — meeting Marvin at the Ernest Bloch Symposium in Newport, Oregon — and conducted research on extended vocal techniques in choral music as a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Stockholm.

In doing all of that, Kavasch never sacrificed her teaching, which she discovered she loved as a graduate teaching assistant at Bowling Green State University.

“I think what has consistently been true, and for which I’m grateful, is the students have been wonderful all these years,” Kavasch said. “I keep teaching, because I love these students. You couldn’t ask for a better place to teach students who are excited about learning and grateful and appreciate everything you do. I’ve just been blessed.”

She’s a world-renowned talent, but as she sits at her keyboard in the Thunder Room and talks, you wouldn’t know it, until you hear her music. There’s no diva in this star. She creates an easy rapport with visitors, and more importantly with her students, sharing stories of her travels and performances.

Kavasch’s musical tastes may not fully align with the taste of her students. She’s a Mozart fan, although she did title one CD of her compositions, “The Dark Side of the Muse,” a nod to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.”

With a lighter workload, Kavasch will do more composing and she’ll perform. She plays second violin for Opera Modesto, for which she was commissioned to write two operas, her first such undertaking.

With Bunney-Sarhad, her collaborator for some 43 years, Kavasch wrote the opera “The Race,” a

The two began collaborating in 1981 when Kavasch, at a conference in Cleveland, was commissioned to write a piece for soprano and viola based on the story of Heloise and Abelard.

“I came back thinking, ‘Is there anybody in the language department who is a specialist in French medieval literature?’” Kavasch said. “Here she was. That was how our collaboration began.”

Bunney-Sarhad was an adjunct language professor at Stan State, then became the Director of Global Affairs.

Together, at the request of President Emerita Marvalene Hughes, the pair wrote Stan State’s alma mater in 1994.

The majority of her 50-some pieces are relatively short, except for the operas.

The first notable piece she composed was “The Owl and the Pussycat,” based on the poem by Edward Lear. She composed the piece as a doctoral student at University of California, San Diego, for the Extended Vocal Techniques Ensemble, which she’d helped form.

“We were really pioneers,” Kavasch said. “I wrote the first doctoral dissertation on extended vocal techniques.”

From there, Kavasch moved on to a splendid career: compositions, vocal performances; returning to playing the violin, the instrument that earned her a scholarship to Bowling Green University, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and teaching.

She is known worldwide as a musician. At Stan State, she’ll always be known for the alma mater, as well as the countless lives she has touched. But she’s not finished yet.

“I hope I always keep a hand in helping young people,” she said.

IN THIS together

It took Stanislaus State sociology and ethnic studies major Tony Cuevas some 10 years to return to college in 2019 to pursue a degree, but by fall 2023, financial hardships and family issues convinced him to give up.

Then he got a text from Ashley Mansfield, a retention coordinator in the Warrior Re-Engagement Center in the Division of Student Affairs.

“I was set with not coming back to finish my degree,” said Cuevas, of Turlock, who hopes to become a social worker or work in human resources. “It’s still going to be tough, but Ashley motivated me to come back. She helped me organize and gave me a game plan for how to return. I had financial aid holds. I owe money for past semesters. I couldn’t pay for it. She helped me set up a payment plan. She advised me on the classes I needed. I only need three classes to finish both majors.

“Until Ashley reached out, it didn’t feel like there was community support. I thought I had no future.”

Instead, Cuevas hopes to graduate in May, along with his younger brother, also a sociology major.

Mansfield’s outreach was made possible because of a $3 million Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education to bolster the University’s commitment to increasing student retention and re-enrollment.

It’s one of several partnerships with individual, corporate and government agencies that allows Stan State to support and prepare students for the workforce.

In the case of the Title III grant, the money is being used in part to actively seek students, like Cuevas, who have stopped attending the University. Many of those students left in the wake of COVID.

“Before this grant, I could help students, but I didn’t have the resources to get them back quicker,” said Mansfield, who was previously a transfer-student advisor in the

together

By Lori Gilbert

Academic Success Center. “I had never been handed a list of students who stopped out before. If students found me, they came to me because they knew where I was. Now, we’re doing the outreach. I contact them and say, ‘We want you to come back to Stan State.’”

Working together with Tracy Myers, director of the Warrior Re-Engagement Center who helped procure the grant, and Evelyn Calvillo, assistant director of enrollment services, Mansfield is working from a list of approximately 900 students who have stopped out.

In January, when the effort began, she re-enrolled 45 students, including Cuevas.

Supporting students is critical for Stan State to continue to contribute to the well-being of the region and beyond.

An economic impact report released a year ago showed Stan State alumni generated $529.4 million in added income for the regional economy, which is equivalent to supporting 6,979 jobs.

Efforts to support this impact are also taking shape int he academic colleges at Stan State.

The College of Business Administration recently teamed with Google and Coursera to offer an innovative online training program that provides Stan State business students an opportunity to earn Google Professional Certificates in various high-demand fields, free of charge. The program is taught on the Coursera online learning platform and allows students to pursue certificates in IT support specialist, data analyst, project manager, UX designer, digital marketer and cybersecurity professional.

The courses are certified by the American Council on Education (ACE) and are foundational courses that introduce students to the topics and deliver professional-level training and job-ready skills.

Pictured left: Amber Samaro

According to Dean Terence Pitre, the certificate courses allow the University to increase its educational offerings quickly to meet the evolving needs of students and employers.

Stan State graduates are entering other professional fields, too.

The University feeds K-12 schools in the region, with about 300 multiple-subject credential students and 125 single-subject candidates completing the program each year.

Addressing Healthcare Workforce Shortage

Grants awarded to support the University’s renowned nursing program address the lack of healthcare workers in the region.

Legacy Health Foundation (LHF), through Livingston Community Health (LCH), is a critical partner in this effort.

A recent $250,000 grant will establish the Joelle and Robert Triebsch Health Scholar program at Stan State, with a primary objective of supporting a doctoral program for family nurse practitioners. Currently in development, the doctoral program is expected to launch in fall 2025.

In 2018, a Legacy Health grant to Livingston Community Health created the Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nursing Practitioner program at Stan State. Since then, more than 65 students have graduated from the nurse practitioner master’s program, including nine in 2023.

In 2023, the School of Nursing also graduated 20 registered nurses in the RN to BSN program, 53 BSN students, 38 enrolled in the accelerated BSN program and 38 behavioral health science students.

Additionally, Legacy Health launched a scholarship for students in accelerated BSN programs who plan to work in the region for two years.

The first three recipients of the award, including up to $50,000 to cover tuition and materials, are State State students Kathryn “Katy” Romeo, Alexa Duarte and Yadira Lopez-Ortiz. All are in their final sessions of the program offered at the Stan State Stockton Campus.

“With the Legacy Health scholarship, I was able to focus on my studies and not have to work full time to cover other expenses,” Romeo said.

A public health major at Santa Clara University, Romeo returned to her Turlock home in March of her junior year for remote

learning during the initial COVID lockdown. She became a caregiver when her grandmother returned home after surgery.

“I enjoyed that caretaker role, and my mom said, “That’s nursing,” Romeo said.

The daughter of Turlock physicians — her mother is in family practice and her dad is an orthopedic surgeon — couldn’t switch majors. Santa Clara didn’t have a nursing program.

Two years after graduating from Santa Clara, Romeo enrolled in Stan State’s accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and received the Legacy Health Endowment Scholarship to assist her.

“I cannot thank them enough for the impact they’ve had on my journey,” said Romeo, who’d served an internship writing policy papers for the non-profit one summer while a student at Santa Clara. “I would have had to work so much more, but this way, school is my responsibility.”

She serves as president of the Student Nursing Association at Stan State and is completing her final session of training at Emanuel Hospital in Turlock, shadowing and working with a labor and delivery nurse.

It was the area of nursing she most enjoyed as she trained in various departments at St. Joseph’s Medical Center and San Joaquin General Hospital.

“I love working with people,” Romeo said. “That human connection is so much of nursing. Everyone has a story and has someone who loves them. You want to take care of them as if they were your own sibling or child. I loved that aspect, connecting with people. I felt it mattered, that I made a difference.

“For the first time in my life I felt everything had clicked and this is where I was supposed to be. I grasped things quickly. I wasn’t tired, even if I had to get up at 4 a.m. to drive to Stockton and work 12-hour shifts. Being there, practicing my skills, that was where I was meant to be.”

Romeo will graduate in the spring and has committed to working in the region for two years, a call she’s happy to answer. She understands the vital need for more health care workers in the Central Valley.

Investing in Mental and Behavioral Health Professionals

Grants not only are supporting students preparing to enter the medical field, but also those looking to work in mental and behavioral health.

Tony Cuevas

Two different grants were awarded to Stan State in September to award students working toward degrees for careers in social work, clinical counseling and marriage and family therapy.

HealthForce Partners Northern San Joaquin provided $210,000 for scholarships of up to $5,000 per student, and Representative Josh Harder secured a $1.68 million Congressional Grant to boost the Master of Social Work (MSW) program to address the need for more mental health workers in region.

Over the next three years, the Congressional Grant will provide 35 students with stipends of $10,500 in the first year and $13,500 the next year in exchange for committing to work in the region for two years with Stanislaus, San Joaquin or Merced County Behavior Health Services or contracted partner. Additionally, the Congressional funds will add a new MSW cohort at the Stockton Campus.

Amber Samaro is one of the first five students to receive a stipend.

She works as a case manager at a different agency where she helps clients find resources available to them. Seeing the work of clinicians at the agency as they conduct assessments and provide preventative care, convinced Samora that was the work she wanted to do and encouraged her to pursue her MSW.

She had not considered a master’s program sooner because earning her bachelor’s degree had left her with about $21,000 in debt despite working part-time jobs while going to school.

“The stipend was a game-changer for me, knowing I was going to get that help,” Samaro said. “Of course, it requires giving back, and I want to be in this field when I’m done with my master’s degree.

“It made me more excited and thankful to be in an educational setting. I can enjoy my education. I’ve always wanted to just soak in what I’m learning. It’s great to know I don’t have to worry about a huge financial boulder that is going to crush me at the end of my education.”

Supporting students is critical for Stan State to continue to contribute to the well-being of the region and beyond.

The Gift of

Scholarship

Fund for Pre-Med, Nursing Students Nurtures Dreams and Secures Futures

by Donna Birch Trahan

Jasmin Dominguez Cervantes recalls her parents’ hesitation to seek medical treatment from doctors. When they did, they struggled to connect with them.

Jasmin Dominguez Cervantes recalls her parents’ hesitation to seek medical treatment from doctors. When they did, they struggled to connect with them.

“They lacked confidence and trust in the healthcare system,” said Cervantes, whose parents hail from Mexico. “Whenever they went to doctors, they felt as if they were not being heard, and they were not able to have a trusting relationship with their physicians.”

Seeing her parents’ experiences strongly influenced the Modesto native’s desire to become a physician and eventually establish a medical practice where patients trust and confide in her.

Her dream of achieving a career in healthcare took a significant step forward when she received the PreMed First-Generation Scholarship, which supported her educational pursuits at Stanislaus State. Established by Dr. Stephanie Brown,

alongside her daughters, Lydia and Nelia, both of whom are Stan State alumnae, the First-Generation Pre-Med Scholarship is more than a monetary gift. It’s a catalyst for continuity and community care.

“The gift of scholarship is an opportunity to serve and nurture future generations by providing students with educational opportunities that my own children had at Stanislaus State,” Brown said.

It encourages graduates to plant their newfound skills in local soil by remaining in the Central Valley once they graduate and lessen the stark shortage of healthcare professionals in the region.

The family has donated $300,000 toward the fund, which supports nursing and pre-med students, each year gifting up to $12,500 to support. Ten students have been awarded the scholarship since the fund was first established in 2020.

“This award isn’t just help — it’s a vote of confidence, a boost to the faith I have in myself.”

- Sandy Shamoul

Jasmin Dominguez Cervantes

Each of the scholarship recipients was born and raised in the Valley, is bilingual and carries a story of ambition and resilience.

The ripple effect of Brown and her daughters’ generosity has impacted Warriors such as Hussein Maatouk.

“Not only will this scholarship help me reach my goal of medical school, but it is also a huge motivational boost,” he said.

Genesis Maciel envisions the day when she can “complete the nursing program at Stan State and be successful in healing the lives of all those who walk through hospital doors.”

Kassandra Garcia’s gratitude resonates with a promise to pay it forward: "Hopefully, one day, I am able to give back to another student.”

The idea of helping someone today so they can help someone else tomorrow is what Brown’s mission is all about. Along with aiding students through college, the scholarship is fostering a community of professionals with deep cultural ties to the Central Valley.

Brown’s story parallels those she aids. She was an adult who funded her own education, and she empathizes with the challenges faced by the scholarship’s beneficiaries. Her path from the College of Alameda to Cal State East Bay, and eventually a medical degree from UC San Francisco, is a testament to the power of perseverance — a quality she seeks to instill in Stanislaus State students.

Hussein Maatouk

“I want to make it easier for families to allow their young people to take this up,” she said. “I want them to know they are not alone.”

Right on the heels of a promise to make the journey easier for others, Sandy Shamoul shared the power of the support she received.

“I have made so many sacrifices to pursue my education in nursing,” Shamoul said. “This award isn’t just help — it’s a vote of confidence, a boost to the faith I have in myself. One day, I hope to extend the same helping hand that I’ve been given.”

“The gift of scholarship is an opportunity to serve and nurture future generations by providing students with educational opportunities that my own children had at Stanislaus State.”

- Dr. Stephanie Brown

Inspired to Serve the Underserved

Foundation Board Member George Savage, M.D., Aims to Lift Others With the Power of Education

By Gina Oltman

When Livingston Community Health patients receive excellent care from Dr. George Savage, they might be inclined to say a prayer of gratitude to his Jamaican grandmother.

Had she not died nearly 27 years ago of cervical cancer, Savage might be practicing a specialty other than obstetrics and gynecology.

“She was an immigrant, and she didn’t get care because she was uninsured and couldn’t afford it,” he said. “She didn’t have to die. She had a treatable GYN issue that worsened due to poor access to health care.”

The heart-breaking loss inspired Savage, a pre-med undergraduate student at the time, to commit to the OB/GYN field. He now practices at Livingston Community Health because he is dedicated to treating underserved patients much like his grandmother.

“This is an FQHC (Federally Qualified Health Center) for underinsured and uninsured patients, and these are the patients I prefer to work with,” he said. “They need physicians. They need somebody to help them. They just want good care, and they are grateful for it. That is why I’m here.”

Savage is one of the newest members of the Stanislaus State Foundation Board of Directors, which works to

secure private support to supplement the services and funding provided by the state to students, staff and faculty at the University.

A board member since July 2023, Savage believes the role suits him well, and he’s eager to help students improve their lives and their communities.

“I am big on education because it is a way to most assuredly escape generational curses or whatever circumstances a person might have,” he said. “Whatever career path you want to take, education will lift you. Higher learning allows everyone to better themselves, whether that be economically or by helping you be a more knowledgeable, well-rounded person.”

Savage knows a lot about the power of education to lift a person because he has experienced it. A native of Jamaica, he immigrated to the United States as a teenager and settled with his family in New York City’s Bronx borough during a period of urban decay and increasing crime. After high school, he joined the U.S. Marines and eventually moved to a place he found much more pleasant.

“I was stationed in California, and I never left. It’s my favorite state in the Union,” he said.

After his stint in the Marines, he enrolled as an undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara. Medicine was one of the careers he was considering. When he found himself doing exceptionally well in an organic chemistry class, his choice to become a physician solidified. He started preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to pursue a career as a doctor.

“At that point, maybe I was a little naïve to think that I was going to be a doctor,” he said. “The road ahead of me was long. I was facing a lot of education and other hurdles, but I moved forward.”

As an undergraduate, he earned a research scholarship from pharmaceutical leader Merck and did research for them for several years. As a graduate student, the next stop on his educational journey was Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C., where he earned his medical degree in 2001.

Now a resident of Stockton, Savage is the father of three daughters and a son who is attending Stan State and preparing to take the MCAT. He is married to Stockton physician Kelly Savage.

While relatively new to the Foundation Board, Savage is no stranger to supporting education through philanthropy. Over the years, he’s paid tuition fees and purchased books for more than 60 public school students enrolled in the Jamaican middle school he attended years ago.

He has helped an underserved high school in Stockton by donating eight sets of golf clubs to its golf team, and he has also donated seven Apple laptop computers to Stan State Women’s Basketball for students who needed them.

“I had my two youngest daughters present the computers because I wanted to teach them to be supportive of women and women’s sports in particular,” said Savage. “And to just give them the sense of how good it feels to care for somebody else that you can help.”

While Savage is very concerned about unmet medical needs and other health issues in the Central Valley, he’s quick to point out that his interests at Stan State are broad, and he hopes his work on the board will enhance all areas of study on the University campus.

“Everybody is needed for our society to survive and succeed,” he said. “We don’t just need nurses and doctors, we need businesspeople, farmers, computer scientists, engineers, lawyers, civil servants and tradespeople.

“We need everybody in their roles because that is what it takes for a civilized society to function optimally.”

Nourishing Potential:

Basic Needs Program Flourishes Under Leadership of Alumna

By Donna Birch Trahan

In the heart of California’s Central Valley at Stanislaus State, Jennifer “Jen” Sturtevant leads the University’s Basic Needs program, an initiative that is a critical lifeline for students grappling with insecurities related to food, housing and finances.

Under her leadership, the Basic Needs program has become an integral component of Stan State’s strategy to mitigate the detrimental effects of insecurity on student life. Her efforts were recognized last fall when she received the NASPA Region VI Dorothy Keller New Professional Award.

Sturtevant says the accolade isn’t just a personal milestone. She credits the Basic Needs team and the University for their dedication to nurturing student welfare and achievement.

Research underscores the dire circumstances many students face when they experience food or housing insecurity or unexpected financial challenges: higher dropout rates, diminished GPAs and other academic and emotional hurdles.

Vice President for Student Affairs Christine Erickson commended both Sturtevant and the program’s comprehensive impact.

“Jen is easily one of the most sincere, authentic, humble and encouraging new professionals I have ever worked with,” Erickson said. “She is wise beyond her years and has a commitment to positive change. In four short years, she has significantly contributed to the growth of advocacy efforts and student success at Stan State and across the state.”

Over the past four years, under Sturtevant’s guidance, what started as a modest effort has flourished into a robust department. Basic Needs has gone from a single-person office to a fully developed and ever-expanding $1.6 million program with a manager and eight fulltime employees. The range of services offered to students includes resources such as CalFresh outreach, the Warrior Food Pantry, food box distribution, emergency grants, temporary housing, a NOONtrition program and more, forming a comprehensive support system tackling the complex challenges students encounter.

Campus community members understood the need for basic needs services even before the University had a formal program. Stan State’s chapter of the California Faculty Association made a $35,000 gift to fund emergency grants and food security for students and establish the Campus Cares Fund.

In the 2022-2023 academic year, 27% of Stan State students were supported by Basic Needs programs.

“This is a gift of heart,” said Stanislaus State Interim President Sue Borrego. “It’s a legacy gift. Our faculty members can relate to the experiences of our students, finding resonance in their journeys — and they know this assistance matters. Today, our Basic Needs programs provide a broad range of services for students.”

Services provided through Basic Needs are integral components of a broader strategy that redefines help-seeking behavior as a sign of strength and an important element of students’ educational experience and overall health.

The intention is to ensure students have a solid foundation for success, security and focus on their academic and personal development. That sentiment is echoed in the stories of students who’ve offered testimonials of how they’ve benefited from the program's resources.

“Having a place on campus to turn to in challenging times is incredibly meaningful,” wrote one student. “It’s more than tangible aid — it’s about feeling that your success is someone’s priority.”

Stan State’s approach to addressing students’ basic needs isn’t limited to the University’s boundaries.

Sturtevant’s influence stretches beyond the campus with her department’s work often serving as a model for the other 22 campuses in the California State University (CSU) system. Sturtevant cochairs the CSU’s Basic Needs Directors Council and is involved with the California Higher Education Basic Needs Alliance (CHEBNA), which includes the CSU, the University of California and 116 California community colleges and promotes initiatives that empower students across the state.

Erickson further extols Sturtevant’s impact: “She is clearly eager to learn all that she can about putting herself in the best place and position to serve students.”

A native of Turlock, Sturtevant's connection to Stan State and its students is profound. An alumna herself, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and later a Master of Arts in Child Development from Sacramento State. Her evolution from student to advocate to leader illustrates her dedication and commitment to the University’s mission. Sturtevant reflects on the collective achievement the NASPA award represents.

“I am filled with gratitude for this nomination,” she said. “Receiving this honor is humbling, but it is not an individual accomplishment. It recognizes the collective hard work and compassion of an incredible team and a supportive campus community, all dedicated to championing student success and well-being.”

“Jen’s genuine approach has significantly benefited not just individual students, but our entire campus culture. She is a force for change, creating an atmosphere where students feel comprehensively supported.”

- christine erickson

STUDENT SUCCESS

Geography made her a Stanislaus State student. Drive, survival skills and determination make Laurie Grace a Warrior.

A victim of child abuse, dumped into uncaring foster homes, graduated from high school two years early because administrators were happy to be rid of a student who fought rather than work to understand her behavioral issues, Grace had no easier life as an adult.

She didn’t fall prey to the prostitution or drugs that cloaked her neighborhood. She married the first person who showed her love. She had six children.

Her husband was abusive, and after one horrific beating, she knew she had to leave the man she said is a drug dealer and convicted felon.

“I was locked in a room, and he tortured me for two hours while the kids were outside,” Grace said. “I took a shower and tended my wounds. I got my kids and left and had to figure out what to do with myself.”

She was determined to break the cycle of abuse. And as a devoted mother, she also is setting an example for her children.

She enrolled at San Joaquin Delta College and earned associate degrees in liberal arts and communication studies.

“That’s when people started noticing I was smart,” Grace said. “They said, ‘You’re a foster kid, a single mom who’s been through all this and you’re here getting A’s and B’s? Why don’t you think about going to a university?’”

Grace assumed it was beyond her financial means, but she found financing options. She took out loans, and now works at Amazon, which pays its employees’ tuition.

That’s not to say her road to a bachelor’s degree — which she hopes to receive in May, then enter a credential program and

become an elementary school teacher — has been smooth.

She was sometimes homeless, the last time spending three months living in her car as she waited for public housing assistance. Her schoolwork began to suffer.

One of her communication studies professors, Dan Carranza, knew something was wrong. She stopped attending class and turning in assignments.

When Grace told Carranza of her plans to drop out of school, he reached out to the StanCares team, which receives reports on the well-being of students and provides necessary assistance. He also directed her to Basic Needs.

“I thought, nobody is going to help me,” Grace said. “Who helps people in the world? But I reached out. They called me back and said, ‘We want to help you.’”

Specifically, Leticia Caballero called her. Caballero was hired in August 2022 as the Stockton Basic Needs lead to give the program — which provides resources to help students address food, housing and/or financial insecurity — a full-time presence at Stan State’s Stockton Campus.

Caballero found an Airbnb home for Grace and her children, who range in age from 9 to 18, to stay until they could move into subsidized housing.

There are still challenges. One day her younger children stayed home from school because Grace didn’t have gas in her car to take them. She didn’t enroll in spring classes until late January, because she owed money for summer school courses not covered by financial aid.

“I thought, nobody is going to help me. Who helps people in the world? But I reached out. They called me back and said, ‘We want to help you.”

- Laurie Grace

Once again, Caballero and Basic Needs stepped in to help.

Grace relies on the Warrior Food Pantry at both the Stockton and Turlock campuses. She is grateful for assistance she never imagined existed.

“Doors are opening,” Grace said. “God keeps me going, moving barriers out of my way. I work full time, I’m a full-time mom, I’m single and I have no family. I feel I can do it.

“I’m going to graduate and become a teacher and tell little kids, ‘You can do it. It doesn’t matter what your circumstances are.’ I want to be a light for a child in darkness.”

She already is. Her twin daughters, 17-year-old seniors at Edison High, have applied to Stan State and hope to live on the Turlock campus together in the fall.

Grace has reason to hope that will happen. A lifetime of being told she wouldn’t succeed, of having no family support, turned around that day Caballero called her.

“I went in skeptical,” Grace said. “I’ve been let down so much. I was depressed and guarded. I’m 38. I have kids. I was self-conscious.

“Leticia was so eager to help me. She got on the phone and said, ‘This is what we need to do.’ She made it happen. I picked up the kids and we went to this Airbnb, and there was a bathroom. We could take a shower. There was an oven and we had food.

“How did this happen? My school did it. Stan State really cares.”

Amazing

By Lori Gilbert

“A gift to Stan State is an opportunity to serve and nurture future generations.”

- Dr. Stephanie Brown Donor, Pre-med and Nursing First-gen Scholars

Stan

State students Jasmin Dominguez Cervantes and Hussein Maatouk are pursuing their dreams to become healthcare professionals. Find out how you can be a part of the journey by supporting Stan State Warriors.