Last week, a contingent of UNLV staff, students, and alumni traveled to Carson City for UNLV Day at the Nevada Legislature. It was incredible to witness so many UNLV alumni serving our state as elected officials. It is also equally gratifying whenever I get the chance to see our current students walking the halls of our state legislative building, interacting with state leaders and advocating for issues they care so deeply about. 

These students will soon be the professionals to whom we turn to lead our state forward. With that idea in mind, I took some time to reflect on the value of hands-on learning as our group was making the short flight to Northern Nevada, and I thought about how important it is that our students really understand Nevada beyond the borders of Las Vegas. 

Over the summer, our Honors College led a unique field trip throughout the state to immerse students in issues that are both wide ranging and interconnected. The goal of the trip was to get students out of town to experience the varied industries, environments, and way of life that makes Nevada so exceptional – from urban to rural, from industry to ranching. I hope we can encourage more experiential learning opportunities like this for our students, as these activities will no doubt shape their decision making and understanding of issues that stretch beyond the boundaries of our campus and surrounding community. 

I invite you to read more about the students’ summer trip throughout the Silver State (there’s a great video, too), as I know this past week traveling our state has given me a new appreciation for what home means in Nevada. 

Keith E. Whitfield, Ph.D.
UNLV President