The Business Of... ASU & Tucson Join Forces

This episode of The Business of Tucson features John Winchester, Senior Director of Government and Community Engagement at Arizona State University (ASU) and a member of the Tucson Metro Chamber Board. John discusses ASU's contributions to the Tucson community, highlighting its lesser-known 40-year history in the city. The conversation starts with John revealing his background as a University of Arizona alumnus who eventually came to appreciate the value of ASU in the community. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration between universities for the betterment of Tucson. John then dives into ASU's presence in Tucson, mentioning their social work program as the first and longest-running initiative. He details how the program serves the community by training social service providers and partnering with local government entities. Other ASU contributions highlighted include executive education programs for local governments, research projects focused on mental health and social services, and digital classes offered to Tucson school districts. The second half of the episode explores ASU's role on a statewide level. John mentions the university's involvement in creating more healthcare professionals and physicians in Arizona. ASU's new medical school focuses on a marriage between engineering and medicine, aiming to make medical delivery more efficient and cost-effective. John concludes by emphasizing ASU's data-driven approach to creating medical professionals prepared for the future of medicine in the 21st century.