Andrew Belanger

It was the summer of 1993, and Andrew Belanger was killing time between the end of high school and the start of college by working as a guide on the Snake River in Wyoming.

This was also where Belanger’s experience as a UNLV student unofficially began.

“I had been accepted into the Honors College earlier that year, but hadn’t registered for classes yet,” he says. “I distinctly remember finally doing that on one of my days off from working on the river.”

That a long and windy river served as the backdrop for this seminal moment in Belanger’s life was, in retrospect, quite fitting. Indeed, it foreshadowed his eventual career.

It’s a career that has lasted nearly 30 years. All with the same dual government entity. An entity charged with supplying a booming region with the most precious of resources: water.

The source of that water? The long and windy Colorado River.

Of course, when he sat down that day to register for his first UNLV classes, Belanger never thought in a million years he’d end up spending his entire professional life helping to educate the public and shape public policy for the Southern Nevada Water Authority and Las Vegas Valley Water District.

Sure, Belanger envisioned embarking on a politically charged profession — it’s why he enrolled at UNLV as a political science major. In fact, Belanger took several public policy courses while studying in the Honors College.

But working for a government water agency? That was not part of the plan.

“Originally, I thought I would enter the foreign service and become a diplomat,” Belanger says. “I spent a lot of time studying comparative politics, with an emphasis on East Asian studies. I even took a few steps down that path.”

Then came the pivotal day when one of Belanger’s Honors College professors — the late Carol Jensen — mentioned an internship opportunity to her class.

“She had previously invited representatives from the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the Colorado River Commission, and the Bureau of Reclamation to speak to us,” Belanger recalls. “At some point during the semester, she asked if anyone was interested in an internship at the SNWA.”

Several students applied and were hired. Among them: Belanger, who was assigned to the public services department, where he assisted a faction of employees who handled local and state government relations.

“The very first project I worked on was helping to secure a sales tax increase to help fund critical water infrastructure for the Las Vegas Valley,” Belanger says. “This included passage of legislation at the Nevada Legislature and an extensive outreach campaign to inform the public of a 1998 ballot question to fund the projects.”

Needless to say, that outreach campaign paid off: 72% of Nevada’s voters approved the measure.

“At that point,” Belanger says, “I was hooked.”

So much so that he remained in the same department after transitioning from intern to full-time employee shortly after earning his UNLV undergraduate degree in 1998 — and he’s never left. In fact, for the past 11 years, Belanger has been running that very department as director of public services.

“After starting my internship, it became clear pretty quickly that my work at the Water Authority would give me opportunities to engage in policy and practice diplomacy. And that’s precisely what has happened,” Belanger says. “Being able to play a small part in addressing the water challenges our community has faced — and being a witness to the successes the community has achieved — has been the most rewarding part of my career.”

Belanger is quick to acknowledge that his time at UNLV — first as a political science undergraduate, and soon after a graduate student — played a significant role in laying the groundwork for that career. “I have always been interested in government and politics, but before coming to UNLV, I was mostly focused on national politics,” he says. “UNLV helped me learn about local issues and expanded my view of different ways to make a difference.”

In particular, the 2025 Honors College Alumnus of the Year maintains fond memories of his journey as an honors student. That journey actually began at Chaparral High School in Las Vegas, where during his senior year he met Len Zane, then the dean of the Honors College.

Zane was in the midst of a barnstorming tour of Clark County School District high schools, hoping to drum up interest among prospective Rebels.

“A number of my friends from Chaparral registered for the Honors College simply because of [Zane’s] enthusiasm. And I certainly am glad I did,” Belenger said. “I came to discover that the Honors College truly is a school within a school, with a distinct culture and a caring community.

“Because we took Honors core classes together, it was easy to really get to know fellow classmates and build lasting relationships.”

And, of course, being part of the Honors College led directly to a lasting career, one that has positioned Belanger at the forefront of a charge to secure critical water infrastructure and rally support for vital conservation initiatives.

Additionally, he has lent his time and expertise to several professional-related organizations. This includes seven years with the Groundwater Foundation (a national nonprofit dedicated to protecting groundwater supplies); 11 years as committee chairman for the Colorado River Water Users Association; and the past 16 years as a member of the State Board of Financing Water Projects (which allocates state and federal funds to public water systems throughout Nevada).

“The best thing about my work is getting to play a part in helping the Las Vegas Valley thrive, despite our water resource constraints,” Belanger says. “And to think, it all started with that internship.”

How long after you first arrived on campus did you know for certain that you made the right decision to attend UNLV?

I remember taking an Honors rhetoric course my freshman year and loving the class, the professor, and the new ways of thinking that the class taught me. That class made me excited to come to campus, to craft arguments, and to share them with my fellow students. It didn’t take long for UNLV to really amplify my love of learning.

What academic course — either as an undergraduate or graduate student — did you lean on most to set you up for early professional success?

I took a number of public policy courses that helped shape my understanding of how to navigate politics, policy, and processes in achieving solutions. I often think about how that knowledge I learned in a classroom has helped me make sense of a complex environment.

What is your message to the current or incoming UNLV student who is considering applying for the Honors College but concerned they might not be up to the challenge?

The Honors College is unique. To be surrounded by dedicated students who are trying their best in their fields of study is really special. It’s great for students who want to be exposed to a lot of different subjects and ideas. The breadth of learning for honors students is the perfect complement to the depth of study a student gets to experience in their major.

For the past nine years, you have volunteered your time to the Honors College as a member of its Advisory Board. How would you characterize the experience?

It has been extremely rewarding and allowed me to stay connected to the College and its impressive students, faculty, and alumni. I’ve had opportunities to speak with a few classes about water policy, and I’ve been inspired by current students who ask thoughtful questions and are committed to academic excellence.

Plus, the Honors College has an active book club for its alumni, through which I’ve been able to learn from and engage with alumni who graduated after me.

Since 2001, you’ve been part of the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s legislative team that advocates for water policy, construction projects, and water-related initiatives at the state Legislature. What is the one lobbying effort that resulted in the most significant positive outcome? 

In 2021, Nevada was the first state to ban decorative grass in the Colorado River basin. The effort to pass that bill was the highlight of my career as an advocate at the Nevada Legislature. It passed overwhelmingly, made international news, and cemented Nevada’s place as a leader in water conservation.

Since then, more than 30 municipalities throughout the West have followed our lead.

If someone would’ve told you during your first week of your internship at the Southern Nevada Water Authority that you would still be with the agency 28 years later, you would’ve said …

I don’t know if I would have believed them. The Water District is staffed with some of the smartest, most dedicated people I know. I have been deeply impressed by the vision and foresight of community leaders who made sure the water system kept pace during Southern Nevada’s years of exponential growth. I am constantly amazed at how fully our community has embraced a conservation ethic. It has allowed our community to thrive, even while facing challenges as varied as drought, aridification, economic downturns, and a global pandemic.

What is the biggest misnomer about water conservation?

There is a growing misconception that water conservation is someone else’s problem — that if other people change their behavior, I won’t have to change mine. But living in the driest city in North America requires all of us to do our part. And if we do, there will be water available for our neighbors and families for generations to come.