Grad Rebel Advantage Program
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The Grad Rebel Advantage program provides annual cohorts of UNLV undergraduate students with mentorship, workshops, and professional development opportunities designed to build their base of knowledge about educational options after the bachelor’s degree and prepare them for graduate study. The program has selected 100 students to participate in the inaugural cohort in academic year 2018-2019, and 100 undergraduates per year after that. Each Grad Rebel Advantage participant will be expected to participate in a number of workshops and activities throughout the year, and they will each receive a $600 scholarship to help pay for the time that they spend in the program and reward their full participation. The Grad Rebel Advantage Program will help prepare UNLV undergraduate student participants for graduate studies, whether at UNLV or elsewhere.
Congratulations to our 2020-2021 Grad Rebel Advantage Program Cohort
Program Benefits
- Special workshops, events, activities, and mentorship to prepare undergraduates for possible future graduate study
- The opportunity to enroll in graduate-level courses (for students with at least a 3.00 GPA) either for undergraduate credit or to hold for future graduate credit
- The opportunity to complete the Graduate College Research Certification after you have fulfilled all Grad Rebel Advantage Program requirements
- $600 Grad Rebel Advantage scholarship for participants who fulfill all program requirements. ($300 will be dispersed after the Fall semester to all participants that complete the first half of the year-long program requirements; if Fall semester requirements are not met, students can continue in the program for Spring, but, then would only be eligible for the $300 in Spring.) Please note: You must have a current FAFSA on file. If you owe money for current or prior terms, the funds will be applied towards that balance. Disbursement of the scholarship can take between 4-6 weeks once we have confirmed program requirements for all participants have been met.
- Honor cord that may be worn at commencement to signify status as a Grad Rebel Advantage program graduate
- Grad Rebel Completion Certificate
- A Grad Rebel Advantage T-shirt
- Opening and closing events with meals
- Gain valuable skills associated with mentorship
Eligibility Requirements
This program is open to current UNLV undergraduate students who:
- Are enrolled full-time (minimum 12 credits per semester) during their Grad Rebel Advantage year
- Are in good standing with the University
- Have completed 60 or more credit hours at the time that they apply to the program
- Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75
- Have a faculty member or academic advisor complete the bottom section of the Grad Rebel Advantage application prior to submission
- Applications can either be submitted by the student or by the faculty that endorses the application
- Please note that a Letter of Recommendation is not required
Admissions
Acceptance in the Grad Rebel Advantage Program is competitive. Complete applications, including a faculty/advisor endorsement, must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 31, 2020. Please note that the application deadline has been extended to July 31st due to COVID-19 impacting student's ability to obtain letters of recommendation and signatures in a timely manner.
Eligible students must submit all application materials as a single PDF to the Graduate College Professional Development Academy at GradRebelAdvantage@unlv.edu by Friday, July 31, 2020. The subject line of the email should consist of: Your Last Name-Grad Rebel Advantage Application.
Athletes' Grad Rebel Advantage
Are you an undergraduate student athlete considering grad school? Learn more about the Athletes' Grad Rebel Advantage program.
For more information, please email GradRebelAdvantage@unlv.edu.
Veterans' Grad Rebel Advantage
Are you an undergraduate student veteran considering grad school? Learn more about the Veterans' Grad Rebel Advantage program.
For more information, please email GradRebelAdvantage@unlv.edu.
Program Requirements
Please note that Program Requirements have been updated for the 2020-2021 cohort. If you are currently part of the 2019-2020 cohort, please refer to the requirement overview flyer you received at orientation or email us at gradrebeladvantage@unlv.edu with any questions.
Students must maintain a minimum 2.75 overall GPA throughout participation in the program. Failure to do so may result in removal from the program.
Students will have two semesters to complete the following program requirements:
- Attend the four (4) mandatory cohort group mentorship sessions:
- Attend the mandatory Grad Rebel Advantage kick-off event (September 4th, 2020; 9:00-11:30am)
- Attend the mandatory Grad Rebel Advantage commencement event (April 30th, 2021; 9:00-10:30am)
- Fall Cohort Meeting
- Spring Cohort Meeting (3-Minute Presentation)
- Attend two of the four mandatory workshops (Note: *if you attend more than two, you can use them toward your 5 required elective workshops):
- Grad School 101: Everything you need to know about academic options after your bachelor's degree
- Undergraduate to Graduate Workshop
- Choosing and Being Chosen: How to Select a Graduate Program & Get Them to Select You (Only Available Fall Semester)
- Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) Active Reading Workshop
- Attend a minimum of 5 elective workshops for the program duration - these workshops are in addition to the 2 mandatory ones. The workshops below fulfill the requirements for the Grad Rebel Advantage Program. Please note, you must attend a minimum of 2 each semester (but you are required to complete at least 5). Failure to complete this minimum will make you ineligible to receive the Grad Rebel Advantage scholarship.
- Fall Workshop Schedule will be available in early August.
- Academic Success Center: Make an appointment to meet with a coach to help identify your needs or to work one-on-one with a success coach.
This appointment would count as one workshop. In order to receive credit for this option please have the success coach email Gradrebeladvantage@unlv.edu
- Attend one (1) major campus research event
- Attend one (1) campus cultural event
- Attend 3 Mandatory Campus Appointments
- Have an appointment with an academic advisor to plan your program completion (fall or spring)
- Have at least one appointment with the Writing Center to work on a paper, writing sample, publication, or letter of application (fall or spring)
- Have an appointment with the Office of Undergraduate Research to learn how to get involved in research on campus. In order to receive credit for this requirement please have the consultant email gradrebeladvantage@unlv.edu.
Note that requirements used to fulfill one category may not be used toward another.
Disclaimer: While new requirements will not be added, the names of some of the workshops, events, and other offerings may change and a schedule will be posted by early August.
Elective Workshop Schedule
The workshops and events below will help fulfill the requirements for the Grad Rebel Advantage Program. You must RSVP for all workshops/events at least 24 hours in advance. To RSVP, please click on the workshop/event below. This will send you to the calendar entry page, which has the RSVP information. To determine which requirement the workshop/event fulfills, please click on it. The description will include this information.
The Spring 2020 Event & Workshop Schedule will be available in late January.
Event & Mandatory Workshop Schedule
Mandatory Events
- Grad School 101: Everything you need to know about academic options after your bachelor's degree (Graduate College)
- Undergraduate to Graduate Workshop (Graduate College)
- Choosing and Being Chosen: How to Select a Graduate Program & Get Them to Select You (Only Available Fall Semester) (Graduate College)
- Active Reading Workshop: How to Effectively Interrogate Text, Sep. 8, 2020, 12- 1:15pm (Graduate College/OUR)
- Active Reading Workshop: How to Effectively Interrogate Text, Oct. 28, 2020, 2:30- 3:45pm (Graduate College/OUR)
Cultural Events
- Financial Aid 101, September 18, 1:00-2:00 p.m. (The Intersection)
- Interview with a First-Gen Dean, Oct. 8, 10-11:30 a.m. (The Intersection)
- Where do we go from here? Oct. 14, 1-2:30 p.m. (The Intersection)
- The Masks we wear, Nov. 13, 12-1:30 p.m. (The Intersection)
Research Events
- What is Research? Understanding the Research Cycle, Sep. 2, 2020, 2:30- 3:45pm (OUR)
- Strategies for Research in Special Collections and Archives, Sep. 16, 2020, 10- 11am (UNLV Library)
- How to Write a Research Literature Review, Sep. 21, 2020, 2:30-3:45pm (OUR)
- What's Your Story? Inspiring UNLV Undergrad Researchers, Oct. 20, 2020, 2:30- 3:45pm (OUR)
- Graduate Student Showcase, Oct. 21, 2020, 4:00-5:00pm (Graduate College)
- Research Data Management 101: What is Research Data Management?Oct. 22, 2020, 11:30- 12:30pm (UNLV Library)
- How to Get Into Research Programs, Oct. 26, 4:00-5:00pm (Honors College)
- 21st Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Nov. 2-6, (CAEO)
- Rebel Grad Slam: Semi-Final Rounds, Nov. 16, 2020, 10-11:30 a.m., 1:30-3 p.m., 3:30-5 p.m. (Graduate College)
- Rebel Grad Slam: Finals Round, Nov. 18, 2020, 4:00- 5:00pm (Graduate College)
Workshop and Event Policies
- These workshops and events are free.
- No campus workshops or events taken prior to admission to the Grad Rebel Advantage Program may be counted toward the program. All workshops and events that count towards the Grad Rebel Advantage Program must be completed within one year (program duration).
- Students may only get credit for Grad Rebel Advantage workshops and events that they RSVP for at least 24 hours in advance.
- Only workshops or events that are successfully completed in full will count toward the program. To successfully complete a workshop/event, Grad Rebel Advantage participants must arrive on time, stay for the entire session, and be awake and engaged throughout its duration. Any assigned work must be completed by the deadline.
- Grad Rebel Advantage workshops/events carry no academic credit and do not appear on student transcripts.
Additional Forms
Program Feedback Surveys & Assessments
All program feedback surveys and assessments must be completed and will be available on your Grad Rebel Advantage Canvas course.
For any questions or concerns, please email gradrebeladvantage@unlv.edu.
Grad Rebel Advantage Mentors
Eligibility Requirements
- Have completed at least one year of graduate studies at UNLV by program start date
- Be enrolled in at least 3 graduate credits while serving as a mentor in both fall and spring semesters
- Be in good academic standing in a graduate degree program
Application
- Eligible students must submit all application materials as a single PDF to the Graduate College Professional Development Academy at gradrebel@unlv.edu by Wednesday, April 8, 2020. The subject line of the email should consist of: Your Last Name-Grad Rebel Advantage Mentor Application.
Program Requirements
- Attend & participate in the Grad Rebel Advantage Program kick-off; Sept. 4, 2020, 9-11:30am via Webex.
- Attend the Grad Rebel Advantage Commencement Event at the end of the spring semester; April 30, 2021, 9-11:00am.
- Advise a cohort of 8-15 undergraduate students accepted to the program (send students emails regarding graduate education & the program, answer their questions, etc.)
- Host one cohort meeting in the fall semester & one in the spring semester with the undergraduate students
3-Minute Presentation Winners
2019-2020
- Corey Johnson
- Davenia Boothe
- Haven Neiman
- Judith Fuentes Retolaza
- Lidia Wossen
- Aaron Cheng
- Allison Crawford
- Drewmel Darby
- Sharon Williams
- Emily Gelbart
- Zantana Ephrem
- Alvaro Cabonero
- Nicholas Tower
- Bibiana Lopez
2018-2019
- Fatima Azari
- Rose Adkins
- Richard Van
- Marlena Gatlin
- Guadalupe Ortiz
- Serrina Nasrollahi
- Selena Sanchez-Giancola
- Anna-Lena Vigil
- Ingrid Zarate
- Mayra Arzate
- Caroline Farah
- Sarah Flood
- Phillip Edwards
Program Co-Sponsors and Partners
This program is a collaborative effort between the Graduate College and a number of campus co-sponsors and partners. Co-sponsors include: Academic Advising, Financial Aid & Scholarships, and Student Engagement & Diversity. Partners include: Office of Undergraduate Research, Academic Success Center, Center for Academic Enrichment & Outreach, Graduate & Professional Student Association, The Intersection, University Libraries, UNLV Writing Center, and Career Services.
"For me, the application process for graduate school was exhausting, and imposter syndrome hit me at every turn. But it's also a growing process. I learned that I have to be my #1 fan at the end of the day. It also helped to stay connected to loved ones and friends (if you're able to) as they help keep you grounded throughout the process. It's a lot of work: mentally, emotionally, financially. Make sure to exhaust all resources available on campus. The Grad Rebel Advantage program was one resource that helped tremendously. This process isn't easy, but it will be worth it in the end."
Camisha Fagan, 2018-19 Grad Rebel Advantage participant