UNPACKED: Backstories from the University of Nevada, Reno

As the dean of the University’s College of Education and Human Development, Donald Easton-Brooks brings his expertise in and focus on research and learning, shaped by his own backstory, to help equip, inspire and support educators at this critical time. His own journey was shaped by life's harsh realities, several mentors and his late mother, who early on instilled in him the power of education, the importance of voting, and the belief that he had value and purpose. Easton-Brooks is the author of several books, including “Ethnic Matching: Academic Success of Students of Color,” for which he received the National Association for Multicultural Education’s 2019 Phillip C. Chin Multicultural Book Award.

For a woman entering the male-dominated field of medicine in the 1960s and 70s, it’s been a winding journey of perseverance and possibilities for Trudy Larson, M.D. No list of Nevada medicine leaders and pioneers would be complete without Dr. Larson. A longtime role model, advocate for women, immunizations and public health policy, she serves as dean of the University’s School of Community Health Sciences and was named by Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak earlier this year to his COVID-19 Medical Advisory Team. Host: David Stipech

Episode S01E03

Few professional musicians occupy roles as college administrators. Recently the University of Nevada, Reno's Honors Program was elevated into a full Honors College. The dean of the new college is Matt Means, a veteran administrator who, as a violinist, has performed around the world and taught music at the college level. This inspiring episode shares Matt Means' truly humble beginnings, his love for the violin since childhood and the journey that brought him to the University of Nevada, Reno in 2019. It highlights the role of the Honors College in helping students aspire to achieve their full potential and discover their own path. Host: David Stipech

Episode S01E02

Today's Guest: University of Nevada, Reno's Director of Admissions Steve Maples.
A fascinating visit about the college experience, his own daughter as an incoming freshman, and -- after three decades on the job -- what's behind his unwavering optimism for this generation of students in these uncertain times?

Host: David Stipech

Episode 1