By Martha Amaya , Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
The room is bustling with excited members of the UNLV community. Provost Diane Z. Chase, who serves as both executive vice president and provost of the university, has invited the campus community to join her at a “Coffee and Conversation.” This event took place on February 28th at 9am at the beautiful Blasco Event Wing within the Foundations Building. Chairs were lined up and coffees and teas lay upon fine cloth for those in attendance to take during the address. The environment was elegantly suited for a distinguished conversation.
Then, Provost Chase came in. She is a natural speaker. Donning an elegant red ensemble, she gracefully commanded the front of the room with charm. She cheerfully began by reminding the campus community that in two months, she will have been the provost for two years. The room warmly cheered her on; it is clear the community harbors much admiration and respect for the provost. She then announced that she was wearing red in honor of Rebel Red Day. The day the conversation took place, UNLV was competing with our friends up north. The campus community was encouraged to wear red in support of UNLV, and indeed, the captive audience was a sea of red in anticipation of the game.
She then began to list off several discussion points to inform the community of recent updates and events. Provost Chase began by reminding the community of the Rebel Safe phone application and urged everyone affiliated with UNLV to download it. The app allows for a simple way to report crimes, an easy way to find tips for general safety, a shortcut to speak to dispatch at any moment, and easy access to request the escort services offered on campus for students walking alone at night. She then hinted at an all-new alert system rolling out later in March. She also announced that eighteen emergency phones on campus have been replaced to ensure the safety of our Rebels, and new lighting is being implemented across campus to ensure night visibility is better.
Provost Chase announced the new cart system that CSUN (the Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas) has enacted as well. She described it as an escort-system where there would be a circuit running around campus, making periodic stops at certain locations to take students to other locations. This program was specifically geared towards resident Rebels who feel unsafe returning to the residence halls at nighttime. CSUN has recently began this cart service and responses have been positive. Should responses continue to be positive, said Provost Chase, more carts will be added to the circuit system.
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She also spoke of a new campaign being started on campus to combat sexual assault. The campaign will be called “Start By Believing.” The idea is that many victims of sexual assault who come forward are not believed. If we can shift the community mindset to initially believe the victims as opposed to immediately questioning the validity of their statements, people will feel more comfortable coming forward about abuse they have experienced, and we will be able to address this problem which plagues us, better.
Among the order of business listed by Provost Chase, she informed the community that UNLV has been reaccredited, which is a victory often taken for granted; nevertheless, it is something to celebrate. Celebration, in fact, served as a common theme throughout the conversation. Falling in line with this, Provost Chase discussed something else UNLV has put in place to honor excellence and commitment: a yearly ceremony where staff and faculty who have been at this university for quality years of service are recognized for their hard work and wonderful effort. This year was the first service of years recognition, and she speculated there would be more celebrations to come.
Provost Chase announced the beginning of a collaboration between CSN (College of Southern Nevada) and UNLV. It is called the Freshman Academy, and it allows first-year students to take courses from both institutions. The result is that the overall pricing will be lowered, and thus, school will be more affordable. Also, upon successful completion of the proposed Freshman Academy, students will be able to fully enroll into UNLV. The academy is supposed to serve as a buffer between the transition from college into a full university, and the Freshman Academy program provides less expensive services to students seeking eventual enrollment at UNLV.
One of the more serious topics of the conversation regarded the March 14th walkout planned by high school students throughout the nation. This was instigated as a protest against gun violence. High schools have threatened to reprimand students if they took part in the protest. Because of this, many high school students feared that a damage to their conduct record will result in a decreased chance to attend a university. UNLV has stated that while they are not singling out this particular event, admissions does not take into account disciplinary actions of this nature when admitting future Rebels. Therefore, high school students were able to make their decisions regarding the planned protest with less fear of future impacts as prospective college students.
Provost Chase spoke eloquently throughout the conversation, and there is little doubt that many from the campus community felt at ease during the duration of the event. Provost Chase also remained in the room to take private questions from individuals after the end of the talk, and many campus members lined up to speak her. The Coffee and Conversation series is a wonderful way to bridge the gap between administrative services and the student body at UNLV. Provost Chase certainly made all feel welcome and included.
Chase, Diane. Coffee and Conversation, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 28 Feb. 2018, The Foundations Building, Las Vegas, NV.
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DASH DINNER DISCUSSION EVENT
By Ines Rojas, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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The University of Nevada, Las Vegas hosts a variety of different events throughout the semester, at little to no charge to students, and I decided I would attend one. I attended the DASH Dinner Discussion at Houssels House (HOU). DASH stands for Delivering and Serving Hope, and it is a long time, on-campus organization, that helps provide food to the homeless and spreads awareness of homelessness, hunger and poverty in the community. Every month, a speaker from a local non-profit organization or community group is invited to come and speak with students in a casual environment about their organization and how they can become care advocates.
The topic for this month’s discussion was housing insecurity, and guest speakers from The Cupcake Girls and UNLV Care Advocates spoke. The Cupcake Girls is a non-profit organization that aims to provide non-judgmental support to people in or who have been in the sex industry, by providing mental and physical health services, drug and alcohol counseling, daycare, housing, legal matters, education, and financial assistance. Additionally, the UNLV Care Advocates have dedicated themselves to advocating, empowering, and supporting victims of domestic violence, rape, and self-blaming by assisting victims physically and spiritually.
During the dinner discussion, the attendees had the chance to ask the guest speakers questions and share their personal experiences within the program. As a result, I was able to understand how people become and remain homeless. I also learned about the many dangers that go hand in hand with not having a stable household. Most importantly, I recognized that although we don’t speak about it every day, there are many problems within our community that need attention. Finally, I was very pleased to hear that organizations like these exist and are readily available for people in need of them. Ever since listening first hand to the speakers on how profoundly they impact people’s daily lives, it has prompted me to volunteer. Additionally, I would like to encourage everyone to make a positive difference in their community by volunteering today!
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CAPTURING THE MAGIC OF MARIMBA
By De'Liza Dulatre-Galimidi, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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To most folks, “marimba” is simply just a ringtone setting for iPhone. Little do they know that the marimba is an ancient musical instrument rooted deeply in African, Asian and Latin American culture. Retired Australian music professor James Bailey has built over forty of these intricate percussion instruments. He stands as one of the last people in the world that still knows how to construct these musical relics. Last year, Bailey set out to handcraft a five-octave concert marimba for the last time. The UNLV Department of Film chose their brightest filmmakers to document his journey. Brenna Spector, a film student and Hixson-Lied Success Scholar, worked intensively capturing the magic of his craftsmanship. “As a filmmaker, your job is to be a storyteller. The film accurately and artfully shows audiences how to build a marimba and gives them a slice of beautiful culture and passion that surrounds the instrument,” says Spector. The director spent five months documenting the entire process, including sourcing rosewood and interviewing world-class musicians.
“My favorite part of this experience was meeting all the wonderful people I had the privilege of interviewing. I was able to meet one of Mexico's premiere Marimba players, Javier Nandayapa. His kindness, success, musicianship, and family legacy was very inspiring to me. Also, I was able to meet Rico and Laura Franklyn, who is one of America's premiere importers of Honduran Rosewood (the special kind of wood used to make the instrument); their wisdom was very inspiring,” says Spector.
“Constructing the Modern Marimba” premiered on February 13th, 2018, in the College of Liberal Arts’ University Forum lecture series to a crowd of students, faculty and staff. Spector says, “I hope to educate and demonstrate the beauty of the marimba for audiences. The marimba is a beautiful instrument that is rich in cultural history. It’s important for people to see the painstaking hard work that people put into creating instruments, without hard work, the world wouldn't have anything beautiful.”
(B. Spector, personal communication, March 2018).
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ACTIVE REBELS
By Miranda Sanders, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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It is common knowledge at UNLV that the campus gym offers certain physical activity classes. These include yoga, zumba, ballroom dancing, and a variety of other classes which allow students to stay active while learning the fundamentals of an activity. However, many students do not know that UNLV offers classes just like the ones offered at the gym for actual college credit. Physical Education Classes, abbreviated to PEX classes, are activity-based academic credit courses. Taught by qualified instructors with a sound background in their activities, PEX classes are a fun way for Rebels to stay active while earning college credit.
There are over sixty PEX classes and times offered at UNLV and about thirty different activities to choose from. These classes include, but are not limited to, swimming, jogging, cardio kickboxing, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and pilates. These classes occur during a variety of times throughout the week, so Rebels can almost always find times that will work with their schedules. The classes typically last fifty minutes and are held twice a week on either Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays. The majority of PEX classes count for one college credit.
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A select few PEX classes offered each semester count for two credits. These classes are scheduled weekend trips that can encompass hiking, camping, backpacking, and canoeing. Typically, students who take these courses will attend four classes that are each two hours in the weeks preceding the trip. There, students learn the necessary skills to attend the weekend trip safely and to be able to participate in all the planned activities. As someone who has taken one of these classes, I found the trip to be highly educational and worthwhile. I was able participate in a fun weekend trip, learn the skill of canoeing, and meet many wonderful people who shared a love of nature. I was able to earn college credit and have a unique experience that I will not forget.
After learning about PEX classes, many students might wonder where they fit on a college transcript. A bachelor’s degree requires a minimum of 120 credits. For all majors, there are set courses that must be taken. Any additional credits needed to reach the 120 minimum are called elective credits. These are credits which students can choose to fill with any classes offered on campus. This is where PEX classes fit in perfectly. Not only do these classes teach students the fundamentals of the activity, but it gives them allotted time each week in which they can focus on something besides their other rigorous classes or school work. Many PEX students have claimed that these classes have improved their mental health due to the stress-relieving nature of exercise.
Overall, PEX classes give UNLV students the opportunity to receive college credit while staying physically active. For a different type of education and for the opportunity to meet new people, Rebels should consider staying active with PEX classes.
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UNLV GREEK LIFE: THE BASICS
By Carly Kidwell, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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“Will joining a fraternity or sorority affect my academic success?” is a frequently asked question on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’s Student Engagement and Diversity website. The answer, for me at least, is absolutely! In fact, joining a sorority has improved my academic success. Many people have a negative view of Greek Life due to the way it is exaggerated in movies, shows, and in the media. What is not shown though, is the many positive impacts that Greek Life has on students’ lives.
On a university campus, it is easy to feel small and out of place. Greek Life offers an opportunity to build a home away from home at UNLV. Currently, there are four councils under which a student can join: the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), the National Pan-Hellenic council (NPHC), the Panhellenic Council (PHC), and the Interfraternity Council (IFC). Each council has multiple chapters, each with its own unique purpose and guidelines. Between the four councils we have, there are 38 chapters to choose from.
Don’t fret, it is easy to get involved! Each council has different guidelines for taking in new members. The Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils both hold formal recruitment at least once an academic year. Panhellenic recruitment is held near the beginning of the Fall semester and involves visiting and spending time with each Panhellenic chapter. It is a three-day process that requires registration and a payment prior to attending. To learn more or register for Panhellenic recruitment, please visit the following
website
. The Interfraternity Council usually holds formal recruitment once each semester. Instead of being required to visit each IFC chapter, a gentleman can choose which events he would like to attend. IFC recruitment has a span of 14 days in total. Registration is required to take part in IFC recruitment. To register, please visit the following
website
.
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Chapters under the Multicultural and National Pan-hellenic councils each have their own processes and requirements for membership. Some chapters even choose not to take new members depending on the chapter consensus. To join a Multicultural Council chapter, a potential member can attend any of the planned recruitments events of the semester, which can be found on the UNLV Fraternity and Sorority Life calendar
here
. The best way to join a NPHC or MGC chapter is to attend their events to get acquainted with their processes and guidelines.
Greek organizations not only promote a sense of community on campus, but they also provide many other opportunities to students. Greek Life is not a free-for-all, there are requirements for membership that help promote success and accountability for students. In the organization I am a member of, Alpha Xi Delta, there is a point system in place to encourage excellence in academics. The point system is in addition to minimum GPA requirements and helps encourage students to fulfill their academic responsibilities not only for themselves, but to remain a member. The majority of members of the Greek community can agree that joining Greek Life gave them motivation to come to class, or not to “drop out.”
Joining a Greek organization will most definitely offer many potential opportunities for growth in public speaking, leadership, and time management. In addition to the opportunities that Greek Life offers to students, it also benefits the campus community by providing activities and areas for students to participate in charitable causes. More often than not, Greek chapters hold philanthropy events every semester. These events give both affiliates and nonaffiliated persons an opportunity to contribute to raising funds for numerous charitable causes. These events can be found on individual chapter websites and social media outlets, as well as the UNLV Fraternity and Sorority Life calendar. From my experience and many others, Greek Life improves college experiences, because it gives its members areas for growth in academics and personal lives. For more information on any of the four Greek councils, please visit this
website
.
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FIND YOUR SUMMER INTERNSHIP
By Sophia Quinton, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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With it looming around the corner, it is time to start thinking about what to do in the summer. Maybe you are planning on taking summer classes or maybe you are seeking growth in your field. If it is the latter, the first step to effectively securing an internship is networking. This means working with professors in your field. Most internships need a letter of recommendation, and that will most likely come from your professors. It is important to start working with your professors now to establish a strong professional network.
After you have established an efficient network, you need to find a program that fits your field and career goals. Each major has many types of internships, whether they are paid or unpaid, near UNLV or across the country. There are many ways you can find programs: Google, LinkedIn, and various internship websites. All of these are effective if you have a general idea of where you are looking to intern.
Forbes
offers a list of websites and databases of companies across the country that offer internships.
For those of you that are unsure about where to start, it is recommended that you seek out help from UNLV Career Services. In my interview with Alejandro Chacon, I discovered what opportunities and guidance exist within Career Services. If you make an appointment, they can help find internships that are tuned to your major since each major has their own criteria for internships. Mr. Chacon informs me that Career Services partners with a variety of companies that can be accessed through Hire a Rebel. Career Services can help you with CVs, cover letters, and resumes. According to Mr. Chacon, Career Services has specific offices for the colleges of Hospitality, Engineering, Business, and Law. They can help direct students to internships that are specific to their majors.
To make an appointment, contact Career Services in SSC-A or call (702) 895-3495. For additional help with CVs and resumes, you can also make an appointment with the Writing Center. They can help you with the correct wording while Career Services can help with formatting.
Career Services offers a job and internship database through Hire A Rebel that offers a search feature that specifies internships. To make an account, login
here
. The internships they offer include experience in laboratories, STEM companies from California, and engineering and computer science companies.
To learn about a wide variety of companies and talk with them in person, check out the upcoming Internship Fair that Career Services is hosting. It is April 10
th
at 9:30am. In past years, Mr. Chacon says that they have had companies like the Golden Knights, AGS Diamond Labs, event planners, and modeling agents looking for people to help them with media outlets. If any of these companies seem interesting to you, be sure to check them out on April 10
th
.
You can reach the offices directly at:
Business:
Law:
Rachael Reese Adair - Director of Career Development and Judicial Clerkship Advisor: [email protected]
Hospitality:
Engineering:
In the end, if you have an internship that interests you, go for it. Remember to seek out the resources on campus to help you get your dream internship.
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MID-SEMESTER EXAMS: MORE THAN JUST A SCORE
By Joel Jimenez Vargas, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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Every semester, hundreds of students go to the library to study for hours and hours to get ready for midterm exams. The mid-semester weeks are always very chaotic, with so many things happening around the same time. However, once the chaos has passed, it is time to take a few deep breaths and evaluate your midterm performance. Midterm exams, although difficult and stressful, provide a great opportunity to know where you stand in each course. In addition, they also help you determine what you can do better to improve your learning techniques and eventually, your exam performance. To begin this process of improvement, the first step is to check your midterm grades in MyUNLV.
MyUNLV provides an excellent platform for students to check their midterm grades. Professors can enter official midterm grades on the platform and students can see their current performance in the class. To check your midterm grades in MyUNLV, you simply go to the Student Center and click on the drop-down menu that is next to your current class schedule. Within the drop-down menu, there will be a link for grades, which will take you to a list where you can select the current semester and see your midterm grades.
A lot of times, professors will not post grades in MyUNLV, but will rather post them in WebCampus. The process to check your grades in WebCampus is very similar. Simply click on the “My Grades” link under the Tools menu and it will take you to a list of your current classes. There, you will be able to see any of the grades that have been entered by your professors.
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If your professor did not post midterm grades neither in MyUNLV or WebCampus, it is completely acceptable to go ahead and ask your professor directly about your midterm grades. Just be professional and polite, and your professor will be happy to provide you with your current performance in the class.
Once you have checked your midterm grades, you might see some grades that you are not so happy with. Thankfully, it is just the middle of the semester and there is still a lot of time, opportunities, and resources to improve those grades. One of the first things you can do is to ask yourself if you have truly been putting in the work and studying required to do well in your courses. It is very important to attend lectures, read the textbooks, and study the concepts that were covered in class to actually perform well on exams or required assignments. There are many resources such as Academic Success Coaching that can help you learn new studying techniques, time management, and ways to manage test anxiety. If you have been doing all of the above but it is still hard to understand the material, you can attend one of the many tutoring centers available around campus. The Academic Success Center hosts a tutoring center in the 2nd floor of the Lied Library where students can get help for many of the classes in which students often struggle. It is very convenient to walk into the library and ask questions about challenging concepts that you did not understand during lecture.
The most important thing about midterm grades is not to be discouraged and make use of the many opportunities available for improvement. Ask questions, get the help you need, study hard, and you will be much happier with your upcoming exams’ scores or assignments and your final class performance.
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THE HONORS COLLEGE
By Danika Manguiat, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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As a member of UNLV’s Honors College, I know firsthand just what kind of atmosphere the Honors College has. To many students at UNLV, however, the Honors College is some sort of enigma. Some have heard of it, some have not, but most are unfamiliar with what the college has to offer. Rest assured, the Honors College is nowhere near as mysterious as it seems. In fact, it’s more down to Earth than you may think.
Located in the Beverly Rogers Literature and Law Building (RLL), the Honors College is a small, selective college within the university. According to the official Honors College website, the college acts as an educational partner for the “discipline” colleges within UNLV. This means that any student can apply for the Honors College regardless of their major.
The Honors College offers students the opportunity to challenge themselves. With its smaller class sizes, students are able to enjoy a community of passionate students from various areas of studies. The website states that the Honors College exists to “channel the energies, refine the ideas, and ignite the passions of remarkable students.” Surrounded by classmates of equal motivation, students are constantly encouraged and challenged by their professors and peers.
As a student in the Honors College, I can personally attest to the close-knit community found in Honors classes. The small class sizes allow me to connect with my peers and address my professors in an atmosphere that I’m comfortable in. The professors at the Honors College are friendly and passionate about what they teach, making it very easy to learn. Plus, Honors College students are able to sign up for classes early, meaning students are able to enjoy a stress free sign up without worrying about classes filling up.
In terms of academics, Honors students’ requirements are a bit different. For starters, Honors students are required to take a foreign language class; either one language up until 214 or two languages up until 114 (I’m currently taking Japanese, こんにちは！日本語はいいですよ！).
Additionally, students are required to take four HON 400 leveled courses. But rest assured, these special topic classes have a myriad of topics to choose from. For example, one summer HON 400 class is dedicated to Supervillains in Literature. Now, if that doesn’t sound interesting, I’m not sure what does! These requirements are on top of your major requirements, meaning you would have to stay in contact with both your Honors and major advisors.
The environment of the Honors College is one of familiarity and closeness. As mentioned before, the college is in the RLL building. Honors students can enjoy the quiet atmosphere of the Honors lounge as well. Throughout the year, the Honors College hosts a multitude of events to participate in. From its more popular Tough Mudder (a hardcore, 11-mile obstacle course), to its Halloween parties, or even just enjoying free bagels during midterms, the Honors College hosts various activities for students to get involved with in the community.
You can learn more about the Honors College at its official
website
.
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Ms. Christina M. Hixson graduated from high school in Clarinda, Iowa and moved to Omaha, Nebraska to attend business school. She later went to work for Mr. Ernst F. Lied , a car dealership owner in Omaha and in 1960 she joined Mr. Lied in Las Vegas, Nevada as his assistant. After Mr. Lied’s death in 1980, Ms. Hixson became the sole trustee of the Lied Foundation Trust and turned the Lied Foundation Trust into one of the largest foundations in the state of Nevada at that time. Ms. Hixson has a special understanding of young people who, like her, came from a challenging family background and are willing to work hard.
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Mr. Ernst F. Lied was born in Columbus, Ohio and attended the University of Kansas for two years, where he played on the golf team. He ultimately graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1927. Mr. Lied became a Buick dealer in Omaha, Nebraska and later his dealership was ranked third in the country for the number of cars sold. Mr. Lied established his charitable foundation in 1972, and upon his death in 1980 at age 74 nearly his entire estate funded the Lied Foundation Trust. Lied Foundation Trust has enhanced the capabilities of many schools and enriched the quality of many lives!
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*All photos used are original, can be found on unlv.edu, UNLV social media,have references indicated, or require no attribution.
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