Name: Megan Prater Degree: BSED Elementary Education, MEd English Language Learning Current Role: Magnet Coordinator at CCSD What are you most proud of from your UNLV experience? The relationships I built. Hands down. I love that I have friendships from UNLV that still provide that kind of support system. Even for those who have moved out of Las Vegas, we still stay in…

  Name: Christopher Dayley  Degree: M.Ed. Educational Leadership  Current Role: Assistant Professor and Director of the Master of Arts in Technical Communication (MATC) at Texas State University    What are some key aspects of campus culture that helped prepare you for the professional world? Being involved in various campus activities exposed me to diverse…

The UNLV College of Education is proud to announce the Spring 2025 Wonderful Washoe Rebel recipient, alumna Crisy Coulon ‘05 Ed.S. Educational Psychology. Crisy currently serves as a Psychologist for Washoe County School District working with schools including Sparks and Galena high schools. She brought Hope Squad to Sparks HS, a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program.  Her nominator…

“I would have never completed a master's or a Ph.D. had it not been for scholarships and graduate assistantships.” Elizabeth León Zaragoza, two-time UNLV graduate, didn’t beat around the bush when explaining the role funding played in her academic journey.  By the time Elizabeth got to UNLV, she was eager to find a solution to two persistent challenges: how to make athletic training…

“I received scholarships, but they weren’t through the federal government or UNLV as a system. They were from donors,” said UNLV alumnus John Starkey, ‘12 M.Ed., Educational Leadership. Many members of the college’s alumni chapter have similar experiences and that’s why the chapter is paying it forward with a scholarship aimed at helping students in need. An Avenue for Impact The chapter…

Name: Gregory Cole Degrees: Class of  2003 M.Ed. Special Education Current Role: Clark County School District ( CCSD), Mojave High School   How would you describe your career path since graduation? UNLV helped me develop my leadership skills especially when it comes to getting along with parents, administrators, and community members. UNLV helped make me a more rounded educator…

  Name: Jennefer Salazar Degrees: Class of 2023 B.S. Elementary Education Current Role: Kindergarten Teacher at C.H. Decker Elementary School  What are some key aspects of campus culture that helped prepare you for the professional world?   Flexibility; as a teacher you need to be able to adapt quickly to different situations. Time management is also very important…

Name: Lily Swan  Degree: M.Ed. Educational Leadership  Current Role: Director of International Service at the University of Detroit Mercy   How did UNLV prepare you for your career? My graduate assistantship position at the international office at UNLV is what prepared me most for my career. I originally went into higher education with a different career path in mind,…

Name: Ashley Miller Degree: B.S.Ed., Elementary Education  Current Role: Kindergarden Teacher at Telesis Preparatory Academy What are your favorite memories from UNLV? The times I got to spend in several classrooms in Clark County as a student teacher and guest.  I met a lot of amazing teachers in NV and learned valuable experience that I use in my own classroom. What is…

REBEL ROMANCE: IT WAS MEANT-TO-BE FOR JON AND KIM POLSON When Jon Polson, ’94 BA Communications, transferred to UNLV to play baseball, the Denver native didn’t expect to hit a home run off the field. Reno native, Kim Caspary, ’96 BS Elementary Ed, was looking forward to living in a bigger city with a modern campus and opportunities to cheer on Rebel athletes. She never expected to take one home…

A first-gen doc student reinvests generosity, care and mentorship with her peers and students. Winning the 2025 Sam Lieberman Regents’ Award is far from Nicole Thomas’ first big achievement. The 29-year-old educational psychology doctoral student’s academic career is studded with accolades, including the Edward Pearson Memorial Scholarship and two highly competitive Nevada NASA Space Grant…

  Name: Greg Weaver Degree: M.Ed., Higher Education  Why did you choose UNLV? What led you to pursue a degree in education?  I really liked the higher ed program at UNLV and how it offered different concentrations to either study something specific or have the option to transition to different aspects of the program to get a field of it. The assistantship the university offered…