The Nevada Promise Scholarship is a unique scholarship established by the Nevada Legislature for Nevada high school graduates to attend community college. As a last-dollar scholarship, the Nevada Promise Scholarship can cover up to three years of tuition and other mandatory fees not covered by other gift aid.
Mentors are an important part of the Nevada Promise Scholarship and a strong support structure is key to help students find success. Meet the mentors who help provide support and guidance to students receiving the Nevada Promise scholarship at CSN.
CSN Nevada Promise mentor (and CSN alumna) Sherida Devine is a Las Vegas native currently serving as the Program Manager for the CSN Prison Education Program. She was a nontraditional student and completed her Associate of Arts at CSN, Bachelor of Arts at UNLV, Master of Nonprofit Management at Regis University and her Master of Social Work at UNLV while raising her five children as a single parent. After twelve years working as a GEAR UP coordinator assisting at-risk youth prepare for post-secondary education, Devine returned to CSN in her current role.
She is passionate about education, social justice, and serving others. When working with students Devine strives to ignite their desire to reach within, discover their dreams, and focus on bringing them to fruition. She not only works with the CSN students enrolled in her program, but she expanded her services to those housed in the same unit as her current participants.
When students share, they have family or friends interested in attending college, she takes the time to provide information and encouragement to pursue a college degree. Devine truly believes education is the great equalizer.
She volunteers with Mass Liberation, serves as the Vice President of Program for the Southern Nevada Council on Black American Affairs, the Co-Chair of the CSN Anti-Black Racism Taskforce, and the Co-Chair of the CSN African American Heritage Committee.
“Mentoring for the Nevada Promise Scholarship has been a rewarding experience,” said Devine. “I was in the Upward Bound program as a teen and later the TRIO Student Support Services Program,” she continued. “If it were not for these programs, I would not have obtained a college degree.”
The Nevada Promise mentor opportunity at CSN is gave Devine the chance to help younger students navigate the transition to higher education. “I believe in giving back and paying it forward,” she said. “Being a mentor is simply igniting my fire to serve,” she continued. “What is even more rewarding is seeing my mentee be successful.”
CSN is seeking mentors of all backgrounds who are willing to give 3-5 hours each semester to guide the future of Nevada. Learn more at csn.edu/promise/become-a-mentor.