Joseph Ervin — better known as Dr. Joe to his colleagues and students — never thought he’d be working on a campus as special as UNLV, let alone helping Rebels focus on their career goals.

A member of UNLV’s Rebel Career Champions Network (RCCN) from its beginnings, Ervin embodies the RCCN’s mission to infuse career readiness into the campus culture. For his efforts, Ervin has been named this year’s RCCN Eileen McGarry Career Champion of the Year.

The Champion of the Year Award recognizes a faculty or staff member who exemplifies the mission of the RCCN through exceptional engagement, collaboration, and leadership in advancing the Career Everywhere initiative at UNLV. 

“As a fellow RCCN member and someone who works so closely with Dr. Joe on curriculum and teaching, I can vouch that he is a true advocate of creating a culture where career readiness and discussions about careers are important,” said Ana Patrnogich-Arieli, who nominated Ervin.

An associate professor-in-residence in the College of Liberal Arts, Ervin is redefining how students think about career readiness: not just as a set of skills, but as a reflective and purposeful journey.

“As an instructor, my approach is very conceptual and philosophical. I try to help students explore ideas, perspectives, and their own motivations. I encourage them to think deeply about why they are in college,” Ervin said. 

Encouraging Career Consciousness

Ervin primarily teaches first-year seminars, a cornerstone of the university’s general education curriculum. While each college offers its own version of a first-year seminar, all share a common goal: helping students transition into college life and build a foundation for academic, personal, and social success.

“Students are required to take a first-year seminar, but they can take it in any college,” he explained. “Typically, they choose one aligned with their major. What unites all of them is the focus on helping students succeed in college and beyond.”

Where these seminars differ is in their approach. For Ervin, it’s an opportunity to lean into exploration and critical thinking.

“I ask students to think about questions like: What is the purpose of college? Beyond earning a degree or getting a job, what else matters? What role does family play in their education? What impact will their career have on others?”

Beyond the classroom, Ervin’s work centers on promoting career readiness across campus. This includes sharing information with students about opportunities such as career fairs and internships, as well as participating in RCCN initiatives.

He also contributes to the RCCN’s curriculum subcommittee, where faculty and staff collaborate to ensure that career readiness is meaningfully embedded in academic courses. One growing area of focus is microcredentials: specialized programs that allow students to build and demonstrate specific job-related skills.

“Microcredentials are exciting because they help students not only develop skills but also communicate those skills to employers,” he said. “They’re a great example of how career readiness can be built directly into the curriculum.”

Let’s Get Philosophical

What sets Ervin’s approach apart is his philosophical perspective. With an undergraduate degree in philosophy and advanced degrees in education, he brings a reflective, inquiry-driven mindset to his classroom.

“I see career readiness as more than just skill development,” he explained. “It’s also about understanding your purpose. It’s about why you’re pursuing a certain path and what you want to do with it. It’s about asking yourself, what am I going to do with these skills, and why am I pursuing these skills in the first place?”

Students are encouraged to answer these deeper questions in their coursework with Ervin, who challenges them to think intentionally about their choices and to approach their education with purpose.

“In one of my first-year seminars, we have a project called Project Exploration, which includes a ‘Why Statement.’ This asks students to seriously consider why they are pursuing higher education. I believe career readiness is not just about developing skills but also about mindset,” he said.

Ervin integrates this ethical reflection into career preparation. He also asks students to consider real-world dilemmas in their chosen fields — whether it’s the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs or the ethical implications of business decisions. By applying philosophical frameworks to these scenarios, students gain a more nuanced understanding of their future professions.

“I want students to think about how their careers align with their values,” he said. “What impact will they have on their communities? What kind of person do they want to be in their professional lives?”

This emphasis on the “why” behind career decisions aligns closely with the RCCN's mission: that career readiness should be woven throughout the university experience rather than confined to a single office or resource center.

“What’s powerful about the RCCN is that it recognizes everyone has something to contribute,” he noted. “Whether you’re faculty, staff, or an advisor, you can help students prepare for their futures in meaningful ways.”

And the Award Goes To…

Ervin was recognized as the RCCN Champion of the Year during the Academic Achievement Award Ceremony in late April — an honor he accepted with humility.

“There are so many people doing incredible work in this area,” he said. “It’s truly humbling to be recognized among them.”

“Dr. Joe demonstrates RCCN values in everything he does, from implementing career readiness discussions, tools, and activities in his first-year seminar classes, to collaborating on both updating existing curriculum and creating new assignments that further career readiness, to meeting with first-year students one-on-one to provide mentorship and guidance, especially related to major and career exploration and decision-making,” the nomination committee added.

Reflecting on his own journey, he admitted that his path to academia was far from straightforward. As a high school student, he struggled and never imagined himself becoming a professor. It wasn’t until he discovered a love for learning in college that his direction became clear.

“I didn’t have a clear plan early on,” he said. “But once I found my place in college, I didn’t want to leave. Being able to turn that into a career feels incredibly meaningful.”

Today, he brings that same sense of discovery and purpose to his students, helping them navigate their own paths with intention. In doing so, he reminds them — and himself — that career readiness is not just about preparing for a job, but about shaping a life with meaning.

“I’m very grateful to be at UNLV. It’s a dream come true, and working in this environment as a career feels incredibly rewarding.”