From exploring London, England, and teaching in Yamagata, Japan, to growing up in the international city of Las Vegas — Kara Marinch has had her fair share of cosmopolitan experiences. 

When she’s not in class at the William S. Boyd School of Law or experiencing Las Vegas’ ever-revolving door of new things to try, she’s helping lead the charge for UNLV Global and guiding students as they gain once-in-a-lifetime experiences by learning abroad.

She is interim director for UNLV's Study Abroad Programs, which connects students and departments interested in international educational experiences to more than 50 programs in 25 countries. 

Tell us about the exciting changes happening within Study Abroad. What can we expect from UNLV Global?

UNLV Global encompasses several units including the English Language Center as well as the offices of International Student and Scholar Compliance; International Success Programs; International Partnerships; and Study Abroad Programs. We’re undergoing a rebrand and will be updating our office, website, forms, and print materials, so all of that is in the works. 

In terms of Study Abroad, we’re hoping to collaborate more with student organizations, students, units, and different departments that want to have a faculty-led program where faculty can take students to an international location during the summer term. Eventually, we’ll have a more formal process to get more students to go on these experiences.

Also, we’ve been working with the Honors College to send a UNLV professor to teach in Viterbo, Italy, this summer! So, we’re trying to get some of the Honors students to go on that program so that they can get an Honors credit for it. And we're working on the USAC 2026 Visiting Professor Program for professors who want the opportunity to teach their courses abroad.

You’re a UNLV alum and soon-to-be Boyd Law School grad. What drew you onto this path at UNLV?

It’s been a journey. I’m a Las Vegas local. I went to Las Vegas Academy of the Arts (LVA), and I studied photography, but while I was at LVA, I had an excellent English teacher, Miss [Jennifer] Schwake. She got me interested in literature and how you can use your words to express yourself, so I studied English for my bachelor’s degree. I was also interested in film because I did photography, so I did both.

I thought I was going to end up being an English teacher or an editor at a publishing company, but I wanted to explore what teaching was like. So, after I graduated, I applied for a program to teach English abroad. I taught in Japan for two years through the JET Program, teaching middle school and elementary school students. I had a great experience; my students were hilarious, and I learned a lot about teaching. I also had a chance to travel all over Japan and see a lot of different places, so that was a wonderful experience. 

I was also, at the time, experiencing different systems: the different transportation system, the different medical system, and how those things operate, and I became more interested in the question of, “Why are things this way? What are the rules? What are the policies?” That got me interested in going to law school or pursuing another degree. So, I decided to go back to school, and I found a job at UNLV as the administrative assistant for the Office of Study Abroad!

I had studied abroad when I was an undergrad. I went to London for a summer, and I know that if I hadn’t done that, I definitely wouldn’t have gone to Japan. I’m naturally a shy person, and at that time, I didn’t have a lot of life experience. It was the first time I had lived away from home, so I think being by myself while studying in London helped me. It gave me confidence; it made me more interested to see more of the world, so I think that shaped my direction and my interest in going to teach in Japan. 

That is why I’m interested in helping students go abroad, because I know from personal experience that it can change your perspective. It can make you feel like, “OK, I can do this. If I did this, I can definitely do that. If I can overcome a language barrier, being away from friends and family, then this project or this thing is not gonna be difficult to overcome.”

I think in that way, I developed an interest in advocating for students to go on these experiences because it does help.

If you weren’t working at UNLV, where do you think you’d be?

I think I still would have gone to law. I’m in law school in the evenings. I liked my intellectual property classes, so probably something in that field. But, I’m committed to helping students study abroad, and actually, what I’m learning in the legal field is helping me currently.

We work with contracts, and we work a lot with insurance companies, so it’s nice to be able to know where to look, how to read things, and how to create drafts that may be easier for the legal department to review. It’s been helpful to have that background, even if I’m not doing it professionally.

Which physical part of campus is most meaningful to you?

Where I work and where my team is, our office in the University Gateway Building, is the most meaningful place on campus. The people I’ve had the opportunity to work with, and the students that I’ve been able to meet and hopefully help, have been the most meaningful part of campus to me.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t be so nervous. Everyone is just trying to get through something, so don’t take things so personally, and enjoy things while they’re happening. Don’t focus so much on the future, but try to focus on what you’re doing now.

Tell us about your favorite country you’ve visited.

I feel like Japan has a special place in my heart because I spent two years there. I would love to go back to Yamagata City one day. I really miss it. I know I would have fun, so I think Japan because of that connection.

What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

It depends on the person and what they already think of me. But, maybe that I love to sing, and I really like ceramics.

As someone who grew up in Las Vegas, what’s your favorite thing about the city?

I like that there’s always something to do. There are always restaurants, shows, and even nature. I go hiking sometimes on the weekends. Whatever your interests are, there’s something you can do. Or something new to try — that’s what I like. I enjoy trying new things, and so that is a great part of the city.

What was the last TV show you binge-watched?

I just finished Cobra Kai. That show has no business being that good!

What does the future look like for you? Do you plan to go practice law?

I found out that after the 1L Moot Court competition and my trial advocacy class, I don’t know if I would like the excitement of being a trial attorney. I like to negotiate contracts or do that side of things, but I don’t want to argue in front of a judge.

I’m hoping to remain at UNLV in this position after I graduate. The future’s going to have obstacles, and there are going to be inevitable changes that’ll happen, but as long as I have my community, I know that I’m gonna be okay. Working with other people, being together, and having relationships are important, so even if things are looking challenging, I know with whom I have in my life and who I work with, we can overcome those things.