Transcript | Duration: 21:51
About This Episode:
College campuses are part of their larger communities, which positions them to be leaders during times of crisis. The border of the college facilities does not isolate itself from what is taking place beyond the gates into the surrounding community. In fact, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans (2005), The Camp Fire in Chico, California (2018) and COVID 19 (2020) are historical catastrophes affecting the university in unprecedented ways and they have stepped up to during these critical moments. The resilience of the faculty, staff and students that at California State University, Monterey Bay during COVID 19 is evidence to how faculty students leaned into this extremely traumatic event to become a teachable moment.
Featured On This Episode:
Michael Jorgensen is a Faculty at California State University, Monterey Bay Physician Assistant program. He brings over 23 years of health care experience to his role as Faculty Instructor. Initially as United States Navy Corpsman, EMT, SWAT medic, wilderness medic, and Flight Nurse. He graduated from the Stanford University Primary Care Associate Program. He specialized in trauma and surgical services at Stanford Hospital and served the Justice, State, and Defense Departments by providing operational medicine and training. He served with Doctors Without Borders specializing in conflict zones globally where he received the MEDEX Brendan O’Day Award in 2012 for exemplary service in a mass casualty incident in southern Turkey.
Dr. Loren J. Blanchard is the executive vice chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs for the California State University, the largest and most diverse four-year public higher education system in the nation. Blanchard leads the CSU’s Graduation Initiative 2025, the university’s flagship effort to increase graduation rates for all CSU students while eliminating equity gaps. Through a comprehensive, data-driven approach that includes reimagining developmental education, improving course access and student advising, removing administrative barriers and enhancing student support and well-being, the CSU is working to ensure that all students have the opportunity to be successful, producing the graduates needed to power California’s future prosperity.
Prior to joining the CSU, Blanchard served as the provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs at Xavier University of Louisiana, his alma mater. During his tenure at Xavier, the school earned an international reputation for student success. Additionally, Blanchard was provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs and vice president for accreditation, leadership and accountability within the University of Louisiana System. Blanchard is widely published and is known for his research and scholarly articles addressing teacher education and educational strategies to support the success of students of color.
Steven Kurtz is a student in the Physician Assistant program at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB). He was born and raised in Kansas and moved to the Pacific North West to attend Oregon State University where he completed his degree in Biological Health Sciences. He began his career in health care as an EMT-Basic and also managed free medical clinics in underserved communities in Oregon. He is passionate about medicine and continues to expand his education to positively impact the health and wellness of patients in the community. He plans to pursue a fellowship in emergency medicine following graduation from CSU Monterey Bay.
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