By Western Nevada College
Saturday, April 9, 2022
Save Mart has been an important and valued community partner for Western Nevada College during the 2021-22 school year.
The supermarket chain has helped look out for the well-being of WNC students and staff through several generous donations.
Among the donations was a $10,000 grant contribution from the Save Mart C.A.R.E.S. Foundation to the Wildcat Reserve, WNC’s food and hygiene pantry created to address student food insecurity, an issue identified in the Student Success Survey, for a significant portion of the college’s student body.
Chris Benson, who manages the Save Mart store at 3620 N. Carson St., is glad that Save Mart can make a difference at WNC, where he was once a student.
“We like to partner with the community and help students at WNC who are a little less fortunate and this food helps them go a long way, especially during these hard times,” Benson said. “I had an opportunity to attend here, and it’s just a great school with the services they offer students. I would encourage any student not to be bashful or shy and utilize the services that are available to them.”
The Wildcat Reserve is located in Room 108 in WNC’s Joe Dini Building on the Carson City campus and presents students with a wide variety of nonperishable food items and hygiene products. Because of donations from Save Mart and other college community partners, the Wildcat Reserve has been able to expand its food offerings to students including frozen foods and dairy products.
Besides the $10,000 donation to the pantry, Save Mart has supplied $400 in gift cards for additional food pantry purchases.
Further, earlier this year, a Save Mart donation armed students and staff with greater protection against COVID. The thoughtful and timely gift of 29 cases of hand sanitizer enabled WNC to further protect students and staff on its Carson City and Fallon campuses, including the Liberal Arts department, the Child Development Center, the Foundation, Wildcat Reserve, Nursing and Allied Health, Professional and Applied Technology and faculty members, as COVID cases spiked throughout the country.
For information about Wildcat Reserve or to schedule a food pantry order, phone 775-445-3218 or email studentlife@wnc.edu.
WNC welcomes chemistry instructor
Western Nevada College has Dr. Christian Copley Salem as a new tenure-track chemistry instructor.
Copley Salem began teaching at WNC during the 2021-22 school year as an emergency appointment.
He has earned all of his academic degrees within the Nevada System of Higher Education: his Associate of Science degree from Truckee Meadows Community College in 2008, a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2011, and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from UNR in 2019.
Copley Salem has been teaching online and in-person chemistry classes during the 2022 spring semester and enjoys the light-bulb moment students experience in learning.
“What I love about teaching is that moment of interaction where someone who was once confused is now confident … where you have transmitted the power of our collective past into energy in the present,” he said. “To stand at the eternal moment between past and future and serve as a conduit for that transition is what I REALLY love about teaching.”
Copley Salem also enjoys the role teachers play in the future.
“From preindustrial man sitting around campfires telling stories, to now, teachers have always been responsible for transmitting the collective knowledge of humanity forward,” Copley Salem said. “This is an intimate process that requires the establishment of trust and the empowering of students to move forward with confidence.”
Christian Copley Salem
It’s not too soon to prepare for your next semester or session at Western Nevada College.
Registration for summer and fall classes is underway for continuing and returning students.
New students can begin registering for summer and fall classes starting Monday, April 11.
To help plan your summer and fall schedules at WNC, refer to the online schedules at wnc.edu/class-schedule/.
Students can register through their personal WNC accounts. Individuals planning to attend WNC for the first time can apply for admission at wnc.edu/starthere/.
Summer session begins Monday, June 13 and ends Saturday, Aug. 6. Fall semester starts Monday, Aug. 29.
For information about becoming a student at WNC, phone 775-445-3277.
WNC announces student employee of the year nominees
The following students have been nominated for the 2021-22 Western Nevada College Student Employee of the Year Award:
• Angelica Ramirez — Disability Support Services
• April (Elena) Reyes — Latino Outreach
• Lesly Sanchez — Financial Assistance Office
Annually, student employees play key roles on WNC campuses, dedicating themselves to helping students and visitors. They have contributed even more to their departments in 2021-22 since there are fewer student workers on WNC campuses.
“We have about 45 percent of the student workforce compared to 2019,” said Scholarship and Student Employment Coordinator Temple Campana. “Student staff is critical at a small college and efforts are being made to hopefully get student employment built back up to where we were pre-pandemic.”
WNC is uniquely supportive of its student workforce by not only relying on federal funds to sustain wages but also commits additional state and institutional dollars to help cover student wages.
The Student Employee of the Year will be announced on Monday, April 11 and all student workers will be celebrated by the college during the week of April 11-15.
Student government awards ceremony April 28
The Associated Students of Western Nevada will recognize outstanding students, faculty and staff during its annual Awards and Appreciation Ceremony on April 28 in Carson Nugget Hall in the Aspen Building.
“Each year we take just a few hours to recognize outstanding students in academics, service and leadership,” said Heather Rikalo, Student Life coordinator and ASWN adviser. “We celebrate the best of WNC with family and friends and help close our year with real joy and celebration for these students.”
The 5:30 to 8 p.m. reception will enable the student government group the opportunity to present awards to students in a variety of academic areas, including Professional and Applied Technology, Jump Start, Liberal Arts and Nursing. Student of the Year and Outstanding Student Leadership awards will also be presented. Regents’ award winners Rebecca Bevans and Ki’Hana Garcia will be recognized.
For their contributions to students, Advisor of the Year, Academic Faculty of the Year and Adjunct Faculty of the Year awards will be announced.
In addition, ASWN will present awards to the Club of the Year and for service to the college.
