Nevada State College Black & Gold Annual 2022-23

black gold [+]

[2022–2023] ANNIVERSARY EDITION]

A NEVADA STATE COLLEGE PUBLICATION

BOLD. GREAT. 20 YEARS OF STATE!

At a GLANCE

Speech-Language Pathology

MAJORS

Allied Health Sciences Biology

19

7,162

MASTER’S DEGREE

45%

MEDIAN CLASS SIZE

FACULTY & STAFF OF COLOR

TOTAL STUDENT BODY

Allied Health Sciences Biology

Concentration in Cell and Molecular, Concentration in Ecology and Evolution, Concentration in Physiology

Business Administration Chemistry

Concentration in Biochemistry, Concentration in Professional Chemistry

$

70%

Communication Criminal Justice Deaf Studies Early Childhood & Early Childhood Special Education Elementary Education

27.7 MILLION

WAS PROCESSED IN 2021/2022

Concentration in Bilingual Education, Concentration in Special Education

Engineering Technology

OF APPLICANTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

54%

Concentration in Cell and Molecular, Concentration in Ecology and Evolution, Concentration in Physiology, Bachelor of Science

Information and Computer Technology Option, Electronics Option, Telecommunications Option

PART-TIME STUDENTS

48%

FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS

English Environmental and Resource Science History Human Health Sciences

Concentration in Business, Concentration in Data Science, Concentration in Environmental Health & Sustainability, Concentration in Professional Writing, Concentration in Speech Pathology

Interdisciplinary Data Science

GENDER

79% FEMALE

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science

AGE

21%

Law Enforcement Management Mathematics Nursing Psychology

55% 45%

MALE

24 & UNDER

OVER 24

Specialization in Clinical and Mental Health, Specialization in Intergroup Dynamics & Social Equity, Specialization in Developmental

Secondary Education American Indian or Alaska Native

77% OF STUDENTS FROM CULTURALLY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Concentration in Biology, Concentration in English, Concentration in History Concentration in Mathematics, Concentration in Physical Sciences

0%

Asian

10%

Black or African-American

10% 1%

Race and Ethnicity Unknown

7%

Two or More Races

7%

White

SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS, SCIENCES, & BUSINESS

Bachelor of Applied Science, Bachelor of Arts

42%

Hispanic of Any Race Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

Speech Pathology Visual Media

23% SCHOOL OF NURSING

1,224

3,064

2,888

TOTAL GRADUATES FROM 2004-2022

TOTAL GRADUATES FROM 2004-2022

TOTAL GRADUATES FROM 2004-2022

Data is from the fall 2022 student population as reported in IPEDS.

MINORS

Aerospace Studies Animation Art Biology Business Chemistry Communication Counseling Creative Writing Criminal Justice Deaf Studies Digital Cinema Education/Instruction Educational Technology English Environmental Health and Sustainability Environmental and Resource Science Film Studies Gender and Sexuality

Human Health Science History Interdisciplinary Data Science Interpreting Latin American Heritage and Diaspora Law Enforcement Leadership Mathematics Photography Pre-Law Promotion Psychology School-Based Mental Health Social Justice Sociology Spanish Spanish Heritage Writing Studies

BLACK & GOLD ANNUAL EDITORIAL STAFF

NEVADA STATE COLLEGE LEADERSHIP

Managing Editor LaNelda Rolley, M.A. Nevada State College Director of Marketing & Events lanelda.rolley@nsc.edu

DeRionne Pollard, Ph.D. President

Editors/Writers Robyn Campbell-Ouchida, M.A. All Write Business Communications ouchida@cox.net Nick Claus Nevada State College Marketing & Communications Manager nick.claus@nsc.edu Chelsea Young Color Everything chelsea@chelseayoung.com Designer Laura Malmgren, M.A. Smudge Pot Creative, LLC smudgepot.creative@gmail.com Photographers Jacob Kepler Nevada State College jacob.kepler@nsc.edu Staff Photographers Many thanks to all who contributed to the 2022–2023 Black & Gold Annual.

Vickie Rutledge Shields, Ph.D. Provost & Executive Vice President Kevin Butler Senior Vice President Finance & Business Operations Stefanie Coleman, Ed.D. Vice President Student Affairs Edith Fernandez, Ph.D. Vice President Culture, Planning & Policy

Erin Keller Vice President Advancement Amber Lopez Lasater, D.P.P. Chief of Staff & Strategy Berna Rhodes-Ford General Counsel Anthony Ruiz Deputy Chief of Staff Government Affairs & Presidential Communications Tony Scinta, Ph.D. Executive Vice Provost

For information on donating to the college or to learn about the alumni association and share updates, please contact: Erin Keller Vice President of Advancement Erin.Keller@nsc.edu | 702.992.2356 GIVE ONLINE at nsc.edu/giving

Thank you for reading the Black & Gold Annual.

Your feedback and story ideas are welcome!

Please submit entries to Black & Gold Annual editorial staff.

On the cover: Individuals and organizations were honored at 20th Anniversary Black & Gold Annual Magazine Preview Party on Oct. 26, 2022. First row: Fabian Gutierrez, Sebastian Gutierrez, Shannon Pash | Second Row: Frank Woodbeck, Bryan Wiederholt, AJ Wagner, Ande Christenson, Glenn Christenson, Scott Muelrath, Robin Campbell-Ouichida | Third Row: Margie Downs, Cynthia Garcia | Back Row: Astrid Silva, Hannah Brown, Ricardo Oseguera-Cardon, Alex Benson, Tanya Smith, Cindy Lee, Allison Kasner, Bob Kasner, Danette Barber, Heidi Carr, William Sims

BLACK & GOLD ANNUAL

A Nevada State College Publication nsc.edu facebook.com/nevadastatecollege twitter.com/nevadastate instagram.com/nevadastatecollege 1300 Nevada State Drive Henderson, NV 89002 702.992.2000

NEVADA STATE COLLEGE MISSION STATEMENT At Nevada State College, excellence fosters opportunity.

Excellence in teaching leads to innovative, technologyrich learning opportunities that promote the acquisition of interdisciplinary knowledge and skills. Quality, affordable four-year degree programs open the door to career success and enhanced quality of life for a diverse population of students. Our graduates, in turn, foster the greatest opportunity — the promise of a stronger community and a better future for all of Nevada.

Letter from the PRESIDENT Welcome to the 20th Anniversary edition of Black & Gold where we take a moment to celebrate our legacy, honor our past, and look towards the future of Nevada State.

Our legacy began where many great ideas start: around the kitchen table. In 1998, as Henderson community leaders broke bread, they also started the first dialogues about creating a new four-year institution of higher education. After many more conversations, Nevada State College welcomed its first class in 2002.

DeRionne Pollard

20 years later, we celebrate the bold community and government leaders who helped create the vision for a different type of public institution in Nevada. We now have the legacy of proving the essential need for a teaching-focused institution that provides opportunity and hope for thousands of families.

Our long-lasting impact remains in who we serve. In just the last three years, we have made tremendous progress in our retention rates for first-generation students. We’ve also continued to expand our dual credit offerings in high schools, creating new opportunities for students to high school students looking to earn credits and experience college-level courses.

We’ve grown into a comprehensive institution offering more than 60 majors and minors.

In addition to expanding our academic offerings, we’ve also begun to offer graduate-level degrees. Since its launch in 2019, Nevada State has already graduated 73 students from its Master’s of Education in Speech-Language Pathology program. A second graduate degree in our school of education is expected to soon be approved and a third in our school of nursing is currently being evaluated.

The next chapter of the Nevada State story is still being written. I have no doubt we will continue to grow and evolve into one of the most vibrant and exciting institutions in the country. I am also inspired daily by our students and our amazing faculty. The future of Nevada State has never been brighter and I can’t wait to see what the next 20 years and beyond will bring.

Be Bold. Be Great. Be State!

Dr. DeRionne Pollard President

What’s INSIDE 07 12 22 26 28 30 34 36 40

ADAPTING FOR THE FUTURE Campus master plan updates

MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR NEVADA STATE

The game-changers who have helped Nevada State College start, grow, and continue to succeed

12

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

Celebrating their success and their support of the college

SCORPION POINTS

Moments that define us

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS WITH A COMMUNITY BIRTHDAY BASH

Nevada State College hosted a free and open-to-the-public family-friendly celebration on Sept. 1, 2022

28

SUSTAINING A PIPELINE OF NEVADA TEACHERS, NURSES

Remaining committed to preparing students for high-demand professions

NEVADA STATE CELEBRATES FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS

30

34

The new First & Fierce initiative

CONNECTED THROUGH CREATIVITY

Fostering community through a strategic artistic vision

ACCOLADES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

36

Board of REGENTS Byron Brooks Chair Joseph C. Arrascada Vice Chair Patrick J. Boylan Susan Brager Heather Brown Amy J. Carvalho

Nevada State College FOUNDATION

Carol Del Carlo

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

TRUSTEES EMERITUS

Jeffrey S. Downs

Sonnya DeBonis Chair

Selma Bartlett

Stephanie Goodman

Brian Simmons, CFP Vice Chair

Donald Sylvantee McMichael Sr.

Omar Saucedo Secretary

Laura E. Perkins Lois Tarkanian, Ph.D.

Walter Hashimoto Treasurer

DeRionne Pollard, Ph.D.

MEMBERS

NSHE LEADERSHIP Dale A. R. Erquiaga Acting Chancellor Crystal Abba Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff Andrew Clinger Chief Financial Officer

Renee Davis Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and Community Colleges James Martines Vice Chancellor and Chief General Counsel

Hannah M. Brown Jeffrey Burr Dane Carter Glenn Christenson Sherry Colquitt

EX OFFICIO

Michelee CruzCrawford, Ed.D.

Michael Benjamin

Randy A. Garcia James B. Gibson David M. Grant

Alfredo T. Alonso

Andy Hafen

Matt Burns

Mark Howard

Devlin Daneshforouz

William E. Martin

Daniel T. Gerety, CPA

John Ritter

Elaine Hodgson

Vicki Hafen Scott

Nicole Jones

Dan K. Shaw

Richard Perkins

Erik Sletten

Layne T. Rushforth, J.D.

Dan H. Stewart

Brian Simmons, CFP Darius Toston

For more information on the Nevada State College Foundation, please visit nsc.edu/community/nsc-foundation.

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ADAPTING FOR THE FUTURE Nevada State has updated its campus master plan to support the college’s growth and vision for the future Originally created in 2010, Nevada State College’s campus master plan has been years in the making. Just as the college has evolved, so has the plan.

Today, while the integrity of Nevada State’s mission, vision, and design standards remain, the college is updating the plan to meet its projected trajectory of growth. The college expects that during the next 10-25 years — the plan’s timeline — the student body will grow from more than 7,000 to 25,000. Naturally, additional space and resources will be necessary to support that growth.

“The campus master plan is a derivative of the college’s strategic plans,” says Kevin Butler, senior vice president of finance and business operations. “We have to understand who our students are and what their needs are because those inform what we need to do. It’s not just meeting the code requirements for construction.

We have to think about what goes into a building and who is using a building. This really speaks to what services and what special spaces we’re going to need to provide with it.”

To usher in this new plan, Lisa Schock, associate vice president of campus infrastructure, is working with two committees. She notes that of particular importance is addressing the new paradigm of education in a post-pandemic world — one that honors new ways of learning and health precautions. That includes changes to the design of classroom space, with larger rooms that allow for more distance and encourage collaborative learning; accommodations for ehanced sanitation and janitorial services; and greater integration of technology in the classroom and online.

The college has partnered with Nevada-based TSK Architects to carry out the architectural updates, which also include new infrastructure to enhance the student experience and increase community engagement, such as flexible outdoor spaces, breakout areas, and a multicultural center.

At the forefront of fueling Nevada State’s anticipated growth are two key drivers: attracting public-private partnership developers to help build out the campus and incorporating sustainable solutions to the campus’ unique water challenges.

The college presented the plan to the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents in March 2023.

“The campus master plan is an ongoing conversation about the needs of Nevada State,” Schock says. “We’re growing faster than the space can accommodate, and my hope is that what we’re creating will support the growth of the students, faculty, and staff. We need a place for them to call their home.” n Access the full version of the master plan at nsc.edu/ fbo/campusinfrastructure.

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NEWS ROUNDUP Marydean Martin Library Nevada State College remains committed to providing textbook affordability for our students, especially during the recent transition from pandemic-forced distance learning to face-to-face instruction. Pre-pandemic norms are back in place, and that means students are often required to purchase textbooks and other course materials. The Textbook Affordability Initiative that the Marydean Martin Library leads has enabled students to cumulatively save more than $1 million on textbook costs since April 2022.

Since the inception of the No-Cost Textbook Summer Institute four years ago, more than one-quarter of the college’s full-time instructors have participated in the program.

The initiative provides support to professors as they modernize their lesson plans to offer

Deans, faculty, and staff join Provost Shields to celebrate reaching the $1 million-plus milestone.

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free and online textbook options with faculty consultations on textbook affordability issues, the integration of library e-books into the learning management system, and a library faculty-led workshop to support instructors as they convert their courses from using paid textbooks to open education resources or library-accessible e-books. Assessment data has shown that students have improved course outcomes with higher grades in classes where they were not made to purchase a required textbook.

“Textbook affordability is an important equity issue for students in the Las Vegas Valley,” says Dr. Vickie Shields, provost and executive vice president. “Now, more than ever, our textbook affordability initiatives provide college access for the new majority of college students by lowering their overall cost of attendance.

School-Based Mental Health

NBCU Academy

In January, the U.S. Department of Education announced that Nevada State College was the recipient of a five-year, $1.2 million Mental Health Service Professional (MHSP) Demonstration grant to fund the “Active Recruitment, Training, and Educator Retention to serve our Youth (ARTERY) Pipeline Project.” As mental health issues continue to rise, the Pipeline Project is aimed at addressing workforce Katie Dockweiler Assistant Professor of shortages and disparity of diverse School Psychology providers in school psychology as well as increasing mental health services to students in the local school district. For this project, the college is partnering with the Clark County School District to invest in supporting students’ mental health and subsequent safety.

According to Dr. Katie Dockweiler, principal investigator on the MHSP grant and assistant professor of school psychology, “This project emphasizes the recruitment and training of diverse school psychology candidates who will be ready to enter our local school district as practitioners.”

Nevada State College was recently selected as one of 15 new NBCU Academy Academic Partners. Affiliated with NBCUniversal News Group, NBCU Academy Adam Davis Associate Professor of Visual just celebrated and Digital Media/Chair its second anniversary while expanding its western region geographic footprint and continuing to deepen its connections with diverse student populations. As one of 15 new member institutions, the college will receive funding, resources, training, and development in addition to garnering access to the News Group’s world-class journalists.

SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY PATHWAYS This new career pathway is available starting as early as high school and offers many different benefits and financial supports. Based on your situation, where does your path begin?

Choose Your Path to a School Psychology Degree at Nevada State

GRADUATE STUDENTS For those committed to completing their academic mission, perhaps graduate work is the next step. Depending on the undergraduate degree, two to three years of additional coursework will be required. It’s time to enroll in a graduate program where field experiences and paid internships enhance learning. A school psychology graduate program is the ultimate step in a fulfilling career pathway designed to support PK-12 students and their families.

FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS To become a school psychologist, completing a bachelor’s degree is required. At Nevada State, the school-based mental health minor (24 credits) helps prepare students for a career in a PK-12 setting as a mental health professional. Opportunity to work in a school may present itself as some districts have psychology assistants. Employment in a school district can provide not only a salary but also benefits that accrue over time.

POST-BACCALAUREATE STUDENTS Individuals with a college degree and who are currently employed may be thinking it’s time for something new or more meaningful. A school psychologist is a mental health professional who engages with students, families, teachers, and other school professionals to address the academic, behavioral, or social-emotional needs of students. The flexibility of summer and online courses help in preparing for a new career while still working.

TWO-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS For students working toward an Associate’s degree in a two-year or community college setting, there are options to transfer seamlessly to a four-year institution. Individuals enrolled in early childhood, community health, and other programs will have a stepping stone to a four-year degree. Learn about taking the school-based mental health minor (24 credits) at Nevada State or other courses to prepare for a career as a mental health professional.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

For more information email sbmh@nsc.edu

Many high schools provide dual credit options.

Approved college courses in areas such as math, language arts, social or physical sciences may be available. In some cases, 30 college credits can be earned (practically FREE) before graduating high school. Other high schools may offer career technical education (CTE). Talk to the high school counselor to get current information about courses in the ARTERY or career pathways to explore.

The ARTERY Pipeline Project, fully financed with federal grant funding, will provide scholarships for undergraduate students pursuing a minor in schoolbased mental health, including high school students who are dually enrolled. It also provides scholarships and internship stipends for the first four cohorts of students pursuing an education specialist graduate degree in school psychology.

“We’re very excited to be working with NBCU Academy,” said Adam Davis, Ph.D., chair/associate professor of visual and digital media at Nevada State College.

“This grant will open up resources and support for students in Visual Media and the Data, Media & Design department, and we can’t wait to see the scholarship, films, and photos they produce with the Academy behind them.”

NBCU Academy reflects Comcast NBCUniversal and NBCU News Group’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and is part of Project UP, Comcast NBCUniversal’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities. NBCU Academy provides tools, resources, and platforms for underrepresented voices in partnership with historically Black colleges and universities; Hispanic-Serving Institutions; STEM programs; and colleges with significant Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Indigenous, and tribal populations.

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Business Advisory Council A number of local and regional industry professionals have volunteered to help Nevada State College’s next generation of business Neil Longley leaders through Director, Department of their participation Business in the Business Advisory Council. Created by the college’s Department of Business, the council launched in November 2022. Members serve as a link between the school’s business programs and the Southern Nevada business community and assist in maintaining an industry-relevant curriculum, the expansion of internship opportunities, increasing quality job placements, and helping facilitate applied student research projects.

The first group of Business Advisory Council members are: Kerry Bubolz, president and chief operating officer, Vegas Golden Knights.

Brent Montgomery, senior vice president of fraud and credit risk, Credit One Bank.

Arturo Castro, Jr., senior vice president, HCI Advertising.

Scott Muelrath, president and CEO, Henderson Chamber of Commerce.

Bob Daniel, owner/strategic partner, PrideStaff.

Laura Faulkner, senior vice president of product management and business development, Credit One Bank.

Walter Flores-Aguirre, financial services professional, New York Life (Las Vegas) and member of the board of directors, Latin Chamber of Commerce.

Shaundell Newsome, founder and visionary, Sumnu Marketing and chair, board of directors, Urban Chamber of Commerce.

Pamela E. Pollak, executive director, Talent Management & Organizational Effectiveness, MGM Resorts International.

Nepantla Program Celebrates 10 Years Nevada State College’s Nepantla Program, which empowers firstgeneration college students, celebrated its 10th anniversary on Aug. 5 with a special invitation-only event for current students, alumni, and stakeholders. In its 10 years of existence, Nepantla has acclimated nine cohorts and 275 first-gen students to college, boosting their retention and graduation rates while encouraging a sense of community and support on campus. The festivities included guest speakers, a poetic invocation and a celebratory video.

Nepantla also provides a Summer Bridge Program for graduating high school seniors from the Clark County School District, who participate in workshops for financial aid, class schedules and advising, and identity, along with receiving eight college credits in math and English.

Leila Pazargadi

Professor of English, Nepantla Co-Founder

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The Nepantla Program is made possible through funding from The Rogers Foundation. To learn more, please visit nsc.edu/ teamnepantla.

TRIO Funding

TRIO students and staff gather at their 2023 awards and graduation ceremony.

Continuing its successful relationship with federal TRIO programming, the college is utilizing newly awarded funds for the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program (TRIO McNair) to help graduate students continue their education. As one of 189 institutions selected to receive funding from TRIO McNair, Nevada State will receive $1.3 million over five years.

While the college’s TRIO Upward Bound program has been working since 2007 in partnership with the Clark County School District to encourage 8th through 12th grade students to pursue a college education, this new funding

prepares eligible participants for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities.

Participants are from disadvantaged backgrounds and have demonstrated strong academic potential. Institutions work closely with participants as they complete their undergraduate requirements and then encourage participants to enroll in graduate programs. Their progress is tracked though to the successful completion of advanced degrees with a goal of increasing the attainment of doctorate degrees by students from underrepresented segments of society.

National Science Foundation Advance Grant The National Science Foundation (NSF) selected Nevada State College as one of six recipients of a $1 million ADVANCE grant, a program designed to promote equity among STEM faculty and broaden the participation of women and other historically underrepresented groups in academia. The funding enables Laura Naumann Associate Professor of Nevada State to launch the Psychology Pursuing Equity to Enhance Retention (PEER) Project, which will address workload disparities among science faculty. By using an intersectional approach to address systemic inequities within the college’s policies, practices, and organizational culture and climate,

the PEER Project will implement department equity plans to ensure fair distribution of teaching and service loads; develop faculty workload dashboards; and implement policies that mitigate workload imbalance, recognize invisible service work, and create time to engage in scholarship, among other activities. Overseen by Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Laura Naumann and Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Samantha Jewell, findings from the project will contribute to campuswide initiatives that support justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Nevada State is the third Nevada System of Higher Education institution to receive an NSF ADVANCE award in the program’s 20-year history, putting the campus in the company of the Desert Research Institute and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR NEVADA STATE From founders to presidents to individual contributors, these game-changers have helped Nevada State College start, grow, and continue to succeed On a Sunday afternoon in 1998, the idea for Nevada State College was launched in the living room of former Henderson City Manager Robert Campbell and his educator wife, Patricia. Along with local banking legend Selma Bartlett and City of Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson, the four analyzed the state’s desperate need for teachers, nurses, and business professionals and hatched a strategy for getting a proposal for a state college through the legislature. Later, individuals including the Reverend Caesar Caviglia (more commonly known as “Father C”), Robert Swadell, Nevada State Senator Robert “Hal” Smith, and Nevada State Assemblyman Richard Perkins also became instrumental members of this founders’ group. In 1999, the Nevada Legislature created the Advisory Committee to Examine Locating a 4-Year State College in Henderson, and in December 1999, the Nevada Board of Regents approved establishing Nevada State College. The process took over two years but was well worth the effort.

Alumni and the people who helped us create the college so that it grows and thrives were honored at 20th Anniversary Black & Gold Annual Magazine Preview Party on Oct. 26, 2022, at Vū Las Vegas.

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Nevada State College has thrived under the leadership of the eight influential presidents who have served during its 20-year history.

The exclusive members of the college’s presidency have been experts in their various educational fields, leading with forwardthinking mindsets, extraordinary positive energy, exceptional visions, inclusive styles and longterm commitment. These strong and experienced individuals have leveraged the college’s exceptional faculty and staff’s talents as well as the college’s singular spirit of inclusion to complete initiatives and continue to lead the college’s momentum when it comes to growth and innovation.

In existence before the college even offered classes, a group of local visionaries established the Nevada State College Foundation Board in 2001 to assist in raising the necessary funding to get the college started. Today, the board continues its work to change not only individual lives but entire family trees. By continually advocating for higher education, the board enables Nevada State College to move its mission forward while encouraging and promoting its programs’ growth and improvement.

Founding President Richard Moore 1999-2002 President Christine Chairsell 2002 President Kerry Romesburg 2002-2004 President Patricia Miltenburger 2004-2005 President Fred Maryanski 2005-2010 President Lesley Ann Di Mare 2010-2011 President Bart Patterson 2011-2021 President Dr. DeRionne Pollard 2021-present

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One ingredient of Nevada State College’s success is the relationship it has cultivated over the years with the City of Henderson. The college’s leaders have worked hard to create partnerships with other schools, private and public entities, as well as local governments, which has enabled the college to better serve the community and have better leverage when it comes to funding opportunities. Nevada State College is grateful to the City of Henderson for its $500,000 contribution toward the Glenn & Ande Christenson Education Building.

The college’s partnership with the city has enabled the college to grow as well as become a model for this type of partnership success.

As a founding member of the Nevada State College Foundation Board, Marydean Martin and husband Charles Silvestri are longtime supporters of the college. Martin’s transformational gifts began as support for what is now the Marydean Martin Library. Since then, she has founded the Friends of the Library and established scholarships for students, and now she has turned her attention to support for the Office for the Arts. A poet and avid reader, during the pandemic, Martin established the office’s first-named program, the Marydean Martin Writers’ Project. This year, its inaugural project is a call for art and literature for an exhibition curated

by Senior Advisor and Executive Director for the Arts Angela M. Brommel. “Who Will Love the Earth, inspired by the words and works of Marydean Martin,” is based on Martin’s 1982 poetry collection published by Scorpion Press.

A Las Vegas resident since 1945 and a longtime local education advocate, Hannah Brown served as a valued member of the erstwhile President’s Advisory Board and has also served on the Nevada State College Foundation Board.

She was instrumental in creating a long-term strategic plan for the college to improve outreach efforts to underserved and diverse populations, a focus that has continued to grow through the years. In conjunction with the Urban Chamber of Commerce, The Hannah Brown Community Development Corporation provides scholarships to many Nevada State College students. Brown’s extensive work has deemed her a positive community activist who has made a difference in Southern Nevada for several decades.

Former MountainView Hospital Chairman of the Board and President Mark Howard understands people. As a Vietnam veteran and a retired colonel with the U.S. Air Force Medical Service Corps, he’s a believer in the power of transformational education. When his beloved daughter Amanda succumbed to leukemia while a senior in nursing school, Howard set up a scholarship in her name, which now provides five endowed scholarships at Nevada State College. In addition, Howard served on the Nevada State College Foundation Board, and in turn, President Kerry Romesburg served on the MountainView Hospital Board.

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Rikki Boschetti was honored for being one of the 2018 Kenny C. Guinn Memorial Millennium Scholarship recipients.

To make sure those representing Nevada State College look their best and feel most confident, all students and employees are eligible to receive one week’s worth of business attire from local nonprofit Dress for Success. The organization also offers free feminine and androgynous business attire, nursing scrubs, baby care products, career guidance, and more.

In 1999, the Nevada Legislature enacted into law the Governor Kenny Guinn’s Millennium Scholarship initiative, named for Guinn, who was an advocate of higher education. Through the successful completion of a rigorous program of study at Nevada high schools, the state has witnessed a significant impact of more than the double the number of students staying in state to attend college since the program began.

This scholarship has helped numerous Nevada State College students since its inception. Likewise, the Kenny C. Guinn Memorial Scholarship, created after Guinn’s passing, is awarded to four students each year who meet the qualifications and are majoring in elementary or secondary education with the intent of teaching in Nevada, thus contributing to a major focus of Nevada State College: the teacher pipeline.

A student tries on and selects business attire for a future interview.

The Henderson Chamber of Commerce, the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce, and the Urban Chamber of Commerce all work in tandem with various Nevada State College project initiatives. One of the ways the Henderson Chamber of Commerce assists the college is through its annual golf tournament, which raises scholarship funds. The Urban Chamber of Commerce supports deserving students both through the Hannah Brown Community Development Corporation but also by forging powerful connections between the school and various businesses and nonprofit organizations throughout the valley, especially in places where Nevada State students reside. The Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce co-hosted workshops and luncheons to ensure that the college became a federal designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in 2017. A title awarded through the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), institutions become eligible to apply for HSI status after maintaining a 25% or higher Latino student enrollment for two consecutive years. Funding prospects that the DOE makes available to HSIs are intended for the expansion of educational opportunities and academic success for Latino students, students of low income, as well as institutions as a whole.

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The namesakes of the Glenn and Ande Christenson School of Education are longtime Las Vegans with a passion to provide opportunities for every student in the community to receive a quality education. Ande Christenson, a former second-grade teacher in the Clark County School District (CCSD), has in the past served on the Teach for America Advisory Board and the Development Board for the Inclusive Initiative at Nevada State. Glenn Christenson has spent his entire business career in Las Vegas and for the last seven years has focused on how to enhance the K-12 education delivery system by using successful business practices with a goal to meaningfully improve student outcomes. He has chaired the Las Vegas Education Council, a group formed to bring education and business leaders together to begin a dialogue about improving student outcomes for K-12 education. He has served as chairman of the Nevada State College Foundation, chairman of the Governor’s Spending and Government Efficiency Commission on K-12 education, chairman of the Community Implementation Council for AB469, and chairman of CCSD’s Budget Task Force. Nevada State College awarded both Glenn Christenson and Ande Christenson the President’s Medal in 2011 and 2014, respectively. Their dedication and $5 million contribution to Nevada State College enabled the construction of the new, state-of-the-art education building as well as many related services and immersive programs.

Bob and Alison Kasner, long-time Southern Nevada residents, share a passion to help Nevada State College students and improve education. Their $2.5 million gift stands as the third largest donation in the college’s history and helped to fund the college’s new School of Education Building as well as new education programs and scholarships. In addition, the former Nursing, Science and Education Building on the Henderson campus was renamed the Bob and Alison Kasner Academic Building. Bob Kasner has served as the finance director for the City of Henderson and director of accounting for CCSD, and he co-founded Paragon Asset Management Company. He also was the founding board member on the Henderson Community Foundation and Henderson Historical Society. Alison Kasner held a variety of positions within CCSD, including teacher; district-level special education administrator; and principal of Helen J. Stewart Special School, a school that inspired her to become an educator during a field trip when she was a student at Valley High School.

The couple was honored with the President’s Medal in 2019.

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NV Energy Foundation has four areas of focus, which are Arts/Culture, Education/ STEM, Environment/ Community Enhancement, and Safety/Wellness. Its commitment to connecting with Nevada State has benefited students and the entire college community.

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The Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation has also been a longtime supporter of the college. One of the key programs this foundation has supported is Nepantla, a competitive four-year commitment dedicated to empowering first-generation college students through mentorship, academic skills, access to resources, community building, and professional success through self-discovery.

Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance recognizes the value of education and higher education in its regional economic development efforts. It has been supportive of Nevada State’s workforce development initiatives to provide more nurses and teachers in the state.

Nevada State College is grateful for the support from both James and Beverly Rogers, as well as from the Rogers Foundation, for the largest cumulative gifts in the college’s history (totaling more than $8 million). So much has come from this contribution, including the creation of the Nevada State College Writing Center; the innovative Nepantla Program, which empowers first-generation college students through mentorship, academic skills, access to resources, community building, and professional success through self-discovery; and the James E. and Beverly Rogers Student Center. The late Jim Rogers was a prominent lifelong resident of Las Vegas who served as the first chairman of the Nevada State College Foundation Board in 2001 during the college’s infancy. He also served as the ninth chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education from 2005-2009, after serving one year as interim chancellor.

Together, the Rogers understood that the key to building a better Nevada is through education.

The Writing Center offers free writing support for Nevada State students, faculty, staff, and recent alumni.

The annual Career & Internship Expo provides current students and alumni with information on open job and internship opportunities.

Community partnerships are viewed as strategic alliances and have inspired the inception of Nevada State College and continues to form the college’s foundation. They connect students with the greater public in a two-pronged approach, embracing both outbound and inbound community partnerships.

Outbound partnerships take students off campus to interact in a meaningful learning environment with field courses, internships, and project-based courses. Inbound community partnerships bring collaborators to campus to share their knowledge and experience with students as guest speakers, executives in residence, and evaluators of undergraduate research.

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As a participant of the integral meeting that got the ball rolling on the notion of a state college, Jim Gibson helped brainstorm the innovative idea that grew into Nevada State College. As a former three-term mayor of Henderson and a practicing attorney in business and commercial law for more than 35 years, Gibson brought his extensive experience in local government and Nevada’s tourism, hospitality, entertainment, and business industries to the literal table to help get the college off the ground, even serving a term as the chairman of the Nevada State College Foundation Board, an organization for which his name still appears on the nonprofit status documents. Now, as the chairman of the Clark County Commission, Gibson continues to guide the valley’s growth, especially when it comes to education initiatives. He most recently served as the chair of the Teachers Now campaign, which resulted in the new Glenn and Ande Christenson School of Education building.

Retired bank executive William “Bill” Martin has been a supporter of Nevada State College since the beginning. Serving as the first chairman of the Nevada State College Foundation Board, he believed in the college’s mission and commitment to the community. The Nevada Board of Regents named him a Distinguished Nevadan in 2003.

The College of Southern Nevada (CSN) has proven to be a valuable asset to Nevada State College. While students may complete an associate degree at CSN, the unique partnership between the two entities guarantees that Nevada State will accept those credits. Focusing on degrees in education, the seamless process enables students to obtain a bachelor’s degree that will propel them toward rewarding careers in teaching.

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Pictured left to right: Phil LaMotte, Bailey Brown, Daniel Chapman, Yesica Placencia-Flores, and Bret Hess.

A testament to their admiration for their alma mater, a number of Nevada State College alumni have continued on to work for the college after graduating. Approximately 17% of the college’s workforce is part of this valued group, and Nevada State is grateful for these individuals’ ongoing dedication to the institution’s mission.

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TOUR OUR CAMPUS VIRTUALLY! The virtual campus tour showcases student life, academic offerings, and more. By visiting nsc.edu/virtualtour, prospective students can learn about Nevada State College’s academic offerings, innovative classrooms and labs, engaging faculty, robust student support services, and appealing student life. Each video is guided by Nevada State College students, instructors, and academic and administrative leaders. [ 2023] Nevada State College | 21

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS Celebrating their success and their support of the college Heidi Carr, ’07, is both an instructional facilitator and a math facilitator with the Clark County School District and serves as the president of NVSIDE, a nonprofit professional organization for educators who are interested in and understand the importance of the use of computers and technology in education. She is currently in her 16th year of teaching and has a wide range of experience from teaching kindergarten through 6th grade as well as serving as a Read by Grade 3 literacy specialist, magnet coordinator, and digital learning specialist. Heidi is a Nevada Department of Education digital engineer, currently teaches a course at Truckee Meadows Community College, and is a facilitator for code.org workshops through Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program. She serves as an ambassador for a number of learning software solutions and returned to Nevada State in 2011 to receive her Teaching English as a Second Language certification.

A passionate cinematographer, Joel Cazares, ’19, graduated from Nevada State College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in visual media. He’s utilized his education and experience as a video editor and now works as

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an editor for Ultimate Fighting Championship (known as UFC), which is headquartered in Las Vegas. His focus is in editing documentary TV, promos, and broadcast elements for the UFC’s Spanish Language department. In his free time, he continues to pursue his creative passion for narrative filmmaking by working on low-budget independent films.

As a full-time registered family nurse practitioner in the intensive care unit at Desert Springs Hospital, Christian Cervantes, ’18, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, is a very busy individual.

In addition to graduating from UNLV’s family nurse practitioner master’s program in 2021 and putting in many hours at the hospital, he operates an informative YouTube channel, CMoneyRN, to inform others who may be interested in the nursing industry. His goal as a nurse practitioner is to reduce health care disparities in Las Vegas by empowering patients and their families to understand the importance of being engaged in their health.

He credits his success to Nevada State’s nursing program and feels that the education he received helped him lay the foundation for becoming the competent and compassionate nurse he is today. Christian has also been the recipient of the Desert Diamond Award and the Service Excellence Award from Desert Springs Hospital.

Cynthia Garcia, ’20, graduated from Nevada State College in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Now, as the only student who was accepted into Ohio State University’s doctorate program directly from an undergraduate program, Cynthia is also working as a graduate research assistant at the Columbus, Ohio, school. While at Nevada State, she served as a course assistant and a research assistant in a variety of labs on campus.

Needing a career change, Fabian Gutierrez, ’11, learned of Nevada State College’s Accelerated BSN program and soon changed the trajectory of his life.

Along with earning his degree in one year, he made lifelong friends and enjoyed interacting with his classmates. After graduating, he was accepted into a graduate residency program at the University of Pittsburgh, before continuing on to Southern California to work as a traveling intensive care unit nurse.

Nine years ago, he decided to open his own small clinic, Vane-ity, named for his wife, Vane.

It was challenging, but he built a patient base and today operates three popular medical weight loss clinics in California. He encourages current students to go after their dreams, like he did.

Melissa R. Jenkins, Ph.D., ’17, is currently pursuing a position as a career-track assistant professor in industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology. During

her time at Nevada State College, Melissa was actively engaged in numerous activities on campus. As a course assistant for Dr. Shantal Marshall’s statistics class, she spent several semesters helping her fellow students succeed.

She also served as a research assistant and lab manager for Dr. Laura Naumann’s Personality and Behavior Lab as well as served multiple years as a cabinet member in Nevada State’s Psi Chi chapter. Upon graduation, Melissa began an experimental psychology doctorate program at Washington State University (WSU) to study I/O psychology.

Her research examined how diversity and inclusion perceptions interact with economic stressors to impact work- and health-related outcomes for employees and organizations.

Melissa completed her doctorate in May 2022 and was hired as a faculty lecturer at WSUVancouver, teaching courses in statistics and I/O psychology.

Mary Kuan, ’17, is a certified wound care specialist. Currently a stay-at-home mother taking care of her son, she retains her certification and performs private online consults to those who struggle with wounds, from simple abrasions to diabetic foot wounds and venous leg ulcers. Mary’s job is to arm her patients with the knowledge about the type of wound they have and acquaint them with possible treatment options. She helps refer them to the physicians she works with who will assume their care and help them hopefully achieve complete wound healing. Additionally, she offers wound care courses online for those who would like to know some basic concepts about wound care.

Family nurse practitioner Emily Franco Martin, ’18, knows that being able to interact directly with patients ensures that they receive quality care,

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understand physician directions, and have access to the services necessary to maintain optimal health. That’s the reason Emily works diligently to provide an all-encompassing role in supporting her patients’ well-being. She graduated from the Nevada State College nursing program in 2018 and continued on to receive her family nurse practitioner education at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2022.

Sarah McCrea-Dameron, ’13, currently works as the director of clinical training and development at Ready, a team of community-based responders who collaborate in real time with licensed clinicians via telehealth to engage with patients.

Formerly, she served as the deputy fire chief with Las Vegas Fire & Rescue. An innovative leader in healthcare and emergency services, Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Nevada State College and an executive master’s degree in business administration from the University of Nevada, Reno. In 2015, she co-founded and continues to serve on the board of directors for Southern Nevada Community Health Improvement Program, a nonprofit that provides health and social service navigation and advocacy services to Southern Nevada’s most vulnerable community members through collaborations with first responders, universities, and other public service and health care partners.

Telling stories through the art of film and photography is what inspires Aaron Parpart, ’19. As the owner of Oakpart Productions, this visual media alumnus has worked on a number of projects, some of which have garnered film industry awards, and continues to develop his trade.

Alumna Shannon (Gleason) Pash, ’06, a native of Las Vegas, has worked for the Clark County School District since 2005. She found her calling during

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her first semester, drawn to the excitement and energy of watching young learners make connections. During her last year at Nevada State, she relished the opportunity to serve as a long-term substitute in a first grade classroom at an at-risk school, where she was able to put into practice all of the skills she gained from class and her practicum experiences.

Over the years, Shannon has taught, trained other administrators and teachers, provided professional learning sessions, and worked as an instructor for the Alternative Route to Licensure program. She is passionate about ensuring all students receive high-quality instruction from adults who are equally as passionate as she was about the work that needs to be done. Currently, she serves as the principal of Fong Elementary School, where she is honored to lead the dedicated group of teachers and staff.

A Mexican immigrant, Astrid Silva, ’17, graduated from Advanced Technologies Academy and later received three associate degrees before beginning her Nevada State College journey. A 2009 encounter with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid changed her life, and she became involved with the DREAM Act, representing other undocumented Nevadans. Astrid helped bring TheDream.US Scholarship to campus, before establishing Dream Big Nevada, where she helps other students reach their goals. In 2021, she was recognized with the Nevada State Higher Education Board of Regents President’s Medal. Astrid continues to raise her voice and empower others so that together they can achieve their goal — keeping families together.

Alumnus William Sims, ’17, credits his Nevada State College experience, as well as his degree in business administration, in enabling him to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams and give back to local communities through business.

William is the first alumnus to establish an endowed scholarship for future NS students. He is currently an MBA candidate at the University of Washington, Michael G. Foster School of Business, and owns a The UPS Store franchise center in Henderson that he has managed remotely since 2021. He has plans to purchase a second Las Vegas-area The UPS Store franchise location in 2023.

Nevada State College Alumni Network Council Member AJ Wagner, ’17, is employed as the risk manager at The Valley Health System, where he oversees the organization’s comprehensive insurance and risk management program, assessing and identifying risks that could impede the reputation, safety, security, or financial success of the organization. Out of an enduring desire to give back to the institution that transformed his life, AJ joined the Alumni Network to help develop a comprehensive alumni relations strategy; establish an alumni mentorship program for alumni to give back and expand opportunities for current students to develop relationships, networks, and skills; and to help the college improve career readiness and the marketability of its students and recent alumni. AJ was also the first alumnus to name a space on campus — a study nook in the new Christenson School of Education Building.

As a 2018 Regent Scholar Award recipient for his dedication and passion for research in synthetic organic chemistry, firstgeneration student Brandon Walls, ’18, is currently a graduate student at the University of Arizona pursuing his medical degree/ doctorate Because of his success in building his research skills under the guidance of Nevada State College chemistry professor Dr. Zachary Woydziak, he received two grants. Brandon’s strong work ethic was developed during his life thus far, working with his mother in her business while growing up, competing in muay thai, and training as a respiratory therapist to understand the complexities of the relationships between physicians and health care workers. In addition, he’s served as the undergraduate mentorship coordinator for the Student National Medical Association, where he helps students develop practical plans for their own success.

Bryan Wiederholt, ’15, DNAP, CRNA, was raised in a small Missouri town and, after high school, moved to Las Vegas.

Bryan began his journey in the nursing field by attending the Nevada State College BSN program and, after graduating, worked for Centennial Hills Hospital and Summerlin Hospital in its intensive care unit and cardiovascular ICU. Bryan continued his education at the University of Kansas, where he received his Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia Practice. Most recently, Bryan has been published in the AANA Journal for his case study on carcinoid tumors. Bryan; his wife, Sarah; and their three beautiful daughters reside in the Las Vegas valley, where he is a practicing nurse anesthesiologist. He thanks the staff and faculty of Nevada State College for their ongoing support throughout his academic and professional career. n [ 2023] Nevada State College | 25

SCORPION POINTS Moments that define us In its 20-year history, Nevada State has earned a reputation for being innovative, inclusive, accessible, sustainable, scrappy, determined, familial, passionate, committed, and prideful because we offer a high-quality, affordable education to a diverse, growing student population. Here are our scorpion points — the moments that defined us:

Nearly 2,000 students enrolled for classes for the fall semester.

The first day of classes for 177 students were held in the Dawson Building at Nevada’s first state college in Henderson.

2002

First commencement with a graduating class of 13.

2007

2008

2004

2003 Enrollment increased 222% with 569 enrolled students in one year!

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2005

2006

The Liberal Arts & Sciences Building opened.

The Nevada Legislature appropriated $9 million for construction of the Liberal Arts and Sciences building, the college’s first permanent building.

The Nevada Legislature appropriated $3.5 million to begin designing the Nursing and Science building.

Enrollment neared a record number of 3,000 students, the largest percentage increase seen during the year within the entire Nevada System of Higher Education.

2009

Held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of two new campus buildings: the Nursing, Science and Education building and the Student Center and Administration building.

Achieved MinorityServing Institution designation from the U.S. Department of Education.

2010 2011

Received full accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Nevada State survived state budget cuts and closure discussion.

Enrollment continued to expand with 2,534 students registered in the fall.

The Marydean Martin Library was recognized as one of the best college libraries in the nation as the recipient of the 2020 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award from the Association of College and Research Libraries.

2013

2012 Celebrated our first decade of service with more than 24 majors and minors and 3,200 students while maintaining average class sizes of only 23 students.

Held an inauguration to officially welcome Dr. DeRionne Pollard as Nevada State’s eighth president.

2022 Glenn and Ande Christenson 2021 The School of Education building

Named the second-fastest growing public baccalaureate college in the nation from 2005-2015.

2020 2019 2018

2017

2015 2014

2016 Achieved Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution designation from the U.S. Department of Education.

opened its doors, which also includes the early childhood education center and the speechlanguage pathology clinic.

The Engelstad Family Foundation announced the first major gift of $3 million for the proposed College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State Health & Science Building.

Started our first and Southern Nevada’s only master’s program in speech-language pathology.

Broke ground on our first on-campus residential housing units.

Achieved Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation from the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved Mount Scorpion. [ 2023] Nevada State College | 27

Appearances from Las Vegas Lights Mascots “Cash the Soccer Rocker” and “Dollie the Llama” and the Henderson Silver Knights mascot “Lucky.”

“Nevada State has a profound purpose in higher education. In 20 years, our great institution has made powerful strides to fulfill a need in Southern Nevada to serve the ‘new majority,’ including first-generation and nontraditional students. We look forward to the growth and expansion the community will continue to see from Nevada State.”

— President Dr. DeRionne Pollard

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS WITH A COMMUNITY BIRTHDAY BASH Nevada State College hosted a free and open-to-the-public family-friendly celebration with food, live music, games for all ages, and 20th anniversary swag on its main campus on Sept. 1, 2022

Unveiling of Nevada State’s new mascot and the launch of a mascot naming contest.

Face painting, balloon artists, a photobooth and a 23-foot inflatable slide.

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Future educators are engaged during an on-campus visit.

SUSTAINING A PIPELINE OF NEVADA TEACHERS, NURSES Nevada State College’s School of Education and School of Nursing remain committed to preparing students for high-demand professions The foundation of Nevada State College was built on meeting critical needs for the state: to prepare more teachers and more nurses to serve Nevada’s rapidly growing population.

In 2002, the school charter outlined that mission, and to this day, it remains a pillar of the institution’s purpose.

“The School of Education and the School of Nursing were the two foundational elements of this college,” says Dennis Potthoff, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education. “Now, we have more than 40 programs on

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our campus, but the School of Education and the School of Nursing were the two mandates from the state.”

June Eastridge, Ed.D., dean and professor at the School of Nursing, adds, “The original vision was to create a state college that would be focused on bachelor’s degrees, especially those in high-demand, careerfocused areas.”

In the last 20 years, both schools have experienced tremendous growth, fueled by the state’s needs and the schools’ commitment to

meet those needs. Through a shared strategic vision, the schools are evolving to meet demand.

Evolution of Education “Historically, one of the functions of state schools was to prepare teachers,” Potthoff says.

“So, from the very beginning, Nevada State was supposed to be a place that would help Nevada locally grow more teachers.”

The need for that is evident: The Clark County School District is the fifth largest in the U.S., with about 330,000 students, 62 high schools, and 2,000 teachers needed annually.

To address that, the School of Education has recently added more diverse academic programming: a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a bilingual emphasis (added in 2020-2021), a speech language pathology master’s degree program (added in 2019-2020), and an early childhood/early childhood special

education bachelor’s degree (added in 20202021). Currently, the school is in the process of adding a school psychology major and a second graduate degree program.

“We’re the only ones in the state to have elementary education with a bilingual emphasis, early childhood and early childhood special education,” Potthoff says. “In providing these programs, we’re adding to the educational power of Southern Nevada.”

In addition to this new programming, the school underwent physical changes in 2021. The Glenn and Ande Christenson School of Education Building opened, as did an early childhood education center and a speech pathology clinic.

Those new facilities help support the increasing number of students. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 145 students graduated from the School of Education — the largest class in the school’s history.

Simulation experiences afford our nursing students the opportunity to connect knowledge gained in the classroom to actual patient care.

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Two five-year Hispanic-Serving Institution grants from the U.S. Department of Education have partially fueled that growth. Totaling more than $5 million, those grants — given in 2017 and 2020, respectively — are helping meet the Clark County School District’s needs by training more Hispanic teachers and cultivating interest in the teaching profession through the Teacher Academy Pipeline Project, which is now in 20 high schools.

“I hope we’ll continue to find ways to develop new programs and new strategies for encouraging teaching as a career,” Potthoff says.

“The need is there, and the jobs are there.”

Evolution of Nursing Similarly, Nevada’s need for nurses has remained high, with greater demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID brought on an increase in the nursing shortage, but it’s always been a high-demand

Nursing students extend their learning experiences from the classroom to the lab.

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career,” Eastridge says. “We’ve stayed with the original mission of the college, which is to fuel the state’s nurse pipeline, but we’ve evolved our programs to meet the needs of the community.”

When the School of Nursing opened, around 30 students were admitted per semester. Today, 96 students are admitted in both the spring and fall semesters, and 64 students are admitted in the summer. Currently, there are 703 students enrolled in the school.

That increase was in response to the state’s workforce demands. The Nevada Hospital Association reported 7,826 vacant nursing positions in 2017, with only 1,349 nursing graduates that same year.

“Tripling the enrollment caused an increased demand for faculty and staff, facilities, clinical partners and all of the facets that go into accommodating a larger number of students,” Eastridge says.

The School of Nursing now has 30 full-time faculty, with 30% tenured or tenure-track, compared to 21% in 2011-2012. Its curriculum is evolving too. The school is in the planning stages of creating its first master’s degree program — nursing leadership — which will join its three undergraduate degree paths for nursing: full time, part time, and an online registered nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Students use learnings from the classroom during labs and simulations at the new Betty Engelstad School of Health Sciences Skills Lab and Simulation Center. The state-funded facility, which was a joint venture with the College of Southern Nevada, opened in fall 2021. Nursing students practice their skills at the center before working with patients during clinicals at hospitals, rehab facilities, or skilled care facilities during their final semesters.

“I know that the need for nurses is not going to diminish within my lifetime,” Eastridge says.

“We need to keep growing, and I’m constantly thinking of ways that we can continue to build out the nursing pipeline so we can contribute in the greatest way possible.”

Looking Ahead As demand for both professions continues to increase, each school is ready to meet that challenge, finding ways to innovate and prepare the next generation of educators and nurses.

Since Nevada State’s inception, the call has been clear: Locally develop more teachers and nurses for the state. The path to do so, however, is ever evolving.

“In the next 20 years, I would like to see Nevada State have a much bigger presence in Henderson,” Eastridge says. “And to not only supply the needed professionals for the community and for the state but to also be integrated into the community and be a resource for the community.” n

Early Childhood Education Center students use technology in the inclusive preschool program.

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NEVADA STATE CELEBRATES FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS The new First & Fierce initiative expands year-round support for this group of students This fall, Welcome Back Week took on a fresh, fiercer feel. In recognition of our first-generation student efforts, Nevada State College introduced First & Fierce, which included celebratory “I am First & Fierce” buttons, a community social, and social media posts.

However, First & Fierce isn’t only reserved for kicking off the academic year. It’s a permanent Nevada State fixture to support first-generation students — who make up more than half of the student body — through specialized advising, career guidance, mentorship, and other key programs.

“Nevada State College is fueled by first-generation students,” says Edith Fernandez, Ph.D., vice president, Division of Culture, Planning and Policy. “We’ve always served those students, and we are so proud that 55% of our students are first-generation. I think that’s something to make sure everybody knows.”

Enter First & Fierce, which serves as an identifier for the college’s first-generation efforts and our growing first-generation student population. In fact, that segment of students has grown so much that President DeRionne Pollard, Ph.D., calls it “the new majority.”

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“President Pollard defines the ‘new majority’ as first-generation students, adult learners, students of color, immigrants, and anyone who is looking to find their way out of poverty and into a solid, middle-class existence,” says Dr. Fernandez, a first-generation American and college graduate herself. “Acknowledging this is really impactful because it creates a sense of belonging that’s so important to be successful in college.”

A culture of belonging is central to Nevada State’s existing programs for first-generation students. Those include TRiO-SSS, which offers extra advising, academic support, and financial support to those who are accepted; Nepantla, a summer bridge program that allows firstgeneration students to take classes at no charge before their first semester; and Sankofa, which supports recruiting and retaining Black students.

As part of weaving the first-generation experience into campus culture, Nevada State has remained committed to highlighting and creating identity among first-generation staff.

One result of that is College Lingo, a research project led by Shantal Marshall, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, and Kimberly Florence, Ph.D., lecturer of psychology, that has evolved into a practical resource that provides students with the social capital needed to navigate college. Additionally, academic advisers and faculty are skilled in the necessary training to

serve first-generation students. That can range from further defining college jargon to sharing their own first-generation status to telling a story about their college journey.

“Our first-generation efforts impact the whole campus and add to the culture,” says Dr. Fernandez, who oversees First & Fierce efforts along with Stefanie Coleman, Ed.D., vice president of student affairs, and other campus representatives. “More and more first-generation students are choosing Nevada State, which speaks to our culture and being a teaching institution.”

For all of its First & Fierce efforts, this fall, Nevada State was selected to participate in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators’ (NASPA) First-gen Forward program, which outlines a national model for scaling first-generation student success by engaging and empowering higher education institutions. After completing the first phase in its four-phase first-generation plan — Phase 1 is expected to be complete in spring 2023

— Nevada State will earn First-gen Forward Designation.

“Being part of NASPA allows us to be more coordinated in our first-generation efforts,” Dr. Fernandez says. “We’re creating a multiyear plan to help Nevada State be more specific and intentional about how we’ll continue to serve first-generation students and improve upon how we serve them.”

As the first part of this phased plan, First & Fierce will conduct an assessment of current data to better understand who Nevada State’s first-generation students are. First & Fierce is laying the groundwork for the additional phases and looking toward the future, envisioning eventually creating a first-generation center focused on career preparedness and success.

“It’s a point of pride to be first-generation, and it takes a lot of grit to do so,” Dr. Fernandez says.

“That grit is something to be celebrated and is part of students’ success — and that’s exactly what First & Fierce is all about.” n

First-generation students, faculty, and staff share during the First Generation panel discussion on Nov. 10, 2022.

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CONNECTED THROUGH CREATIVITY Nevada State’s Office for the Arts fosters community through a strategic artistic vision The artistic pulse at Nevada State College is strong. Since 2021, 16 permanent works, six public murals, and four new galleries were added to the Nevada State Collections & Galleries.

Through its program, The Campus as Museum, the Office for the Arts features 132 works by Nevada artists on every floor of every building and in public outdoor spaces.

“As we look at the next 20 years at Nevada State, we reaffirm our commitment to expanding the arts and deepening our existing academic and coeducational programs and offerings,” says Provost and Executive Vice President Vickie Shields, Ph.D. “We support artists and creative scholars in recognition of

the essential role they play in the economic prosperity of the entire region.”

Further bridging creativity between the campus and the community, the office commissioned four murals in partnership with Nevada State’s Sustainability Council as part of its The Artist at Work series and Nevada State’s Common Read program. These were unveiled between September 2021 and February 2022.

Additionally, through the generous support of a professional art hanging system by the Nevada Arts Council, two new galleries in the Glenn and Ande Christenson School of Education Building focus on education and community engagement.

Murals Commissioned in Partnership With the Nevada State Sustainability Council “Mount Scorpion in Technicolor” by Eric Vozzola, located in the back courtyard of the Glenn and Ande Christenson School of Education Building.

“Art Deco Sunset”

by Holly Lay and Homero Hidalgo, faces the Harry Reid Union Pacific Railroad Trail.

A grant awarded by the City of Henderson supported this mural.

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“The Flow of Change” by Valentin Yordanov, located at the Rake Student Success Center.

Beyond the campus’ seven galleries and ongoing artistic programming, the Office for the Arts is focused on forming meaningful partnerships.

Since April 2021, the office has hosted North Las Vegas-based Left of Center Gallery’s “Blanket of Protection” exhibition honoring the Tuskegee Airmen (on view through Oct. 20, 2022).

And in summer 2022, the U.K.-based University of Derby School of Arts and the Office for the Arts’ workforce program, The Artist at Work, formed an international arts alliance. Led by the University of Derby’s Assistant Head of Discipline for Art & Photography and Programme Leader BA (Hons) Photography Dr. Gemma Marmalade, students and alumni from both institutions collaborated over seven days on “The Case of Pastuso,” a pop-up exhibition that will be on view from March to July 2023 at FORMAT23 in the U.K. “We are grateful for the support of Lynn Morris and James Stanford, who sponsored the welcome reception for the visiting creatives,” says Angela M. Brommel, senior advisor & executive director for the arts, noting that this year, Morris gifted Stanford’s “Troica Pentaptych,” a modern mandala, to the collections. “Skills-rich arts projects like this in and out of the classroom provide a vehicle for larger conversations about

“Earth Day Every Day” by Mila May, located at the Raker Student Success Center.

what our work as artists looks like and how our work supports the economy.”

This academic year, the Office for the Arts is launching its first named program: the Marydean Martin Writers’ Project, which provides opportunities for students to meet and work with writers and authors. This program honors Marydean Martin’s lifelong love of literature and her continued support for the arts at Nevada State.

The evolution of the arts programming ties into a greater vision — building the capacity to have more arts offerings academically for Nevada State students in the future.

Looking ahead, the Office for the Arts is committed to the growth of academic art programs, both to serve creatively minded students and to support the integral part that the arts play on campus and in the community.

“We are telling a story of the arts across the campus with the hope that we are connecting people to their neighborhood and to the arts community,” Brommel says. “Expanding the arts offerings through the Office for the Arts is a vehicle to start bigger conversations around a strategic plan.” n

“Sunset in the Black Hills” by Mary Felker and “Rooted” by Jesa Townsend, located at the Dawson Building.

As a gift to the Office for the Arts at Nevada State, Townsend doubled the size of her mural.

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University of Derby students and faculty members celebrate at the Tree of Friendship.

A GREATER VISION FOR ACADEMIC ARTS Nevada State commemorates the International Arts Alliance with the Derby School of Arts To recognize and celebrate the growing partnership between Nevada State College and the United Kingdom’s University of Derby School of Arts, Nevada State held a tree dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony on campus Jan. 10. Students and faculty members from both institutions gathered around the Tree of Friendship to acknowledge the international arts alliance that the two institutions formed in summer 2022.

In addition to a visit last summer where students from both institutions collaborated

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on a one-day, interdisciplinary visual media collaboration, students from Derby were guests of Nevada State during the beginning of the spring 2023 semester. Dr. Gemma Marmalade, the University of Derby’s assistant head of Discipline for Art & Photography, led the group.

During its stay, the group was able to attend a range of events and study visits.

Special thanks to James Stanford and Lynn Morris for their friendship and generous support for this international arts partnership and the arts at Nevada State. n

2023 ART EXHIBIT INDUCTEES RECOGNIZED Black Las Vegans discover and build a community, a connection, an excellence, and identity that flourishes beyond the neon February kicked off with an opening reception and unveiling of the 2023 inductees of “Obsidian & Neon: Building Black Life and Identity in Las Vegas.” On display in the Glenn and Ande Christenson School of Education Building through June 30, 2023, the installation consists of large-scale black-and-white photography by award-winning photojournalist Jeff Scheid and is accompanied by narrative profiles curated by writer Erica Vital-Lazare.

The annual traveling exhibition features local Black leaders in culture, business, politics, and community outreach. Inductees from 20192021 are also on exhibit.

For more information on this exhibit, please visit nsc.edu/news/obsidian-neon-building-black-lifeand-identity-in-las-vegas.

2023 INDUCTEES Shakala Alvaranga, director of public programs, The Mob Museum.

Debbie Conway, Clark County recorder and creator/former host of KCEP’s radio talk show, “Economic Empowerment Into the 21st Century.”

Judge Belinda T. Harris, activist, community leader and the first Black elected judge in North Las Vegas Justice Court.

DeRionne Pollard, president of Nevada State College and the first Black woman president of any institution within the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Gwen Walker, president and founder of the Walker African-American Museum and Research Center in Las Vegas.

Natalie Young, chef-owner-operator of EAT, a downtown Las Vegas restaurant.

Guests attend the reception on Feb. 1, 2023, in the Glenn & Ande Christenson Education Building on the Nevada State College campus.

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Accolades and ACCOMPLISHMENTS Nevada State College has an impressive community of scholars and innovators. While we are unable to capture all our faculty and staff’s accomplishments, we want to acknowledge and celebrate this list of notable achievements.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

SENIOR LECTURER (2022)

The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents approved promotion and tenure for the following faculty:

Dr. Brett Hess, Nursing

FULL PROFESSOR (2023) Dr. Laura Naumann, Psychology Dr. Leila Pazargadi, English Dr. Sandip Thanki, Institutional Effectiveness Dr. Aaron Wong, Mathematics

FULL PROFESSOR (2022) Dr. Kebret Kebede, Biology Dr. Lori Navarette, Education Dr. Tony Scinta, Psychology

Dr. Elizabeth Gunn, dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Business, will attend the prestigious Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at the Harvard Graduate of School of Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Dr. Jo Meuris, assistant professor of visual/ digital media, was a panelist for the 22nd Annual Animation Show of Shows, the annual collection of incredible international animated shorts, at Comic Con San Diego on July 22, 2022.

Meuris has also signed a distribution deal with Animation Show of Shows for her film “Aurora.”

Dr. Zachary Woydziak, Chemistry

TENURE AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (2023) Dr. Heidi Batiste, Business Administration Dr. Vanessa Mari, Education and ESL Dr. Rachel Bower, Math Education

TENURE AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (2022) Dr. Christine Beaudry, Education Dr. Cecelia Fernan, Nursing Dr. Samantha Jewell, Biology Dr. Michael Johnson, Nursing Dr. Laura Rosales-Lagarde, Environmental Science

SENIOR LECTURER (2023) Seth Churchman, Mathematics Dr. Patricia Nill, Nursing Cheryl Perna, Nursing

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APPOINTMENTS Nevada State College strategically realigned the leadership structure to invest in students and student support, expand internal policies and retain dynamic culture, and build community and government alliances.

Stefanie Coleman, Ed.D., vice president of student affairs Student Life, Conduct, Housing, First-year Experience, Disability Resource Center, Care Team, Sankofa, Nepantla, TRiO SSS and TRiO Upward Bound, Orientation, and Student Wellness Edith Fernandez, Ph.D., vice president of culture, planning and policy CEDI, Campus Safety, Strategic Planning & Institutional Effectiveness, First-Generation Student Initiatives

Erin Keller, vice president of advancement NS Foundation, Alumni, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Events

AWARDS

Amber Lopez Lasater, D.D.P., chief of staff and strategy

The Henderson Chamber of Commerce named Dr. DeRionne Pollard the 2023 O’Callaghan Public Sector Person of the Year.

Anthony Ruiz, deputy chief of staff, government affairs and presidential communications

The Board of Regents awarded the following awards to our faculty and graduates:

Office for the Arts Executive Director Angela M. Brommel has been named Clark County Poet Laureate.

DISTINGUISHED NEVADAN AWARD (2023) Astrid Silva, NS Alumna

Nathaniel King, dean of the Marydean Martin Library, has been elected vice chair/chair-elect of the College Library Section (CLS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries.

CLS is the leading professional organization for college librarians in the United States.

NEVADA REGENTS’ TEACHING AWARD (2023) Dr. Laura Naumann

Dr. June Eastridge, dean of the School of Nursing, was invited by the Nevada governor’s office to join the new State Healthcare Sector Council as one of seven voting members. The council’s quarterly meetings are designed to provide the space for Nevada employers to engage in facilitated conversations regarding industry opportunities and challenges that will guide state workforce development strategy and activity, strengthening the connection between Nevada’s employers and the many education and workforce development organizations and agencies that rely on their engagement.

SAM LIEBERMAN REGENTS’ AWARD FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP (2023) Julio Gerardo Garcia

Dr. Vanessa Mari, assistant professor of Teaching English as a Second Language, was recently accepted as a Fulbright Scholar Ambassador. Mari will also serve as Nevada State’s Fulbright Advisor.

Anthony Ruiz, deputy chief of staff for government affairs and presidential communication, was appointed to the Mining Oversight and Accountability Commission and was selected to serve as commission chair.

President DeRionne Pollard has approved Emeritus status for Roberta Kaufman, Ed.D., who recently retired from Nevada State College.

Emeritus/emerita status is an honorary title awarded to retiring faculty and administrators in recognition of exemplary and extended service.

NEVADA REGENTS’ RISING RESEARCHER AWARD (2023) Dr. Rachel Herzl-Betz

REGENTS’ OUTSTANDING CLASSIFIED STAFF AWARD (2023) Leonor Pena NEVADA REGENTS’ TEACHING AWARD (2022) Heather Lang-Cassera NEVADA REGENTS’ RISING RESEARCHER AWARD (2022) Dr. Katherine Durante SAM LIEBERMAN REGENTS’ AWARD FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP (2022) Lauren Porter Irene Cepeda, HSI Grant director, was named the Nevada Association of School Boards First-Term Trustee of the Year.

Alex Kunkle, director of Academic Advising, has been awarded the Outstanding Advising Award — Academic Advising Administrator by NACADA, the Global Community for Academic Advising. Established in 1983, the NACADA Global Awards Program for Academic Advising honors individuals and institutions making a significant impact on academic advising.

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Heather Lang-Cassera, lecturer of College Success, has received the Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite in the category of Poetry — social/political for her collection of poems, “Gathering Broken Light.” She also has been awarded a Nevada Arts Council Literary Arts Artist Fellowship. It recognizes “outstanding literary and performing artists” in Nevada.

Sierra Adare-Tasiwoopa api, instructional technologist with the Center for Teaching & Learning, won Best in Track in Technology and Future Trends at the Accelerate 2022 Conference for her presentation, “Dish Up Some Delight with a Dynamic Synchronous, Fully Facilitated, Virtual Technology Test Kitchen.”

Adalena (Addie) Clayton is the 2022 recipient of the Student Employee of the Year Award for Nevada State College. She was also awarded the State of Nevada Student Employee of the year by the Western Association of Student Employment Administrators. Clayton worked in the Academic Advising Center.

Five Nevada State faculty members — Patricia Nill, Dr. Vu Duong, Dr. Vanessa Mari, Dr. Aaron Wong, and Dr. Chris Garrett — successfully applied for and received fellowship awards from the Higher Education Academy, an international, nonprofit organization that promotes teaching excellence.

The Early Childhood Education Center playground offers a fun, learning environment in the outdoors.

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FEDERAL EARMARKS SCHOOL OF NURSING Strengthening nursing educator workforce — $1,776,000 Nursing night education program — $1,685,000 Simulation Clinic equipment — $648,000 Nursing program equipment and scholarships — $611,968 SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Mental health — $1,300,000 Child care costs at the Early Childhood Education Center — $1,600,000 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Career Advancement and Training Center — $1,624,294 WELLNESS Wellness Center — $1,882,000

GRANTS The School of Education received a $3 million grant from the Clark County School District to cover the total cost of all tuition and fees for students enrolled in teacher education programs for 2023.

Nevada State College has been awarded a $1 million ADVANCE grant from the National Science Foundation to fund the college’s “Pursuing Equity to Enhance Retention (PEER)” Project, which aims to address workload disparities among science faculty and system inequities within the institution’s policies and culture. Dr. Laura Naumann, associate professor of psychology, and Samantha Jewell, associate professor of biology, submitted the successful proposal.

Dr. Naumann also wrote the TRIO McNair Scholars Grant, which will provide $1.3 million over five years to support undergraduate research to prepare eligible undergraduate participants for doctoral studies.

Drs. Young Choi and Vanessa Mari from the School of Education have received approval for their grant “Futuro Project: Teachers Transforming Nevada’s Children and Families,” which the Department of Education has funded over $2 million. The five-year grant is designed to provide early childhood teachers with professional development to promote literacy development of students from diverse linguistic backgrounds and with disabilities.

Dr. Kimberly Williams, executive director of TRIO Upward Bound, received word that her two Upward Bound grants were funded, with each providing over $300,000 to support students at four local high schools.

Dr. Lance Hellman, assistant professor of human health sciences, received two grants from Nevada INBRE—IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, a National Institutes of Health program. He received a Pilot PLUS grant worth $48,000 and the $20,000 Regional Alliance of INBRE Networks grant. Both will fund his research with students.

Dr. Shartriya Collier, associate dean of education, is the project director for the Nevada Institute on Educator Preparation, Retention, and Research Program grant. That grant will provide $638,000 for mini-research grants and fellows and will fund professional development.

Angela Brommel, executive director of arts & culture, received a $6,500 grant from the City of Henderson to support the commission of a mural at the Raker Student Success Center.

Dr. Molly Appel, assistant professor of English, received a $2,500 teaching fellowship from the Digital Ethnic Futures Consortium (funded by the Mellon Foundation). That fellowship will support her in learning to incorporate digital humanities opportunities into ENG 496B: Early Latina/o Literature.

Dr. Rachel Bower, assistant professor of mathematics education, received a grant from the Math Education Trust and James Gates Fund to support 10 National Council for Teachers of Math student memberships during the 20222023 academic school year. Her proposal “Opening Gates for Prospective Teachers” is one of her many efforts to increase math interest among preservice teachers and expose them to leadership opportunities in the discipline.

Dr. El Hachemi Bouali, assistant professor of geosciences, received notice of $38,000 in funding from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. The funds will provide scholarships to students to engage in undergraduate research.

Laura Hinojosa, student wellness manager, received a $125,000 NSHE Mental Health Services Pilot subaward to support mental health services on campus.

PUBLICATIONS Dr. Katie Dockweiler, assistant professor of school psychology, published “Advocating for the ARTERY Pipeline Framework to Address Shortages” in Communiqué, the monthly publication of the National Association of School Psychologists. [ 2023] Nevada State College | 43

Dañelle Sundell, administrative assistant 4 in the School of Nursing, coauthored the article “Inequities at the Intersection of Race and Disability: Evidence from Community Colleges” that was published in Race Ethnicity and Education.

Dr. Jamie Palmer, assistant professor of Sociology, coauthored “Navigating Intersectional Failures: The Role of College Interventionists in Undocumented Student Support,” which has been published in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice.

Dr. André Lindsey, assistant professor of speech pathology, has two new publications. “rTMS/iTBS and Cognitive Rehabilitation for Deficits Associated with TBI and PTSD: A Theoretical Framework and Review” was published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, and “The Diagnostic Intersection of Cognitive-Communication Disorders and Aphasia Secondary to TBI” was published in the International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders. He also had two coauthored articles accepted for publication. “Passive Elaborative Cueing of Retrieval Processes Following Traumatic Brain Injury” appears in Brain Injury, while “CognitiveCommunication Deficits Following Brain Injury” is included in the edited volume Brain Injury Medicine: Principles and Practice.

Dr. Erika Abad, assistant professor of communication, curated the exhibit “Two Cultures, One Family, Finding Home,” which ran at the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art through Jan. 28, 2023.

Heather Lang-Cassera, lecturer of College Success/English, had her literary nonfiction “A Midwestern Purgatory” accepted for publication in “No, YOU Tell It! Ten-Year Anthology.”

Additionally, Lang-Cassera’s free-verse poems “Such Small Wanderers” and “Delicate Enough to Be Risked” and her pantoum “Ghost Light” were all published in Black Fox Literary Magazine issue 22. Finally, Barnstorm Journal published her ecopoem “endangered.”

Dr. Chris Garrett, director of the Center for Teaching & Learning Excellence, published 44 | black [ +] gold ANNUAL

the article “Images of the Prodigal: The Moral Didactics of William Dean Howells in The Rise of Silas Lapham” in Literature and Belief.

Emily Hoover, lecturer of English, wrote a piece of flash fiction, “How to Vanquish the Demon Raktabija,” that has been published in The Disappointed Housewife. Another flash fiction piece, “Sinners to the Back of the House,” was published by The Citron Review.

Dr. Zach Woydziak, professor of chemistry, coauthored “Improving the Brightness of Pyronin Fluorophore Systems through QuantumMechanical Predictions” with several students.

It was accepted for publication in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. He also coauthored the article “Synthesis of a Fluorinated Pyronin that Enables Blue Light to Rapidly Depolarize Mitochondria,” that has been accepted for publication in RSC Medicinal Chemistry.

Dr. El Hachemi Bouali, assistant professor of geosciences, and Sarah VanderMeer, STEM academic advisor, are coauthors on the article “Buried Bedrock Valleys Revealed in Michigan’s Central Upper Peninsula Using the Horizontalto-Vertical Spectral Ratio Passive Seismic Method,” which was published in Journal of Great Lakes Research.

Cristina Caputo, director of the Academic Success Center, coauthored the article “Teaching Statistics: Can Supplemental Instruction Facilitate Student Success?” that was published in College Teaching.

Dr. Rachel Herzl-Betz, director of the Writing Center, published “A Space for Small Inventions: Access Negotiation Moments and Planned Adaptation in the Writing Classroom” in Composition Forum. She also coauthored “Perdiendo Mi Persona: Negotiating Language and Identity at the Conference Door” with former student Hugo Virrueta; it has been published in Pedagogy: Critical Approaches to Teaching Literature, Language, Composition, and Culture.

Dr. Elizabeth Gunn, dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Sciences, & Business, had her poem “Paralian” published in Lavender Review.

Dr. Heidi Batiste, assistant professor of business, coauthored the article “Cross-Cultural Mentoring in Higher Education: The Use of a Cultural Identity Development Model,” which has been published in Mentoring & Tutoring.

Dr. Michael Johnson, director of clinical affairs, School of Nursing, had his article “Losing a Child: A Grounded Theory of Failed Infant Adoptions among Gay Men in the U.S.” accepted for publication in the Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services.

Dr. Kayla Bieser, associate professor of biology, learned that her coauthored publication “Patched and Costal-2Mutations Lead to Differences in Tissue Overgrowth Autonomy” was accepted for publication in Fly. She also co-authored the article “The I.3.2 Developmental Mutant Has a Single Nucleotide Deletion in the Gene Centromere Identifier” that was published in microPublication Biology. The authors include 14 Nevada State undergrads.

Dr. Kebret Kebede, associate professor of biology, coauthored “Assessing the Effect of Extreme Heat on Workforce Health in the Southwestern USA,” which has been published in the International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology.

Dr. Marsela Rodriguez-Campo, director of the Office of Community, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, is coauthor of two peer-reviewed publications, “Reborujando the Research Process: Re/centering Undocumented Politics of Dis/closure” (published in The Assembly: A Journal for Public Scholarship) and “Entre la Casa y la Calle: Latinx Childhood Re-memories of Space and Place” (published in Children’s Geographies). She also wrote “What about Dolores?: Reflections on ‘Encanto,’” which appeared in Latinx Spaces.

Dr. Leila Pazargadi, associate professor of English, has published several articles.

“Embroidering Intergenerational Threads of a Roza: Stitching Together Women’s Stories and Solidarity in the Fabric of Diasporic Arab American Fiction” appeared in the edited volume Reclaiming Migrant Motherhood:

Identity, Belonging, and Displacement in a Global Context; “The Art of Life Storytelling: Sharing and Exchanging Moments of Ambition in Summer Bridge Programs” is forthcoming in a special issue of a/b: Auto/Biography Studies; “The Language of Food: Semiotics in Diana Abu-Jaber’s Gastrographies” was published in Life Writing; and “Iranian American Comedic Memoirs: Interrogating Race and Humor in Life Writing” appeared in Iran Namag.

Dr. Kayla Bieser, associate professor of biology, coauthored a publication with a former student, 16 other students, and colleagues in a Fly-CURE project. The article “Genetic Mapping of Uba3O.2.2, A Pupal Lethal Mutation in Drosophila Melanogaster” appeared in microPublication Biology.

Dr. Shartriya Collier, associate dean of the School of Education, coauthored “Phoenix Awakened: A Black American Family’s Odyssey from the Past into the Future.”

Phil LaMotte, associate dean of students, wrote a book review titled “The Infinite Game: Serving Students from an Infinite Mindset,” which was published in the spring issue of the Journal of Campus Activities Practice & Scholarship.

Dr. Jamie Palmer, assistant professor of sociology, published her article “Teaching to Transgress in the Virtual Classroom: Tools for Implementing the Guerrilla Girls’ Art of Complaining” in Films for the Feminist Classroom’s “Special Feature: Audio-Visual at a Distance in Pedagogy and Practice.”

Dr. Sherri Coffman, professor of nursing, coauthored the article “Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education: A Concept Analysis,” which was published in Teaching and Learning in Nursing.

If you have an achievement to share for the next issue, please email marketing@nsc.edu.

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2022 GRADUATE LISTING SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Farah Aldridge Andrea Argondizzo Jaqueline Arguelles-Perez Sarah Ashworth Patricia Barnett Leticia Beltran Anjelica Benitez Claudia Bonilla Sandra Bradbury Lori Brown Abigail Burr Michelle Burton Edgar Canela Lopez Jaime Casey Yazmin Castaneda Yesenia Castillo Noreen Ann Castilo Kassandra Cerda Brittany Cheverton Katelyn Condron Aneacia Cummings Katherine Cummings Jacqueline Curry Kendra Dahl Michelle Danko Lillie Davis Tania Davis Chandler Day Kyrstin Dean

Erica Dirk Johana Dominguez Abigayle Dumo Tiffany Ferraro Erika Figueroa Amani Fitzgerald Taylor Furr Judith Galvez-Manzo Kerstine Mari Gaudiel Tiffany Gauthier Dakotah Godare Denise Gold Suzette Gonzales Cindy Gonzalez Kacie Gottenborg Kyli Grenier Mckenna Groesbeck Ella Haggerty Ariel Hamilton Frances Hayden Austin Haynes Citlalli Heredia Erika Islas-Guzman Pola Isser Abigail Johnson Jennifer Johnson Florentino Juarez Maryrose Khuu Veronica King Kaely Kossol Jade Lactaoen Anna Ladislao Courtney Landrum Katia Leyva

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Eileen Lloyd Christal Lockett Danielle Lopez Karen Lopez Kelly Lovely Alyssa Loyd Emily Mackinnon Sadie Mallory Kristy Martinez Endea Mcknight Carly Miller Earnen Miller Addleman Aislinn Mora Stephanie Mora Michelle Muro Karen Nielsen Esmeralda Olivio Jeannette Ortiz Alexandra Ortiz Amador Kylie Paquin Amber Parker Amanda Patterson Ryan Perez-Carrillo Seanie Petersen Brian Phelan Minty Potter Christian Prada Jennifer Promito Virna Queano Jewels Quiroz Rochel Radovan Noah Raffa Kaylee Ramirez Tavane Rapp Eugene-Isaac Recto Miuriel Reyes Karin Rich Adrien Roberts Jodie Robinson Jaime Rodriguez-Martinez Lisa Rosenberg Lenys Salazar-Cano Daria Sanders Michelle Sanders Hazaly Santiago Logan Schrumpf Ruben Serna Landin Shank Maritza Shaw

Christine Sidell Madison Slothower Briana Sodaro Taralyn Spears Lisa Steng Sharyn-Ann Stevens Marissa Suan Noah Sword Natalie Tampke Meagan Touchstone Jessica Traynor Marissa Troupe Carmella Turturro Jennifer Valdivia Kimberly Vensand Anna Verlinden Diego Villalpando Aylin Villanueva Miriam Villedas Zanabria Samantha Volk Crosbey Volker Christina Washington Whitney Washington Tenaya Watson Betty Weber Deja Wiener Laura Worley Jesse Yates Ashley Youles Jacqueline Zaller Jason Zoldessy

SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS & SCIENCES Janna Al-Awar Tatiana Aldape Deshawn Allen Matthew Alvarico Romina Amjad Macie Anderson Jessica Angel Maria Arana Jaqueline Arguelles-Perez Mikal Armstrong

Noemy Artiga Dorothy Avalos Joseline Aviles Brittney Avinger Husay Ayubi Sherryl Baca Ashley Balderrama Maria Balleza Franco Norma Banks Crysta Banuelos Mikayla Barbilla Hannah Barr Jazmin Barroga Edith Bautista Jan Bautista Joshua Becker Daniel Belknap Fernanda Benitez Christina Bibikos Anthony Blankenship Melissa Blomstedt Allison Bowler Clarisa Bravo-Velasco Aliana Brown Kenissa Brown Michelle Brown Jason Burke Keegan Butcher Kelly Butler Ashley Byrd Christian Camacho Briana Candelas-Gaxiola Edgar Canela Lopez Darrell Carden Briahnna Carrera Daniel Carson Deshawn Carter Lisa Carter Oscar Casco Jose Castillo Karina Ceja Gonzalo Cervantes Erika Chavez Justin Chronister Denise Cisneros Pannee Clayborn Adalena Clayton Caitlynn Clutts Cherise Coleman

Markel Collins Charles Combs Michael Consul Alicia Contreras-Martinez Helen Corbello Melissa Corder Jose Angel Corral-Rodriguez Daniela Cortes miguel Cortes Carla Noreen Costiniano Brittany Cox Dennys Cruz Shelley Cunningham Isbel Curbelo-Navarro Sara Darcas Era Davis Anthony Delulio Diego Diaz Lucero Diaz Alavez Angela Difillippo Yuliana Divas Samantha Dollens Brenda Dozal Paola Duarte Kyesha Dunigan Maureen Dunn Ashley Easterling Bryanna Egan Joseph Eggers Cherina Elfberg Jason Elkins Jaquelin Escobedo Elizabeth Esparza Getsy Espinoza Deanna Falco Jayce Fernandez Zakia Fox Jessica Franco Maira Franco Hernandez Alex Garcia April Garcia Nisey Garcia Rachel Garcia Rebeca Garcia Nikki Gerroll Susan Ghee Edward Gilmette Perla Godinez Alexandria Gonzales

Andrea Gonzalez Ivan Gonzalez Jacqueline Gonzalez Olegaria Gonzalez Garcia Selina Gonzalez Gascon Brittany Granillo Terri Grayson Joshua Griffin Hannah Guenthoer Fredy Guerra Stan Guzman Ryan Gyuro Briana Haddad Alyssa Hall Ashley Han Kelley Hatter Karin Healy Megan Heenan Melissa Hernandez Yailine Hernandez Gabriela Hernandez Franco Christina Hewitt Kaleb Hoeffgen Skyler Hollis Kaitlyn Howell Mireina Hoyle Kerri Hunsaker Torrez Shelby Inouye Alexis Jackson Jeanetta Jackson Tareyn Jackson Alexis Jaimes Tina Jara Joselyn Jarquin-Ortez

Maricruz Jasso Angela Joachim Charlotte Johnson Isaac Johnson Gabriella Joseph Shannon Kaneshiro Melissa Kiboi John King Justus King Veronica King Ashley Koch Jordan Kofford Alexandra Kontros Christopher Labine Megan Lafferty Taniya Lajesse Lawra Landis Marisa Lathouris Shannon Laviguer Clara Lawson Kira Leal Eleyse Leatherwood Bryan Leon Margarita Leteriely Mickey Lohmier Christopher Lombardo Drumelys Lopez Philip Luciano Homar Macias Iris Madrinan Nancy Malvaez Kelsey Mannon Christina May Mansfield Alejandra Marquez

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Bryanna Marquez Sarah Martineau Lori Mateo Asante Matthews Justin Mcaffee Shanleigh McCullough Zimri Mena James Meriweather Katlin Merrill Jonathon Miller Gizel Miramontes-Gonzalez Briseyda Montes Abigail Moore Kirk Moore Jr. Kyle Moorer William Morales Jillian Morehead Gianna Morejon Marjorie Moreland Treila Morgan Sean Morrical Emily Mull Eduardo Munoz Vianey Murphy Calista Nanney Jeff Nava Lesley Navarro Cristine Camrine Navos Clarissa Neff Danielle Newman Monica Ng Ryan Nobles Jennifer Nunez Rita Oblea Daisy Ochoa Alissa Odom Lateef Omidiji Jennifer Ortega Alyssa Palchetti Cristina Paris Neil Parmar Callie Parsons Ruby Patino Brendon Pereira Daniel Perry Rogelio Petras Rubinelly Pina Dyezabelle Pineda Yulissa Pinedo Irma Polanco Stephanie Ponce Keyera Porche Oxxyris Portalatin Anna Pratt

Erica Price Deisy Puga Angela Rafferty Beatriz Ramirez Nava Allana Ramos Jonathan Ramos Nicholas Ramsland Renee Randazzo Sumanpreet Randhawa Satya Ray-Mcwhinney Miranda Raymond Fabian Rebolledo Megan Riggle Stacey Rios Margaux Rivera Brandi Robinson Chelsea Robinson Elizabeth Robinson Jill Robinson Jennifer Rodriguez Victoria Rodriquez Jamie Rogers Yara Romero Liberty Roper Jenna Russell Ashley Saba Kiana Sai Briana Saldivar Valerie Sanchez Jessica Sandoval De La Mora Nancy Santiago Alan Santoyo Christine Sarti Christopher Savarese Cathryn Scharfenberg-burford Victoria Schiavo Serena Schibetta Amanda Schlichtenmyer Lacey Schouweiler Ken Schultze Aaron-Jacob Scott Angelica Scott Ruben Serna Giacenta Shafer jenice Sheran Amber Sherwood Austin Shields Andrea Shuit Emely Sicajan Rhorie Silver Kelly Simon Orion Sinacori Michael Sisk Alexandrea Slack

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Mary-Elizabeth Slowinski Emily Smith Stephanie Smith Alexa Smolinski Osmin Solano Jocelyn Solorio Ge Song Anahita Sorooshian Bethany Spangler Joseph St. Romain Malik Stevenson Alyssa Stubbs Haley Stueve Jennifer Sustaita Jessica Swinney Van Anh Tang kimberly taylor

Ceonie Washington Debra Washington Alex Wasserstein-Monsanto Todd Webb Destiny Wiener katelyn Williams Rhonda Williams Chante Winters Shawna Witt Eyoale Wolde Jenni Woodard Emily Woodbury Megan Yakimchuk Kassidi Ziegenhagen Tess Zitzer Melissa Zuniga

Patricia Taylor Joseph Timms Bailey Tower Victoria Townsend Kiet Tran Alexi Trejo Christine Turner Yasmin Valadez Alyssa Vasquez Sandy Vasquez-Garcia Lizbeth Vega-Santiago Valerie Velazquez E. Nicole Venegas Angely Ventura Evelyn Ventura Melanei Viera Rodriguez Paul Villaescusa William Wadley Aja Walker Mariah Ward

SCHOOL OF NURSING Michelle Abellon Gatish Abuhay Shaymaa Abushanab Michel Acevedo Hernandez Tigist Achenefe Stephanie Acoba Julianne Adams Erica Aguirre Katterine Aguirre Giselle Alas Brielle Gwyleigh Alvarez Annie Angulo Jessel Anonuevo Vanessa Antonio Leah Arevalo

Angie Arevalo Moreno Alyssa Arline Jocelyn Arreola Sanchez Noelia Atencio Laura Avelar Jenelle Avila Aychluhum Awole Joan Maricris Baer Alondra Baker Alondra Barajas Kara Basa Danielle Baugh Laura Beauregard Zelayda Benavides Bobbie Benbo Michelle Benitez Tina Berg Mariamawit Berhanemeskel Bridchelle Bernabe Ginalyn Biano Lisa Blomker Marissa Bostic Charmaine Bradley Julie Bradley Amanda Brasileiro De Moraes Alysia Braxton Reian Vincent Briones Kyle Broaddus Jacob Brum Brian Bullian Robin Burdick Jaclyn Bush Brittany Butin Brittany Butler Saydi Byington Faith Cabillo Sandra Cagle Benjamin Call Laurie Caloiaro Griselda Campbell Kayla Caniones Antonette Capitle Gail Carothers Lora Carpenter Eduardo Carreon Aleksandra Carvalho Ana Castillo Brianna Catallini Jean Cenas Maria Chairez-Davila Haden Chaney Sharon Chang Ashley Christiansen Megan Clark

Michelle Clarke Michael Clute Elizabeth Conner Marvin Cruz Rebeca Cruz Adriana Cunanan Joshua Dabu Brendan Dalton Timothyjoseph Dalupan Erica Darlington Jeison Davila Makenna Davis Mary Ariana De Castro Diana De Guzman-Javier Roxana De La O Rivas Liana Deal Jeremy Delarmente Veronica Delgado Radojka Delic Leslianne Des Isles Alexa Diaz Adam Diez Trevor Digirolamo Ngoc Ngan Do Vallen Dodrill Brandy Dominski Brittney Dondero Shannon Donohue Sheena Marie Douglas Kristina Duncan Branden Jay Eala Mazie Edusada Kayla Edwards Samantha Eisen John Elkins Sara Escobedo Marlen Escobedo-Quinones Gisela Escoto Jelyn Faye Espanola Yanelly Espinoza Camargo Ryan Jay Farinas Darcy Fletcher Eric Fontanilla Kianna Ford Michelle Fox Ameena Franklin Elsie Fuchs Michael John Fulgencio Valerie Ganley Marcela Garcia-Baltierra Lauren George Ayesha Giannini Samantha Gil Danielle Gilbert

Ashley Gillard Carrington Glenn Andrea Goldberg Nicollette Gomez Emily Gonzalez Jessenia Gonzalez Marina Goriainova Katelyn Gravell Alejandra Guerra Arabella Gutierrez Salma Gutierrez Jessica Guzman Mekdes Haile Silvia Hakime Smith Sydnee Halsey Amber Hamm Diane Hancock Alyssa Hanks Emily Hannel Lindsay Hare Sarah Hare Kelley Hart Samantha Haynie Mia Jeaneen Hernaez Kimberly Hernandez Michaela Hernandez Viridiana Hernandez Abel Hernandez-Olivares Arron Hester Mark Hidrosollo Eunique Hilliard Jan Sherry Himor Hailee Himple Payten Holiday Erika Hommel Natsuko Honoki Morgan Hope Umair Hussain Tushar Jadhav Soyeon Jang Jacquelin Jara-Pichardo Abigail Jauregui Lopez Breanna Jensen Sarah Jetter Colby Johnson Shelby Johnson Jennifer Jorgensen Alyssa Grace Jose Tori Joyal Camaron Kazanow Cynthia Keith Jessica Kemble-Avila Stephen Kim Jeffrey Knobloch

Breon Koenig Chelsea Kostak Danielle Krasn Iris Kresic Ashleigh Kruger Morgan Kuehn Lanisha Larry Sara Lawson Cynthia Leach Justine Leavitt Shelby Lee Maribel Leyva Jessica Lilang Andy Lin Lorina Linford Evan Long Allison Lopez Lissette Lopez Guillermo Lopez-Clemente Crystal Luehsenhop Jennifer Lukach Jason Lurf Alicia Lynn Jannyle Mac Dula Josseline Machado Traci Mackey Karen Madrigal Martinez Shelby Maldonado Geoffrey Manbeck Alexis Mangubat Christine Mao Joanna Mae Mariano Kellie Marsh Megan Marshall Dakota Martinez Liset Martinez Miriam Martinez Vanessa Martinez-Ortiz Lori Mateo Johanna Maurer Nicole Mayor Amber Mcfarland Heather McRoberts Priscilla Mederos Lisa Mefford Jennifer Meiser Hannah Melly Carolina Mendez Katrina Mendez janine Mendoza Jerlyn Mendoza Marinella Mendoza Christina Michas Courtney Miller

[ 2023] Nevada State College | 49

Deanna Miller Mireya Moncada Maria Theresa Monzon Melissa Moore Michelle Moore Jessica Mouannes Alexandra Munoz Esra Nassar Sarai Nava Leonardo Navarro Kimberly Nguyen Keely Nolis Beatrice Nortey Courtney Off Katelynn Ogg Janet Oliver Kendell Oliver Hailey Olsen Celeste Orozco Erika Orr Celeste Osborn Jennifer Pacey Priscilla Pan Patricia Parker Jasmine Parra Xanthia Parsons Sheila Pascual Frank Roger Patricio Edelyn Penaflor Ellie Penos Madisen Pepper Colin Perez Georgina Perez Grace Perez Jennifer Perez Holly Peterson Ivana Peterson Rebekah Petty Ngan Pham Amore Phillips Jacob Phillips Courtney Phyfer Dominic Picetti Melissa Piedra Jennifer Pierce Lady Hanael Pineda

Stephanie Pineda Jose Pinon Beberlin Pinto Franco Lauren Porter Mary Quilter Mary Grace Anne Quinajon Jared Ramirez Paola Ramos Shari Ramos Angela Rangel-Flores Bridgette Raucci Bryana Rave Desmond Rayford Karen Razo Christen Rea Justin Rea Madisyn Reis Jennifer Richard Blanca Rivera Lauren Rivera Samantha Rivera Jose Robles Antoinette Rodie Claudia Rodriguez Gloria Rodriguez Jennifer Rodriguez Jessica Rodriguez Kearra Rodriguez Sandra Rodriguez Madeleine Rogers Jessica Roggero Carlos Rojas Jeffrey Rollins Joanna Romo Shannon Roop Virginia Ross Sara Rowe Kari Roy Jade Rubio Adolfo Ruiz Martinez Jeffrey Runion Michaela Ruzol Niveda Sabu Melissa Sacasas Michael Saint George Ardi Samouha

Elizabeth Sandoval Milarmi Hope Santiago Jocelyn Saucedo Mariangela Schaaf Aleczandrea Schmelzle Emily Schmidt Elizabeth Sclafani Carent Sepulveda Sanchez Alia Shahid Genia Sherwood Daljeet Singh Adisa Smajic Darbe Smith Garrett Smith Shannon Smith Ryan Soder Tia Solis Jennifer Sou Yinois Sowell Emily Spatz Miranda Sprague Gergana Stamenova Brittany Stanley Sabryna Stasiewski Rachel Stevenson Joanna Stoddard Stephanie Strickland-Campbell Christina Striplin Victoria Suarez Wesley Szarejko Katherine Tabisula Allysa Tack Erin Taranto Ariel Tarbet Chelsea Taylor Shannon Teodosio Raquel Teran Sanchez Jennifer Terry Logan Thaden Tylor Thuirer Sasipa Tipwong Anna Titus Callie Toftey Charlene Torado Karina Torres Jimenez Rosalyn Tran

Ashley Trotter Lovely Tugadi Alyssa Turner John Udo Andrea Ugarte Natalia Urbina Arizon Valenzona Cole Vanwormer Chante Vaughn Jannel Veal Adalla Kyla Vela Melanie Viado Kristine Vibar Morgan Viduya Michelle Vigil Janice Villablanca Jennifer Villalba Claudya Vinsdata Wailai Viray Michelle Vonderlinden Katelyn Vu Christina Walker Michael Walters Cory Weaver Amber Welby Aleisha Wellman Jesslin Wells Alba White Zachary White Caryn Williams Miquala Williams Kimberly Winn Ariele Winston Zachary Wong Yawun Wu Amy Yan Linda Yi-Ochs Glaze Yuzon Itzel Zamudio Yewblike Zerihun Wayne Zhou Syvana Zimmerman Sonia Ziroyan

This list includes graduates who completed their degree requirements in fall 2021, spring 2022, and summer 2022.

To provide updates to the Division of Advancement, call 702.992.2356.

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MEET STING — NEVADA STATE’S NEW MASCOT Nevada State College unveiled our new gender-neutral mascot to celebrate our 20th Anniversary. President DeRionne Pollard launched a contest for students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members to submit potential names. Nevada State received more than 100 name submissions, and a mascot committee reviewed the top three to select the winning name.

Six different students and one alum submitted the winning name — Sting — which represents the Scorpion Family’s fighting spirit.

Sting’s name was unveiled to students and the campus community during Scorpion’s Calling on Thursday, Sept. 15 by Nevada State Student Alliance President Tessa Espinosa.

“Our Nevada State Scorpions deserved a new mascot that represents their fighting spirit,” says Stefanie Coleman, Ph.D., vice president of student affairs. “We’re excited to have Sting on campus! They’re bold, great, and make the perfect addition to Nevada State.”

Nevada State College developed our first-ever spirit mark last year in anticipation of future sports teams. With that new spirit mark, the campus community expressed excitement and desire for a fierce and strong mascot.