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PODCAST · education

Beyond J

by Sacramento State

"We are extending the impact of the University beyond J Street — transforming Sacramento by transforming our students." Welcome to Beyond J, a podcast from University Communications that dives into the Sacramento region's issues and challenges, cultural topics and trends from a unique Sacramento State perspective.Beyond J is hosted by Phillip Altstatt

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Episodes

  1. A drive for advocacy: Jeffery Benson’s nontraditional path of success

    Jeffery Benson calls himself a disruptor because he’s never been one to follow the traditional path. The 61-year-old graduated from Sac State with his bachelor’s degree in Career and Technical Studies in December 2024. In May, he returned to offer words of wisdom and encouragement to fellow Class...

  2. Beating the odds: How former foster youth at Sac State thrive

    For former foster youth, attending college, let alone graduating, may seem daunting. In fact, nationally, only 4% of college students who have experienced the foster system will earn a degree. Bucking that trend are the students in Sac State’s Guardian Scholars Program, which provides support and...

  3. From Sac State student to sustainability champion

    When Ryan Todd came to Sacramento State as a student some two decades ago, the idea of colleges and universities investing significant time and resources into sustainability was a concept still in its infancy. But Todd liked the outdoors, so he decided to major in Environmental Studies. He left…

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  4. Beyond J Rewind: Escaping Ukraine

    With Beyond J taking a break this week, we revisit our 2022 episode featuring a pair of Sac State alums who become caught up in the war in Ukraine.

  5. The amazing brains of fruit flies

    What can the common fruit fly teach us about autism? That's a question Sacramento State Biology Professor Kim Mulligan and her students are working to answer. Mulligan's research centers on the molecular basis of brain disorders. In her lab on campus, she and her students use the common fruit fly...

  6. Elevating research at Sac State

    Earlier this year, Sacramento State joined a prestigious list of colleges and universities recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for “high research activity,” earning the foundation’s Research 2, or R2, designation. But what does that designation mean — especially for Sac State faculty and...

  7. Oscars still white?

    In 2015, after all 20 Academy Award acting nominations went to white actors, social media responded with the #OscarsSoWhite campaign to press for greater representation in film. Now, ten years later, has Hollywood made good on its promise to diversify? What do this year’s nominations say about…

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  8. Supporting Native student success

    Annette Reed had been retired from Sacramento State for all of a week when President Luke Wood approached her with a unique opportunity: The University was starting a first-in-California Native American College, and he wanted Reed to serve as its inaugural dean. After taking some time to think it...

  9. Rediscovering art, joining the Hornet Family and finding a voice

    Phillip Altstatt has been making art since before he can remember, but when he was in high school, his art teacher told him he didn’t have much potential. He stopped drawing for 10 years. By that time, he was a Sacramento State student who was taking an Art Studio class simply to fulfill an...

  10. Beyond J Rewind: 'I hustled'

    We look back at a powerful episode from 2022 featuring Tammy Linn, who earned her degree from Sacramento State with the help of the University's Project Rebound program, which supports students who were formerly incarcerated. The child of drug addicts, Linn grew up with instability and loss. She...

  11. Beyond J Rewind: From homelessness to hope

    We revisit our very first episode, where we we introduce you to Mona, a then-Sacramento State student who persevered and kept her college dream alive despite daunting challenges. She has faced difficulties meeting basic needs such as food and housing as well as domestic violence and severe health...

  12. ‘We’re not hiding’: How Sac State is supporting undocumented students

    Shortly after the 2024 general election, Sacramento State President Luke Wood met with some of the University’s undocumented students and posed a question. "He said, ‘We can go two ways. We can go into hiding if that makes you all feel better, or we can be out and we can be proud and we can say...

  13. "The fish will tell you everything": Ron Coleman and Sac State’s 'fish lab'

    Inside 180 bubbling tanks in Biological Sciences Professor Ron Coleman’s lab, fish called cichlids practice complex courtship rituals, build nests and fight to protect their young. They do so under the watchful eyes of Coleman and his students, who document fish parenting habits for scientific...

  14. ‘Molecules with purpose”: Kathie McReynolds’ fight to stop viruses

    Scientific research is “a lot of fun,” Sac State Chemistry Professor Kathie McReynolds insists. But in her lab, it also has a serious purpose. She and her students are studying agents capable of slowing the spread of deadly viruses, including those with the potential for causing epidemics or even...

  15. A ‘rehearsal for revolution’: Erin Kaplan and the power of theater

    For Erin Kaplan, theater isn’t just a performance. It’s a chance to have a conversation. At 19 years old, she was a student at the University of Michigan and on track for a career as a lawyer when she participated in a program that taught theater to girls incarcerated at a youth correctional...

  16. Sac State faculty weigh in on 2024 election

    Mail-in ballots are already trickling in, and voters soon will decide the direction the United States will take – for the next four years, at least. In a new “Beyond J” podcast episode, Rebekkah Mulholland, Sacramento State Public History Program director, and Kim Nalder, director of the Project...

  17. ‘A very useful robot’: Sac State’s AI chief assesses the state of artificial intelligence

    Sasha Sidorkin is an artificial intelligence realist. Or, as he puts it, “I know what hype is.” While the conversation about AI can swing between excitement about its seemingly endless capabilities and concerns about sweeping job losses or, in some circles, the potential end of the world…

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  18. The Way of the Hornet with Dr. Luke Wood

    A discussion about the importance of inclusion, and a story about President Luke Wood most still don’t know. Luke Wood almost didn’t graduate from college. Which means he almost didn’t earn his master’s degree or Ph.D., almost didn’t become a respected college administrator and national leader on...

  19. Beyond J Returns - September 2024

    Beyond J is back with new episodes, publishing every other Tuesday starting September 24.

  20. I Hustled

    Tammy Linn was the child of drug addicts, and grew up with instability and loss. She lived with multiple foster families and bounced around from school to school before ultimately dropping out. Unable to read and write, and eventually turned to crime before landing in prison. Linn’s determination...

  21. Escaping Ukraine

    Two Sac State grads—one visiting Ukraine and one at home in Sacramento— share their experiences following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Olya LeBaron learned firsthand of the invasion from friends and family in her homeland of Ukraine and watched in disbelief as events unfolded from her home in...

  22. I'm a Recovering Racist

    Sacramento Poet Laureate Andru Defeye’s startling declaration that “he is a recovering racist” while reading a poem he wrote for Sac State’s 2022 antiracism and inclusion Convocation blindsided host Phillip Altstatt and inspired this episode. This thoughtful conversation about the difference...

  23. What's in a Pronoun?

    Antonia Peigahi (she, her, they), director of policy and records management at Sacramento State, visits the studio to tell her incredibly personal story of coming out publicly as a transgender woman. We are joined for a conversation about the role of gender pronouns by Sacramento State Professor...

  24. Pour It Out & Do It Again

    We sit down with Roshaun Davis, co-founder of Unseen Heroes, to discuss the topic of rebuilding community post-pandemic. He opens up about a personal and professional loss that he calls his ego death. Roshaun says the notion of rebuilding shifts to providing outlets for communities to connect.…

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  25. Success Beyond Pandemic

    In our second episode, we introduce you to six Sac State students who share their experience and advice entering the internship and job market during a time of uncertainty due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We’re also joined by Emma Wadiak and Stephaine Francis from the Sacramento State Career Center,...

  26. From Homelessness to Hope

    In our first episode, we introduce you to Mona, a Sacramento State student who has persevered and kept her college dream alive despite daunting challenges. She has faced difficulties meeting basic needs such as food and housing as well as domestic violence and severe health challenges. And has…

    more

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

"We are extending the impact of the University beyond J Street — transforming Sacramento by transforming our students." Welcome to Beyond J, a podcast from University Communications that dives into the Sacramento region's issues and challenges, cultural topics and trends from a unique Sacramento State perspective.Beyond J is hosted by Phillip Altstatt

HOSTED BY

Sacramento State

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Beyond J have?

Beyond J currently has 26 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Beyond J about?

"We are extending the impact of the University beyond J Street — transforming Sacramento by transforming our students." Welcome to Beyond J, a podcast from University Communications that dives into the Sacramento region's issues and challenges, cultural topics and trends from a unique Sacramento...

How often does Beyond J release new episodes?

Beyond J has 26 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Beyond J?

You can listen to Beyond J on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Beyond J?

Beyond J is created and hosted by Sacramento State.
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