NSHE to host diversity summits in Las Vegas and Reno

The Nevada System of Higher Education will hold the inaugural Southern Diversity Summit at the College of Southern Nevada’s Charleston campus, on Friday, Oct. 5.

A similar forum will take place in Northern Nevada on Oct. 11 at the University of Nevada, Reno.
As Nevada seeks to tackle widespread achievement gaps and create a more educated workforce, higher education officials designed these summits to provide recommendations to develop a more diverse and inclusive higher education environment.

The NSHE Southern Diversity Summit will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Student Services Building, Building D, Rm. 101, at the CSN Charleston campus, located at 6375 W. Charleston Blvd. Parking is free.

• 9:25 a.m. – Diversity and Success in Higher Education, a Community Responsibility: Rozita Villanueva Lee, Commissioner, White House Commission on Asian American & Pacific Islanders and Las Vegas community advocate // Patrick Valdez, Director, College Access Success Initiatives and Minority Male STEM Initiative, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.     
• 10:40 a.m. – What’s Working in Southern Nevada: Southern Nevada higher education officials will present data on underrepresented populations and current initiatives underway to address these gaps.    
• 12:20 p.m. – Minority Serving Institutions and Completion Goals for Underrepresented Students:  Dr. Wendell Hall, Deputy Director, Institute for Higher Education Policy.  
• Panel Discussions on Relationships, Diversity, Higher Education and Economic Development  
• 1:25 p.m. – Panel I: The Role of Diverse Communities as the Sectors of Economic Development Continue to Grow:   Moderator: Nevada State Assemblywoman Dina Neal
  • Dr. Terry Wong, Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce
  • Otto M�rida, Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce
  • George Dunckhurst, Jr., Native American Chamber of Commerce of Nevada
  • Robert Henry, Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Nevada
  • Jerrie Merritt, Las Vegas Urban Chamber of Commerce
  • Christina Fuentes, Nevada Commission on Minority Affairs    
• 2:35 p.m. – Panel II: The Role of Higher Education in Economic Development and the Engagement of Underrepresented Student Populations:   Moderator: Nevada State Senator Ruben Kihuen
  • Frank Woodbeck, Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation
  • Dan Gouker, CSN Division of Workforce & Economic Development
  • James Campos, NSC Division of Economic Development
  • Robert Nielsen, UNLV Business Development Officer
  • Vance Farrow, Governor’s Office of Economic Development