Grad Rebel Advantage Program
The yearlong Grad Rebel Advantage program demystifies graduate school at UNLV or elsewhere, guiding UNLV undergraduate students in deciding if graduate school is right for them, helping them be more competitive applicants for their dream program, and preparing them to be successful in graduate school. The program offers workshops and professional development opportunities as well as mentorship, often provided in specialty pods that cluster students with similar experiences or interests and pair them with mentors who share their experiences or interests.
“This program was so helpful toward getting into graduate school. I tell EVERYONE I know about this program, especially first-generation students. I would not be where I am without the Grad Rebel Advantage program.”
-Ayla Gelsinger, 2020-21 Grad Rebel Advantage participant
Grad Rebel Advantage Commencement
Welcome to our 2023-2024 Cohort!
- Special workshops, events, activities, and mentorship to prepare undergraduates for possible future graduate study
- The opportunity to enroll in graduate-level courses (for students with at least a 3.00 GPA) either for undergraduate credit or to hold for future graduate credit
- The opportunity to complete the Graduate College Research Certification after you have fulfilled all Grad Rebel Advantage Program requirements
- $100 Grad Rebel Advantage scholarship for participants who fulfill all program requirements. ($100 will be dispersed after the Spring semester to all participants that complete the program). Please note: You must have a current FAFSA form or the Alternate Need Determination Form on file. If you owe money for current or prior terms, the funds will be applied towards that balance. Disbursement of the scholarship can take between 4-6 weeks once we have confirmed program requirements for all participants have been met.
- Honor cord that may be worn at commencement to signify status as a Grad Rebel Advantage program graduate
- Grad Rebel Completion Certificate
- A Grad Rebel Advantage T-shirt
- Opening and closing events with meals
- Gain valuable skills associated with mentorship
This program is open to current UNLV undergraduate students who:
- Are currently enrolled during their Grad Rebel Advantage year
- Are in good standing with the University
- Have completed 45 or more credit hours at the time that they begin the program
- Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75
This program is open to current UNLV graduate students who:
- Have completed at least one year of graduate studies at UNLV by program start date
- Be enrolled in at least 3 graduate credits while serving as a mentor in both fall and spring semesters
- Be in good academic standing in a graduate degree program
Applications are only accepted once a year. There is no application fee.
Interested students should complete the 2024-2025 Online Grad Rebel Advantage Mentee Application before September 15, 2024. The application cannot be saved and must be completed and submitted in one sitting. The mentee application deadline has been extended through September 30, 2024!
Please be prepared to provide a brief statement of interest when completing your Grad Rebel Advantage Mentee Application that covers why you are interested in the program and highlights your current grad school and career goals.
Applications are only accepted once a year. We will accept applications between May 6 and September 15, 2024. There is no application fee.
The 2024-2025 Online Grad Rebel Advantage Mentor Application will be available through the Grad Rebel Gateway. Please log in to the Grad Rebel Gateway and click on The Grad Academy tab to apply.
Please be prepared to submit a Letter of Interest when completing your Grad Rebel Advantage Mentor Application. The Letter of Interest should address the following statement: Describe why you are interested in serving as an Advantage Mentor. Please limit the response to a single page.
Students will have two semesters to complete the following program requirements. The typical time commitment per semester is 10 hours. Program requirements will be submitted through the Grad Rebel Advantage WebCampus Course. Participants will be added to the course at the beginning of the program.
- Attend four (4) Mandatory Cohort Group Mentorship Meetings:
- Grad Rebel Advantage Kick-Off: Friday, October 4, 2024 from 9-11:00 a.m.
- Grad Rebel Advantage Commencement
- Fall Cohort Meeting
- Spring Cohort Meeting
- Attend one (1) Mandatory Workshop each semester (2 total):
- Everything You Need to Know About Academic Options After Your Bachelor's Degree
- Strategies for Graduate Success: Applying to and Thriving in Grad School
- Choosing and Being Chosen: How to Select a Graduate Program & Get Them to Select You (Only Available Fall Semester)
- Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) Active Reading Workshop
- Attend two (2) Elective Workshops each semester (4 total):
- Visit the Elective Workshop Schedule Tab for semester options OR
- Academic Success Center: Make an appointment to meet with a coach to help identify your needs or to work one-on-one with a success coach. (This will count as 1 Elective Workshop.)
- Attend one (1) Major Campus Research Experience
- Attend one (1) Campus Cultural Experience
- Attend three (3) Mandatory Campus Appointments:
- Appointment with an Academic Advisor (discuss program completion)
- Appointment with the UNLV Writing Center (work on a writing piece, writing sample, publication, etc.)
- Appointment with one of the following units: Office of Undergraduate Research (discuss how to get involved with research on campus); Graduate College Recruitment & Admissions Team (discuss prospective grad programs and application requirements); Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine Admissions Team (discuss medical school application requirements); Boyd School of Law Admissions Team (discuss law school application requirements)
- Complete all program assessments (surveys/feedback forms)
Please note:
- Students must maintain a minimum 2.75 overall GPA throughout participation in the program. Failure to do so may result in removal from the program.
- Requirements used to fulfill one category may not be used toward another.
- Students graduating during the fall semester must email gradrebeladvantage@unlv.edu to obtain approval to complete the program in one semester.
Minimum Requirements for Mentors
- Attend and meet your mentee cohort the Grad Rebel Advantage Program Kick-Off: Friday, October 4, 2024 from 9-11:00 a.m.
- Attend the Grad Rebel Advantage Commencement Event
- Advise a small cohort of undergraduate students accepted to the program by sharing resources about grad school and the application process, answering questions, and maintaining communication throughout the year.
- Schedule and host two (2) cohort meetings with your undergraduate mentees, one during the fall semester and one in the spring semester.
- Complete all program surveys/feedback forms.
- Attend two (2) Virtual Mentor Meetings: Friday, September 27 from 12-1:00 p.m. & Thursday, January 23, 2025 from 4-5:00 p.m.
Program Scholarship
Graduate student mentors will each receive a $250 program scholarship each semester (pending funding approval). Please note: You must have a current FAFSA form or the Alternative Need Determination Form on file. If you owe money for current or prior terms, the program scholarship will be applied towards that balance. Disbursement of the program scholarship can take between 4-6 weeks after the Graduate College Student Services Team has confirmed that you have completed program requirements for the semester.
The workshops and events below will help fulfill the requirements for the Grad Rebel Advantage Program. You must RSVP for all workshops/events at least 24 hours in advance. To RSVP, please click on the workshop/event below. This will send you to the calendar entry page, which has the RSVP information. To determine which requirement the workshop/event fulfills, please click on it. The description will include this information.
Mandatory Workshops
Campus Research Experiences
Campus Cultural Experiences
Please remember in order to receive credit you must write a one-page summary & submit it via WebCampus.
Mandatory Workshops
- Grad School Prep Series: Mastering the Grad School Interview Process Workshop
- Strategies for Graduate Success: Applying to and Thriving in Grad School
- Everything You Need to Know About Academic Options After Your Bachelor’s Degree
- GRA: Strategies for Graduate Success: Applying to and Thriving in Grad School
- GRA: Everything You Need to Know About Academic Options After Your Bachelor’s Degree
- Grad School Prep Series: Crafting your Letter of Intent
Elective Workshops
- Professional Communication Series: Research Abstracts
- How to Make Bad Plots
- Big Data & Sustainability: Research and Community Impact
- Where Does the Time Go: Managing Your Time while Harnessing Your Power
- Self-care, Balance and Resilience
- Post-Graduate School: Exploring Non-Academic Pathways + Translating Your Skill-set
- GRA Grad School Prep Series: Entrance Exams (GMAT)
- GRA Grad School Prep Series: Entrance Exams (GRE)
- GRA Grad School Prep Series: Finding the Right Program for You
- GRA Grad School Prep Series: The Application Process
- GRA Grad School Prep Series: Writing Your Personal Statement
- GRA Grad School Prep Series: Letters of Recommendation
- Medical School Application Prep
- The Future of Work
- Professionalism 101
- Managing Conflicts or Concerns in Mentor-Mentee Relationships
- Overcoming Writing Anxiety & Developing Writing Habits
- Spring 2022: Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research: Which should you use?
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae: How to Create Them and When to Use Them
- Funding your Graduate Degree through a Graduate Assistantship
- Publishing Your Research in Graduate School
- How to Write a Conference Proposal
- Research Poster Design
- Time-Management
- Transitioning to Graduate School: Finding your Why
- Introduction to Mentoring: A Guide for Mentors and Mentees
- Imposter Syndrome
Research Experiences
Cultural Experiences
- An unsung hero of the civil rights movement (Ted-Talk)
- The importance of diversity in the comic book universe (Ted-Talk)
- The untapped genius that could change science for the better (Ted-Talk)
- What baby boomers can learn from millennials at work -- and vice versa (Ted-Talk)
- The power of diversity within yourself (Ted-Talk)
- How to get serious about diversity and inclusion in the workplace (Ted-Talk)
- The Importance of Gender Pronouns
- These workshops and events are free.
- No campus workshops or events taken prior to admission to the Grad Rebel Advantage Program may be counted toward the program. All workshops and events that count towards the Grad Rebel Advantage Program must be completed within one year (program duration).
- Students may only get credit for Grad Rebel Advantage workshops and events that they RSVP for at least 24 hours in advance.
- Only workshops or events that are successfully completed in full will count toward the program. To successfully complete a workshop/event, Grad Rebel Advantage participants must arrive on time, stay for the entire session, and be awake and engaged throughout its duration. Any assigned work must be completed by the deadline.
- Grad Rebel Advantage workshops/events carry no academic credit and do not appear on student transcripts.
The Graduate College will be hosting Tuesday Talks: Your Questions Answered for current The Grad Academy program participants. Please drop by on any of the following Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m., to ask us any questions you might have or just to check your progress:
2023-2024
- Max Sinclair
- Tania Medrano
- Rianna Sandoval
- Monica Souza Sue
- Laura Sanchez Zavala
- Otoniel Ramos
- Dayle Marc Aten
- Jacquelyn Rodriguez
- Mardae Castro
- Kristina Martirosyan
- Mckenna Webb
- Shankara Getchoni
- Mackenzie Baack
- Evelyn Flores
2022-2023
- Rebecca Jimenez
- Viviana Bautista
- Kalen de la Garza
- Tzitlalli Rivero
- Hieu Nguyen
- Paula Ramirez
- Nadia Sheik Yosef
- Hannah Giberti
- Alexia Morales
- Tanner Richardson
- Dillon Brouwer
- Yajaira Rodriguez
2021-2022
- Cassedy Walker
- Charlene Gonzales
- Mae Ling Catayong
- Arely Fuentes-Retolaza
- Nallely Lozoya
- Lanessa Shirley
- Rachel Wuester
- Rachel Lucero
- Jerrell Parrish
- Kaila Seidler
- Nghi Vu
- KayLee Freitas
- Joi Jones
- Reedell Aragon
- Fitsum Ayele
- Sabrina Dittus
- Lilian Hernandez
- Jessica Nguyen
2020-2021
- Simon Lamsal
- Brittney Rench
- Ambree Schoetker
- Arissara Lavangnananda
- Alejandro Rodriguez Lambeida
- Yuria Mann
- Michael Saladino
- Nathalie Martinez
- Hannah Barti
- Tracy Fuentes
- Keva Francis
- Jennipher Chung
- Allen Lai
- Angelina Daniels
- Anne Savage
- Ruby Valencia
- Emily Carter
- Trinity Puno
2019-2020
- Corey Johnson
- Davenia Boothe
- Haven Neiman
- Judith Fuentes Retolaza
- Lidia Wossen
- Aaron Cheng
- Allison Crawford
- Drewmel Darby
- Sharon Williams
- Emily Gelbart
- Zantana Ephrem
- Alvaro Cabonero
- Nicholas Tower
- Bibiana Lopez
2018-2019
- Fatima Azari
- Rose Adkins
- Richard Van
- Marlena Gatlin
- Guadalupe Ortiz
- Serrina Nasrollahi
- Selena Sanchez-Giancola
- Anna-Lena Vigil
- Ingrid Zarate
- Mayra Arzate
- Caroline Farah
- Sarah Flood
- Phillip Edwards
Each year, we ask our Grad Rebel Advantage Mentees to prepare a 3-minute elevator pitch, answering the question "Why am I a good candidate for graduate school?" The winners of each cohort win a Graduate College application waiver and are asked to present at Grad Rebel Advantage Commencement. In addition to the presenters who will present in person, another group of equally accomplished undergraduate students have recorded their presentations, and they are available below to view.
Co-sponsors: Academic Advising, Financial Aid & Scholarships, Consolidated Students of UNLV, Student Engagement & Diversity
Partners: Office of Undergraduate Research, Academic Success Center, Center for Academic Enrichment & Outreach, Graduate & Professional Student Association, The Intersection, University Libraries, Military & Veteran Services Center, UNLV Writing Center, Career Services, Involvement Center, Office of Admissions, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, Pre-Professional Advising Center
"For me, the application process for graduate school was exhausting, and imposter syndrome hit me at every turn. But it's also a growing process. I learned that I have to be my #1 fan at the end of the day. It also helped to stay connected to loved ones and friends (if you're able to) as they help keep you grounded throughout the process. It's a lot of work: mentally, emotionally, financially. Make sure to exhaust all resources available on campus. The Grad Rebel Advantage program was one resource that helped tremendously. This process isn't easy, but it will be worth it in the end."
Camisha Fagan, 2018-19 Grad Rebel Advantage participant