History of Nevada State College

As the only four-year, comprehensive public college in the state of Nevada, Nevada State College places a special emphasis on the advancement of a diverse and largely underserved student population. 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.

During the past ten years, NSC has achieved remarkable success in furthering its mission and core-values.

Milestones

Enrollment Growth. Since its inception, NSC’s enrollment has grown from 177 students in 2002 to nearly 3,400 students today making it the fastest growing college within the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Degree Programs. The college has grown to offer more than 24 majors and minors including predominate areas of study such as business, biology, psychology, education, and nursing.

Alumni. May of 2004 marked a momentous occasion for NSC, as the college celebrated its first commencement ceremony with a class of 13 graduates. Since 2004, Nevada State College has graduated over 1,500 students. Over half of NSC’s alumni have graduated with degrees in teaching and nursing.

NSC’s developing 509-acre campus is located in the southeast corner of the City of Henderson, on the sloping foothills of McCullough mountain range. Opening in 2008, the Liberal Arts & Sciences building was the first structure built on the campus. Two new buildings, a combined nursing and education facility, and a student center and administrative building, are slated to be constructed on the developing campus over the next few years. Together, the buildings are expected to add approximately 110,000 square-feet of new space to the campus.

The 60,000 square-foot nursing, science, and education building is planned to house several anatomy labs, over a dozen classrooms, a large auditorium, faculty and staff offices, and a cutting-edge media center. The second building, the 50,000 square-foot student center and administration building, will feature the new library, food services, academic advising, and activity space.

NSC’s Campus Master Plan, which was approved in 2010 by the NSHE Board of Regents and the City of Henderson, provides an innovative framework for the campus. The plan calls for the seamless, sustainable integration of academic and academic-support uses with its surrounding environment. The full campus build-out will accommodate 25,000 – 30,000 students with roughly six million square feet of academic, residential, industry, retail and cultural space.

Diversity. Nevada State College’s campus community – the students, faculty, and staff – is one of the most diverse populations in Nevada. Close to 50% of NSC’s students and over 30% of its full-time faculty and staff belong to an ethnic or racial minority group. Based on recent growth-rates, future enrollment projections, and federal reporting guideline, Nevada State is likely to become the first four-year Hispanic Serving Institution in Nevada and one of only 70 public, four-year colleges and universities in the country.