Are you ready for the SAT and ACT?
The date is circled on the calendar. You’ve been prepping on your own for weeks—maybe months. There is nothing else you can do to get ready for the SAT or ACT.
Or is there?
Thanks to a new alliance between UNLV Continuing Education and Catalyst, a SAT/ACT test prep company, Las Vegas now has an affordable weekend test prep boot camp strategically scheduled the week before you take your college entrance exams.
These momentum-boosting weekend seminars will arm students like you with go-to strategies for every question you face on the day of the test. You will learn to spot hidden clues that instantly reveal the main idea in long reading passages. You will also find out how to avoid the four sneakiest ways SAT and ACT grammar questions try to trick students. In addition, you will apply a proven formula for composing a perfect-score essay, no matter what question the test asks.
Catalyst’s programs are designed by instructors who have earned multiple perfect scores on the actual tests. Students will receive a test prep book, self-study materials, and diagnostic tests, as well as copies of essays that have earned perfect scores on actual SATs. To view additional information about the program as well as student testimonials, visit www.catalystprep.com.
Las Vegas sessions will be held in January, March, and April, each the weekend before a scheduled college entrance exam date. All sessions are held at UNLV’s Paradise Campus, on the southeast corner of Tropicana and Swenson immediately south of the main campus. Ample parking is available. Registration for SAT or ACT boot camp is $165. Pre-registration is required; walk-in students cannot be accommodated.
Upcoming sessions are as follows:
Session I: C131GI1103A / SATEnroll by Wednesday, Jan 16Sat & Sun 9am-1pm, Jan 19 & 20
Session II: C131GI1103B / SATEnroll by Wednesday, Feb 27Sat & Sun 9am-1pm, Mar 2 & 3
Session III: C131GI1153/ ACTEnroll by Wednesday, Apr 3Sat & Sun 9am-1pm, Apr 6 & 7
Session IV: C131GI1103C/ SATEnroll by Wednesday, Apr 24Sat & Sun 9am-1pm, Apr 27 & 28
 

The Office of Online Education and the UNLV School of Nursing have been recognized for creating one of the nation's top online graduate nursing programs. The Master of Science in Nursing program is ranked 18th out of 101 programs listed in the 2013 U.S. News & World Report of best online graduate degree programs.  

KNPR's listeners were taken to the ends of the world this morning. The topic of discussion on State of Nevada was Antarctic Adventures with guests being Vice Provost for Educational Outreach Peg Rees, wildlfe photographer Sharon Schafer, and learning strategist Jackie Jaeger sharing their experiences on UNLV Continuing Education's recent antarctic cruise.

UNLV’s Medical Assistant Certificate program hit an important milestone in November with the graduation of its first students. These students have been working diligently toward this goal since they enrolled last spring.

The college journey of a “typical” UNLV Rebel is ever-evolving and more complex. The average age of UNLV students is creeping upward; 25% of undergraduates are 25 or older, and 48% of graduate students are 30 or older. Nearly one-third of UNLV students are enrolled part time. When you examine these statistics together, it is clear that many UNLV Rebels do not fit the stereotype of a traditional college student.
Community2Campus, a unit of the Division of Educational Outreach, serves as a key campus resource for students who do not fit the conventional mold—in particular those students who have experienced a gap in their educational timeline and are returning as adult learners to complete their degrees.
Not surprisingly, money is often a barrier for adult learners returning to college. Community2Campus scholarships will bring the goal of completing a degree closer for 23 spring 2013 scholarship recipients. Over $20,000 will support adult learners who had an interruption in their education before returning to UNLV. 
The newest scholarship, the UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees Reentry Scholarship, provides funds to students who are pursuing their first bachelor’s degree and had an interruption of five or more years in their educational studies.
One student who received this scholarship had always desired to obtain a civil engineering degree. While attending community college she discovered a passion for designing and building on a grand scale—buildings, bridges, and roads all intrigued her. Financial obstacles blocked her path to an engineering degree, however, and she found employment in construction. After working as a field engineer and loving it, the recession hit.
College still beckoned. She relocated to Nevada and, while establishing the one-year residency requirement for in-state tuition, she joined the United State Army National Guard. She shared, “within a year of joining the Army and completing basic training, I was deployed to Iraq as a geospatial analyst specializing in mapping, route analysis, and intelligence. In fact, I was still in Iraq when I received my acceptance letter to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.”
This recipient of the UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees Reentry Scholarship is now a full time civil engineering student at UNLV. She reflected, “I’m working harder than ever to do well in class because I’ve struggled so much to become a university student. I don’t just want to graduate, I want to graduate with honors, join clubs, participate in college life, and make contacts that I’ll have for life.”
This is just one example of the high-caliber students who receive financial assistance through Community2Campus scholarships. Adult learners are tremendous assets in the academic setting. They bring real world experience, drive, and focus to their work. Community2Campus is proud to support these non-traditional Rebels on their road to success.
To learn more about the Community2Campus scholarships, contact Liz Baldizan, Executive Director, at elizabeth.baldizan@unlv.edu. Applications for 2013-2014 academic year scholarships are due April 12. For eligibility guidelines and application forms, visit http://edoutreach.unlv.edu/community2campus.

35 hearty travelers from Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and Michigan rendezvoused in Ushuaia, Argentina in early December to set out on a journey of a lifetime. Over ten days they explored the world’s southernmost waters and continent. For some, the trip checked the seventh and final continent off their travel wish-list. For others, it was an opportunity to see and photograph landscapes and wildlife they had only ever read about. For all, it was a chance to learn about this stunning but sometimes forbidding part of our planet.
The combination of adventure plus learning is what draws participants to select UNLV adventure travels over other organized trips. The programs differ from most organized tours in one essential, fundamental way: when you travel with UNLV, you are assured that your leaders are committed educators and experts in their fields.
Antarctic trip leaders Peg Rees and Sharon Shafer are both impressively familiar with the continent. Geologist and science educator Rees spent eight field seasons in Antarctica conducting scientific research, receiving the U.S. Congressional Polar Medal of Honor for her work. Artist and wildlife biologist Schafer has served as artist-in-residence on numerous trips to the sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Her fine art images promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Both women have led multiple UNLV adventure travel trips, returning each time because they love to share their expertise and enjoy interacting with fellow explorers.
Aboard the host vessel, the Akademik Ioffe, additional experts shared their specialties with the group from UNLV. Educational presentations were always well-attended and included programs on marine ecosystems, historical expeditions, birds, marine mammals, photography, climate change, and penguin science. The talks were a great way to place the landscapes, wildlife, and research within a greater context of understanding.
Of course, this trip was not about passive learning. It was about experiential learning—getting up close and personal with nature in one of the most isolated parts of the earth. And boy, did UNLV’s adventurers get up close and personal. Daily excursions by Zodiac (inflatable raft) or kayak brought the travelers into territories populated by a diverse array of animals.  Travelers saw four species of penguins, five types of albatrosses, and an abundance of petrels, gulls, terns, and other sea birds. Humpback, fin, sei, minke, and killer whale sightings inspired awe. One encounter brought three curious humpback whales just feet from the boat, bringing travelers to tears with joy and exhilaration. Crabeater seals, Weddell seals, leopard seals, southern elephant seals, and South American sea lion rounded out the wildlife list. Amidst all these encounters, UNLV and Akademik Ioffe experts were available to answer travelers’ questions and provide information and guidance.
A short article cannot properly capture this adventure. Trip leaders kept a travel blog of the voyage, available at http://exploreantarctica.blogspot.com. Included is an itinerary of the journey and notes from the trip.

The December 2012/ January 2013 issue of Outreach Insights is online and in your inbox. Outreach Insights is the bimonthly newsletter from the Division of Educational Outreach. Join our mailing list and never miss an issue.

Community2Campus Executive Director Liz Baldizan outlines scholarship opportunities available to non-traditional students at UNLV.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/education/scholarship-opportunities-n…

Don’t Trash Nevada Social Media Team Raises Environmental Awareness Through Social Media Marketing Program
 
Don’t Trash Nevada is the outreach and advertising campaign of the Take Pride in America in Southern Nevada (TPIASN) project. The project itself is a collaborative effort between the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP), comprised of the four federal agencies operating public lands in the valley, and UNLV’s Public Lands Institute. Created to reduce illegal desert dumping and littering issues in the valley, Don’t Trash Nevada administers a litter site monitoring program, organizes volunteer clean up events, and participates in community partnerships such as the Keep Las Vegas Beautiful committee.
Additionally, Don’t Trash Nevada oversees a youth social media squad (SMS). The social media squad aims to educate and generate environmental stewardship by having youth, who may not otherwise encounter local environmental topics, curate social media content for the Don’t Trash Nevada Facebook and Twitter accounts. In return, participants receive mentorship in writing and marketing skills, as well as a small research stipend upon completing program requirements.
The SMS began in 2011 in collaboration with the West Career and Technology Academy (WCTA) DECA social media club. Initially, four students received social media marketing training from R&R Partners to administer the brand’s social media outlets.
In 2012, the program expanded to include 12 students from both WCTA and UNLV. Students in this cohort continue to curate content for Facebook and Twitter under the guidance of the team coordinator, Trish Harrison. Additionally, current participants will learn analytical reporting, community management, and blog writing skills, and have expressed a desire to champion the lead for Don’t Trash Nevada to expand to other social media outlets, including Instagram and Tumblr.
With a diverse range of backgrounds, abilities, and schedules, the students have decided to use Google Drive and Google+ Hangouts to collaborate and meet virtually. Weekly meetings are recorded and shared via YouTube, allowing absent team members to view later. The students have also elected to take their environmental education and community involvement offline, as we prepare to participate in an Operation Zero cove cleanup over spring break in partnership with Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Overall, the social media squad has been a great success. Team members have learned key local environmental messages and developed essential writing and social media skills, while Don’t Trash Nevada has increased its visibility and reach to the community, especially youth, through the use of social media.
In the future, the social media squad anticipates expanding to additional schools, including Liberty High School and Las Vegas Academy. We look forward to continuing this mutually beneficial program helping youth learn about the environment while improving marketable career skills.

The February/March 2013 issue of Outreach Insights is online and in your inbox. Outreach Insights is the bimonthly newsletter from the Division of Educational Outreach. Join our mailing list and never miss an issue.