Henderson – Nevada State College has tapped Leilani Carreño to take the helm as director of the Nepantla Program, an initiative that aims to help underserved, first-generation college students achieve long-term academic and economic success.
“Leilani comes to Nevada State College with rich experience that makes her a natural fit to lead this program,” Nevada State College President Bart Patterson said. “From her own personal story as a first-generation college student to her work in higher education, I’m confident Leilani will strengthen Nepantla, inspiring our first-generation students to explore the college experience and use it to carve their own paths to success.”
Carreño most recently worked as the outreach coordinator at Northern Arizona University (NAU). She also previously worked as an academic success specialist there, helping students with college orientations, setting career goals and by responding to student concerns. Before her work at NAU, Carreño was the Student Life and Passages coordinator at the Coconino Community College in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Carreño started her career in higher education as a graduate assistant in the Office of Student Life at NAU, serving as a student conduct hearing officer and as an advisor in various capacities. She then went on to serve as an advisor for Los Angeles Film School Student Services.
In her new post, Carreño will lead a team that includes: Summer Bridge Director Dr. Leila Pazargadi and Program Coordinator Joseph Lopez.
Nepantla is supported in part by Nevada State College community partners, Switch, The Rogers Foundation and the Elaine Wynn Foundation.
About Nevada State College
Nevada State College, a four-year public institution, is a member of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Nevada State College places a special emphasis on the advancement of a diverse and largely under-served student population. Located on a developing 500-acre campus in the foothills of Henderson, Nevada, the college was established in 2002 as a new tier in the state system between the research universities and the two-year colleges. In this role, the college emphasizes high-quality instruction, exemplary service, engaging learning experiences, and innovation as a means to more efficient, effective outcomes in all corners of the campus. Since 2002, Nevada State College has grown to offer more than 40 majors and minors, has received independent accreditation and has expanded its physical campus. Committed to fostering a personal learning environment, students are taught by faculty who serve as mentors and guides in classrooms with an average class size of only 27 students. Nevada State College serves approximately 3,400 students and has more than 3,000 alumni, each representing a broad array of cultural and economic backgrounds. For more information, visit https://nsc.edu.