What do you call a woman who’s herded cows on horseback, who’s zoomed across the sky with the famed Blue Angels aerobatic team? At the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, you call her Ann Diggins, director of student affairs and career services.

No one can accuse Diggins — who’s also enjoyed the rush that comes with riding in a hot air balloon and roaring across fresh water in a speedboat with state fish and wildlife officers — of not having the gumption to try something different. 

That quality, first evidenced as a reporter willing to go the extra mile for compelling feature stories for the Lahontan Valley News in rural Nevada, has helped her play a key role in the opening of the first allopathic medical school in Southern Nevada.  

As founding director of admissions and student affairs for the medical school, Diggins built a department from scratch in the two years prior to the school opening its doors to students in 2017. She segued into her current role in 2019. While it was a challenge she hadn’t faced as a director in student and educational affairs positions with the UNR Medical School, she said, “Collaborating on admission policies, organizing the first admissions committee, building the admissions application review software system – all of that was the most demanding but the most satisfying work I’ve had the chance to do.” 

Why did you earn a degree in journalism at UNR, enter a field you enjoyed, and then go in another direction?

I loved writing throughout high school, and at the time, my parents insisted upon a college major that also was a job. So, journalism it was. I only left to pursue higher pay as my husband was finishing college and we needed to stay in Nevada and journalism jobs were not plentiful.

Fortunately, I found a position at the UNR School of Medicine and that has led me to this wonderful work with student support services at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, where I use the writing and interviewing skills I learned in journalism virtually every day.

Now that the medical school is up and running, describe your work.

The day-to-day operations to help students succeed is what I’m part of – from work that helps them decide on their speciality or navigating through a family crisis or stepping in if they aren’t treated professionally to smaller supports like a new parking permit or making sure that they have funds to travel to their professional conference.

I also work to connect the students with our clinical faculty, as the students work through making their career decisions. Medicine is a unique profession with a specialty for each student and his or her varied skills and interests. Giving students opportunities to explore these specialty choices and “try on” each of them through rotations is a major part of my work.

Most people don’t know you’re heavily involved in major events at the medical school. 

Much of what I do is not visible, but I like to think it helps make this place run a little better. I headed up the team for our first institutional major ceremonies, like White Coat (where medical students receive a white coat that symbolizes their entry into the health profession), our first Match Day event (when medical students across the country learn  where they will do advanced training in their chosen specialties), and our first commencement and academic hooding. At these events, there are a million small details that go into what the students and their families see on the stage, and I love coordinating the team of dedicated staff that makes all that happen.

What’s your biggest pet peeve in work or life?

That’s an easy one — some of the other drivers on I-15 during my daily commute. Las Vegas seems to have a terrible combination of L.A. drivers with New York personalities. No offense to either city, of course.

What would you change about yourself? 

Like many people, I aspire to exercise more and eat healthier. I have lost the same 50 pounds multiple times, but it keeps finding me. I also wished I had slowed down more when I was raising my sons. Balancing work with family is challenging and there was always something to do next. Now that I have grandchildren, I value the ability to just enjoy being with them.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

I have a terrible weakness for Jack Reacher books and now the new Amazon series. I’m sure my love of those action plots reveals a terrible personality flaw somewhere.

What trait do you like most about yourself?

My sense of humor. I try to keep a positive outlook and find humor in most situations, when appropriate. I also am a very grateful person – I have had many blessings in my career and my life and I take none of those for granted.

Favorite tradition for your family?

My husband and I raised our three sons here in Nevada; we took them camping and hiking all their lives. I love the outdoors, especially southern Utah. The sky, the beautiful vistas – Bryce National Park is one of my favorite places to visit. We have a family cabin in southern Utah and it is our never-ending home improvement project.

You were born in South Dakota. How did you end up in Nevada?

I moved all over the U.S. and the world as my family followed my father during his career in the Air Force. He was stationed at Nellis AFB twice, which is how I ended up in Las Vegas. I graduated from Valley High School and attended both UNLV and UNR for my undergraduate and then master’s degree (in counseling and educational psychology). I ended up marrying the man I met in high school, John, who was born and raised in Las Vegas.