Name:  Pamela Newburn Degree: MEd Curriculum & Instruction Employer:  Renaissance Learning  What was your favorite thing about campus life? I loved the energy and sense of possibility on campus. No matter how hectic life was, stepping onto campus made me feel carefree and inspired. The campus itself is beautiful, and just being there brought a sense…

Name:  Alex De Giacomo Degree: BS Physical Education Employer:  Westminster High School   What are you most proud of from your UNLV experience? Graduating college is what I’m most proud of, especially being the first in my family to do so. Playing football while managing school gave me discipline and a strong sense of responsibility. What makes it even more…

Name: Tiffany Simonetti Degree: MS Clinical Mental Health Counseling Current Role:  Live Happy Counseling What are you most proud of from your UNLV experience? I’m really proud of having the opportunity to attend and present at conferences, especially on topics like self-care, which is a passion of mine. With support from the Graduate & Professional Student Association…

Higher education can transform lives. Just as Kim Nehls. Whether mentoring students or championing innovative initiatives, the inaugural recipient of the Higher Education program’s Alumni of the Year shapes the future of higher education at UNLV and beyond. Currently serving as the senior advisor to UNLV’s president, Kim uses policy-driven research to develop strategies to strengthen student…

With 20 years of experience as a school psychologist in the Clark County School District (CCSD), we celebrate and honor Jennifer Guyer and her outstanding service to families in Las Vegas as the 2025 School Psychology Alum of the Year.  Jennifer had always known that becoming a school psychologist was her true calling.  “It’s a role I approach with deep commitment, by continuously…

Exceptional. Dedicated. Compassionate. These three words perfectly describe the 2025 Counselor Education Alum of the Year, Maria Aladjova. As a committed counselor and educator, Maria is determined to make a lasting impact on her clients as the assistant clinical director at Next Chapter Therapy and a mentor to UNLV students.  Since earning her M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in…

  Looking for Light Bulbs Futuro Academy Founder Drives Dynamic Learning and Teacher Retention A passionate leader and educator, Ignacio Prado is making a lasting difference in Southern Nevada students and educators. He serves as the executive director and principal of Futuro Academy, a tuition-free public charter school in East Las Vegas. The school is known for its support of English…

Name: Lynni Nordheim Degree: MEd Curriculum & Instruction Current Role:  Douglas County School District  What was your favorite thing about campus life? I appreciated being in an environment where cutting-edge research was happening. Being on a campus where this type of research was being conducted was exciting and has influenced my work in bridging research and…

  Name: Jelani Baker Degree: MEd Intercollegiate and Professional Sports Management Current Role: Jr. Trader at MGM Resorts International How did your experience at UNLV help you find your first position after graduation? It was incredibly valuable in helping me secure my first position after graduation. The connections I made through my professors and the program…

Name: Megan Prater Degree: BSED Elementary Education, MEd English Language Learning Current Role: Magnet Coordinator at CCSD What are you most proud of from your UNLV experience? The relationships I built. Hands down. I love that I have friendships from UNLV that still provide that kind of support system. Even for those who have moved out of Las Vegas, we still stay in…

  Name: Christopher Dayley  Degree: M.Ed. Educational Leadership  Current Role: Assistant Professor and Director of the Master of Arts in Technical Communication (MATC) at Texas State University    What are some key aspects of campus culture that helped prepare you for the professional world? Being involved in various campus activities exposed me to diverse…

The UNLV College of Education is proud to announce the Spring 2025 Wonderful Washoe Rebel recipient, alumna Crisy Coulon ‘05 Ed.S. Educational Psychology. Crisy currently serves as a Psychologist for Washoe County School District working with schools including Sparks and Galena high schools. She brought Hope Squad to Sparks HS, a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program.  Her nominator…