Since 2009, the Sustainable Garden at Stanislaus State University has acted as a physical internship site, immersing students in real-world experiences and fostering connections with agricultural enterprises. Located to the right of Naraghi Hall of Science and next to Willow Lake, near the biology field site support dome, the garden is accessible from Parking Lot 8, behind it, when approached from Mariposa Drive. The inception of the Sustainable Garden stemmed from the ambition to integrate more hands-on learning and innovative sustainability practices. Today the Sustainable Garden is an educational resource for the university, providing this learning opportunity while also aiding in securing employment across various agricultural professions. The garden benefits not just those in the agricultural and academic sectors but also enhances the community by supplying food and bringing knowledge to younger generations about gardening and its upkeep. It contributes to the campus's aesthetic and marks a stride in evolving Stanislaus State University into a more sustainable establishment.
This three-story building located on the southeast side of the Stanislaus State campus acts as a prime example of space designed and built to be as green as possible. Winning The LEED Silver Certification for its efforts in conservation and resource management, it is one of the greenest buildings on campus. Dr. Pamela Roe, a professor of zoology in the Department of Biological Sciences, led many sustainability efforts. She put into practice environmentally friendly measures to help reduce the campus's carbon footprint and more efficiently use resources and was influental in the process of Naraghi Hall gaining its LEED certification. Thanks to major contributions from Hashem and Nora Naraghi and the Hashem Naraghi Trust, in 2007 the campus was able to open the modern science building that proved to be exceptionally sustainable. Many classes in this building are well known for their top of the line science equipment ranging across many fields of science. One such piece of equipment used is an incubator that allows students to view and track bacterial growth.
Stanislaus State Event Center, home to events such as orientation for incoming students, was originally the Student Union. The Student Union opened in 1971 after two years of controversy. Between 1971 and 2020, it served as a center for student social activities such as film views, live music, and dances. It also provided space for the campus bookstore. After a successful 2015 student referendum calling for a new student center, campus officials repurposed the building as an event center for such events as orientations and conferences.
The mural "Salt of the Earth," displayed on the south wall of the J. Burton Vasché Library at California State University, Stanislaus, is placed next to the main staircase, reaching from the first to the second floor. It celebrates the Central Valley's agricultural heritage. Created in 2022 by the 3B Collective during the library’s renovation, it shows three farmworkers in a field—two picking grapes and a third harvesting fruit from a tree—symbolizing the region’s deep connection to the land and the vital role of farmworkers. It honors the hard work and resilience of these workers, many from immigrant and underserved communities, who endure the extreme heat and long hours of the season to shape the area’s identity. The mural also serves as an educational piece, encouraging reflection on the Central Valley’s history. Donated by local supporters, the mural is an enduring tribute to the community.
The Warrior Cross Cultural Center (WCCC), located in room 203 of the Stan State Vaché Library, is the culmination of years of student agitation for space that could be dedicated to fostering critical consciousness and transformative learning while empowering marginalized voices and affirming intersectional identities. When you look at the office from the outside you see many flags representing LGBTQ pride, or Black Union Pride, or Chicano Pride among other related themes. It is meant to be a place where students can learn about and organize for social justice, or as the website says, it is space that encourages “critical dialogue and action against racial, social, and cultural systems of oppression.” The center opened in November of 2017 as the Diversity Center and was renamed as the WCCC in Fall 2022. Over the summer of 2024, the WCCC transitioned to become a part of the office of Student Leadership, Engagement and Belonging (SLEB).
The literary magazine Penumbra, located in room 305 on the third floor of Demergasso-Bava Hall, has provided the Stan State campus with a wide repertoire of artistic literature since 1989. It was founded by Professor Rofiah Breen, An English professor who taught advanced creative writing in CSU Stanislaus (1989-2010). Penumbra provides a space for the people of all walks of life to showcase their work in the bi-yearly journal, whether it be poetry or an art piece. The significance of allowing such an opportunity is to allow this diverse set of people to express themselves and to speak of issues that are important to said individuals through art and poetry, bringing their concerns and experience to a wider public. Penumbra also hosts reading events to go with the release of their latest issues. These reading events are open to the general public and they have been a tradition dating back to the first one that was held on November 18, 1996. In 2020 Penumbra launched Penumbra Online.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This walking tour provides insights into locations on the Stan State campus that relate to its rich history in Turlock, CA. Entries were completed by students in the Fall 2024, Introduction to Public History class. Look on TheClio for other walking tours with other entries on the Stan State Turlock and Stockton campuses.
