Government Engagement

DC Fly In with UNLV College of Education, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine

July 28, representatives from UNLV’s Office of Government and Community Engagement, College of Education, and Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine began several days of meetings in Washington, D.C. with representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Health Resources and Service Administration, members of Nevada’s Federal Delegation, and several prominent think tanks. Throughout the week, conversations will focus on educational policy, workforce development, graduate medical education needs, increased research funding, and infrastructure development.

Constance Brooks Represents UNLV at

Harvard IEM



UNLV’s Vice President for Government and Community Engagement, Dr. Constance Brooks, was selected to attend Harvard’s Institute for Educational Management (IEM) in July. The Harvard IEM provides experienced higher education professionals with opportunities to expand their leadership skills  through exploration of higher education’s most pressing issues, including strategic direction, competing successfully in a dynamic marketplace, optimizing financial and human resources, creating an inclusive community on campus, and embracing emerging technologies.  

UNLV Provost Discusses Funding for Nevada Higher Ed on KNPR’s State of Nevada

A year ago, an outside consulting firm started looking at Nevada’s higher education funding. Based on their recommendations, the Board of Regents is considering changing how those funds are allocated. On July 23, UNLV Executive Vice President and Provost, Chris Heavey, and his counterpart from UNR, Jeff Thompson, joined Joe Schoenmann with KNPR’s State of Nevada to discuss potential impacts of proposed changes...(more)

UNLV Cyber Clinic Receives Notable Mention during Congressional Hearing

The UNLV Cyber Clinic received a notable mention during a congressional hearing and in an Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) report. The White House ONCD published a report outlining the progress they have made and the work to come implementing the National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy (NCWES). Facing a large workforce gap, the NCWES aims to “broaden the appeal of cyber careers to more Americans, transition to skills-based hiring and talent development approaches, and encourage the development of cyber...(more)

6/20/24, Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education - Kate Korgan, UNLV Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, joined her counterparts from other NSHE institutions to present information to the Committee on dual and concurrent enrollment, and micro-credentialing.

7/17/24, Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services joint meeting with the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure – Shawn Gerstenberger, Dean of UNLV’s School of Public Health, presented information about UNLV’s Healthy Homes program which is a collaboration between UNLV, Southern Nevada Health District, City of Las Vegas, and dozens of community organizations to identify and eliminate preventable health issues in the homes of Nevada residents.  

Rebels in Action - Government

Community Engagement

UNLV Community Engagement Dashboard

UNLV’s Office of Government and Community Engagement facilitates the university’s annual Campus Community Engagement Inventory and administers the annual UNLV Community Partner Survey. These efforts help the university better understand the many ways the campus connects with our community, as well as community partner perceptions of the university’s community engagement activities. The UNLV Community Engagement Dashboard contains key indicators gathered from these two data collection efforts. If you have questions regarding UNLV’s community engagement activity or the dashboard, please reach out to us.

Prevent Child Abuse Nevada Community Resource

Prevent Child Abuse Nevada (PCANV) works to ensure Nevada's children thrive in safe, stable, and nurturing environments and relationships, and serves as a leading community resource and partner for child maltreatment prevention. PCANV empowers adults to take the responsibility of preventing child maltreatment upon themselves, and encourages the community to make children and their safety a priority in Nevada. Through providing education, advocacy, and awareness, PCANV aims to inspire communities to prevent all forms of child maltreatment. PCANV provides a comprehensive list of services available throughout the state which include family resource centers, as well as home visiting, foster/adoption, caregiver respite, reunification support, and domestic violence services.  

Make Your Voice Heard - Community Health Assessment Survey

The Nevada Institute for Children’s Research and Policy in partnership with the Southern Nevada Health District recently launched the Community Status Assessment Survey which aims to assess the current health status of residents while identifying barriers to care and other relevant demographic and social issues. The survey, available through August 15^th, provides an overview of health information and helps identify populations that may be at increased risk of poor health outcomes. Responses will be used to develop a Community Health Improvement Plan for Southern Nevada. 

Rebels in Action - Community

6/24-28/24 - UNLV hosted its annual GenCyber Summer Camp for high school students to promote safe online behavior, digital citizenship, and interest in cybersecurity careers. Each day, students participated in hands-on activities and heard from cybersecurity experts.

7/8-19/24 - UNLV School of Nursing hosted its annual Nurse Camp to encourage high school students interested in nursing careers. Students were exposed to academic, clinical, and community activities, and developed realistic nursing career expectations.

7/11/24 - UNLV College of Engineering hosted its annual Teen Driver Safety Day for high school students. The program provides an inside look of a crash, 911 audio, and emergency response, as well as presentations from a trauma surgeon and fatality team investigators.

7/13/24 – The UNLV Farmer’s Market team distributed more than 10,000 pounds of food to feed 244 families, reaching a total of 959 individuals. The next Farmer’s Market, which takes place the second Saturday of each month, will be hosted August 10th. 

7/15-17/2024, UNLV hosted a first of its kind Sports, Entertainment & Innovation Conference with leaders and subject matter experts from across the globe. The event served to educate, collaborate, and create dynamic ventures.

7/19/24 - At the 2024 Legal Writing Institute Biennial Conference, UNLV Professor Mary Beth Beazley was the Keynote for the Bench & Bar Program and interviewed her law school classmate, Judge Marianne L. Vorhees, in a Fireside Chat.

Rebel Spotlight

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Christine Parris

Christine Parris picked up her phone, saw the Las Vegas area code, and was perplexed. “Who could this be,” she wondered, “and what could it possibly be about?” The reaction was understandable, given that Parris lives and works in her native Canada and hadn’t called Las Vegas home in a quarter century. Intrigued, she accepted the call instead of sending it to voicemail. After some quick pleasantries, the reason for the reach out was revealed: The 1991 UNLV softball team that Parris played for had been selected...(more)

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Leonardo Benavides 

Leonardo Benavides joined UNLV in June of 2024 as the Director for State Government Affairs and Community Engagement. He advocates on behalf of the University in front of state and local governments for the benefit of students, faculty, staff, and the greater Las Vegas community. He will also work to help advance UNLV’s community engagement goals and ensure the presence of the University within the community is impactful. Benavides earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at UNLV and his Juris Doctor…(more)

UNLV News

Science Education For The Youth (SEFTY)

Lab experience can become a real speed bump in a young scientist’s journey. Sure, you can master the materials of a textbook, but those first moments tinkering in the lab can fill a young scientist with imposter syndrome in a hurry. That’s where SEFTY, or Science Education For The Youth, comes in. The UNLV program aims to change that mindset and — within a matter of weeks — create some confidence in students before they even...(more)

2024 Sphere XO Student Design Challenge Winners

On July 5, Sphere Entertainment Co. announced the winners of the inaugural Sphere XO Student Design Challenge, which invited more than 100,000 Clark County-based students to create art for the Exosphere – the LED exterior of Sphere in Las Vegas. Eight Clark County-based students ranging from elementary school to graduate school won the opportunity to have their Fourth of July themed artwork displayed...(more) 

Bright Side of Brightline & First High-Speed Rail Line

Las Vegas' glitz, glamor, and gambling have drawn travelers from across the world. But a significant number of Sin City’s regular visitors come from right across Nevada’s western border: Southern California. Those visiting from Southern California currently traverse the Mojave by car or plane, but soon a third option will be available: high-speed rail. After decades of talk, work on the nation’s first high-speed rail project began...(more)

Before You Go

Rebel Recovery Program

Since the December 6th tragedy, the Rebel community continues to experience kindness, support, and encouragement from so many. We would like to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for all those who have helped and inspired us as we continue our recovery process. Don’t forget to check-in for the latest updates as we continue to progress on our Rebel Recovery Program. Please visit the UNLV Strong website to learn more. 

Invitation to Support Our Work

Great universities and great communities go together, and this is certainly true for UNLV and Nevada. The needs in our communities are many and there is so much more we can do to help solve some of our most pressing challenges. But, we cannot do it without you. We invite you to support our work by visiting the website, clicking the “UNLV Fund” option, and then selecting “Community Engagement” from the options listed. Thank you for your consideration!