More than 3,500 students will officially become UNLV alumni this week after they cross the stage during UNLV's spring commencement. Each has a different story, but here are some accomplished grads who are getting ready to enter the health care field.
As they get ready to claim their diplomas, learn how the Class of 2023 is making it happen in their careers.
Hunter Timoteo-Salavea, Public Health, School of Public Health
Hunter Timoteo-Salavea recalls his first time coming to UNLV: “I walked around campus and knew this was home.” He always had a passion for health care and is graduating with a B.S. in public health.
As Timoteo-Salavea moves on to start his master’s in public health at the University of Nevada, Reno, he says he will miss the diversity at UNLV. “I am definitely going to miss the different faces of life that you see around campus and meeting fascinating people from all over the world with unique and beautiful identities. As a local from Hawaii, a first-generational Samoan graduate, and an LGBTQIA+ identifying student, I am proud that I chose to be a rebel from UNLV.” (And we know he’ll continue to stand out as a Rebel amongst the Wolf Pack.)
Danyalle Kahaeholookalani Chun, DMD and MBA, School of Dental Medicine
With her background as a dental hygienist, Danyalle Kahaeholookalani Chun knew the business side of the industry. Having been in the field for 27 years, she was able to impart some of her wisdom to her classmates.
The dual DMD and MBA program set the foundation for her to go into private practice right after graduation. Kahaeholookalani Chun's energy and enthusiasm are contagious, along with her thirst for knowledge. “I just wanted to be able to do more. The learning is never-ending. I’m about to fly out to do an implant course. One thing I realized from being in the field is the importance of always learning. As much as we paid for school, we are still learning the basics. So there’s always more to learn.”
Gabriel El-Awik, DMD, School of Dental Medicine
Gabriel El-Awik has been a man with a plan ever since he shadowed his own dentist as a high school sophomore. Now, after graduating with his doctorate of dental medicine, he’s heading straight into residency at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington. El-Awik says his most memorable experience at UNLV was when he did his first filling on a real patient and realized, “OK, maybe I really CAN do this dentistry thing, after all.”
With the support of his clinic leader, Dr. Yoon Kang, El-Awik developed his confidence as a dentist and is ready to treat the military families in Washington. Whenever he is faced with a difficult task, he remembers his favorite quote from Dr. Kang: “Let’s get it done, man.”
KayLee Freitas, Biological Sciences, College of Sciences
KayLee Freitas is graduating with a B.S. in biological sciences and is working as a clinical research recruiter while she prepares to take the MCAT. She credits the Involvement Fair for helping her find her place at UNLV — three places, to be specific. Freitas was an active member of the American Medical Women's Association, Life Sciences Student Association, and Alpha Epsilon Delta honors society. Thanks to the experience and leadership skills she gained from these organizations, she is confident and ready to take the next steps toward medical school.
For those just starting out at UNLV, Freitas got some sage advice: "You don’t need to fit into anyone else's timeline; move at your own pace.”
Kristen Herlosky, Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts
Kristen Herlosky is set to graduate with her Ph.D. in anthropology, but that’s not what she had planned when she started college.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I plan on getting a master's degree, let alone graduating with a Ph.D. Sometimes life presents unique opportunities, and we just have to jump at them when they come around. My grandmother (born in 1917) desperately wanted to get a Ph.D., but she never did. I am thinking of her now, and I know she is just beaming. This was her dream, and I get to live it.”
After she crosses the stage, she’ll be joining the UNLV School of Public Health as a postdoctoral researcher for Gabriela Buccini's team, focusing on maternal health research in the greater Las Vegas Valley. Research in maternal health led Herlosky to Tanzania, East Africa, in 2016 and 2017 for her master's and dissertation projects. She calls it a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” she was lucky enough to experience twice!
