Community Engagement Report - 2022

University of Nevada, Reno — Inspir ing E xcellence Since 1874 —

The Ye a r In R e v ie w

Accessible ver sion avail able at unr .edu/communit y-engagement-22

This Is The Wolf Pack Way By actively embracing and serving the needs of Nevada, the University of Nevada, Reno plays a critical role in shaping the future for the people of our state. Our students, faculty and staff are deeply engaged and committed to Nevada and its many communities.

This is the story that we tell in this Year in Review — how the University’s mission as the first land-grant institution in Nevada perfectly aligns our programming, resources and practices to support the dynamic growth of our communities and further the lives of our citizens.

There are many stories of success, of collaboration and of partnership detailed in this publication that speak to this alignment. We are especially excited about what the future still holds. These relationships only promise to grow in the years to come.

Community engagement has always been part of the fabric of our University.

We are thankful for the communities, and the people, who make this engagement so meaningful.

Go Pack!

Sincere regards,

Brian Sandoval President

1 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JOIN US IN CELEBR ATING 150 YEARS! With eager anticipation, we look forward to celebrating 150 years of inspiring excellence here at the University of Nevada, Reno. October 12, 2024 marks our sesquicentennial, and we fully intend to commemorate the occasion in classic Nevada style: The Wolf Pack Way!

On the cover: Historic Morrill Hall and the Prim Library, a centerpiece of the gift from Sierra Nevada University.

A Story of Inspiring Excellence

In 2022, the University awarded 5,103 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees.

Few states can boast that the inspiration and expectations for their original state university were written into the state constitution. But in Nevada, that’s exactly what happened — and excellence was expected, right from the start. In the summer of 1864, Nevada’s framers wrote Our Story

of a desire for “a State University for … the promotion of intellectual, literary, scientific, mining, mechanical, agricultural and moral improvement” for Nevadans. This language was a deft acknowledgment of the 1862 Morrill Act and its promise of land-grant colleges funded by gifts of public land. To some, the idea of a great state university in the high desert of the late 19th century seemed long on high-minded aspiration and short on common sense. But when excellence is expected, folks dig deep — and reach for the stars.

Story continues at bottom of page 3

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 2

Serving All of Nevada

We acknowledge that the University of Nevada, Reno is situated on the traditional homelands of the Numu (Northern Paiute), Wašiw (Washoe), Newe (Western Shoshone), and Nuwu (Southern Paiute) peoples. These lands continue to be a gathering place for Indigenous Peoples and we recognize their deep connections to these places. We extend our appreciation for the opportunity to live and learn on their territory.

3 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

From its hopeful beginnings in Elko in 1874, this university — whose purpose is to lift up people who otherwise would not 15 | YEAR IN REVIEW Our Story

Inspired to Deliver on Our Land-Grant Mission Founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno was established as Nevada’s land-grant institution under the Morrill Act of 1862, which was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln and provided for a land-grant institution in each state of the union. The designation allowed for the use of funds generated by the sale of federal lands to establish and operate universities. In that spirit, the University of Nevada, Reno proudly continues to serve our community, state, nation and world — a commitment that remains a foundational underpinning of everything we do as the Silver State’s original land-grant university.

Humboldt

THE UNIVERSITY SHARES RESEARCH,

Washoe Pershing

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE DAILY

Lander Eureka

IN EVERY COUNTY THROUGHOUT THE SILVER STATE.

Elko

Storey Carson City

Lyon

White Pine

Churchill

Douglas Mineral Esmeralda University of Nevada, Reno Extension Nevada Small Business Development Center University of Nevada, Reno Extended Studies University of Nevada, Reno Experiment Station University of Nevada, Reno Distance Education University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Nevada Industry Excellence

Nye

Lincoln

Clark

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 4

have access to higher education or benefit from its research — began to benefit Nevada. It was the INSPIRING SINCE 1874 | 16 beginning EXCELLENCE of great things to come.

— An Inspiring Vision for the Future —

Wolf Pack Rising

5 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Nearly 150 years later, our commitment to our mission remains intact; never losing sight of our framers’ original intentions: 15 | YEAR IN REVIEW Our Story

OUR MISSION Inspired by its land-grant foundation, the University of Nevada, Reno provides outstanding learning, discovery and engagement programs that serve the economic, social, environmental and cultural needs of the citizens of Nevada, the nation and the world. The University recognizes and embraces the critical importance of diversity in preparing students for global citizenship and is committed to a culture of excellence, inclusion and accessibility.

OUR VISION The University of Nevada, Reno’s vision is to educate and graduate the best-prepared, confident leaders for the state, national and global community; to be a nexus for research and creativity that focuses on vital issues of our time; and to serve as a catalyst for the betterment of our society.

OUR VALUES In all of its activities, the University is guided by the following values: • Excellence in all of our endeavors • Integrity in all of our actions • Inclusiveness of diverse cultures and identities • Collaboration between disciplines and programs and with community partners and stakeholders

The University’s ’23-’27 STR ATEGIC PLAN Goal 1:

Goal 4:

{ Enable inclusive excellence for students, faculty and staff } Strategy 1: Increase equitable student outcomes while growing enrollment to 25,000 by FY2030 Strategy 2: Become a career destination for diverse faculty and staff

{ Elevate our top-tier research and contributions } Strategy 1: Progress toward becoming a top 100 R1 institution and a top 50 NSF public research and development university Strategy 2: Move toward achieving American Association of Universities’ membership indicators

STRENGTHEN THE PACK

Goal 2:

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE

{ Deliver the services, organization and infrastructure required to support a growing University } Strategy 1: Enable our success with an agile organizational model and leading business operations Strategy 2: Deliver the physical and technological infrastructure necessary to support our future

Goal 3:

LEAD FOR NEVADA

{ Enhance the delivery of our land-grant mission } Strategy 1: Enrich our academic portfolio Strategy 2: Increase service to and collaboration with communities across the state

TRANSFORM THE WORLD

Goal 5:

MAKE SILVER AND BLUE THE NEW GREEN

{ Lead in environmental expertise and campus sustainability } Strategy 1: Establish Reno-Lake Tahoe as an epicenter of sustainability education, research and leadership Strategy 2: Amplify our environmental sustainability, biodiversity and climate change leadership

Goal 6:

EXPAND THE WOLF PACK IMPACT

{ Reinforce our impact to Nevada and beyond } Strategy 1: Strengthen the University’s reputation and brand recognition nationally and globally Strategy 2: Enhance connections to and pride in The Wolf Pack Way INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 6

To serve the citizens of the Silver State, transform the world through learning, discovery and engagement, and inspire excellence TheSINCE Wolf1874 Pack |Way. INSPIRING EXCELLENCE 16

THE WOLF PACK WAY

Inspiring The Wolf Pack THE DIGITAL WOLF PACK INITIATIVE The University of Nevada, Reno partnered with Apple® to create the Digital Wolf Pack Initiative, a program that provides a common learning platform and equal access to technology and digital tools for new, degree-seeking students and faculty.

In 2021, more than 3,000 new freshmen received an iPad, keyboard and stylus at no cost to students. The University funded the Digital Wolf Pack Initiative from its investment portfolio.

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO COLLEGIATE ACADEMIES The University has created Collegiate Academies at several Nevada high schools, offering high school students the opportunity to complete a year or more of college courses — at a discounted price for tuition — while still enrolled in high school. By completing a year of college while in high school, students can earn their college degree in three years.

GOOGLE® DONATES 100 HOTSPOTS TO STUDENTS IN NEED In 2021, the University received support from Google to fund 100 new hotspot devices — and 12 months of connectivity — for long-term check-out from University Libraries at no charge. The devices offered unlimited data and were shipped to students who lived outside of the Reno area to bridge the digital divide. Many students said the hotspots had a positive impact on their ability to do schoolwork and mitigated some of the stress they experienced during the pandemic.

FEDERAL COVID-19 FUNDING DISTRIBUTED TO STUDENTS As part of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response, the University received $34,132,556 in Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF I, HEERF II, HEERF III) to help students in need with emergency grants.

Those HEERF Funds ($34,132,556) have been distributed to students in emergency funds.

7 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

15 | YEAR INThe REVIEW Wolf Pack Way is the University’s unique culture of caring embodied by our students, faculty, staff and alumni as

Our Story

The University + UNLV

Excellence in Collabor ation BEHAVIOR RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS Sponsored by the CDC and multiple Nevada state public health programs, Dr. Wei Yang of the School of Public Health and Dr. Sheniz Moonie of UNLV School of Public Health worked as co-primary investigators for an ongoing statewide project, “Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Systems (BRFSS),” one of the fundamental surveillance systems for public health practice and research.

THE NEVADA MINORITY HEALTH AND EQUITY INITIATIVE Housed at UNLV, the Nevada Minority Health & Equity Coalition is a statewide effort at the forefront of addressing health issues affecting the state’s most vulnerable populations. Partnering with the University of Nevada, Reno, the coalition was vital in working to provide vaccine equity efforts during the pandemic.

DELEGATIONS OF DEANS CONVENE TO IMPROVE COLLABORATION In 2021, deans of the schools of public health from University of Nevada, Reno (Dr. Trudy Larson) and UNLV (Shawn Gerstenberger, Ph.D.) held regular meetings to discuss collaboration opportunities. Both deans contributed to an op-ed that emphasized the importance of unity and collaboration to address public health disparities in Nevada. The associate deans from both schools also developed plans to establish a collaboration platform so their faculties can work on Nevada’s most pressing public health concerns.

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 8

SINCEself.

1874 | 16 they make positive contributions to their cities, states and communities throughout the world, inINSPIRING the spirit EXCELLENCE of service beyond

STUDENT SUCCESS

Engaged Students Inspire Us All

9 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

The Center for Student Engagement inside the Joe Crowley Student Union helps students get connected and involved, which improves grades, mental health, and academic resilience.

spirit of The Wolf Pack Way starts with our students, whose success is at the heart of everything we do. Throughout the year, 15 | YEAR INThe REVIEW Our Story

STUDENT VOTING UP 14.2% IN 2020 ELECTION The University of Nevada, Reno is part of a Tufts University Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE) and the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement (NSLV) study. The study, completed in November 2021, indicated student voting increased at our University 14.2 percent in the 2020 presidential election, increasing to 72.1 percent in 2020 from 57.9 percent in 2016. The Center for Student Engagement participates in ongoing training to develop, implement and report results for engagement programs that encourage students to register, become educated and turn out to vote.

COMMUNITY SERVICE EXCELLENCE ACROSS NEVADA • ASUN students have posted 76,982 volunteer hours in GivePulse™ as of December 2021.

This community volunteerism has an economic impact of $2,197,069 in Nevada’s communities.

• The Pack Provisions donation campaign raised $38,605 in the fall of 2021, with special thanks to our matching gift partners, Plumas Bank, Bank of America and Greater Nevada Credit Union.

• Patnerships with Vitalant® generated 214 units of donated blood from students and staff which helped to save 642 lives.

STUDENTS EXCEL AT FEEDING THE FOOD-INSECURE Pack Provisions strives to support all members of the University of Nevada, Reno with the daily resources they need to be successful. This mission is carried out by providing access to perishable and non-perishable foods, meals on campus, school supplies, hygiene items and more. Community partners include Northern Nevada Food Bank and Catholic Charities as well as Wolf Pack Meats and Desert Farming Initiative who provide University-grown meat and produce. Our data indicates that addressing food insecurity increases persistence and graduation rates for these vulnerable populations:

• • •

The 22% to 24% of students who reported being food insecure The students of Color who are more likely to be food insecure than White students The 25% of all food-insecure students who grew up in food-insecure households

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 10

our students stepped up to become engaged voters, supported food-insecure students and volunteeredINSPIRING throughout Nevada’s communities.

EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 16

EXCELLENT OUTCOMES

A vital part of our mission is to connect students with meaningful careers by hosting numerous job fairs with Nevada employers each year.

11 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

15 | YEAR INThe REVIEW Wolf Pack Way is also about inspiring career excellence. Today, 82% of our graduates are employed, in the military or in Our Story

As We Develop Nevada’s future workforce,

Inspiring careers Start Here CAREER STUDIO CONNECTS STUDENTS TO JOBS

6,700+

STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN CAREER PROGRAMMING

9,835 STUDENT JOB BOARD USAGE

3,840

NEW EMPLOYERS JOINING OUR NETWORK

In 2021, Nevada Career Studio partnered with ASUN to offer the Pack Internship Grant Program, processing 650 applications for 69 paid internships with local start-ups, non-profits and public/government agencies.

Our Career Explorations-Women in STEM program offered students career development clinics and job shadowing opportunities. We partnered with New Student Initiatives to introduce 3,000+ incoming students to career resources.

We also teamed up with the First-Generation Center to offer a Career Development Week series for 150+ First-Generation students.

CLASS OF 2021 • • •

5,218 Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees awarded 72% of working graduates stayed in Nevada 59% stayed in the greater Reno area

HOW MUCH ARE OUR RECENT GRADS EARNING? • Bachelor’s $50,625/yr.

$63,824/yr.

• Ph.D./Professional $83,886/yr.

• Average salary of all degree levels $56,100/yr.

• Master’s

WHERE DO OUR RECENT GRADS WORK? • • • • • •

Business and finance 19% Health care and health services 18% Education/research 13% International affairs/public policy 13% Engineering/manufacturing 12% Other 25% INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 12

graduate school within one year of earning their degrees. With 560 academic programs, we help students becomeEXCELLENCE whatever they want to be.

INSPIRING SINCE 1874 | 16

INTRODUCING THE TIER 1 UNIVERSITY AT LAKE TAHOE unr.edu/lake-tahoe

Gift Creates The University of

The Prim Library beckons students and faculty to read, study and relax in its lodge-like surroundings.

13 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

focus on providing an exceptional student experience doesn’t stop there. The acquisition of a stunning 18-acre Lake Tahoe 15 | YEAR INOur REVIEW Our Story

Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe In July 2021, the Board of Trustees of Sierra Nevada University approved a gift agreement allowing Sierra Nevada University to become a part of the University of Nevada, Reno on July 1, 2022. The gifted property in Incline Village, Nevada will now be called the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. It is with humility and gratitude that the University accepts this gift of higher education and will welcome a diverse group of students, faculty and staff to learn and work near the shores of Lake Tahoe in Fall 2022.

Lake Tahoe boasts 19 winter sport resorts within an hour’s drive of the University’s new location.

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 14

location provides students and faculty access to the High Sierra — and we plan to invite world-class speakers, arts andEXCELLENCE programmingSINCE to Lake Tahoe.

INSPIRING 1874 | 16

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

unr.edu/research-innovation

The University’s Nevada Institute for Sustainability improves performance of electric vehicles and the grid, and connects students to the nation’s first Batteries and Energy Storage Technologies minor.

15 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

BigREVIEW ideas ignite through the University, positioning Nevada as a global technology hub and creating opportunities for all Nevadans.

15 | YEAR IN Our Story

Excellence in Research & Innovation The University of Nevada, Reno is a Carnegie® R1 research university committed to the pursuit of knowledge that addresses the important issues of our time, promotes innovation and drives Nevada’s economic prosperity. Over the past decade, the research enterprise at the University has grown substantially, thanks to our inclusive, diverse and collaborative research environment and Innovation Ecosystem. Research & Innovation is focused on supporting faculty, staff, students and industry to ignite the University’s vision of producing impactful discoveries and fostering innovation and commercialization.

$137 Million+ raised by Innovation Ecosystem startups

•

300+ companies engaged in the Innovation Ecosystem

•

670+ tech jobs created through the Innovation Ecosystem

•

35+ companies with University-based operations

•

$32 Million+ in grants, contracts, gifts and agreements

Future-facing education and outreach The K-12 Robotics Center | University of Nevada, Reno — developed with support from Tesla and EDAWN — is a unique facility for robotics-based education and competition that encourages creativity, innovation and fun in elementary, middleand high school students, strengthening the path to college degrees and careers.

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$8.7 Million Knowledge Fund investment over eight years

L ASSIFI EC C GI

I H

•

VERY

Return on investment by the Nevada Center for Applied Research and the Innevation Center:

C R ESEARCH A

R1 CLASSIFIED AS A COMPREHENSIVE, DOCTORAL-GRANTING UNIVERSITY WITH VERY HIGH RESEARCH ACTIVITY, AS NAMED BY THE CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATION OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION®

$175 Million IN TOTAL ANNUAL RESEARCH EXPENDITURES FY2021

102%

Most-ever NSF CAREER Awards Eight awardees representing four of the University’s colleges and schools received the National Science Foundation’s prestigious award in support of early-career success in research and education in 2021, our most ever in a single year.

“This University has a remarkable community of world-class researchers whose work is recognized internationally.

They engage in campus, develop our students and call northern Nevada home.”

— Mridul Gautam, Ph.D., Vice President for Research and Innovation

$264,000

INCREASE SINCE FY2013

RESEARCH EXPENDITURES PER FACULTY MEMBER RANKS THE UNIVERSITY IN THE “TOP 75” OF U.S. PUBLIC RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES. INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 16

College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources As a founding college of the University, the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources (CABNR) helps fulfill the University’s land-grant mission with teaching, research and engagement that helps to meet the pressing challenges Nevadans face.

PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE

HUMAN HEALTH

means training a scientific workforce committed to innovating the

includes improving dietary recommendations by understanding

way food is grown, processed and distributed to meet and sustain

variability in people’s responses to diets and nutrients and conducting

the growing global demand for food.

ground-breaking research to reduce incidences of disease.

NATURAL RESOURCES

RENEWABLE ENERGY

involves providing solutions for complex local, regional, national

can be expanded by producing energy crops adapted to arid climates

and global issues related to the management of natural resources.

and biofuel conversion technologies essential to expand biofuels use.

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students...... 256 Graduate Students......................... 34

17 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Nevada’s original land-grant institution, it’s in our DNA to share research and knowledge with Nevadans and the world.

15 | YEAR IN As REVIEW

Our Story

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, BIOTECHNOLOGY & NATURAL RESOURCES unr.edu/cabnr

“I love traveling across the state and seeing the impact of our College’s teaching, research and outreach faculty as they excel in tackling some of the most challenging issues facing Nevadans – food and energy security, environmental protection, human health and nutrition, climate change and more – to positively impact the lives of Nevadans.”

— Dean Bill Payne

Agriculture students use drone technology to enhance arid-climate crop cultivation.

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 18

That’s why we always strive for excellence, from improving arid-climate agriculture to advancing the biosciences to protecting ourSINCE environment.

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE 1874 | 16

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, BIOTECHNOLOGY & NATURAL RESOURCES unr.edu/cabnr

Inspiring Research THE EXPERIMENT STATION: EXPANDING RESEARCH SOLUTIONS FOR NEVADA The Experiment Station—a division of CABNR—maintains a network of field stations across Nevada and conducts research that supports agriculture, promotes community health, sustains natural resources and stimulates economic development. Agriculture is Nevada’s largest single industry in 85% of the state, and it fuels much of rural Nevada’s economy. Advances in agricultural production through Experiment Station research have contributed to an abundance of high-quality food at a relatively low cost. Additionally, environmental and natural resource concerns and the need to support traditional and emerging agricultural industries are high priorities in Nevada, and all require advances in research and technology.

THE DESERT FARMING INITIATIVE (DFI) is the University’s flagship agribusiness program. DFI partners with academic and Extension faculty to provide educational and research opportunities for students, faculty and community members to discover the benefits of hoophouse, greenhouse and organic farming in high-desert climates.

THE CORE ANALYTICAL LABORATORY (CAL) is a research facility dually operated by CABNR and the USDA Agricultural Research Service that supports the analytical chemistry research and educational needs of University faculty and students, as well as non-University researchers.

THE GREAT BASIN RESEARCH & EXTENSION CENTER in Eureka County’s Diamond Valley addresses issues of sustainable grazing management of rangelands, livestock and crop production under water-limited environments and alternative water and irrigation strategies for crop production. The ranch maintains a herd of Rafter 7 sheep world-renowned for its wool and meat. Originally developed 30 years ago through Experiment Station research, the Rafter 7 sheep are used for research and for helping to fund the station’s operations through the sale of sheep and wool products.

WOLF PACK MEATS is a state-of-the-art, USDA-approved meat processing plant where students can gain experience in meat production, retail distribution and packaging. Since 1967, Wolf Pack Meats has specialized in student and professor interactions and educational opportunities. It also provides local ranchers with access to a USDA-inspected meat packing plant.

19 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

multi-faceted approach epitomizes learning, discovery and engagement and produces tangible results that educate the next 15 | YEAR INOur REVIEW Our Story

Outreach Excellence EXTENSION: INSPIRING POSITIVE CHANGE THROUGH PRACTICAL EDUCATION Extension—a division of CABNR—provides educational programs that empower individuals and communities to meet critical challenges, adapt to changing technology, improve nutrition and food safety, prepare for and respond to emergencies, protect our environment and more.

OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDE: Nevada Risk Management Education increases ranchers’ and farmers’ knowledge about agricultural risks, profitability and sustainability, and access to available insurance programs.

Living With Drought connects citizens and natural resource managers to essential drought information, current research and resources to address and assess drought impacts.

Living With Fire provides recommendations to Nevada residents to prepare for wildfire and reduce threats to homes and communities.

Home horticulture programs—such as Master Gardeners, Grow Your Own Nevada!, Growing in Small Places and Growing SelfSufficiency—increase all Nevadans’ knowledge and skills related to home horticulture to produce more locally grown foods.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Start equips preschool children with knowledge about healthy eating, fruits and vegetables, and physical fitness and activity. Early childcare centers adopt new or improved practices to address systems and policies that support children’s healthy behaviors for obesity prevention.

Workforce Preparedness for Early Childhood Professionals provides comprehensive training that addresses the needs of teachers, directors, coaches and trainers to improve teaching practices and obtain credentials to elevate their workforce status.

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) improves diet quality, physical activity and food security within insecure food populations to reduce the risk of physical and mental health problems among Nevada’s youth and adults.

Collectively, programs such as Let’s Discover STEM, Little Books and Little Cooks, and Family Storyteller target preschool and early elementary school children and families, and equip Nevadans with the confidence and skills to support early literacy, school readiness and STEM education.

Small Business Education supports business owners at any stage of development by providing business network resources and information on fundamental business concepts in both English and Spanish.

The Nevada Economic Assessment Project provides county, state and federal agencies and their partners with qualitative and quantitative baseline data and analyses to better understand trends in each county’s demographic, social, economic, fiscal and environmental characteristics. The data can be used for land use, project planning, grant writing and overall policy assessment.

4-H Youth Development bridges the gap between school performance and workplace success by combining the best of experiential learning and academic rigor to develop a more competitive, prepared and entrepreneurial workforce.

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 20

generation of food producers, expand our understanding of life sciences and disseminate practical, hands-on to everyday living.

INSPIRINGsolutions EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 16

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS unr.edu/business

Big ideas come to life as new businesses in the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship.

“Our faculty and staff direct and engage with our students as they develop their critical thinking skills, learn the fundamentals that inform all organizations and gain inspiration for professional behaviors such as conscientiousness, integrity, and respect. As Dean, I take great pride in helping to communicate those things as we educate the next generation of globally competitive leaders.”

— Dean Greg Mosier 21 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

AsREVIEW Nevada emerges as a global technology hub, the demand for students with business skills is rising as employers seek strategic, 15 | YEAR IN Our Story

The College of Business PREPARING STUDENTS TO EXCEL AND FIND CAREER SUCCESS Every semester, the College offers preparation events for students to take a professional headshot, get resumes critiqued and engage in mock interviews. They also offer a Career Fair curated for organizations hiring business students, although all University students are welcome to attend. Students find career assistance in their business curriculum and through the Career and Corporate Outreach Center. For the 2021-22 academic year, over 125 organizations participated in the College’s Career Fairs. Student attendance was nearly 800. Preparation and networking attendance included over 500 students. Surveys showed 95% of students attending would recommend the event to others and 87% of students who attended received an interview or an invitation to apply. The College strives to engage organizations and stakeholders in ways that yield positive outcomes. The data shows students can use skills from their classes and experiences to achieve those outcomes.

2020-2021 STATE OF NEVADA ECONOMIC IMPACT

16,690 Jobs Supported

5,388

Clients Counseled

305

New Businesses Started

$114.9

Million in Capital Funding

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students...... 723 Graduate Students...................... 174 INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 22

entrepreneurial thinkers. Students from across campus showcase these vital skills in the $50,000 Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition.

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 16

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT unr.edu/education

We’re addressing Nevada’s teacher shortage by creating new pathways and methodologies to enhance the teaching professions.

“I am excited to be a part of the Wolf Pack community, Reno, and the state of Nevada. This opportunity has allowed me to engage with dedicated educators and leaders looking to make Nevada one of the greatest places to live.”

— Dean Donald Easton-Brooks 23 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

15 | YEAR IN Innovation REVIEW in education is vital as schools face teacher shortages and students face ever-increasing needs for lifelong learning Our Story

College of Education & Human Development INSPIRING FUTURE TEACHERS: THE “PUPS TO PACK” PROGRAM The Pups to Pack Teacher Pathway Program (aka “Pups to Pack”) in the College of Education & Human Development is a pathway designed to increase the number of teachers in the workforce and increase the number of teachers of color in the workforce for Northern Nevada communities. Pups to Pack is a grow-your-own teacher program designed to 1) recruit, educate, and graduate culturally and linguistically diverse students who are interested in becoming teachers; and 2) recruit, educate, and graduate students interested in learning how to become culturally responsive teachers. Pups to Pack begins with training high school students in their junior and senior years by offering these students a chance to take dual-credit courses in introduction to education and culturally responsive practices. Students are also involved in a one-hour per week field experience tutoring elementary school students. The year-long course is worth four (4) college credits per year. Students who participate in Pups to Pack will qualify for a tuition discount.

In return, these students agree to become Pups to Pack mentors for high school students in their home communities and to fellow college students pursuing teacher education.

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS GIVE BACK THROUGH MENTORING For 22 years, the Dean’s Future Scholars (DFS) program has increased the number of low-income, first-generation college students who graduate from high school and go to college. To date, the program has served over 1,500 individuals from the highest poverty ZIP codes in the Reno/Sparks area and tribal communities. 81% of the mentoring staff are homegrown DFS college students who gave back to the community last year by mentoring 424 DFS students in grades 7 through 12 who attended 30 different schools. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, the 2021 DFS summer program safely engaged 237 students who participated in enrichment activities and earned high school and college credits at no cost to the working-class families of DFS.

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students.......257 Graduate Students...................... 122 INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 24

to adapt to a changing world. With a belief in “Life changing learning™,” the College of Education and HumanEXCELLENCE DevelopmentSINCE delivers.

INSPIRING 1874 | 16

College of Engineering EXCELLENCE IN BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS FOR BREAST CANCER Breast cancer research directed by Professor Bahram Parvin may lead to a new treatment for the disease, which affects about 12.9% of women in the United States. Rather than attacking cancer cells — and damaging nearby healthy cells — Parvin and his team in the Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering looked at ways to prevent cancer cells from reproducing. His lab has successfully reprogrammed the aberrant tumor microenvironment into a healthy state and inhibited cancer cells from reproducing. Now they’re looking at ways to administer the treatment, which could lead to a more effective and less toxic breast cancer therapy.

DEVELOPING SAFER STREETS BY LEVERAGING LIDAR AND BIG DATA Urban roadways of the future may be safer and more pedestrian-friendly thanks to the efforts of Civil & Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Hao Xu. Xu and his team are using LiDAR — light detection and range — sensors to gather data about traffic patterns as well as interactions among roadway users: vehicles, pedestrians, even animals. The data — which does not include personal information such as license plates or facial recognition — has been used by the City of Reno, the Regional Transportation Commission and other agencies to study movements on roadways and improve road safety and efficiency.

INSPIRING TOMORROW’S ENGINEERS TODAY Encouraging the next generation of engineers is key to a healthier, safer world and the College of Engineering supports that effort through its K-12 programs. Activities such as making a solar oven or creating light-powered vehicles are offered through the Explorers in Engineering After-School Program and the Mobile Engineering Education Lab. Other lessons are offered periodically through the Engineering Programs Inspiring the Community (EPIC) Lab. The Mentoring for Achievement & Knowledge in Engineering (MAKE) program for middle and high school students focuses on historically underrepresented groups and first-generation college students.

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students...... 485 Graduate Students......................100

25 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

15 | YEAR INToday’s REVIEWglobal focus on advanced manufacturing and STEM makes the work of the College of Engineering increasingly vital.

Our Story

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING unr.edu/engineering

“The College of Engineering is committed to improving lives, whether through biomedical-inspired engineering, equitable community infrastructure, or other engineering projects; through this, we remain committed to the University’s land-grant mission to serve Nevada.”

— Dean Erick Jones

For more than 30 years, the Center for Civil Engineering Earthquake Research has been conducting large-scale, experimental research to make buildings and bridges safer.

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 26

Our renowned engineering faculty are making a world of difference in the lives of students seeking inspiring, well-paid, rewarding INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCEcareers.

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COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS unr.edu/liberal-arts

“My vision for the College of Liberal Arts is for us to grow in our appreciation for the work we all do through authentic dialogue and listening. Doing so will not only build a stronger community but also enable each one of us to respond to questions about the value of a liberal arts education. Together we can create inclusive and sustainable solutions that will benefit our faculty, students and communities”.

— Interim Dean Casilde Isabelli

The Martha Graham Dance Company came to campus and provided a master class for undergraduate students, who later performed at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in northern Nevada.

27 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Making sense of the world we live in runs deep in the College of Liberal Arts, whose explorations into what it means to be 15 | YEAR IN REVIEW Our Story

College of Liber al Arts INSPIRED LEGISLATION TO PROTECT ASIAN AMERICANS

The College of Liberal Arts’ Meredith Oda, an associate professor of history, is a thought leader on past and present issues facing the Asian American community, including educating the public on the long-term effects of incarcerating Japanese Americans during World War II, as well as policy and social issues. Dr. Oda was appointed by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto to an ad hoc committee of Asian American community leaders, where she made contributions to the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which President Biden signed into law on May 20, 2021.

TURNING INCARCERATED PEOPLE INTO COLLEGE GRADUATES

The Nevada Prison Education Project (NPEP) supports expanded access to college education for students during and after incarceration. By building on existing prison education programs in Nevada and collaborating with the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) and the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC), the College of Liberal Arts’ faculty work to establish bridges between institutions and people who have experienced incarceration.

GIVING VOICE TO THE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE

The College of Liberal Arts’ Core Humanities program began the “Realities of Undocumented Immigrants Oral History Project” to collect stories and educate elected officials, policymakers and others about the realities and humanity of undocumented immigrants in Nevada.

These personal accounts demonstrate the humanity of participants before, during and after their undocumented status, revealing their specific resource needs and identifying concerns about immigration policies and practices. The project’s goal is to collect fifty stories to provide an accurate picture of the undocumented experience in Nevada.

HELPING NEVADA’S STATE WORKERS EXCEL AT WRITING

In collaboration with Extended Studies, the College of Liberal Arts’ Chris Mays, an associate professor of English, taught a four-week intensive course in Spring 2021 on “Professional Writing in the Workplace” to employees from the Nevada Department of Agriculture. Nearly 30 staff members participated. One of the primary goals of this professional development course was to develop relationships with Nevada government agencies to help develop Nevada’s workforce.

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students...... 658 Graduate Students......................... 83 INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 28

human in a tumultuous world foster critical thinking, analysis, creativity and communication skills INSPIRING valued by EXCELLENCE employers worldwide.

SINCE 1874 | 16

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

unr.edu/science

The University’s ALERTWildfire mountaintop camera network spans five western states with more than 1,000 cameras that are used by fire managers to help firefighters and first responders discover, locate and confirm fires; quickly scale fire resources; monitor fire behavior; inform evacuations; and ensure fires are monitored appropriately until extinguished.

“The College of Science is the largest at the University, encompassing programs across life, physical, and social sciences; engineering; and mathematics – yet, within each of our programs are opportunities for intimate connection to the discipline and our faculty.”

— Interim Dean Katherine R. McCall

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Encouraging students and faculty to “Live a life of discovery™,” the College of Science and the Mackay School inspire excellence 15 | YEAR IN REVIEW Our Story

College of Science AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO REDUCING GREENHOUSE GASES Research from the Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering in the College of Science has identified several opportunities to dramatically reduce U.S. carbon emissions by changing the way we build. Ehsan Vahidi, the John N. Butler Endowed Professor in Extractive Metallurgy, found that by implementing tailored mitigation strategies during construction — such as utilizing new carbon-capture technologies during concrete production—projected greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by up to 9.4 gigatons of carbon dioxide through 2050.

NEW CENTER SERVES CHILDREN ON THE SPECTRUM The College of Science’s Spectrum Learning Center provides new hope for families with young children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental or learning disabilities. Based in the University’s nationally ranked Behavior Analysis graduate program, the center offers research-based assessment and instructional techniques to address the needs of children with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodivergent diagnoses. The center works with preschool and early elementary aged children (usually ages 3-8 years old) and provides a comprehensive model including center-, home- and community-based services.

INSPIRATION, EDUCATION FOR NEXT-GEN FEMALE SCIENTISTS The Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering in the College of Science partnered with Girls Scouts of the Sierra Nevada, Nevada Mining Association, Nevada Gold Mines and NevadaTeach to offer “Nevada is Awe-STEM” for Cadette Girl Scouts (grades 6-8). With 76 attendees during four events, Cadettes earned the Mining in Today’s World badge, the EcoTrekker badge and others while touring University labs, visiting Nevada’s Fly Geyser and meeting with a panel of trailblazing female scientists and industry professionals.

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students...... 682 Graduate Students...................... 137 INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 30

by creating the environment for deep learning and exploration in the basic and applied sciences,INSPIRING engineering and mathematics.

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ORVIS SCHOOL OF NURSING unr.edu/nursing

“Orvis School of Nursing is committed to providing quality education to our next generation of healthcare providers with a focus on diversity and health equity. As a result, all Wolf Pack nurses are well-prepared and equipped to care for the unique healthcare needs of all Nevadans!”

— Interim Dean Cameron Duncan

Nursing students leap from classrooms to careers in one of the most competitive programs on campus.

31 | THE YEAR IN REVIEW

“health care heroes” are trained at the University’s Orvis School of Nursing, whose inspired and highly prepared 15 | YEAR INModern-day REVIEW Our Story

Orvis School of Nursing ADVISOR BROOKS INSPIRES STUDENTS WITH PUBLIC SERVICE It has been said that when times are tough, look for the helpers. At the Orvis School of Nursing, look no further than Jasen Brooks, Orvis Student Nurses Association advisor, and his team of student volunteers. When Jasen’s not busy advising nursing students, he spends his free time giving back through volunteerism. There is almost no limit to the kinds of projects he and his students take on. Whether it’s providing ongoing support of the food pantry for nursing students experiencing food insecurity, corresponding with Alta Skilled Nursing facility patients in COVID lockdown, participating in community blood drives, gathering hygiene products, clothing and food for multiple community agencies, or volunteering at the Eddy House or VA Guest Home, Jasen Brooks approaches each of these challenges with infectious joy and goodwill. And the good works don’t stop there. He and his team of student volunteers also prepared food boxes and created nutritional inserts for Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada; developed health education handouts for patients at Bristlecone Rehabilitation Center; recruited organ donors for the Organ Donor Network; and developed public-service announcements to help University students better understand the campus counseling center and its services.

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students.......167 Graduate Students......................... 58 INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 32

graduates walk into vital, satisfying and well-paid positions on the front lines of medicine the dayINSPIRING they graduate, and often sooner.

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SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH unr.edu/public-health

“With 80% of our Public Health graduates staying to work in Nevada, the School of Public Health continues to be a leader in health equity and education in our state, facilitating hands-on learning, collaborative research and serving communities on and off campus.”

— Dean Muge Akpinar-Elci

Public health students have opportunities to travel the world and share best practices to underserved populations.

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world turned its attention to public health in the wake of recent health care crises, which helped inspire our new 15 | YEAR INThe REVIEW Our Story

School of Public Health ALL NEVADANS BENEFIT FROM CENTER’S INSPIRED WORK The Nevada Public Health Training Center fosters community-engaged research, training, capacity building and workforce development that make measurable impacts and elevate the health and well-being of Nevada’s diverse populations. Supported by the School of Public Health, the Center conducts research, implements programs/evaluations and cultivates public health partnerships.

The Center’s staff works on public health workforce development, sexual assault programs, opioid surveillance and response, Health in All Policies programming, health equity, sexual orientation and gender identity, COVID-19, rural health, faith-based projects, HIV/AIDS, community resiliency, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), cultural competency, strategic planning and policy impact.

RECOVERY COMMUNITY CELEBRATES A DECADE OF EXCELLENCE Nevada’s Recovery and Prevention (NRAP) program celebrated 10 years of service to the University community in 2021. NRAP, a dedicated collegiate recovery program, provides peer-driven services to students who are sober for any reason. Student engagement and mutual support provides the backbone of NRAP’s strong recovery-oriented community. NRAP began in 2011, offering 12-Step meetings for University students. Since then, it has grown to meet the needs of students who identify as being in recovery from substance use, mental health and behavioral disorders.

IMPROVED DEMENTIA SERVICES FOR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES In 2021, the School of Public Health’s Dementia Engagement, Education and Research (DEER) Program partnered with the International Association for Indigenous Aging to convene a workgroup of aging services professionals and indigenous people from across the country to implement a custom dementia program. This work adapts the national Dementia Friends Information Session curriculum to ensure cultural relevance for these communities. The newly adapted program features content focused on brain health, communicating that an individual’s lifestyle factors can be adjusted to help reduce risk.

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students.......381 Graduate Students......................... 96 INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 34

School of Public Health, whose mission is to train the analysts, biostatisticians and public health experts who keep populations healthy.

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THE REYNOLDS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM unr.edu/journalism

“In the centennial year of journalism education at Nevada, the Reynolds School celebrates our many student- and facultydriven community-facing initiatives that serve the public and the media professions.”

— Dean Alan Stavitsky

Broadcast journalism students get real-world experience producing news programs and podcasts at one of the studios in the journalism school.

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15 | YEAR IN One REVIEW of the most well-regarded journalism schools in the nation — with six Pulitzer Prize winners having passed through its

Our Story

The Reynolds School of Journalism REYNOLDS SCHOOL, KUNR PARTNER ON CIVIL DISCOURSE The Reynolds School’s student-led Noticiero Móvil bilingual news service, in partnership with KUNR public radio, received one of six highly competitive national grants to take part in the One Small Step civil-discourse initiative. StoryCorps, the national nonprofit dedicated to recording and preserving personal stories, launched One Small Step to encourage citizens who hold different views to engage in facilitated and recorded conversations. The KUNR and Noticiero Móvil partnership was the first to offer the program in English and Spanish. The recordings will be preserved for future generations at the American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress.

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE IN LOCAL JOURNALISM With many local news organizations downsizing in recent years, the Reynolds School convened regional journalists and community members for a series of programs to raise awareness and revitalize local journalism in Northern Nevada. The “Local News Matters” initiative culminated in a community event in Reno on local news issues and a professional development workshop led by Reynolds School faculty and alumni to promote innovation in news organizations. The program inspired the Reynolds School to establish The Project for Revitilization of Local Journalism, which launched in 2022.

HIGH SCHOOLERS LEARN ABOUT THE STORYTELLING LIFE Through the Reynolds School of Journalism’s High School Outreach Project, the school’s faculty members conducted virtual and in-person visits to nine high schools across Northern and Southern Nevada.

Professors and staff lectured in Nevada high school classes on topics related to journalism and strategic communications and discussed the learning opportunities available at the University of Nevada, Reno.

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students.......124 Graduate Students..........................12 INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 36

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCEexcellence.

1874 | 16 halls — the Reynolds School inspires tomorrow’s storytellers, filmmakers, strategic communications pros, and journalists to achieve

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE med.unr.edu

“I am delighted to have this opportunity and honored to lead the School of Medicine for the betterment of our students, trainees, physicians, patients and for the communities we serve.”

— Dean Paul Hauptman, M.D.

One-third of all physicians practicing in Nevada are graduates of the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.

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A healthy Nevada starts with Nevada’s first medical school, many of whose 1,693 graduates practice medicine at 15 | YEAR IN REVIEW Our Story

School of Medicine MEDICAL SCHOOL AND RENOWN® PARTNER TO INSPIRE A HEALTHY NEVADA The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Renown Health finalized a 50-year affiliation to build “A Healthy Nevada” and advance the state’s health care through world-class medical education, clinical research and patient care. The agreement establishes Nevada’s first integrated health care system where both institutions’ clinical practice, teaching and clinical research programs will work together as one seamless operation. The aim is to improve Nevadans’ access to care, create new clinical training programs, increase student class sizes, and expand research, clinical trials and health care-related employment opportunities.

OLLI MEMBERS STAY ACTIVE AND LEARN TO THRIVE IN CHALLENGING TIMES For many older adults, the impact of the pandemic extended beyond the risk of infection and presented challenges to their emotional and social well-being. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) — now administered by the Sanford Center for Aging at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine — has been a consistent force in helping older adults stay healthy and connected to community by providing intellectually stimulating programs, recreational activities and opportunities to safely socialize. Throughout the first half of 2021, OLLI classes were delivered completely online (except for its outdoor activities and tours) to more than 1,400 older adults in northern Nevada and California.

In total, OLLI offered over 850 online and hybrid programs in 2021 attended by more than 13,000 participants in Nevada’s rural and urban areas.

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students.......... 54 Graduate Students...................... 112 INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 38

hospitals and health care facilities throughout urban and rural Nevada, bringing excellent care to all corners of the Silver State.

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UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE med.unr.edu

A Legacy of Excellence 1,693 M.D.s graduated since 1969, training more physicians to serve our state, nation and world

60% of Physician Assistant Studies graduates currently practice in Nevada

1/3 of graduates are currently practicing in Nevada

38% of Physician Assistant Studies graduates currently practice in an underserved or rural setting

12/18/21: Date the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory (NSPHL) first discovered the COVID-19 omicron variant in a person

600,000: The Nevada COVID-19 Aging Network Rapid Response provided nearly 600,000 meals, 21,000 telehealth visits and 5,000 hours of virtual social support between April 2020 and December 2021.

12/8/21: Date the NSPHL first discovered the omicron variant via wastewater testing 200,000+: The number of COVID-19 tests the NSPHL performed in 2021. The lab’s aggressive approach to developing and certifying testing capacity made Nevada a national leader in the effort.

3,400+ physicians have been trained in undergraduate and graduate medical education programs

760+ Nevadans received free care at Student Outreach Clinics, including 168 patients in rural sites in Yerington, Lovelock and Silver Springs. The SOC’s new ophthalmology clinic examined 15 uninsured and underinsured people.

SARS-CoV-2: Researchers and Renown Health’s doctors continue to study the level of antibodies and protection provided by SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination.

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The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and its affiliated programs demonstrated excellence during the 15 | YEAR IN REVIEW Our Story

NEVADA STATE PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY med.unr.edu/nsphl

Nevada Public Health Lab Leads Nation in Pandemic Response Even before COVID-19, the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory (NSPHL) served as the first line of defense for rapidly identifying public health threats to Nevadans. NSPHL provides diagnostic information to practitioners and patients to help them make better health care decisions. It also responds to and monitors infectious disease outbreaks, screens newborns for genetic and metabolic disorders, detects and tracks foodborne diseases, tests water quality and works to safeguard Nevada’s public health. During and after the first reported case of COVID-19 in Nevada in March 2020, the lab became a national and state leader in scientific and medical research.

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In 2021, NSPHL’s director, Mark Pandori, Ph.D., held regular press conferences to keep people informed about the mutating coronavirus, resulting in more than 2,200 local, statewide and national media mentions.

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COVID-19 research has played an essential role in the NSPHL’s COVID-19 response. The lab has published a number of research papers, with several involving University researchers and students.

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NSPHL conducted more than 220,000 molecular COVID-19 tests in 2021 to inform individuals awaiting PCR results and communities seeking to understand their county’s trends.

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Simultaneously, NSPHL investigated the genetic sequence of confirmed COVID-19 samples in both wastewater and diagnostic tests, resulting in the first discovery of the Omicron variant in a human in Nevada on December 18, 2021.

NSPHL was the first lab in North America to discover a case of COVID-19 reinfection, which was one of its first research achievements. The NSPHL oversaw a team of researchers who used genomics to confirm an individual can contract SARS-CoV-2 a second time — a scientific “unknown” at the time.

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When collection kits — which are used to collect and test patient samples for COVID-19 — became scarce, the NSPHL began building its own, enlisting the assistance of faculty and students from other labs and the University’s Innevation Center Makerspace. Through this collaborative effort, the NSPHL kept COVID-19 testing in Nevada running smoothly.

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NSPHL was the first public health lab in Nevada to perform COVID-19 diagnostics tests.

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INSPIRING SINCE | 16 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic when researchers discovered the first case of COVID-19 reinfection in the U.S. and the firstEXCELLENCE case of Omicron in1874 Nevada.

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

unr.edu/social-work

“My entire social work career has been dedicated to making my little corner of the world just a little bit better than I found it. Serving as the Dean of the School of Social Work is part of that journey.”

— Interim Dean Lillian Winchinsky

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Social workers use deep learning into human behavior and deep empathy to find people-focused solutions for government, business and industry.

15 | YEAR INThe REVIEW importance of people skills has never been more critical for leaders in every profession. The School of Social Work Our Story

School of Social Work INSPIRED PEOPLE MAKING POSITIVE COMMUNITY IMPACTS The School of Social Work is building a workforce to meet the challenges of our most vulnerable populations. The impact on the community is vast. With nearly 800 students at the Bachelor’s and Master’s level, online and on-ground, students strive to address mental health, homelessness, poverty, health care, food insecurity, policies, environmental issues, aging, disabilities, equity and the many other issues that affect Nevadans. Students engage in practicums throughout the state and country, providing services while they learn. Alumni are the values-based leaders of today while new graduates will follow in their footsteps tomorrow. School of Social Work faculty disseminate their expertise through trainings and research. Faculty reach out into the community to address environmental impacts, research on disability services and best practices for mental health care, suicide prevention, aging services and child welfare. Their expertise is shared widely through workshops, webinars and other forums.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF VALUES-ORIENTED LEADERS • The School of Social Work secured funding for nearly • The School of Social Work secured 40 scholarships and paid practicums for our students. funding to provide specialized training Eighteen of the scholarships were focused on school to leadership in Nevada’s Division of counseling as well as aging and disability services, Aging and Disability Services. Training two areas of great need in Nevada. An additional 11 included trauma informed care, cultural scholarships focused on child welfare. The impact of these competency, law and aging, suicide scholarships is far-reaching, as these students serve our prevention and leadership development. community agencies, organizations and their clients.

• The School of Social Work secured funding for research by SW faculty in disabilities, work force needs, oral health and working with the Latinx population. This research will inform practice within the Division of Aging and Disability Services.

2021 GRADUATES

Undergraduate Students.......101 Graduate Students......................165 INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 42

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1874 | 16 creates values-oriented leaders who find career excellence in human services, business, government, policy and health care globally.

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL unr.edu/grad

With excellent, afforable graduate programs, more and more proud graduates and their supportive families are joining the Wolf Pack family.

“We all benefit from graduate education: Individuals, by advancing their careers, and our entire society, because we need sophisticated solutions in an ever-more complex world.”

— Dean Markus Kemmelmeier

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Graduate studies is one of the fastest-growing areas of enrollment at the University as well-prepared college graduates 15 | YEAR IN REVIEW Our Story

The Graduate School NSF PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS, FAMILIES “DO” GRAD SCHOOL The Graduate School hosted its inaugural NSF grant-funded Graduate Acceleration through Innovation and Networking (GAIN) Scholars program with 22 doctoral students attending a three-week bootcamp in the summer of 2021. Attendees learned about strategic skills, individual development plans, app development, statistical analysis, computational tools and family-life education.

One impactful activity involved inviting scholars’ “family” members to a reception which provided an overview of the graduate school experience. Family members participated in a full day of programming to learn what their scholars will be doing in graduate school. Maintaining communication between scholars and families has been shown to improve students’ educational outcomes. To enable this, free computer tablets were given to scholars’ families, so they could continue to communicate and support one another.

DICKENSON SCHOLARSHIPS HONOR GRAD STUDENT EXCELLENCE The Dickenson Scholarship funds graduate research related to productive, responsible and economical farming, ranching and land management. Fall 2021 recipients included Weylin Gilbert, an Environmental Sciences Ph.D. student creating a statewide atlas of Nevada’s agricultural resources and Arielle Koshkin, a master’s student in Hydrologic Sciences who researches wildfire impacts on alpine snowpack and water resources.

GSA ON INSPIRED MISSION TO SUPPORT GRAD STUDENTS IN NEED The Graduate Student Association (GSA) Household Items Program is a free service for graduate students, their families and the local community. The program collects furniture from donors in the University and Reno communities and delivers it to graduate students in need.

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improve their competitiveness and career adaptability with programs centered on world-improving research, scholarly and creative INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCEactivity.

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THE HONORS COLLEGE unr.edu/honors

“The greatest gift, treasure and promise of the Honors College is its collection of inspiring students, and no more noble cause exists than to serve and advocate for them every day.”

— Dean Matt Means

Opening up opportunities for a deeper, richer, more meaningful collegiate experience is at the core of the new and improved Honors College, which is one of the fastest-growing programs at the University.

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Once the preserve of a tiny minority of students, the new and improved Honors College aims to open up a richer, more 15 | YEAR IN REVIEW Our Story

The Honors College INSPIRING NEW WAYS TO NAVIGATE CAMPUS & THE HONORS EXPERIENCE As a top research university, the University of Nevada, Reno can be intimidating and challenging for new students.

How do new students find classrooms, research opportunities, or discover the best place for coffee? That’s why the Honors College started Honors Beyond, a mentorship program with peer-mentors for all first-year students. Returning students act as mentors for new students, helping them get to know campus so they can take advantage of all the University has to offer. Last year, more than 40 mentors helped 200+ new students. As the Honors College continues to grow, the impact of our mentors’ work will grow as well, as the college readies for launch of an external stakeholder component to Honors Beyond, which will engage researchers and societal leaders across a wide spectrum as mentors for our accomplished students.

HONORS COLLEGE COMMUNITY LIVES, LEARNS AND LINKS UP GLOBALLY University of Nevada, Reno Honors College students help their communities grow locally by learning and working internationally. Our students have a long history of traveling abroad, and our Living Learning Community nurtures their interests here at home. As the pandemic winds down, Honors College students are heading to Costa Rica to support women’s health initiatives with local health care professionals, and to Sri Lanka to study how to survey and manage human/wildlife conflict — in this case, elephants — with researchers at the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society. The Honors College is committed to supporting students who take The Wolf Pack Way abroad and return with new knowledge to help Nevada prosper; several international trips each year for Honors College students are now part of the program experience.

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engaged collegiate experience with one-on-one mentoring, research and travel opportunities to all highly motivated studentsSINCE on campus.

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UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES library.unr.edu

The Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center is home to 1.5 million books and offers technology, academic support and collaboration spaces in one of the nation’s most technologically advanced libraries.

“Fueling the creation of new knowledge, the Libraries are impactful because of the opportunities they provide: active engagement with library faculty and staff, access to innovative tools and resources for experimentation, and experiential learning.”

— Dean Catherine Cardwell

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the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center serving as the “jewel in the crown” of University Libraries, this important 15 | YEAR IN With REVIEW Our Story

University Libraries INSPIRED GRANT-FUNDED PROGRAM LOWERS COSTS FOR STUDENTS University Libraries and its team of expert subject librarians have been working to defray the costs of expensive textbooks for University of Nevada, Reno college students. In 2021, University Libraries partnered with the Institute of Museum and Library Services as well as the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records to access the Library Services and Technology Act, a federal program exclusively for libraries which allows university faculty to adopt or adapt Open Educational Resources for one of their classes. The goal of the project is to help faculty redirect classes away from expensive textbooks to open and freely available textbooks and other materials to make college more affordable for all students.

UNIVERSITY EXPERTS CREATE EXCEPTIONAL VIRTUAL CAVE EXPERIENCE For the first time ever, users of the Churchill County Library and visitors to the Churchill County Museum can experience the culturally and historically significant Grimes Point Hidden Cave site located in Fallon, Nevada like never before: in Virtual Reality (VR). Hidden Cave is culturally symbolic to the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, considered a sacred place and worthy of preservation by the tribe, locals and visitors alike. University Libraries’ @One Digital Media Team worked with the director of the Churchill County Library to design and develop an immersive and accessible experience highlighting the wonders of the site. The project was paid for by a $100,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records.

NEVADA WRITERS HALL OF FAME HONORS EXCELLENCE IN LITERARY ARTS University Libraries’ Nevada Writers Hall of Fame (NVWHOF) was conceived in 1988 by Marilyn Melton, former president of the Friends of The University Libraries. She envisioned an annual event honoring Nevada’s finest writers and a stimulus to encourage excellence among emerging writers in the Silver State. In 2021, author Steven Nightingale was the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame inductee and poet Vogue Robinson was the Silver Pen awardee. University Libraries also organized and hosted a series of literature and writing-related events which allowed literary enthusiasts from Nevada and beyond to connect with these incredible writers.

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division offers multiple libraries and makerspaces around campus and in the community to help the Wolf Pack excel across allSINCE disciplines.

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INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS nevadawolfpack.com

Nothing captures the feel of this top-tier college town like NCAA Division I athletics events in Mackay Stadium.

“The University of Nevada Athletics Program is committed to excellence, engaging in the campus and the community and providing an unmatched experience for our student athletes.”

— Stephanie Rempe, Athletic Director

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excitement of the University’s NCAA Division I athletics brings students, faculty, alumni and fans across the state 15 | YEAR INThe REVIEW Our Story

Intercollegiate Athletics STUDENT-ATHLETES INSPIRED TO HELP COMMUNITY In 2021, Nevada Athletics engaged with numerous community partners to foster support and raise awareness on campus and across Reno. Through the College Football Playoff Foundation, Athletics recognized Lynn Rapp, a P.E. teacher at Spanish Springs High School for their career accomplishments and awarded them $1,000. In the summer, Lynn offers free tennis lessons to students who want to learn the sport. Through the Mountain West Student-Athlete Advisory Council, many of our student-athletes— across all teams—volunteered for community engagement activities, creating a better environment for organizations they partnered with and enhancing community support for Nevada’s teams throughout Reno-Tahoe.

Nevada’s student-athletes completed 2,272 hours of community service during COVID-19 restrictions and served the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, Girls on the Run Sierras Fall Program and 5K, Renown Children’s Hospital, Boys and Girls Club of Northern Nevada, Reno Pride Parade and Event, Girl Scouts of Northern Nevada and more.

EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS: 2021 SEASON CHAMPIONSHIPS • Baseball Mountain West Conference Champions (Regular Season)

ALL-AMERICAN AWARD WINNERS • Dillan Shrum (Baseball – ABCA, D1BB 2nd)

• Nicola Ader (Track and Field – NCAA Indoor 2nd Team Pentathlon)

WOLF PACK WINS COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD Nevada Athletics was honored with the 2021-22 Mountain West Student-Athlete Advisory Council Community Service Award. It is the fifth time in the past eight years that Nevada has earned the award, which is a friendly competition

between Mountain West teams.

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together in “One Community. One Pack.” Our student-athletes make us proud as they excel in the classroom well as in competition.

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University of Nevada, Reno

University of Nevada, Reno

— Inspir ing E xcellence Since 1874 — BRAND STANDARDS AND STYLE GUIDE It is with a deep sense of gratitude and duty that we continue our work of inspiring excellence.

University Marketing and Communications

We are honor-bound to live up to the expectations first expressed by Nevada’s founders. We are mindful of the

obligation we owe to every Nevadan to deliver on our land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge, and we do that by continually investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement — all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

The Ye a r In R e v ie w

PUBLISHED 2022