“When I started law school, I was a waitress in Boulder City, the only city in Nevada to prohibit gambling. I had no idea that lawyers specialized in certain areas. Professors Jennifer Roberts, Greg Gemignani, and the late Robert Faiss invited students to Gaming Control Board hearings and meetings with gaming executives, and I was hooked. The network in my own backyard was something I had never appreciated. UNLV made that link possible. I live a life beyond my wildest dreams, and I get to do so in a community with the school that made that possible.”
Lauren Calvert, '03 BSBA Economics and '07 JD, is an attorney with Bighorn Law. She heads the firm's complex litigation division and was promoted to general counsel for software company Filevine.
“Dr. Anjala Krishen at the Lee Business School is hands down the best thing that ever happened at UNLV. She made me realize how vast the marketing field can be and my natural talent in the field. She encouraged me double major in the area of study. To this day she continues to be a great mentor and friend as I navigate through my career and life.”
Cariela Santana, '13 BSBA International Business and BSBA Marketing, is part of the corporate sponsorship team at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts as well as a freelance brand marketing consultant. She serves on the boards of Nevada DECA and the American Advertising Federation and is president of Ad 2 Las Vegas networking group.
“Dr. Donald Bell’s food service class taught about the menu mix and using point of sales. I have used that menu mix concept throughout my career. Looking back, I’d tell students: You can make up your mind after college about how an industry job should be done. For now, do what your professors ask of you and enjoy the learning process.”
Perry Keith Todd, '84 BS Hotel Administration, is table games supervisor for Boyd Gaming. He has worked in the hospitality industry for 45 years. He is a 20-year member of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists with credits including the PBS documentary Lords of the Mafia and the recent films Back Seat and Gloria.
“I can never thank Dr. Felicia Campbell (English) enough. I think I took every class she teaches. She isn't the type of professor to tell you exactly how to do something, particularly when it came to projects. We had to change the way we saw the world because we were given guidelines and ultimately were restricted only by our fears and imaginations.”
Reyna Pingul, ’16 BA English, is an MFA student at the University of San Francisco, freelancer, and volunteer copywriter for the Harry Potter Alliance.
“Davey Marlin-Jones (theatre) was one of the most influential people in my life. He was a master at his craft and reminded me daily to check in on my mind, body, and spirit.”
Cherilyn Walker, ’93 BA Theatre, is a casting director in Los Angeles.
“Jacimaria Batista (engineering). It was easy to tell how much she cared for her students and the topics she taught. He genuineness and energy made up for the fact she also taught 7 am classes.”
Dustin Johnson, ’11 BS Civil Engineering, is an engineer with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in Las Vegas.
“David Dickens (sociology) was an unapologetic mentor with accurate and ferocious critique who pushed me to levels of thought and action that I would never have discovered on my own. For my second masters, it was Dr. James Kenyon who truly showed me what a commitment to one’s students should look like. He leads by fierce example.”
Christopher Percy, ’14 BS Sociology, ’17 M.Ed., is a teacher at Eagle Peak Middle School in Redwood Valley, California.
“Greg Moody (Lee Professor of Information Systems) didn't teach just from the book but at the same time we could refer to our book to support what he said. He was available and showed us how the material could be used outside the classroom.”
Eugene Krick, ’12 BSBA Management Information Systems, is a workforce planning analyst at NV Energy in Las Vegas.
“Isabelle Emerson (music) was very tough and held high standards for her students. Incredibly knowledgeable. I learned so much from her not only in academics, but also in managing life with excellence.”
Claudia Bessette, ’04 M.Ed Music Education, is a counselor for the Washoe County School District in Reno.
“Charles Regin (community health sciences) forever impacted my view on the importance of public health and how to educate and persuade others on the topic. I still remember his impact on my education more than 20 years later.”
Shauna Burns, ’96 BS Health Education, is the regional accounts manager at Astellas Pharma in Charlotte, North Carolina
“William Heffernan (English) stopped me as I was leaving (English 101 in 1965) to tell me that no matter what happened, I should not stop until I completed my B.A.”
Janice Fallman, ’70 BA Spanish, went on to law school and is now a retired administrative law judge in Los Angeles .
“Doug Unger (English). Literature became a living, breathing force in my life. Making the comparisons between Don Quixote and a modern-day midlife crisis made a fabulous tweak in my brain!”
Kimberly Fowler, ’97 BS Secondary Science Education, is an environmental health specialist with the Southern Nevada Health District.
“Kimberly A. Barchard (psychology) got me involved in her research lab and allowed me to take my interest in psychology to an even higher level. It was one thing to learn about it in the classroom, but the ability to facilitate research in real life was an awesome experience.”
Mark Taylor, ’04 BA Psychology, is a corporate recruiter at Ocwen Financial Corp. in Addison, Texas
“Bernie Chavies (assistant athletic trainer) was instrumental in motivating me pursuing my passion in the nutritional products industry. Brent Mangus (kinesiology) was a terrific educator and mentor. I owe so much to UNLV and credit the school for making me mature. I lived on campus for my entire duration as a student and that really helped me immerse myself in the campus life and dynamic culture UNLV provides. I would not be where I am at today without the valuable years I spent at UNLV!”
Jeff Brucker, ’00 BS Sports Injury Management, is vice president of product development for HumanN, a leader in science-backed nutritional products. He credits former professor Bernie Chavies for motivating him to pursue his interest in nutrition science and Brent Mangus as a mentor, and says living on campus helped him mature. He now lives in Austin, Texas.
“Terrill Pollman is an excellent law professor and taught me how to write like an attorney.”
P. Owen Benito, '12 JD, is an intellectual property attorney and is a California candidate for the U.S. Senate. He lives in Pacifica.
“I think the greatest things my business professors taught me was to build upon the foundation taught in class and follow where your passion takes you, letting the road guide you along the way. Most daring thing I've ever done is quitting my secure six-figure job to start my own company. At UNLV, I had noticed more and more startup businesses owned by students.”
Donald Contursi, ’09 BS Business Administration, launched Lip Smacking Foodie Tours in 2014.
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