CSUSB Palm Desert nursing student hopes to transform healthcare

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) -- Inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and Coachella Valley's nursing shortage, Jason Davalos is graduating California State University, San Bernardino Palm Desert Campus (PDC), with a degree in nursing.

Davalos graduates this weekend as PDC's Outstanding Student of the year and as a University Legacy Scholar, a scholarship that provided a full-ride to the school. He hopes to transform healthcare by breaking down language barriers and providing clinical care to at-risk patients.

Davalos says he was drawn to the profession when he saw the need for nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. His own personal experience with immigrant parents also inspired him.

"My parents, they both came from low-income, immigrant households. I think they really dared to dream. Many times, I'm that they felt the odds were stacked against them, especially with my father having such a huge language barrier," Davalos said.

While he received a full scholarship at PDC, he says when things got rough it was the hands-on learning programs that kept him there.

"Our street medicine program, that's when we go out into the community, we host community clinics with mainly unhoused individuals, but also migrant farmworkers out in the East Valley. Also, low income and uninsured individuals. I think that for me, I made some very meaningful connections with community members," Davalos said.

According to him, the biggest challenges facing local families are a lack of insurance and language barriers.

"With the street medicine program, we're able to bridge that gap, we're able to serve as that intermediary between the health care system and, and our community. So expanding those services, bringing services to them, is a huge goal of mine," Davalos said.

While his time at CSUSB-PDC comes to an end, he says there’s still unfinished work in his community.

"Everybody here would agree that the goal is to see this campus as California State University Palm Desert. A standalone campus here in the Coachella Valley that's unique to our population, unique to our student's needs."