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Student First, Employer Obsessed: Inside the WGU & CVS Pharmacy Partnership - with Dr. Ryan Gates, Executive Dean & Senior Vice President of the Leavitt School of Health, Western Governors University

Dr. Ryan Gates, Executive Dean & Senior Vice President of the Leavitt School of Health · Western Governors University

Jul 8, 2026 43 min
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Student First, Employer Obsessed: Inside the WGU & CVS Pharmacy Partnership - with Dr. Ryan Gates, Executive Dean & Senior Vice President of the Leavitt School of Health, Western Governors University

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What this conversation answers

  • 01

    Why can a nursing student finish a full clinical rotation & never once see the kind of patient they will have to treat the day they get licensed?

  • 02

    How did 1 hospital burn through $80 million in cash reserves, land on the edge of closure, & then rebuild its own nursing pipeline from within?

  • 03

    What does "employer obsessed" really mean, & how is it putting CVS pharmacy technicians on a path to pharmacist for under $10,000?

Show notes

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Ryan Gates, Executive Dean & Senior Vice President of the Leavitt School of Health, Western Governors University

In this episode, sponsored by EdUp Leadership, the ​HigherEd PodCon​ II happening July 16 & 17, & the 2026 AcOps Conference July 29-31 by Coursedog

YOUR cohost is Thomas Fetsch, CEO, Integrity4Education

YOUR host is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elvin Freytes

  • Why can a nursing student finish a full clinical rotation & never once see the kind of patient they will have to treat the day they get licensed?
  • How did 1 hospital burn through $80 million in cash reserves, land on the edge of closure, & then rebuild its own nursing pipeline from within?
  • What does "employer obsessed" really mean, & how is it putting CVS pharmacy technicians on a path to pharmacist for under $10,000?

Listen in to #EdUp

Thank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp!

Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Elvin Freytes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Joe Sallustio⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The guest

Dr. Ryan Gates

Dr. Ryan Gates

Executive Dean & Senior Vice President of the Leavitt School of Health · Western Governors University

Every episode with Gates

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