HENDERSON, Nev. – Nevada State College (NSC) has announced the first winners of its Heritage Faculty Fellowship program, which helps NSC faculty members complete their doctorates and become eligible for tenure.

Nominated by the deans of their respective colleges, Nevada State College’s first winners include Clairin DeMartini, education; Wally Henkelman, nursing; Michelle Ingram, nursing; and Grace Thomson, business. Each winner already holds a master’s degree and has already begun pursuing a doctorate.

“Nevada State College has a diverse group of faculty members who advance heritage, and we want to keep them,” said Dr. Fred Maryanski, president of Nevada State College. “Our first winners not only exemplify qualities in line with our mission statement, but they also have the ambition to advance Nevada State College as a whole.”   

In order to be eligible for the program, faculty members have to demonstrate a desire to advance the college’s core values of heritage.

“Instead of recruiting new faculty members who have a doctorate, we would rather help our instructors continue their education in order to improve faculty retention and quality,” said Dr. Rene Cantu, vice president of multicultural affairs, who spearheaded the establishment of the program and chaired the winner selection board.

Modeled after a similar program at Wayne State University, the NSC Heritage Faculty Fellowship program provides winners with a $2,500 stipend for their doctorate expenses as well as a one course teaching reduction to free up time for pursuing the degree. However, if winners would rather have an additionally reduced teaching course load while taking classes, they can instead opt to teach fewer classes and turn down the stipend.

The college opened its doors to students in September 2002 after the Nevada State Legislature determined the need for enhanced educational opportunities in Southern Nevada in 1997. The college currently enrolls 1,950 students.

NSC, which is based on a 500-acre site in the foothills of Henderson, provides progressive programs and study areas for its students in cooperation with the University Nevada, Reno curriculum requirements, maintains a low student-to-professor ratio and competitive tuition rates.

For more information on Nevada State College, call (702) 990-2000 or visit nsc.nevada.edu.