Fresno State News https://www.fresnostatenews.com/ Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:39:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 Southeast Asian Student Success Initiative recruiting first cohort of Bulldog Scholars https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2024/11/08/southeast-asian-student-success-initiative-recruiting-first-cohort-of-bulldog-scholars/ Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:39:40 +0000 https://www.fresnostatenews.com/?p=70438 Bulldog Scholars is a new program at Fresno State, committed to supporting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian students during their freshman year at the university. The program, housed within the university’s Southeast Asian Student Success Initiative, will equip students with resources, mentorship and personalized support to help them successfully navigate university [...]

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Bulldog Scholars is a new program at Fresno State, committed to supporting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian students during their freshman year at the university.

The program, housed within the university’s Southeast Asian Student Success Initiative, will equip students with resources, mentorship and personalized support to help them successfully navigate university life and achieve their goals. 

“The program offers workshops focused on effective study strategies, time management and career readiness, equipping students with essential skills for success in college and beyond,“ said Shimel Her Saychou, director of the Southeast Asian Student Success Initiative. 

Leadership development is another key component of Bulldog Scholars. Through student leadership conferences, workshops, and special programming and events, students are encouraged to cultivate leadership skills that help them grow both personally and as leaders in their communities. 

The program also emphasizes cultural and community engagement, allowing students to build a support network of peers, staff, faculty and alumni, through events, workshops and other networking opportunities. 

“Southeast Asian students at Fresno State have historically faced lower retention and graduation rates compared to their peers, underscoring the need for targeted support systems,” said Her Saychou. “Initiatives designed specifically for Southeast Asian students play a vital role in connecting them with essential resources such as academic advising, tutoring, financial aid and mental health services.”

“I want to highlight the significant potential of the Bulldog Scholars program to bring about positive change for our students at Fresno State. The ripple effect can significantly elevate educational attainment levels within the Southeast Asian community.”

Generally, the program prioritizes admitting first-year students who participated in Bulldog Bound, a guaranteed admissions program for high school students in the Central Valley, but is open to those who did not.

Students interested in participating in Bulldog Scholars should contact the Southeast Asian Student Success Initiative for specific details on eligibility and the application process, at 559.278.7684 or seastudentsuccess@mail.fresnostate.edu.

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Honor Flight trip gives veteran new perspective on his service https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2024/11/07/fresno-state-honors-veterans-with-memorial-ceremony/ Thu, 07 Nov 2024 19:27:49 +0000 https://www.fresnostatenews.com/?p=70422 Navy veteran Joseph “Jay” Ventress now looks back on his Vietnam War service — including two tours on the aircraft carrier USS Constellation as a baker and cook — differently than he has in the past. His change of perspective came from his recent participation as one of 70 honored veterans on the 30th Central [...]

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Navy veteran Joseph “Jay” Ventress now looks back on his Vietnam War service — including two tours on the aircraft carrier USS Constellation as a baker and cook — differently than he has in the past.

His change of perspective came from his recent participation as one of 70 honored veterans on the 30th Central Valley Honor Flight, a three-day trip to Washington, D.C., to visit war memorials and military sites with other veterans.

Many veterans come home from wartime with survivor’s guilt. Ventress talked about how bad he felt that some soldiers didn’t make it home from Vietnam while his own wartime duties consisted of “flipping donuts,” in his words. But with this trip, Ventress gained a broader appreciation of everyone’s part in the military mission. 

“They told us we all signed a piece of paper that said that we were willing to go and do whatever they asked us to do. We’re sending you over here and we’re sending you over there. You flip donuts, and you run for your life. They could have swapped us around, and I could have been over there, and he could have been in the donut shop. But we both signed a piece of paper that said we were willing to do whatever they asked us to do, and that’s what it was.”

Ventress and his wife, Joy, learned about Central Valley Honor Flight four years ago. Joy looked into the application process and got Ventress on the waiting list. He found out in August that he had been approved for the October trip.

Each veteran on an Honor Flight trip is paired with a guardian. Ventress and his guardian, Dr. Scott Moore, were paired because they share a connection to Fresno State.

Moore is the dean of the Division of Continuing and Global Education, which operates the Fresno State Veterans Education Program, helping prepare veterans to become Fresno State students. Ventress attended Fresno State in the 1970s, competing as a bull rider with the Fresno rodeo team. He also met Joy, his wife of 46 years and the mother of their two sons and two daughters, while he was a Fresno State student.

When the group landed at the Baltimore airport on Oct. 14, the veterans were treated with respect and appreciation. Moore described the scene after they landed:

“There were three busloads of us, [70 veterans, 70 guardians and about 20 or 30 support staff], so getting everybody, including many people in wheelchairs, moving is a logistical feat. But as we walked through the airport and the terminal, people who saw us stood up and applauded. And you could see the healing start to happen as early as that.”

It was different from what many Vietnam veterans experienced when they returned to the United States after completing their tours of duty.

“A lot of these Vietnam veterans came home to an unwelcoming community and unwelcoming family in some cases,” Moore said. “So, in many instances, these veterans haven’t shared that story [of their time in Vietnam] with anybody. And so to have the veterans around each other, supporting each other and sometimes not saying things and other times saying very deeply personal, difficult things, things they saw, things they experienced, there was a sense of healing through the whole trip.” 

When Moore learned he had been paired with Ventress, he got an email saying, “You’re really going to like Joseph. He’s a Fresno State alum, and I hope you can keep up with him.”

Ventress and Moore attended a luncheon a week before the Honor Flight trip, and then Moore had an orientation for guardians. Ventress said, “I told him to find out what happens if the vet goes rogue.”

And guardian and veteran did just that one night while on the trip. After dinner, they had some unscheduled time, so they took an Uber to see the Lincoln Memorial at night, something Ventress had wanted to do that wasn’t on the official trip itinerary.

Lincoln Memorial“Joseph really wanted to see the Lincoln Memorial,” Moore said. “If you look at the itinerary for the trip, they’re all war memorials or in some way associated with the military. The Lincoln Memorial didn’t make the cut, and it was something Joseph had said would mean a lot to him.” 

But it wasn’t that special moment or the visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that had the most significant impact on Ventress. 

“I’m not saying this in a braggadocious way, but I’ve done a lot of things in my life that were dangerous, that I got away with, and I’m still here. So nothing much excites me,” Ventress said. However, a couple of memorable moments during the third day of the Honor Flight impacted him deeply, even as he described them a week after returning home.

“We went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We watched the changing of the guard, and they put two wreaths up in a ceremony,” Ventress said. “When we walked out, there had to be more than 200 kids lining the walkway, as far as you could see, all wanting to high-five and fist-bump us, saying, ‘Thank you for your service.’ These were high school and junior high school kids, and it was emotional. Right now, I can still feel the emotion from that experience.” 

Another memorable moment came when the Honor Flight group stopped at Fort McHenry National Monument, where Francis Scott Key was inspired during the War of 1812 to write the poem that later became “The Star-Spangled Banner.”  

Ventress described how the veterans gathered around an enormous flag in the fort courtyard. 

veterans praying“You’ve seen on football games where they have a big flag out there, and everybody’s got a hold of it. That’s what we did. And then they had us sing ‘The Star Spangled Banner.’ It was hard to get through that song, even right now. It was hard to get through that song without becoming emotional. Because if you read the words and think about what was happening and the significance of the time and what they were fighting for.”

Ventress prayed with other Christian veterans at the different memorials, including praying for the United States while at the ramparts at Fort McHenry.

Since it was founded in October 2013, Central Valley Honor Flight (an affiliate of the national Honor Flight Network) has raised more than $6 million to fund 30 flights, transporting more than 2,010 veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to the nation’s capital. 

Bullriding and rodeo life wasn’t something Ventress discovered after his military time. It’s a thread that’s run through his whole life, from the first time his mom took him to the Sheriff’s Championship Rodeo in the Los Angeles Coliseum when he was 6 years old. Later, as a teenager, he worked at a stable and moved up to bull riding. Before his Vietnam tours, Ventress continued to compete in all-service rodeos around the state. 

After he left the Navy, Ventress used his G.I. Bill benefits to attend classes at Pierce Junior College in Los Angeles. He had planned to finish his education at Cal Poly Pomona, but another rodeo colleague told him that Fresno State’s rodeo team needed a bull rider, so he changed course. And if he hadn’t, he likely wouldn’t have found Joy and become a family man.

Coming home from their whirlwind cross-country trip, Ventress and Moore were met by several hundred excited family, friends and community members at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, including Joy, their children and grandchildren.

“That was way more than any of us expected,” Ventress said. “I have seen it many times on TV, but this was off the chart. It was all very emotional.”

Ultimately, the hard-to-impress Ventress confirms the transformational nature of the Honor Flight experience.

“It’s life-changing. People said that to me, and I said, ‘Pft. What’s life-changing about it?’ After experiencing it, I’m telling you that it’s different. And it’s something that a lot of vets need to check out.”

Fresno State honors veterans with memorial ceremony

The Veterans Resouce Center will hold a Veterans Day Memorial Ceremony from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Veterans Monument on campus, on the east end of the Rose Garden between the Speech Arts and Thomas buildings. 

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Fresno State rodeo returns to Clovis Rodeo Grounds https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2024/11/06/fresno-state-rodeo-returns-to-clovis-rodeo-grounds/ Wed, 06 Nov 2024 22:03:33 +0000 https://www.fresnostatenews.com/?p=70417 The Fresno State Bulldoggers club rodeo team will host the West Coast Region’s top talent at its home rodeo Friday, Nov. 8, at the Clovis Rodeo Grounds (748 Rodeo Dr.). The team’s only local event of the season opens at 8 a.m. with a slack round that features action in the 10 men’s and women’s [...]

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The Fresno State Bulldoggers club rodeo team will host the West Coast Region’s top talent at its home rodeo Friday, Nov. 8, at the Clovis Rodeo Grounds (748 Rodeo Dr.).

The team’s only local event of the season opens at 8 a.m. with a slack round that features action in the 10 men’s and women’s events.

The evening final round starts at 6 p.m., and general admission is $15 for tickets available online or in person. Fresno State students with a campus ID can get tickets for $10, and the event is free to veterans and youth ages 5 and younger. 

Fresno State men’s and women’s club teams currently rank first and third, respectively, in the region after the fall’s opening events hosted by Feather River College in Quincy in early October.

Two Bulldoggers lead their respective West Coast Region standings, Tyler Jones (team roping header) and Brayden Liberio (bull riding).

Two others rank top three – senior Wilson Redfeairn (steer wrestling, second; team roping rodeo header, second) and sophomore Sage Pearce (breakaway roping, third). 

The team will also compete at Bakersfield College on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 9 and 10, to complete the fall schedule.

After their regular season finale IN May, the top two men’s and women’s teams from each region earn automatic invitations to the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming, June 15 through 21.

Students ranked top three in their events can also qualify individually from the 11 regions across the nation.

Jones (of Friant) was a College National Finals Rodeo qualifier in team roping in 2023 and 2024. Pearce (Santa Maria) also competed at the same event in 2024 in breakaway roping as did Maddie Biglow (Clements) in goat tying.

The team is coached by Uhuru Adem, a two-time, collegiate national finals saddle bronc qualifier for Fresno State. He guided the men’s team to a 13th-place finish in 2022, its highest finish in recent history. The women’s team also placed 19th in 2022, and qualified again last season after placing second in the region.

The program started in 1946 and officially became a club in 1949 — the same year the first collegiate national finals were held in San Francisco.

More information on the team is available on the club’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

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Bud Richter Week of Service tackles community challenges with hands-on solutions https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2024/11/06/bud-richter-week-of-service-tackles-community-challenges-with-hands-on-solutions/ Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:04:40 +0000 https://www.fresnostatenews.com/?p=70412 Fresno State’s Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning will host the fourth annual Bud Richter Week of Service, uniting students, faculty and community members in addressing crucial local issues. From Nov. 2-9, volunteers will engage in targeted service events aimed at bolstering environmental sustainability, supporting underserved populations and fostering community [...]

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Fresno State’s Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning will host the fourth annual Bud Richter Week of Service, uniting students, faculty and community members in addressing crucial local issues. From Nov. 2-9, volunteers will engage in targeted service events aimed at bolstering environmental sustainability, supporting underserved populations and fostering community resilience across Fresno.

During this week-long series, volunteers will participate in a diverse range of hands-on initiatives that provide both immediate benefits to the community and long-term support for vulnerable populations. Highlights include:

  • Firewise Demonstration and Native Pollinator Garden Workday
    Nov. 2, 8 a.m.-noon
    In partnership with the Sierra Resource Conservation District, volunteers will build a Firewise Demonstration Garden to promote wildfire preparedness and plant a pollinator habitat to support monarch butterflies.
  • Cleanup at Fresno Discovery Center
    Nov. 2, 9 a.m.-noon
    Volunteers will clean exhibits, pull weeds and tidy the pond area at this educational center, fostering an engaging and clean environment for visitors.
  • Terry’s House Service Days
    Nov. 3-8
    Volunteers will assist with housekeeping, patio/balcony upkeep and garden maintenance at Terry’s House, a respite home supporting patients’ families at Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno.
  • Poverello House Service Days
    Nov. 3, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and Nov. 8, 2-6 p.m.
    Volunteers will organize clothing donations, serve meals and assemble hygiene kits to support the community’s homeless population at the Poverello House.
  • Catholic Charities Food Pantry Assistance
    Nov. 6, 10 a.m.-noon and Nov. 7, 9 a.m.-noon
    Volunteers will help distribute food and maintain the Catholic Charities facilities, enhancing the organization’s food security efforts for local families.
  • November Blood Drive Preparation Day
    Nov. 7, 2-4 p.m.
    Volunteers will create promotional materials, write thank-you cards, and prepare social media content to encourage blood donations on campus.
  • Fall Learning Enrichment Day Camp
    Nov. 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
    Hosted by Boys 2 Men Girls 2 Women, this camp for at-risk youth features motivational workshops, arts and recreational activities, aiming to inspire and connect youth with positive role models.
  • Love-An-Alley Day
    Nov. 9, 9-11 a.m.
    Volunteers will beautify alleys in central Fresno by picking up litter and clearing weeds, supporting Beautify Fresno’s ongoing efforts to create cleaner neighborhoods.
  • Plant a Winter Garden at Dakota EcoGarden
    Nov. 9, 9 a.m.-noon
    Volunteers will join Dakota EcoGarden residents to plant a winter garden, fostering food security for Fresno’s homeless community.
  • Don Romsa Day of Service Food Distribution
    Nov. 9, 8-11:30 a.m.
    In partnership with Bulldog Pantry, volunteers will distribute food, assist families and help carry items to cars, supporting local families in need.
  • Stone Soup Youth Engagement
    Nov. 9, 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
    Volunteers will facilitate STEAM activities for second to sixth graders at the Stone Soup Center, encouraging interest in science and technology among youth.
  • Veterans Home Groundskeeping Day
    Nov. 9, 7:30 a.m.-noon
    Volunteers will assist with maintaining the grounds of the Veterans Home of California, providing a clean, serene space in honor of Veterans Day.

“With a multitude of service opportunities across different sectors, the Bud Richter Week of Service stands as a powerful reminder of Fresno State’s commitment to impactful community engagement. Each event offers Fresno State students and community members a chance to make a tangible difference and carry forward the Richters’ legacy of kindness and service,” said special projects coordinator Kayla Ferreira.

For more details, contact Kayla Ferreira at kferreira@csufresno.edu or 559-278-2339.

(Story by Celeste Jones)

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Campus Closed for Veterans Day https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2024/11/05/campus-closed-for-veterans-day-2/ Tue, 05 Nov 2024 20:05:30 +0000 https://www.fresnostatenews.com/?p=70410 In commemoration of the Veterans Day national holiday honoring veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Fresno State campus will be closed Monday, Nov. 11. No classes will meet, and the Library, Kennel Bookstore and offices will be closed. The Student Health and Counseling Center will be closed Monday, Nov. 11, reopening at 8 a.m. [...]

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In commemoration of the Veterans Day national holiday honoring veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Fresno State campus will be closed Monday, Nov. 11. No classes will meet, and the Library, Kennel Bookstore and offices will be closed.

The Student Health and Counseling Center will be closed Monday, Nov. 11, reopening at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12. After-hours medical advice or counseling is available 24/7 by calling the main line of the Student Health and Counseling Center at 559.278.2734. Students experiencing a medical emergency should call 911. Students experiencing a mental health crisis should call 911, or call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or go to Exodus Crisis Stabilization Center (4411 E. Kings Canyon Rd.) in Fresno.

Other resources:

Campus emergencies should be reported to the University Police Department at 559.278.8400.

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Fresno State students unite for community service this November https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2024/11/05/fresno-state-students-unite-for-community-service-this-november/ Tue, 05 Nov 2024 20:04:01 +0000 https://www.fresnostatenews.com/?p=70407 This November, Fresno State students will come together to make a positive impact in the community through a series of volunteer projects organized by student leaders from the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning.  One-day service project schedule: Friday, Nov. 8: From 2 to 6 p.m., students will volunteer at [...]

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This November, Fresno State students will come together to make a positive impact in the community through a series of volunteer projects organized by student leaders from the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. 

One-day service project schedule:

  • Friday, Nov. 8: From 2 to 6 p.m., students will volunteer at Papa Mike’s Cafe at Poverello House assisting in kitchen operations, meal preparation and serving. Coordinated by students Amneek Chalotra and Prabhjot Gill, this event aims to support those in need by providing nourishing meals.
  • Saturday, Nov. 9: 
    • At Veterans Home of California-Fresno from 7:30 a.m. to noon, students Rubi Rivera and Alisa Gonzales will lead efforts to maintain the grounds, creating a clean and welcoming environment for veterans. This initiative not only beautifies the space but also honors the service of veterans in a meaningful way.
    • Simultaneously, at Stone Soup from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., students Emily Vang and Emily Tun will lead a group to engage second- through sixth-grade children with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) activities. Volunteers will facilitate hands-on demonstrations and help prepare and clean materials, inspiring the next generation of thinkers and creators.

These service projects highlight Fresno State students’ commitment to give back to the community while fostering a spirit of teamwork and service. 

For more information, contact Kayla Ferreira at kferreira@csufresno.edu or 559.278.2339.

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Dairy Science student places second at World Dairy Expo https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2024/10/31/dairy-science-student-places-second-at-world-dairy-expo/ Thu, 31 Oct 2024 21:14:55 +0000 https://www.fresnostatenews.com/?p=70401 A first-year student majoring in dairy science, Anna Graham recently traveled to Madison, Wisconsin to compete in this year’s World Dairy Expo — the world’s largest dairy cattle show. She and her junior two-year-old Holstein cow, named R-John Delm Charleston-ET, placed second in the international Junior Holstein show.  “This is the first time I have [...]

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A first-year student majoring in dairy science, Anna Graham recently traveled to Madison, Wisconsin to compete in this year’s World Dairy Expo — the world’s largest dairy cattle show. She and her junior two-year-old Holstein cow, named R-John Delm Charleston-ET, placed second in the international Junior Holstein show. 

“This is the first time I have ever attended the World Dairy Expo. The animals exhibited at this show are the best of the best that come from all over the world,” Graham said. 

“This show brings dairy cattle [ranchers] the ability to show off their animals’ genetic potential in a way that can be marketable and also gives the dairy industry the opportunity to bring the world’s best genetics in one location to compete against each other. 

Graham said pre-show preparation entails creating a bond with the animal to make sure she is presented to the best of her ability, washing her, walking her, ensuring proper feed and nutrition and clipping the animal’s hair. 

Originally from the town of Cotati, California, Graham chose to attend Fresno State because of the school’s strong agricultural program and the opportunities available in the Valley. After earning her degree, she plans to work in the dairy cattle industry, focusing on economics and milk pricing.

“I have only been working with dairy cattle for two years, and this is my second year showing,” Graham said. “Although I am considerably new to this industry, I have dedicated all of my time into these projects and that is why I was able to show on such a large scale.”

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Consortium shows challenges in health care access and outcomes https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2024/10/30/consortium-shows-challenges-in-health-care-access-and-outcomes/ Wed, 30 Oct 2024 23:35:56 +0000 https://www.fresnostatenews.com/?p=70397 “We don't have equitable health care because most people in our community, farmworkers, don't have access to health insurance, so it's a big disadvantage in this health care and neighborhood and environment thing,” said a resident of Tulare County. “The doctor told me the glucose results were 380. She told me that I have too [...]

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“We don’t have equitable health care because most people in our community, farmworkers, don’t have access to health insurance, so it’s a big disadvantage in this health care and neighborhood and environment thing,” said a resident of Tulare County.

“The doctor told me the glucose results were 380. She told me that I have too much glucose, and that I was lucky I didn’t have a stroke. I told her I would drink four to five gallons of water a day and that I was peeing constantly. She told me that was my body screaming at me that I was on fire. Those are things that we don’t know about. If I had known that, I would have prevented diabetes,” said Jose Villa, a resident and farmworker from Poplar. “For me, it’s fundamental that there would be more providers that are local.”

These are just some of the firsthand accounts shared by Central California residents who have faced difficulties accessing health care due to health disparities within their community.

In a series of Healthcare Sustainability Briefs, the Central California Public Health Consortium at Fresno State examined how factors such as the local health workforce and hospital finances affect health care access and health outcomes for local residents. 

Some key issues derived from each of the four briefs includes: 

  • Access to care: Access to affordable, timely and culturally relevant care is not a reality for many residents in Central California. The percentage of uninsured people under 65 years old is higher in Central California counties (8.79%) than in California overall (8.17%).

  • Health outcomes: In a Regional Health Equity Analysis report measuring 98 indicators of health, Central California (relative to the rest of the state) had worse outcomes for 87 indicators – many of which can be traced back to challenges accessing affordable care and interacting with the hospital systems within the region.

  • Health care workforce: Health care workforce shortages contribute to challenges accessing care, lower quality of care and inequitable health outcomes where the racial/ethnic profile of the health care workforce is not representative of the U.S. population. In fact, a recent UCLA report found that although 38.9% of California residents identify as Latino, only 6.4% of physicians in California were Latino.
  • Hospital finance: The current health care and hospital financing system is not working for Central California health care facilities, and is contributing to a health care system that is not equipped to serve diverse communities well over the long-term. This issue is exacerbated in Central California, where a greater percentage of the population is enrolled in Medi-Cal (51.99%) than in California overall (40.43%). 

To raise awareness and resources for the community, the Central California Public Health Consortium is working with regional partners and policymakers to share and disseminate the briefs with the goal of reaching residents across the region and to impact policy. The briefs are available in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Hmong and Punjabi.

“Sometimes access to care challenges get boiled down to a simple “lack of providers,” but the issues are far more complicated, and these briefs come together to highlight how there are many interconnected challenges, and we will need to develop solutions to address each issue area if we want to create system-level changes,” said Alyssa Kennett, director of the Central California Public Health Consortium. “The briefs also offer the opportunity to break down a complex issue into more manageable pieces. This issue is so significant, and so complex, that it can be overwhelming to know where to start addressing the challenges.”

The Central California Public Health Consortium, housed under the College of Health and Human Services’ Central California Center for Health and Human Services, engages in strategic planning and policy development through training and research to improve the quality of and responsiveness of public health programs in the Central California region. 

To learn more about the consortium and its latest report, contact Alyssa Kennett at akennett@csufresno.edu.

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LGBTQ2+ ally honors daughter with planned gift to support students https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2024/10/29/lgbtq2-ally-honors-daughter-with-planned-gift-to-support-students/ Tue, 29 Oct 2024 18:15:53 +0000 https://www.fresnostatenews.com/?p=70391 Her name was Ali and she was an ally. Allison Murphy was a passionate and tireless advocate for the LGBTQ2+ community — particularly for those who are transgender — in honor of her daughter, Chloe Anne Lacey, who took her own life in 2010 after struggling for years with her gender identity. After Lacey’s death, [...]

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Her name was Ali and she was an ally.

Allison Murphy was a passionate and tireless advocate for the LGBTQ2+ community — particularly for those who are transgender — in honor of her daughter, Chloe Anne Lacey, who took her own life in 2010 after struggling for years with her gender identity.

After Lacey’s death, Murphy made it her life’s work to create a better world for transgender and gender-expansive people. She attended and participated in LGBTQ events like Fresno Reel Pride Film Festival, the Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade, Trans-E-Motion and wherever else she could to support and to share Lacey’s story.

It was through her advocacy that she met Robin McGehee, a nationally-recognized LGBTQ rights advocate and Fresno State alumna; Dr. Peter Robertson, development director at Fresno State; and Dr. Katherine Fobear, professor and coordinator of the LGBTQ2+ Studies minor in the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Fresno State. 

They bonded throughout the years. And, together with other allies and friends, they became the founding funders of the first LGBTQ2+ Studies Endowed Scholarship at Fresno State in 2023. But Murphy wanted to do more to provide security, support and opportunity for students like her daughter. 

Diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal breast cancer eight years ago, Murphy decided to include a provision in her estate plans to establish the Allison Murphy and Chloe Anne Lacey Scholarship Fund. The endowed memorial scholarship fund will support Fresno State students with a declared minor in LGBTQ2+ studies. 

“She’s dying the way she lived, which is a beautiful thing,” said McGehee, who first met Murphy 10 years ago at the screening of “Trans,” a documentary about transgender lives that included Lacey’s story and Murphy’s devotion to fight for her daughter’s dignity. “[Ali’s] thinking about the livelihood of queer youth. She saw what was happening at Fresno State, and wanted to endorse that effort by giving of her time and work, but also financially.” 

Murphy died on Oct. 21. 

“It’s a huge honor and kind of overwhelming because of the legacy that Ali and Chloe both provide to this scholarship,” Fobear said. “We really want to make sure to honor that legacy and to carry forth. Having that financial support through a scholarship helps students with graduation requirements, but it’s also a way to affirm that what they’re doing and who they are is so powerful.” 

Fobear met Murphy at a fundraiser to kick off the official launch of the LGBTQ2+ Studies minor last year. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the program and was especially excited about the new transgender studies class this fall, Fobear said. The upper division writing course has students enrolled from majors all across campus, she said. 

“What’s really cool about LGBTQ 2+ studies is that we have a blend of students who identify in that community, who want to see themselves in the curriculum because there’s just not a lot of opportunities to learn about their community,” Fobear said. “We also have a huge cohort of students who take the minor, not because they identify as a member of that community, but they want to better serve that community.” 

Robertson met Murphy at the Fresno Reel Pride Film Festival many years ago and remembers her as being joyful, welcoming and embracing — a true ally and advocate. He is a co-founder of the festival, but also researched allyship for his doctoral dissertation. 

“A good ally is standing with someone you know,” Robertson said, “but a great ally is standing for people you don’t know.” 

Memorial donations can be made at the Allison Murphy and Chloe Ann Lacey Scholarship Fund. For more information on additional ways to make an impact on LGBTQ2+ studies, contact Dr. Peter Robertson at probertson@mail.fresnostate.edu or 559.278.4669.

(Portrait by artist Arien Reed.)

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Fresno State elevates ‘Department of Music’ to ‘School of Music’ https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2024/10/28/fresno-state-elevates-department-of-music-to-school-of-music/ Mon, 28 Oct 2024 17:02:18 +0000 https://www.fresnostatenews.com/?p=70380 The “Department of Music” at Fresno State has changed its name to the “School of Music.” The Academic Senate approved the name change on Oct. 7. “Becoming the Fresno State School of Music offers an incredible opportunity for Fresno State to further showcase our vibrant community of musicians, educators and scholars,” said Dr. Cari Earnhart, [...]

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The “Department of Music” at Fresno State has changed its name to the “School of Music.” The Academic Senate approved the name change on Oct. 7.

“Becoming the Fresno State School of Music offers an incredible opportunity for Fresno State to further showcase our vibrant community of musicians, educators and scholars,” said Dr. Cari Earnhart, chair of the School of Music. “The change will positively impact not only our students but also our reputation within the academic and professional music communities and reflect our legacy of excellence and innovation.”

“Elevating our program to a School of Music communicates to all current and future students that they will have an enriched experience at Fresno State with our stellar faculty,” said Dr. Honora Chapman, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. “Fresno State’s School of Music is, indeed, the premier university program for studying music throughout the entire San Joaquin Valley.”

The change comes after the School of Music updated its instrumental performance, jazz studies, composition, music education, and vocal performance programs from Bachelor of Arts to Bachelor of Music degrees in 2022. The new curriculum required for the B.M. degrees is more rigorous and meets the standards of the National Association of Schools of Music professional music degrees. 

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