When Joe Cadiz turned in his healthcare administrator badge for scrubs and a stethoscope, he wanted to help patients one-on-one. But he also had a grander vision for serving his community — he wanted to create more caregivers.
“I could become a really great nurse and be really effective,” says the two-time UNLV grad, “but my real goal is to play a role in the development of other people who share the same values and have similar aspirations.”
Cadiz, 34, created a new scholarship for graduate students in UNLV's Master of Science in Nursing direct entry program (DEMSN). In fact, he donated funding for the Joseph Cadiz Scholarship even before he, himself, graduated from the program last fall. But, he's not stopping there. In August, he'll add a Master in Healthcare Administration degree from UNLV to his credentials, and then begin his doctorate in clinical research — all while working full time at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
Funding a scholarship is a way to have a bigger impact, he says. “You can only do so much as one individual person. It’s like multiplying yourself.”
Cadiz took a long path to higher education and nursing. Born in Hawaii, he moved to Las Vegas at two years old and enrolled in UNLV as an undergraduate biology major in 2008. But he left before graduation, with one class unfinished.
“I decided I needed to do something else,” he says. For the next few years, he traveled the American Southwest as a Seventh Day Adventist missionary, sharing his family’s faith. “It gave me the ability to talk to people from all walks of life. It was so fun, just being able to go to places and meet so many people.”
Eventually, he ended up teaching at a Bible college in Arizona and also worked in community health. His faith focuses on healthy living — spiritually, physically, and emotionally — so it aligned well with his longtime interest in healthcare.
When the opportunity arose to work in a small Northern California clinic, Cadiz jumped at it. There, he learned the mechanics of human resources and healthcare administration. But he found himself drawn to patient care, so in 2023 he returned to UNLV to finish his bachelor’s degree and enroll in nursing school.
After getting his nursing degree, he wanted to sharpen his skills in the cardiovascular intensive care unit at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic before returning home to Vegas. The cardiovascular specialty drew him because of his mother’s health challenges, he says.
Someday he hopes to teach and open his own clinic, focused on serving the Asian American and Pacific Islander community; he’s interested in preventative care for chronic diseases and pain, as well as culturally responsive care, for those – like his Tagalog-speaking Filipino mother — who face language barriers at the doctor’s office.
“I hope to cater to disenfranchised populations,” he says. “We know health outcomes can be better when your provider looks like you.”
Cadiz also wants to increase his philanthropic giving in the future, to support even more nursing students. He knows firsthand the challenges they face, and that every little bit helps — from money for laptops and groceries, to scrubs and stethoscopes. He’s grateful for the support he received at UNLV.
“I always look for ways to give back. Even though I was just graduating, I felt like I could give back immediately — if not with money, through mentorship and volunteerism. Every donation can be so meaningful.”
