Dr. Federico Zaragoza will focus on student success and workforce development

August 15, 2018 – Dr. Federico Zaragoza today began his tenure as the ninth president of the College of Southern Nevada, saying he feels like he is where he is supposed to be.

“Education is the great equalizer,” Zaragoza said. “That’s what has always driven me, professionally and personally. Community colleges provide access to higher education for everyone, no matter their background.”

As he assumed the presidency of the state’s largest college and a major economic engine in southern Nevada, Zaragoza said his initial focus will be twofold: student success, retention, achievement and completion, which includes graduating or successfully transferring to a four-year college or university, attaining employment, and responding to the needs of business and industry to help grow the state’s economy.

The new president, who had been the vice chancellor for economic and workforce development at Alamo Colleges District in Texas for 14 years, said community colleges must ensure that workforce programs remain aligned with local industry and stay nimble as business needs change.

“Businesses and industries rely on community colleges to a great degree for their workers,” he said. “Today’s workforce is a sophisticated, largely technical one. Our region’s economic competitiveness depends on our ability to stay at the forefront of emerging technologies”

With 34,000 students per semester and hundreds of thousands of alumni who have remained in southern Nevada, CSN has a nearly $1 billion economic impact on the region annually. Its Division of Workforce and Economic Development works hand-in-hand with local businesses to respond to their needs.

Zaragoza said he is joining a college that is already very good; he wants to make it great. “We need to close the achievement gap, raise the graduation rate, and make CSN the best community college in the country,” he said.

Zaragoza was unanimously chosen to lead CSN in May by the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education. CSN faculty, staff and stakeholders overwhelmingly supported the decision. He succeeds Acting President Dr. Margo L. Martin, who will assist in the leadership transition.

For Immediate Release:

Contact: K.C. Brekken, CSN Foundation Executive Director, 702-651-7535 or kc.brekken@csn.edu

The MGM Foundation award will support the tuition-free, last dollar scholarship at CSN.

LAS VEGAS, March 9, 2018 – College of Southern Nevada Acting President Margo Martin announced Friday that the MGM Foundation has awarded CSN’s Promise Program $80,000 to support the implementation of the tuition-free scholarship at the college and provide low-income Promise scholars with dollars for textbooks.

“We are incredibly grateful to the employees at MGM Resorts International and the MGM Foundation for their support of this important program. They are our Promise champions,” Martin said. “This award is critical to ensuring that CSN can successfully implement this scholarship and expand the college-going pipeline in Southern Nevada.”

The CSN Foundation submitted a proposal to the MGM Foundation’s Community Grant Fund competition this fall. The grant will help pay for background checks for mentors, a new online program to facilitate mentor-mentee interactions and textbooks for low-income students who receive the Promise scholarship this fall.

“We believe education bridges the divide between poverty and progress in America,” said Shelley Gitomer, Vice President of Philanthropy & Community Engagement for MGM Resorts International. “We are proud to help the Nevada Promise Program succeed in its inaugural year.”

The 2017 Legislature created the new Nevada Promise Scholarship Program, which allows any high school senior an opportunity to obtain tuition-free college at any of the state’s public two-year institutions. To earn the scholarship, students must apply and then complete two college trainings, 20 hours of community service, the federal financial aid application and meet with a mentor before May 1 of their senior year, among other requirements once at CSN. Lawmakers approved $3.5 million to cover eligible Promise recipients’ tuition and fees, minus any other financial aid they receive. However, it did not provide dollars for colleges to implement the program and required activities in the legislation including background checks for the mentors can be costly.

“Mentors are key to the success of Promise scholars. With this award, we will be able to purchase a new cloud-based software program that will allow our volunteer mentors to engage their Promise scholars once they are at CSN in a monitored online environment,” said Maria Marinch, CSN’s Executive Director of Inclusive Learning and Engagement. “That way, even when they cannot meet with their students in person, they can use this platform to regularly check in on their students to ensure they’re staying on track.”

The program is expected to increase the college-going rate of high school graduates and the number of federal financial aid dollars coming into Nevada to pay for postsecondary education and workforce training. In Southern Nevada, more than 5,200 high school seniors are working to obtain their Promise scholarships to attend CSN this fall as part of the first cohort of Nevada Promise scholars.

About the CSN Foundation:

Founded in 1971, the College of Southern Nevada is the state’s largest and most ethnically diverse higher education institution. CSN is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and specializes in two-year degrees and workforce development that lead directly to high-demand careers or transfer to a university. It also offers four bachelor’s degrees in specialized fields and is the state’s largest provider of adult basic education and literacy training. CSN is a Minority Serving Institution and Nevada’s first Hispanic Serving Institution.

The CSN Foundation supports the strategic initiatives for CSN by raising funds for facilities and capital improvements, scholarships, educational programs and faculty requirements.

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The state initiative partners CSN and the business community to help small businesses grow

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 19, 2017 – Assemblywoman Dina Neal, the College of Southern Nevada and business owners will celebrate the success of the Nevada Grow small business program on Wednesday, Oct. 25 on the college’s North Las Vegas Campus.

Nevada Grow helps local small businesses team up with industry experts to create stronger economic ecosystems through the strategic use of customized data and research.

“Nevada Grow is a critical component in our efforts to expand economic growth in Nevada,” said Neal, principal author of the program’s legislation. “We know this program helps stimulate investment in Nevada’s economy by providing technical expertise to growing businesses that may otherwise not have access to those resources.”

The program has created a unique partnership between the small businesses and CSN, as well as the Clark County Business Department, the Urban Chamber of Commerce, the Latin Chamber of Commerce and Nevada’s Small Business Development Centers in Clark and Washoe counties.

It began as a 17-month pilot program in 2015 and was renewed as a permanent program this year.

Kevin Raiford, a CSN business professor who founded and runs the college’s thriving Business Incubator program, is one of several counselors available to mentor the business owners. Businesses can receive help in areas ranging from search engine optimization to an analysis of current business strategies. Several dozen small businesses have already benefited from the program.

Join Assemblywoman Neal, small business owners and officials from CSN and the business world at 10 a.m. Oct. 25 in the Paul Laxalt Education Center on CSN’s North Las Vegas Campus.

A new kind of scholarship for Southern Nevada high school students taking community college courses at their schools was unveiled today.
The College of Southern Nevada and the AT&T were at Las Vegas Academy this morning to showcase a first-of-its kind scholarship for low-income high school students enrolled in CSN Jumpstart concurrent-enrollment courses.

The AT&T Aspire Foundation awarded $10,000 to CSN this summer to help 135 low-income high school students obtain college credit. The student recipients are taking a total of 476 college credits this semester through CSN’s Jumpstart program at their high schools.

“Recent education policy research has shown that students who take dual enrollment courses are more likely to graduate high school and complete college. In fact, Nevada lawmakers passed historic legislation this spring to help promote access to these types of courses statewide,” said AT&T Director of External Affairs Sandra Douglass Morgan, who presented the check to CSN officials at Las Vegas Academy. “AT&T recognizes the importance of CSN’s Jumpstart Program and the difference this opportunity can make in these students’ lives.”

A half dozen Las Vegas Academy scholarship recipients took part in the check presentation today, along with their principal Scott Walker, where they expressed their support for the program. CSN Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Margo Martin officially accepted the check on behalf of CSN along with Associate Vice President James McCoy, Assistant Director of Jumpstart Nora Mirabal, External Affairs Director Michael Flores and CSN Foundation Executive Director Dr. K.C. Brekken.

The CSN Jumpstart Program, which began in 2007, works with high school instructors to provide college courses at the high school campus, allowing juniors and seniors to obtain high school and college credit. CCSD instructors with collegiate-level credentials are certified through the program to teach CSN curricula so high school students are receiving the same course they would at a CSN campus. A typical three-credit CSN Jumpstart class costs students’ families $69.50 to enroll.

“Although the price is far lower than a similar course at CSN, it is still a large obstacle for many low-income families,” said James McCoy, CSN associate vice president of academic affairs. “AT&T’s generous support has created an exciting opportunity to remove a significant barrier for many of our valley’s students.”

To award the scholarships, CSN worked with CCSD officials at the 22 high schools where CSN Jumpstart courses are offered. Officials urged students, who had to be high school juniors or seniors and eligible for free or reduced lunch programs, to apply. The scholarships were then awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to funding one course per applicant. The 135 recipients are take a variety of 3-, 4- or 5-credit courses in an array of subjects from English 101 to manufacturing.

About the CSN Foundation:
At the College of Southern Nevada Foundation, we help build a critical foundation for growth in Nevada – growth of amazing individuals, our college and our community as a whole. We do this by providing support for students, workforce programs and higher-learning facilities.

The public is invited to showcase job skills to dozens of recruiters at the Sept. 13 event

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 6, 2017 – The College of Southern Nevada will host its Fall 2017 Career Fair, connecting students and other job seekers with local employers. The public event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 13 in the June Whitley Student Lounge on CSN’s North Las Vegas campus.

The open forum gives job applicants the opportunity to meet recruiters, learn about job openings and gather detailed employment information. Applicants should dress in interview attire, bring resumes and be prepared for immediate interviews.

“The Fall Career Fair is a great opportunity for students to connect with employers on the spot,” said Bradford Glover, director of Career Services & Reentry at CSN. “Many job seekers use it as a way to learn more about potential employers. Recruiters will also be on hand to provide detailed information about their organizations and the jobs available.”

The wide array of organizations planning to attend include: Allegiant Air, Ameriprise Financial, Apple, Boyd Gaming Corporation, the Clark County School District, FedEx Ground, Lowes, MGM Resorts International, Sinclair Broadcasting Group, Station Casinos, Wolfgang Puck and many more.

For more information or to host an employer booth, contact CSN Career Services, 702-651-4700.

What: CSN Fall 2017 Career Fair

When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 13

Where: June Whitley Student Lounge on CSN’s North Las Vegas Campus

New data related to the college’s role in regional economic development reveals CSN’s impact

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 23, 2017 – The College of Southern Nevada has a nearly $1 billion impact annually on the local business community, according to a new independently produced economic impact report.

CSN President Michael Richards presented the report and discussed the college’s outlook in a town hall meeting today.

“The College of Southern Nevada is as vital to the regional economy as it is to each student who attends,” Richards said. “Higher education impacts individual lives, and the cumulative effect touches nearly everyone in Southern Nevada.”

The economic report, produced by Economic Modeling Specialists International, discovered that CSN’s overall impact on the community amounted to $988 million in added income in fiscal year 2014-15, the year analyzed. The impact, nearly as large as the entire utilities industry, includes operations spending, student spending and the impact of alumni.

The report shows that for every dollar students invest in CSN in the form of out-of-pocket expenses and forgone time and money, they receive a cumulative of $2.10 in higher future earnings. This amounts to an average of $352,000 in extra earnings over a lifetime. Taxpayers also see a healthy return on their investment. For every dollar of public money invested in CSN, taxpayers receive a cumulative value of $3.10 over the course of the students’ working lives.

CSN, the state’s largest higher education institution, is the only college in Nevada to have three campuses in three separate, robust, dynamic urban cities and serve a large rural contingency as well. President Richards also provided information Monday on a plan to restructure the way CSN operates to better align with local workforce needs. Under the direction of the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Board of Regents, the plan – if funded – would restructure CSN from a multi-campus single unit college to a multi-campus district college.

“Most large community colleges our size evolve into a district so that each campus has more autonomy to better meet the needs of its local communities. What this will mean for CSN students is an enhanced level of service and a home-campus experience where they can get everything they need at one campus for their general education coursework,” Richards said.

In addition, the CSN President outlined student-driven plans for new student union buildings on each of its three campuses to be funded through student fees.