SP

RIN

G 2

009

Pu

bl

ISh

ed

qu

aR

te

Rly

Vo

lu

me

3,

ISS

ue

3

USN Team WINS Governor’s Cup!

Pharmacists Push To Expand

Diabetes Screening In Nevada

Long-Term Career Strategies To Secure Employment

UN

IVER

SITY OF SOUTHERN N

EVA

DA

1999

NLETTERFROMTHEPRESIDENT

Next month, the University of Southern Nevada is poised to complete another suc-cessful, high-achieving and dynamic academic year with commencement ceremo-nies at both our Henderson, Nev. and South Jordan, Utah campuses. We have truly come a long way since enrolling our inaugural class of 35 pharmacy students in a rented space to the present day, with two state-of-the-art campuses, four academic programs and hundreds of successful alumni.

This reinforces the focus and strength of our curriculum, dedication of our students, staff and faculty and the university’s mission of maintaining and nurturing innovative educational programs and scholarship.

In this issue of Connections, there are excellent examples of student achievement in the area of scholarship. Six College of Pharmacy students were among only 18 nationwide to be awarded the Air Force Health Profession Scholarship. Three out-standing College of Nursing students received scholarships at a recent meeting of the National Student Nurses’ Association Foundation.

Additionally, last month a team of four AEODO/MBA students from USN won the pres-tigious Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup business plan competition in the graduate category for their ambitious plan to create a College of Dentistry at the University of Arkansas. Coverage of this extraordinary achievement is also featured in this issue.

Finally, USN is extremely proud to announce the commencement of the inaugural class of 48 pharmacy students at our South Jordan, Utah campus. These exceptional students will graduate on June 6 and start their journey in one of the most rewarding careers in the health care industry. They will join more than 130 pharmacy students from our Henderson campus who will celebrate their graduation on June 5.

These commencement ceremonies follow the College of Nursing’s third and largest graduation in last March when 75 students received their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

All these achievements showcase the remarkable ambition and passion of University of Southern Nevada’s students and our dedicated faculty and staff. The university will undoubtedly continue to make a positive impact on the health care needs of Ne-vada, Utah and the entire Intermountain region for many years to come.

DR. HARRY ROSENBERG, Pharm.D., Ph.D.FOUNDING PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN NEVADA

CONTENTS

ConnectionsSpring 2009, Vol. 3, No. 3

editorJason Roth

assistant editorSukanya Mandal

Contributing WritersDarlene Banzhaf

Bob CooperSusan Dons

Renata FollmannDr. John Y. H. Ismail

Laura JarrettVy Le

Brian MastersJennifer Mungcal

Ana NegreteDr. Okeleke NzeogwuDr. Paul OestermanDr. Elizabeth Unni

Barbara WoodOlga Zaitseva

Photographer

Cameron Haymond

designerBilly George

Connections is published quarterly by the

Office of Marketing, University of Southern Nevada,

11 Sunset Way Henderson, NV 89014

We welcome any comments, questions and submissions.

connections@usn.edu702-968-1633

College of Dental Medicine

702-968-5222

College of Pharmacy702-968-2007

MBA Program702-968-2015

College of Nursing 702-968-2075

© 2009 University of Southern Nevada

USNNEWS 4-5

6

8-9

10-11

12-15

22-23

25

20

27-28

24

DENTAL

SPOTLIGHTONUSN

COVERSTORY

ALUMNIINACTION

TRAVELOGUE

MEGABYTE

FACESOFUSN

USNEVENTS

USN TEAM WINS GOVERNOR’S CUP BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION PHARMACY STUDENTS AWARDED AIR FORCE HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP USN’S SOUTH JORDAN CAMPUS TO CELEBRATE FIRST COMMENCEMENT

DR. EUCHARIA NNADI DR. DIANE SWAFFAR

BROOKE D. TOMSTAY CONNECTED– Join the USN Reunion Planning CommitteeUSN LAUNCHES ONLINE ENDEAVORSALUMNI UPDATES

PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION WITH SMART PASSWORDS

COLLEGE OF NURSING STUDENTS AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPSTHE MILLENIUM SCHOLARSHIP COLLEGE OF NURSING GRADUATES LARGEST CLASS

MEET THE ADMINISTRATIONTHE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVINGA TASTE OF THE ARTSCHEF WINE & SPIRITS TOO!SAVE THE DATE

16

18

19

PHARMACY

21BOBCOOPERSAYSEXCITING TIME FOR USN

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ORAL AND GENERAL HEALTH

EMERGING TRENDS IN HEALTHCARE RESEARCH – Comparative Effectiveness Research“HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILD IS USING OR ABUSING DRUGS?”

SENATE BILL AIMS TO GIVE PHARMACISTS ROLE IN DIABETES DETECTION

HOW TO REPACKAGE YOURSELF IN A RECESSION

STUDENTORGS

MBA

NURSING

EXPLORING THE GRANDEUR OF SEDONA, ARIZONA

ON THE BACK-USN’S PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

SP

RIN

G 2

009

Pu

bl

ISh

ed

qu

aR

te

Rly

Vo

lu

me

3,

ISS

ue

3

USN Team WINS Governor’s Cup!

Pharmacists Push To Expand

Diabetes Screening In Nevada

Long-Term Career Strategies To Secure Employment

4 spring/09

USNNEWS

A team from the USN College of Dental Medi-cine’s Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (AEODO)/MBA pro-gram was named the winner in the Graduate Category at the Fifth Annual Donald W. Reyn-olds Governor’s Cup, a business planning com-petition held March 22 in Reno.

The team was one of 18 finalists among stu-dent teams from colleges and universities throughout Nevada participating in the presti-gious event, which is presented each February through April by Nevada’s Center for Entrepre-neurship and Technology. This year, a record 56 plans were submitted into the competition that includes four categories, Governor’s Cup Undergraduate, Governor’s Cup Graduate, Lt. Governor’s Award Undergraduate and Lt. Gov-ernor’s Award Graduate.

“The University of Southern Nevada congratu-lates the team for their extraordinary accom-plishment,” said Dr. Harry Rosenberg, USN’s founding president. “They are exceptional rep-resentatives of the university and its mission to educate competent professionals.”

Members of the USN team, Ruchir Patel, Chuen Chie Chiang, Uttampal Singh and Michael Moore, presented their plan to create a College of Dentistry at The University of Arkansas to a panel of judges. The plan aims to educate aspiring dental health professionals in provid-ing high-quality oral health care through excel-lence in research, patient care and outreach to underserved populations.

At an awards dinner held on March 23 at Re-no’s Peppermill Hotel, the team was awarded the $20,000 first place prize, beating five other admirable teams in the Graduate Category. The team also won the right to compete at the Tri-State Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup where the winning teams from Nevada, Arkan-sas and Oklahoma compete for cash awards totaling $90,000. That event will take place on May 27 in Las Vegas.

“We are extremely proud of our team for their outstanding performance in the competition,” said Dr. Okeleke Nzeogwu, USN’s MBA pro-gram director. “They worked extremely hard to put together a remarkable presentation and their efforts, along with their entrepreneurial spirit, paid off.” Dr. Jack Zimmerman, associate professor of finance for the MBA program and faculty advi-sor for the team, hopes this win will encourage future USN students to enter the competition. “This business plan competition is an excel-lent opportunity for students to apply what they learn in the classroom into a real business plan,” said Dr. Zimmerman. “I am hopeful that this win will encourage future USN students to take advantage of this incredible, and poten-tially lucrative, learning opportunity.” The team is from the USN College of Dental Medicine’s AEODO/MBA residency program, which launched in February after receiving accreditation from the Commission on Dental

Accreditation. The three year program trains licensed dentists to become specialists in or-thodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. Since most dental professionals enter private prac-tice, the residency program is the first in nation to incorporate a Master of Business Adminis-tration to develop residents’ legal, ethical and financial competency, all of which are essential in operating a successful practice in today’s complicated health care business environ-ment. “The win by our AEODO/MBA team validates the educational model developed by USN,” said Dr. C. Lynn Hurst, dean of the College of Dental Medicine. “Our residents will not only graduate from the program with excellent clinical knowl-edge and expertise, but will be competent and thriving businessmen and women.” In addition to the winning USN team, two other teams from the College of Dental Medicine entered the competition, including Prashanti Bollu and Philip Kierl and their business plan for Cone Beam Imaging Technology Services, offering imaging services to the dental industry and Dr. Sumit Chawla, Dr. Daniel Gehani, Dr. Jeffrey McMillan and Dr. Mahbod Rashidi and their business plan for Smart Learning Technol-ogies, offering technology and media for K-12 education curriculum. “I am certain this was a difficult call for the judges as I know all the USN teams put forth an incredible effort and produced outstanding plans,” said Dr. Zimmerman.

USN Team Wins Governor’s Cup Business Plan CompetitionBy Jason Roth

Six USN College of Pharmacy students have been awarded the Air Force Health Professions Schol-arship, covering tuition and fees as well as provid-ing a monthly stipend for living expenses. Entering their second year of the three-year Doctor of Pharmacy program in the fall, students Jason Bingham, William Ryan Dick, Joanna Roth and Cory Hedin from USN’s South Jordan, Utah campus are among only 19 pharmacy students from across the country to receive a two-year scholarship. Shaoping Mo and Francisco Boral, both entering their third year of the program at USN’s Henderson, Nev. campus, were among only eight pharmacy students nationally to be awarded one-year scholarships. “With a limited number of scholarships avail-able in the area of pharmacy, to have six stu-dents from the same institution selected is absolutely phenomenal,” said Air Force Health Professions Recruiter TSgt Kenneth Hawley. “It speaks volumes about the high-quality of USN’s curriculum and the caliber of its students.”

According to Hawley, applications were evaluated based upon stringent standards. Recipients were selected using the “whole person concept” that considers grade point average, resume, letters of recommendation and a critical senior consultant interview. “USN’s innovative block curriculum system with a 90 percent pass requirement gives students a distinct advantage when being evaluated for the Health Professions Scholarship,” said Hawley. “They all have a 4.0 grade point average, well above the minimum requirements. They’re also taught communication and presentation skills from the start of the program which helped the students achieve high marks during the interview component.” Upon receiving the scholarship, students com-mit to 36 months of service as a commissioned officer and pharmacist in the U.S. Air Force after

graduation and completion of any internship and residency requirements. Their tours of duty will begin with Commissioned Officer Training School, which is four and a half weeks of training and learning the customs and courtesies associated with a military career. Following training, the students will serve in a thriving pharmacy service dedicated to caring for active-duty personnel, military retirees and their dependents, ensuring a high quality of pharmacy care at Air Force bases across the country and for troops overseas. “We are extremely proud of our students for this extraordinary achievement,” said Dr. Renee Coff-man, dean of the College of Pharmacy. “They should be commended not only for their knowl-edge, passion and leadership in pharmacy, but also for their dedication and service to our coun-try.”– Jason Roth

Pharmacy Students Awarded Air Force Health Professions Scholarship

winter/09 5

University of Southern Nevada’s inaugural class of 48 pharmacy students at its South Jordan campus will graduate on Saturday, June 6. The commencement ceremony will start at 9 a.m. at the Capitol Theatre at the Salt Lake County Center for the Arts at 50 West 200 South in Salt Lake City.

“Graduating our first class at the South Jordan campus is a significant milestone for our university,” said USN President Dr. Harry Rosenberg. “We are extremely proud of our students and what they have achieved over the past three years. They’ll undoubtedly contribute to the health care landscape in Utah and the surrounding region as highly competent, knowledgeable and professional pharmacists.” The commencement speaker will be Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of the best-selling book, “The Sev-en Habits of Highly Effective People,” which was named the #1 Business Book of the Twentieth Cen-tury by the readers of Chief Executive magazine. Dr. Covey is also the co-founder and vice chair-man of FranklinCovey®, the leading global professional services firm with offices in 123 countries. In November 2008, Dr. Covey released, “The Leader in Me -- How Schools and Parents Around the World are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time,” which tells the story of amazing school, parents and business professionals who are teaching students how to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. – Jason Roth

USN’s South Jordan Campus to Celebrate First Commencement

Jason Bingham William Ryan Dick Cory Hedin Joanna Roth Francisco Boral Shaoping Mo

6 spring/09

When most people think about healthy living, they focus on eating right and getting plenty of exercise. Unfortunately, many people fail to con-sider their oral health as playing a major role in their overall health and well-being. The mouth is inhabited by millions of microorganisms, most of which are harmless. However, under certain circumstances, some can cause oral infections leading to common oral diseases which when left un-treated lead to major oral inflammatory infectious diseases -- tooth decay (caries), gum disease (periodontal disease) and loss of teeth (edentulism). In the presence of these oral infections, bacteria may enter the blood stream when natural barriers in the mouth are breached. For example, in individuals with weakened immune system, oral bacteria can cause infection in other parts of the body like bacterial endocarditic, inflam-mation of the membrane that lines heart chambers. Results of several recent studies have shown a close association be-tween oral inflammatory infectious diseases and the development and progression of several systemic inflammatory diseases, such as car-diovascular diseases (atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, angina and heart attacks), cerebrovascular diseases (strokes and TIA episodes), chronic pulmonary diseases (bronchitis and bacterial pneumonia), type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and premature, low birth-weight infants. And the list keeps expanding. Furthermore, increased levels of circulatory in-flammatory markers due to oral inflammatory infectious diseases can predict the onset of these systemic diseases years in advance. In individuals with oral infectious and inflammatory diseases, local and systemic inflammatory expressions have been reported to be up to 10 folds. In these individuals, bacterial pathogens, endotoxins and inflam-matory cytokines trigger an increase in systemic leukocytes and other inflammatory agents, in addition to increased serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which in turn lead to increased risk for systemic inflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular diseases. Among older adults, the most common systemic diseases are cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, pulmonary diseases, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, dementia and depression. On the other hand, loss of teeth, caries and periodontal disease are the three major oral diseases among the older adults. Associations be-tween these systemic and oral diseases were found to be very close compared to their association in the general population.

In study of the oral disease population, there was a significant increase in systemic inflammatory response; after all known risk factors for el-evated systemic inflammation were controlled. The increased systemic inflammatory response was comparable to the inflammatory response in patients with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, arthritis, cigarette smoking and those on anti-inflammatory medications. Additionally, lon-gitudinal data from cognitive assessment studies on aging, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease indicated that edentulism (loss of all or most teeth) presented the highest risk for prevalence of dementia, and that it may be a predictor of dementia in later life.

All of these recent studies are providing the framework for emerging strategies to identify the mechanism(s) causing oral disease and in-creased risk for systemic inflammatory diseases as well as intervention strategies to reduce the incidences of oral diseases in an attempt to reduce the risk for systemic diseases. Additionally, problems in the mouth can indicate problems in other parts of the body. AIDS and osteoporosis are examples. Oral lesions can be the first sign of HIV infection, and are used to determine the stage of infection and the progression to AIDS. Similarly, studies in post-menopausal women suggest that bone loss in the lower jaw is an indicator of skeletal bone loss seen in osteoporosis. Saliva, like blood and urine, is used to detect and measure many chem-icals and other compounds in the body, such as certain medications, al-cohol, nicotine, cocaine, opiates, hormones and environmental toxins. Saliva may even replace blood testing of diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s, liver cirrhosis and many systemic infectious diseases. Malocclusion “bad bite” can adversely affect oral and general health, not only among teenagers, but also in all age groups. Numerous stud-ies concluded that malocclusion (maligned or crooked teeth) indeed af-fect physical and psychological health in terms of pain in the temporo-mandibular joints, dental and gingival trauma, pain and inflammation, speech impediment, difficulty in mastication (chewing), self-perception of unattractiveness, lack of social acceptance by others and even per-ceived unintelligence. Orthodontic treatments can greatly improve most of these oral, general, and psychological health problems. Based on the above cited findings, it becomes evident that overall gen-eral health and wellbeing are quite influenced by oral health. Stated differently, lack of oral health puts us at a higher risk of developing several major health problems. The risk of developing oral and systemic inflammatory diseases can be reduced with proper oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing, as well as regularly scheduled visits to the dentist to manage oral dis-eases in their early stages. Additionally, orthodontic care can greatly enhance oral health as well as psychological health. John Y. H. Ismail, DMD, MS, PhD is clinical professor of dental medicine at the University of Southern Nevada College of Dental Medicine.

By Dr. John Y. H. Ismail

DENTAL

8 winter/09

SPOTLIGHTONUSN

No stranger to the USN campus is Vice President for Academic Affairs and Program Planning, Dr. Eucharia Nnadi, RPh, JD, PhD. Dr. Nnadi joined the USN team in July 2003 and has played a crucial role in the university’s devel-opment and success.

In her current role, Dr. Nnadi helps oversee many facets of USN, including academic programs (pharmacy, nursing, MBA and dental residency), library learning resources, marketing, financial aid, institutional research, registrar and student services. Additionally, Dr. Nnadi is a professor of pharmaceutical sciences and has served in other capacities during the university’s evolution.One of the most rewarding aspects for Dr. Nnadi is the fact that she has seen the university evolve from its modest roots as The Nevada College of Phar-macy with one degree offering to its present-day status as a highly-respect-ed, healthcare-focused, accredited institution with campuses in Henderson, Nev. and South Jordan, Utah.

She remembers a time when the university didn’t have any accreditation and had no graduates. The faculty and staff were minimal, but the objective was ambitious - to create a high-quality, technologically-advanced, innovative, hands-on program to develop the next generation of competent, compas-sionate healthcare professionals. She still holds in great regard the faculty and administrators who left tenured positions to join USN and take a chance on the small up-and-coming institution.

“Everything was just getting off the ground. We did all of our work together,” said Dr. Nnadi.

She thinks the fact that the highly experienced faculty members and admin-istrators left the relative safety of their established positions to develop a bold, new approach to teaching is key to the university’s reputation for be-

ing a quality higher-education institution. Dr. Nnadi has been through the school’s name change to University of Southern Nevada to reflect its diverse offerings, graduation ceremonies, and the launch of the pharmacy program at USN’s campus in South Jordan in 2006. One of the proudest memories for her was when the university moved into its permanent location at 11 Sunset Way in Henderson from its location off of Eastern and Russell Roads. Going from a rented space to a newly renovated 100,000-square-foot building was integral to the university moving on to the next level.

“It was the beginning of a wonderful thing, we finally had a place to call home and grow other programs,” she said. Dr. Nnadi attributes USN’s many notable triumphs to the open communica-tion culture, the university Founder and President Dr. Harry Rosenberg has instilled in faculty, staff and students alike. Input and suggestions are always highly encouraged when the university is considering developing a new pro-gram or making a key decision which has attributed to the university’s com-munity atmosphere. Another source of pride for Dr. Nnadi is the fact that USN is the first and still the only College of Pharmacy in Nevada.

“Prior to USN, there was a huge demand for pharmacists. Certain chain drug stores weren’t able to open stores and had to bring in pharmacists from Cali-fornia. The high demand also goes for our nursing program. We have been able to see the positive impact USN has had on our community. Whether our students stay here or go elsewhere they will be able to take what they learned and serve their community well.” Dr. Nnadi came to the United States from Nigeria in 1973 with a goal to pur-sue her bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, which she received cum laude from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. in 1977. She overcame the challenge of being in a foreign country due to her desire to receive the best education possible. She was inspired by her mother, who is a nurse midwife and who she attributes as her hero because of her dedication to hard work.

Prior to joining USN, Dr. Nnadi served as the vice president for academic af-fairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md. from February 1997 to December 2002.

In her spare time, Dr. Nnadi enjoys traveling with her family, including three daughters who are all graduates of USN. In addition she volunteers for her local church and has been on the board for an orphanage in Nigeria for the past seven years.

Dr. Eucharia Nnadi By: Susan Dons

For more information on USN, visit the website at www.usn.edu.

winter/09 9

Dr. Diane Swaffar has been an invaluable faculty member at University of Southern Nevada’s South Jordan, Utah campus since the university began offering its Doctor of Pharmacy program there in a temporary campus build-ing in August 2006. Today, with the university settled in its state-of-the-art, 117,000 square-feet campus building in the Riverpark Corporate Center, and preparing to gradu-ate its inaugural class on June 6, Dr. Swaffar’s enthusiasm for teaching and her passion for USN have not wavered. “It’s the best job I’ve ever had,” she said. “I’m very impressed with USN’s unique block curriculum system and its focus on active-learning. I believe our students gain a better under-standing of the material being taught and are more prepared than others to succeed after graduation. I’m very excited to see our first class of graduates enter the next phase of their lives.” Dr. Swaffar’s love of teaching developed while she was conducting doctoral research at University of Utah. “My ultimate goal was to find better ways to treat cancer patients,” she said. “At first I didn’t consider going into teach-ing, but it was required as part of my doctoral degree requirements, so I basically fell into it. Now I love it.” Prior to teaching, Dr. Swaffar’s pharmacy career was primarily entrepreneur-ial. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Ohio Northern University and working at several chain pharmacies in the Pittsburgh and Cleveland areas, Dr. Swaffar and her husband, Dan, made a bold decision to purchase a pharmacy in the small town of Roby, Texas. The town was home to about 1,000 residents and Dr. Swaffar and her husband quickly became acquainted with all of their customers. “Dan operated the soda fountain and I managed the pharmacy,” she said. Unfortunately, after three successful years in business, the pharmacy was tragically destroyed by fire. “We were devastated,” said Dr. Swaffar. Soon

after, their entrepreneurial spirit overcame the loss of their business and they purchased a corner pharmacy in the town of Hamilton, near Cincinnati, Ohio. There, they served primarily the nursing home industry. “It was both challenging and rewarding working with elderly patients,” said Dr. Swaf-far. Later, they relocated their business to a larger location across the street. There they once again operated a soda fountain and business was thriving. “We served a lot of cancer patients during that time,” said Dr. Swaffar. “It was disheartening to see so many of them suffering and eventually dying from the disease.” It was during that time when Dr. Swaffar developed her interest in cancer research and decided to pursue her doctoral degree and eventually post-graduate studies. She earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology at University of Utah and her post-doctoral research was conducted in the area of anti-cancer drug discovery of marine natural products. Later, while serving as a tenured faculty at the University of Louisiana – Monroe, several of her graduate students received many awards for their pre-doctoral research on natural product anticancer drugs. Throughout her academic career, Dr. Swaffar has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in toxicology, medicinal chemistry and all areas of pharmacology. Her primary teaching interests encompass chemotherapeu-tic agents, endocrine agents, anti-inflammatory agents, neurodegenerative disorders and drug resistance. Before joining USN, Dr. Swaffar played a critical role in launching the School of Pharmacy at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Penn where she served as founding dean and professor. In addition to her role as professor of pharmaceutical sciences at USN, Dr. Swaffar is the faculty advisor to the South Jordan campus’s student chapter of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA). She enjoys encouraging entrepreneurship and pharmacy leadership among the student members. Currently, the Chapter’s Business Plan Team is preparing a busi-ness plan to enter into the NCPA Business Plan Competition. As the “Team Advisor,” Dr. Swaffar is especially impressed with the Team’s innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit. In her spare time, Dr. Swaffar loves to travel and bowl with her colleagues on the USN bowling team. She also enjoys playing the organ and snow shoeing at River Front Park, near the South Jordan campus, during the win-ter season. A native of the Pittsburgh, Penn. area, Dr. Swaffar is a devoted Steelers fan. Earlier this year, she cheered them on with her “terrible towel” as they triumphantly won the Super Bowl .

Dr. Diane Swaffarby Jason Roth

For more information on USN, visit the website at www.usn.edu.

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, the Depart-ment of Health and Human Services said it will establish a

council to oversee “$1.1 billion set aside for ‘comparative-effectiveness’ research under the recently passed, $787 billion economic-stimulus plan.” Many Americans may be wondering, what is Com-

parative Effectiveness Research or CER?

In 2007, the Congressional Budget Office proposed the “Re-search on Comparative Effectiveness of Medical Treatments” in

an attempt to constrain health care costs without adverse health consequenc-es and to provide a tool for health care providers and patients while making treatment decisions. The high and increasing cost of health care is a major concern in the U.S. and is projected to account for 17.6 percent of the total U.S. GDP in 2009. It has increased at about 2.4 percentage points faster than the GDP since 1970. Despite this increased spending we are performing no better than any other developed country on measures of average health outcomes. For example, “Studies cast doubt on leading prostate cancer screening test” in USA Today and “The PSA Test: Too Much of a Good Thing?” in The Washing-ton Post are just two headlines in major newspapers in the U.S. in mid-March based on two scientific reports published in the New England Journal of Medi-cine regarding the wisdom of the wide spread use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

The studies conducted independently in Europe and the U.S. cautioned against the widespread use of the PSA test since the reduction in death rate from prostate cancer due to the screening was only “marginally significant” and that for every death prevented, there were 48 other men who received un-necessary treatment. Reports from the studies on the PSA test are not the first in its genre that cast doubt on the effectiveness of commonly available treatment options. A clini-cal trial comparing diuretics with ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers in preventing cardiovascular diseases in patients older than 55 years reported that inexpensive diuretics were more effective than the expensive ACE inhibi-tors and calcium channel blockers. The current decisions about what treatments to use are often dependent on anecdotal evidence and experience, and judgment of individual physicians. Ac-cording to the Institute of Medicine, less than half of all medical care provided is based on or supported by adequate evidence about its effectiveness. Comparative Effectiveness Research as described by the Congressional Bud-get Office focuses on generating evidence by comparing the different thera-peutic options for a disease state. Hence, comparisons may be made between multiple drugs or between a drug and a surgical procedure for a disease.

Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration certifies the safety and ef-fectiveness of the drugs and devices to be marketed in the U.S. but does not require evaluating them against their alternatives. Nevertheless, the new drugs and medical procedures are widely used by physicians despite the lack of sufficient clinical or cost-effectiveness, possibly due to the fee for payment service for physicians, enthusiasm for the latest technology, and moral hazard on the part of patients, thus leading to increased health care utilization and costs. Health care research such as CER, being a public good (consumption of the good by one individual does not reduce availability of the good for consump-tion by others; and that no one can be effectively excluded from using the good) needs government intervention to supply it in socially optimal level ac-cording to economic principles. In addition, the private sector (pharmaceutical manufacturers and private health plans) has a limited incentive to conduct CER since the knowledge produced could benefit others including their com-petitors. Subsequently, a large federal role in coordinating and funding CER is recommended by the Congressional Budget Office. In addition to federal funding, the other sources of revenue suggested by the Congressional Budget Office include Medicare’s Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and direct contributions from the health sector such as new tax on health in-surance premiums. Regarding organizing CER, the Congressional Budget Of-fice proposes expanding the roles of already existing government agencies such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or National Institutes of Health, creating a new agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, expanding the role of already existing quasi governmental agency such as Institute of Medicine or establishing a new not-for-profit private-public partnership. The research methods recommended include systematic review of existing research, analyzing health claim records, establishing medical registries, con-ducting randomized controlled trials, and using computer modeling to simu-late treatment effects on different patient populations. Although CER is new in the U.S., it is already established in several other de-veloped countries such as the U.K., Australia, Canada, France, and Germany, which has an overall fixed budget for their national health care. National In-stitute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in Britain, established in 1999, regularly analyzes the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new and existing medicines, procedure, and technologies. Australia’s Pharmaceuticals Benefits Advisory Committee and Germany’s Institute for Quality and Efficiency are other examples of agencies conducting CER. The increased interest of patients in health care decisions and the need for valid, reliable, and accessible information on the comparative benefits and potential harms of treatment options has gained a rising interest in compara-tive effectiveness research among policy makers and Congress.

10 spring/09

EMERGING TRENDS IN HEALTHCARE RESEARCH – COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS

RESEARCH

PHARMACYBy Elizabeth Unni, MBA, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences

spring/09 11

Medication misuse and abuse is a concern that all parents face. Unfortunately, the physical signs and symptoms are often difficult to detect or predict and are often times dependent upon the drug or combination of drugs that are being taken. Some of the signs and symptoms may also be difficult to utilize as indicators of drug use as many are reflective of “normal” teenage behavior. For instance, sudden changes in relationships, moods and attitudes, along with secretiveness are all considered “normal” teenage behavior, but are also key indicators of drug abuse.

Other indicators of drug use can be hidden by users, such as track marks, smoke, health and school related issues. Track marks are bruising or scaring associated with injection sites that usually follow along a vein.

They may be associated with infection due to reuse of contaminated nee-dles. The wearing of long sleeves and pants, even in hot weather may be a telltale sign. Sometimes track marks are in harder to find places like in between the toes. The smell of smoke can be masked by a number of dif-ferent methods. Common techniques are: chewing of gum, use of mints, lighting of incense or candles, or the use of air fresheners. Health issues such as frequent runny nose, nose bleeds, vomiting, excessive thirst, and sweatiness may easily be hidden or excused. Lastly, school related issues such as disinterest in extracurricular activities, drop in grades and skipping school or even dropping out can also be indications of drug use.

Using the indicators above can help identify drug use, but there are also some proactive steps that can be taken to limit the accessibility and desire to use drugs. (1) Get to know your child’s friends and their parents. (2) Know your child’s teachers. (3) Store alcohol and medications where you can control access and keep track of quantities. (4) Ask family and friends to do the same with their alcohol and medications. (5) Dispose of expired medication properly (do not flush medication down the toilet). (6) Be a good role model. (7) Communicate with your child on a regular basis.

Failure to immediately address any of the aforementioned tell-tale signs can allow for progression to a point beyond help -- that of an accidental fatal overdose.

“How Do I Know If My

CHILD Is Using or Abusing Drugs?”

By

Darlene Banzhaf and Paul Oesterman, Pharm.D.

For more information, check out these resources:

Partnership for Drug Free America (2009). Time To Act! I think my child is using. http://timetoact.drugfree.org/think-look-for-signs.html

What can you do? Tips for preventing Rx abuse.

http://www.theantidrug.com/drug_info/prescription_what_can_you_do.asp

COVERSTORY

12 spring/09

spring/09 13

University of Southern College of Pharmacy preceptor Khan Pham is on a mission. Her ambitious goal is to get a state law passed to enable pharmacists to screen people for diabetes. It is about to happen. Senate Bill 72, which was approved by the Nevada Senate and was being considered by the state Assembly at press time for this magazine, would provide authorization for registered pharmacists to perform blood glucose screening tests in a pharmacy. Determined to change Nevada’s status, Pham approached State Sen. Barbara Ce-gavske of Las Vegas last December about the problem. Cegavske, who is on the Senate’s Health and Education Committee, agreed to sponsor the legislation that is now on verge of becoming law. Cegavske was concerned that Nevada was only one of three states that did not al-low pharmacists to perform such tests. The other states are New York and Arizona. “In order to ease the burden [caused by diabetes], the pharmacists need to be part of the solution,” explained Pham when the senator asked her why the bill was im-portant. Pham said Cegavske then agreed to support the bill. On April 24 the bill passed the Senate and went to the Assembly. Nevada is above the national average with 8.2 percent of the population suffering from diabetes. That accounts for over 215,000 Nevadans that are diagnosed, accord-ing to Chris Moore, from the Adult Diabetes Education and Management Support Group (ADEMS). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2007, 23.6 million people or 7.8 percent of the population has diabetes in the U.S. But almost six mil-lion people continue to be undiagnosed. “Allowing pharmacists to perform a screening test would help reduce that number [of undiagnosed diabetics],” Cegavske said. The bill would let pharmacists perform the initial glucose screening test for patients who are not sure if they have diabetes or not. It is a simple test with a practical device that is approved by the FDA. It would be the same device that diabetics use in their homes.

It is not created to be the main diagnostic tool, but an entry level help so those patients can be referred to the right place.Cegavske also noted that one of the bill’s provision is that a physician should be notified if the result is not normal. “If you don’t know ahead of time what your blood sugar levels are and where do you go, then how can you get help?” Pham asked. Dr. Renee Coffman, dean of the University of Southern Nevada College of Pharmacy, agrees, saying that an advantage to this initial screening test is to get patients to their physicians in a timely matter.

The dean also said that it doesn’t seem logical to leave the pharmacists out of this mix of people combating this disease.

Senate Bill Aims

To Give Pharmacists

Role in

Diabetes Detection

By Renata Follmann

countinued on page 14

14 spring/09

“[We should] add pharmacies to this whole army of people that are out there trying to help diagnose patients and get treatment early,” Dr. Coffman said.

Pharmacies are usually the entry point for health care in the U.S. They are the ones that usually screen for blood pressure. They suggest over-the-counter medication for the common flu, so why not let them screen for diabetes as well?

“They are the ones that train the patients to use the glucose monitors in the first place,” Moore said, adding that “pharmacists have become a valuable asset for the medical industry and we underutilize them.”

Sen. Cegavske said that people probably see their pharmacists more than they see their doctors, so including them seems like a reasonable step. According to Dr. Coffman, no extra schooling would be necessary. Stu-dents at the University of Southern Nevada already spend six hours on the machine alone and 132 hours in diabetes related classes.

And helping undiagnosed patients is not the only advantage—far from that actually. The screening test would also help the newly diagnosed patients learn how to use their glucose monitors, which is a fundamental stage to controlling the disease. Moore agrees saying that, “Besides providing the first diagnosis, the safety net might actually be that we prevent a medical emergency from occurring.”

And with emergencies, come health care costs. The true gain is that it will reduce the burden of diabetes in Nevada. It will not cost the state any money. In fact, predictions are that with the bill passing, the pre-vention and maintenance that will be made possible will eventually save the state millions of health care money. With patients that are more aware and controlling the dis-ease instead of just remedying it, Nevada will be able to provide a better health care system overall.There are some symptoms that could be related to diabe-tes: excessive thirst, excessive urination, sores that are not healing, excessive hunger, mood changes and weight gain for no apparent reason. Some of the causes that might lead someone to develop type 2 diabetes, which is the most common one, are a poor diet, a sedentary life and obesity. Moore quotes a friend of his, Dr. Claude Lardinois, who describes diabetes as “hypo fork, hypo foot disease – the fork is going faster than the feet.”

The lack of monitoring or care in patients with diabetes can cause drastic results. According to Dr. Coffman, foot amputation, blindness and kidney diseases are some of the risks of leaving it untreated.

Pham knows firsthand some of the damages diabetes can cause. She is a volunteer at the Blind Center of Nevada. She said that over half of the patients there are blind because of untreated diabetes. “I see the blind every week and that reminds me that I have to help,” Pham said. For Pham, diabetes “is the disease that doesn’t discriminate age, sex and political point of view.” But she said that once patients are well informed and take responsibil-ity, they can maintain a better life quality. “It will be an altruistic gain,” Moore said. And that should probably be enough. But if it isn’t, then the list of the actual advantages is so long and compelling that the cons become unrealistic and unimportant.

One con that was brought up, said Moore, was the risk of creating a hyper expansion of pharmacies. But he assures that this problem is so large that no one person will get all of those patients.

The screenings could become a valuable resource too, not only for patients, but also for the state. Pharmacies would be able to gather the data from the tests and the state would have better, more accurate numbers for people suffering from diabetes. Pharmacies are the most accessible health care providers. You can walk into one at any time. Moore said this is a public health crisis that needs to be taken care of.

“I will talk until somebody hears me,” Pham said.

countinued from page 13

COVERSTORY

The eventual passage of SB 72 is significant to University of Southern Nevada’s outreach efforts aimed at improving the health and well-being of the public. At a Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor hearing held in February, Ana Negrete, a second year pharmacy stu-dent and president of USN’s Student Alliance, testified along with Dr. Renee Coffman, dean of the College of Pharmacy, about the benefits of SB72 in allowing blood glucose testing at university-sponsored health fairs. Under the supervision of USN pharmacist faculty, SB72 gives students, who are all registered intern pharmacists, the ability to offer no-cost blood glucose testing to the public to provide initial screening for previously undiagnosed patients for referral to a physician for further diagnostic testing and treatment for diabetes. Early detection and

diagnosis of diabetes is highly beneficial to a patient in terms of man-aging the disease and preventing the more serious complications from the disease such as heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, and the diabetic nerve disease and vascular complications that often lead to amputation. The free blood glucose testing will also help already diagnosed diabetic patients know if their prescribed therapeutic regimen is working. “Currently, while participating in health fairs, pharmacy students are able to set up the equipment, but not administer the screening tests on patients,” said Negrete. “Many patients refuse to draw their own blood, so they chose to not take part in potentially life-saving blood screening.” According to Dr. Coffman, during their education, USN College of Phar-macy students receive 132 hours of classroom instruction related to diabetes as a disease state and help patients manage their condition, understand their physician-prescribed medications and help ensure that patients are following through with their treatment plans. Also included is an understanding of the biochemistry and pathophysiology of diabetes and its complications, drugs used to treat the disease, clinical management of the disease, American Diabetes Association treatment guidelines and medication therapy management. Finally, students also must pass a daylong workshop to learn how to use vari-ous glucose monitors. “Our students also have extensive experience in caring for diabetes patients during their more than 2,000 hours of experiential learning in community and hospital pharmacies,” said Dr. Coffman. The education and training that students receive in the area of dia-betes is essential, because as practicing pharmacists they will be on the front line of patient care – patients spend more time with their pharmacists than any other health care provider. As an example, Dr. Coffman said, “When a patient is diagnosed with diabetes, he or she is instructed to obtain a blood glucose monitor for self testing and the patient obtains the equipment from the pharmacy. The pharmacist is responsible for showing the patient how to properly use the equipment and follows up with the patient each month as pre-scribed medications are refilled. Unfortunately, currently in Nevada, a pharmacist can’t double check the patient’s glucose readings with a simple fingerstick in the pharmacy.”

Pharmacists and pharmacy students have the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to perform blood glucose testing as a public service to their communities. Passage of SB72 will result in improved patient outcomes and a reduction in health care costs related to diabetes in Nevada.

spring/09 15

SB72 to Enhance USN’s Community Outreach Programs by Jason Roth

16 spring/09

STUDENTORGSDrug Abuse Awarness Team (DAAT) This has been a very exciting year for all of the Drug Abuse Awareness Team (DAAT) members. With numerous presentations completed, and countless lives empow-ered by the knowledge of the dangers associated with prescription drug-misuse, the DAAT is succeeding in its mission. The DAAT held elections on March 18 and the elected members are as follows; President Darlene Banzhaf, Vice-Presidents Yomaben Patel, Dung Phan, Dyna Thomas, Treasurer David Castillo, Secretary Jeni Riddle, Historian Rachele-Mimi Tchomnou, Media Coordinator Sarah Moore and P3 Ambassadors Jenny Cross and Brian Masters. The DAAT has also had the fortunate opportunity to apply for consideration in the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) advocacy competition. This competition is an outlet for pharmacy students who have worked on an advocacy or legislative project or event and who wish to share its success at the NACDS’s National Convention in Boston. With this application we hope to spread the word of what a motivated group of USN pharmacy students can attain in advocating not only for the importance of our profession, but for pharmacists’ abilities to see be-yond their scope of practice and reach into the lives of the youth of our community, improving healthcare at ground zero. The mystique and attraction that drugs posses can be dispelled by direct dissemi-nation of information. In this honest and forthright manner in which the DAAT presents to students, parents, administrators, and even law enforcement, we form a true and lasting bond with our audience. The DAAT will strive to see further progression as an organization, a team, and most importantly a partner in our ever diversifying community. – Brian Masters

Seventeen Student Alliance members from USN’s Henderson campus and eight members from the South Jordan campus recently traveled to San Antonio, Tex. to attend the APhA2009 Annual Meeting. This year’s meeting marked the 40th anniversary of APhA-ASP, the student acad-emy of American Pharmacists Association to which many USN students belong.

The number of members attending this event was one of the largest in the history of the university’s Student Alliance. While at the meeting, students had the opportunity to attend continuing education sessions on

a variety of topics, educate themselves on postgraduate opportunities at the community pharmacy residency showcase, participate in profes-sional development workshops and leadership training lectures, as well as officer training seminars and chapter improvement sessions. Addi-tionally, members attended the APhA-ASP House of Delegates, where USN’s delegate (P2 Christie Bridgen) along with one representative from other colleges of pharmacy voted on the seven national policy propos-als and elected the five national APhA-ASP officers for 2009-2010.

Also, proudly representing USN, P1 Jeni Riddle (NV) and P2 Hon Luong (UT) individually competed in the National Patient Counseling Competi-tion alongside more than 100 other student pharmacists from across the country. On Saturday night, chapter advisors and students from both the Henderson and South Jordan campuses attended the chapter din-ner at a local Mexican restaurant. This provided an excellent oppor-tunity outside of the meeting for students from both campuses to meet and socialize.

Student Alliance would like to thank Dr. Coffman and Dr. Rosenberg for sponsoring such a pleasant event. On Sunday, the final night be-fore the close of the meeting, students had the opportunity to network with other students and recent graduates at the New Practitioner Network’s “Night on the Town” at Acapulco Sam’s. Overall, the whole meeting was a fun-filled learning experience for all USN attendees. – Ana Negrete and Vy Le

spring/09 17

This spring, Kappa Psi hosted a myriad of events including initiation, community service, social activities and the Province IX regional meeting. The brothers of Delta Tau were proud to welcome 11 new brothers into the Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity on February 20. This was our first spring initiation and we are proud to say that the additional new brothers bring us to a grand total of 34 new members joining the brotherhood of Kappa Psi for the 2008-2009 school year. The paper recycling program, which started in the fall, has been a tremendous success due to faculty, staff and student participation. The proactive utilization of the paper recycling bins produced over 2,700 pounds of recycled paper. We know that success can only be achieved when we work together, so thank you!

Recently, the Kappa Psi brothers were able to partake in a school wide bake sale benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Thank you to all the brothers, students, staff and faculty who helped to support such a worthy cause. Kappa Psi-Delta Tau raised more than $400 and the proceeds were donated along with the Province IX regional donation. The money raised for this charity will help to grant a wish for a child with a life-threatening medical condition and for that we are grateful. Kappa Psi-Delta Tau hosted the Province IX regional meeting where over 360 brothers from California, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada gathered in Las Vegas to attend the semi-annual assembly. This was the largest turnout that Province IX has yet to see. A big thank you goes out to the officers for all of their hard work. Soon, several brothers will be representing the Kappa Psi-Delta Tau chapter at the GCC (Grand Council Convention) in Clearwater, Florida. This is a national meeting of all Kappa Psi brothers and will be a great chance to socialize and network. Over the past several months, Kappa Psi members were able to learn about their new brothers by participating in a multitude of events. Paintball, a Wii tourna-ment, pharmacy pictionary, going to hockey games and volunteering brought about a sense of community that can be seen in the interactions throughout the many faces of Kappa Psi. We are looking forward to participating in the upcom-ing AIDS walk, Relay For Life walk and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Together we are strong and can only do what we do with the help and support of one another. One for All and All for One. – Jennifer Mungcal

The American College of Clinical Pharmacy Student Network (ACCPSN) is a student organization that provides leadership, education and resources to students interested in a career in clinical pharmacy. This year the number of students interested in ACCPSN organization has grown tremendously. There are 50 new members that joined ACCPSN in 2008-2009. Also, this year, due to Dr. Smith’s (faculty advisor for the ACCPSN until Febru-ary of 2009) relocation to the South Jordan campus of USN, ACCPSN welcomed two new faculty advisors Dr. Bhakta and Dr. Madison. The mission of ACCPSN is to advocate the practice of clinical pharmacy in diverse practice settings, while strengthening student’s clinical skills as well as organizing community service opportunities to students.

This year, two P-2 students, Christie Bridgen and Brian Masters (Hender-son), one P-3 student David Crowther (South Jordan) and faculty member and ACCPSN advisor Dr. Smith, had an opportunity to attend the 2008 Na-tional ACCP Meeting held in Louisville, Kentucky, held October 19-21, 2008. This meeting offered a variety of educational sessions and exhibitions. On December 5, 2008, Dr. Kullgren gave a presentation where students learned about Collaborative Practice Agreements and prescribing as a pharmacist. Also, ACCPSN provided students with the most up to date information on the organization events and opportunities to participate in community services. On March 1, USN Pharmacy students, under the supervision of licensed Walgreens pharmacists, held the Second Annual Brown Bag event for senior citizens at Mountain View Nevada Senior Community Center in Henderson. ACCPSN educates students about residencies and encourages grad-uates to take advantage of an additional year of experience where preceptors play a vital role in showing them how to implement all the knowledge obtained in school. ACCPSN believes that this additional year of practice would help students to become better practitioners. ACCPSN helps USN students leave pharmacy school not only very well prepared in the scientific and technical aspects of pharmacy prac-tice, but also gives an opportunity to gain valuable leadership skills. – Olga Zaitseva

18 spring/09

MBA

If you’re not out of work now, you’ve probably met someone who is out of work during this recession. For example, I recently attended a meeting where I ran into a family the was fright-ened about the future. They just had a baby and were very excited, but after taking in the con-gratulations, the mom added, “Yes, we’re very happy but we are just hanging in there because my husband has been laid off.”

It was a heart-wrenching story to hear, and it changed the overall mood from joy to concern. On the positive side, everyone rallied around the fam-ily with suggestions, offers and prayers and two weeks later I heard the husband had found another job. Unfortunately, I heard recently that he has lost that job too and was rethinking about himself and his career. And that brings me to the subject of this article, how to repackage yourself in a reces-sion. Before discussing the “how to,” it’s perhaps worth saying a few things about recessions. Recessions serve a purpose, for example:

•  Recessions  are  like  the  economy’s  down  time  for  shifting  and  readjusting itself, before another growth period. •  After every growth period, a recession will occur.  What is in ques-tion is the magnitude (severity of unemployment) and duration (how long it will last). For example, in the last 50 years, we’ve had quite a few: 1957-58, 1960-61, 1969-70, 1974-75, 1980-82, 1990-1991, 2001 and 2008 to the present. •  During  recessions,  many  jobs  and  opportunities  are  created.   Economists call these processes “creative destruction.” That is, new technology, products, jobs, services and ideas are appearing in the market place to displace and replace (destroy) outdated ones. •  What  triggers  recessions are as numerous and complex as  the national economies of the World. Some of the factors are, “depressed consumer confidence,” “credit market freeze,” “bank failures,” “sub-prime bubble,” “real estate collapse,” “general business pessimism,” “energy crisis,” etc. For example, economists are still analyzing and debating the Great Depression, and this recession will not be an ex-ception. •  After  recessions,  we  expect  periods  of  economic  growth  and prosperity, when jobs, overtimes, investment and business opportuni-ties return.

This preamble brings us to the focus of this article: how to break or mini-mize the up-and-down recession cycle in one’s employment history? What I’m recommending comes from my personal experience during the 1980s recession when President Ronald Reagan was presiding over the U.S. and supply-side economics was in vogue. During that time, I had the opportunity to do three things that I now credit for sending me on a rewarding and suc-cessful career path: •  Rethink yourself•  Reinvent yourself•  Repackage yourself

How to Repackage Yourself in a Recession By Dr. Okeleke Nzeogwu

To help anyone do the same, I recommend the classic four “P’s” of any Marketing 101 course as a way of thinking about what to do: •  First,  the  Product  —  that  is,  you  and  me;  we  are  “investment products” that companies are willing to pay for in order to get their labor services. Thus, you must begin to rethink your qualifications, employment related experiences, character/personality, skills, etc. Understand why the product (you) as it is now is prone to getting downsized during recessions. Start thinking of acquiring additional education, training, experience and skills that will help you deliver a new product (you) to the market place. Rethinking and reinventing yourself may take years. In the 1980s, the process took me five years, but at the end I had a doctorate degree and was doing what I loved to do, teaching. •  Second, the Price — that is, your desired salary, benefits, working conditions, and perks, necessary to keep you motivated and fulfilled, must match the product. For example, with just a primary school edu-cation one shouldn’t expect to command the price of a Wall Street banker. This is just to say, if the desired salary does not match the product, you can go back to rethink and reinvent yourself until you are reasonably confident that the product could realistically earn you the price that you want. Nevertheless, remember it’s a global market place, so your competitors are not just the workers in your area and around the country – they are workers from around the World. •  Third, the Place — that is, the location, industry, field and career that will give you the maximum advantage for your product. In my case, I wanted to teach at the university level, so I had to rethink and reinvent the product that will fit the place. •  Fourth,  the  Package  —  that  is,  how  you  will  communicate  to potential employers everything about the new you that you’ve been working on – the product, price and place. The packaging will include the applications, resume, interviews, internships, impressions, etc. The packaging is no less important as the first three P’s.

Here are some additional recommendations: •  Think long-term and beyond this recession.•  Be willing to sacrifice to achieve what you want.•  Be  realistic—retooling  takes  time, effort,  commitment and en-durance.•  Investigate the deepest passion, hopes, dreams and aspirations so that you can invent the product that fits your personal mission and vision.•  Remember, there’s only one job that’s absolutely recession proof – the job of working on yourself!

I will end this piece with the idea presented in one of Stephen Covey’s books, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “first things first”— YOU. Work to rethink, reinvent and repackage yourself to help break the recession unemployment cycle.

spring/09 19

NURSING

University of Southern Nevada College of Nursing presented their third commencement ceremony on March 6, 2009 at the Henderson Pavilion. The spring commencement graduated a class of 75 nursing students and was held with processional pomp and circumstance led by the University Marshall, Ms. Kathy Powell, assistant professor, College of Nurs-ing. Dr. Charles Lacy, USN’s vice president for ex-ecutive affairs, presented the invocation, followed by an opening proclamation by USN’s Founding President, Dr. Harry Rosenberg.

The College of Nursing was launched in 2006 with an inaugural class of 26 students and has shown tremendous growth in the following years. “This is the largest graduating class in the history of the College of Nursing,” said Dr. Mable Smith, dean of the College of Nursing.

Nevada’s nursing shortage is worst in the nation. Since the demand of qualified nurses in the health care industry far outgrows the number of nursing graduates joining the workforce each year, the fresh graduates were very hopeful of finding jobs to fit their interest. The health care industry continues to hire qualified nurses even in the present tough economic times.

Local television news stations covering the event spoke to several graduating students. All of the interviewed graduates were unanimous in their commitment to their chosen profession, willing-ness to serve the community and strong motivation to pursue higher education in specialized fields of nursing.

Dr. Debra A. Toney, president and owner of TLC Health Care Services in Las Vegas delivered a passionate commencement address. Dr. Toney emphasized the importance of the roles played by the nurses in health care services and hoped that future nursing professionals will continue to bring new dimension to the profession with their zeal, fresh outlook of the evolving world of medicine and embrace of technology.

“These students have worked hard to achieve the high standards set by the university and we are sure that they will continue to grow and excel in their rewarding profession,” said Dr. Harry Rosenberg. – Sukanya Mandal

College of Nursing Graduates Largest Class

Class of 2010 nursing students Elsie Huerta, Matau Tuinei and Raymond Ohazurume accepted their scholarships at the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association’s Annual Awards Ceremony during the association’s 57th National Conven-tion on April 15 in Nashville, Tennessee. Huerta received The Campaign for Nursing’s Future Scholarship, sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. Tuinei and Ohazurume both received the Mayo Clinic Breakthrough to Nurs-ing Scholarship. “We are very proud of these students for their accomplishments,” said Dr. Mable Smith, dean of the College of Nursing. “They are all extremely passionate about nurs-ing and have achieved tremendously in both the classroom and clinical settings.” – Sukanya Mandal

After four years of working through legal requirements and, finally, regional accreditation, USN has achieved “eligible insti-tution” status by the Nevada State Treasurer for the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship Program. Qualifying Nevada high school graduates who meet certain GPA and residency requirements will now be able apply Millen-nium Scholarship funds toward tuition when enrolled in USN’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Any existing and incoming Nevada nursing student who quali-fies for the Millennium Scholarship may apply through USN Financial Aid Office. USN is the first eligible private, non-profit university to be part of the scholarship program. – Barbara Wood

College of Nursing Students Awarded Scholarships

The Millennium Scholarship Available to Qualified Nursing Students

20 spring/09

TECHNOLOGYMEGABYTE

When creating a password, it is recommended that you use smart (or strong) passwords. These passwords contain six to eight characters, using a combination of lower and upper case letters, numbers and keyboard symbols. While it may sound hard to remember using all those characters, here are some tips that may help: 1. Use sentences or phrases (loosely):•My Grandfather is always right = MGslwys90!•This password is too strong for you to guess = Tpi2S4u2?2. Avoid personal identifying or common information, such as pet or children names, birthdays, anniversaries, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, etc.3. Avoid full dictionary words (flowers, summer, etc.), common sequences (12345, abcde, etc.), words with simple character switching (p@ssword, Fr33dom) or the same password with minor changes (default into default1). Additional tips to secure your information:1. Change your password every 60 to 90 days.2. Avoid using previously used passwords.3. Avoid using the same password for all of your applications.4. Do not share your password with anyone. If you do, make sure to change it as soon as possible.Note: Do not use any of the suggested passwords in this article. These are only examples of how to create strong passwords.

Your passwords are the keys you use to access personal in-formation that you’ve stored on your computer and in your on-line accounts. If identity thieves steal this information, they can use your name to open new credit card accounts, apply for a mortgage, or pose as you in online transactions. In many cases you would not notice these attacks until it is too late. To protect yourself and your personal information, USN Technology Services offers valuable password strategies. Before we get to the password tips, it is important to explain a couple major threats pertaining to your security.

Social Engineering (via phone, online, or in person): These are individuals who try to gain access to confidential information using a “con game” method. They’ll use persuasion, imper-sonation, and can be very friendly and personable. Resolution: Never give out your password information! Dumpster Diving (a.k.a. trashing): These people will literally go out to a company’s dumpster or trash cans and look for informa-tion that might gain them access to something, for example, confirmation e-mails of account setups or payment information. Resolution: Shred as much as you can, especially confidential documents!

Protect Your Information with Smart PasswordsBy Laura Jarrett

spring/09 21

B O B C O O P E R S A Y S

This is an exciting time

for USN

In little more than a month, the College of Phar-macy’s seventh graduating class will walk across the stage and accept their reward for their many years of studying, research and more. One hundred-twenty-eight Doctor of Pharmacy students – four of whom are also graduating with their MBA, and three additional MBA students, will accept their hard-earned diplomas June 5.

And as those 131 deserving students celebrate their accomplishments, USN will be celebrating as well. Since it welcomed its first class of students – 35 altogether – in 2001, USN has experienced much growth and many accomplishments.

In fall 2001, USN’s student body more than doubled when it welcomed its second class – this time of 80 students. Then named the Nevada College of Pharmacy, USN grew quickly and in January 2002, it graduated to operating out of a 30,000-square-foot facility on the corner of Eastern Avenue and Russell Road. In November 2003, the college relocated once more – this time to its permanent 100,000-square-foot location at 11 Sunset Way in Henderson.

The institution changed its name from the Nevada College of Pharmacy to the University of Southern Nevada to reflect its growth and planning for ad-ditional degree programs in 2004 – the same year its MBA program was established. The MBA program was designed to develop the management and leadership skills of health care professionals as well as to meet the management and leadership needs of the industries.

In 2006, USN grew once more. In response to requests from the health care community, USN established a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Gradu-ates of the College of Nursing will be eligible to sit for the licensing exam and assume entry level RN positions, which will help to meet the community, state, and regional needs for registered nurses.

And most recently, in August 2008, USN welcomed its College of Dental Medicine and its Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Ortho-pedics/MBA Residency Program. Residents of the program started with their MBA and then, in February 2009, they began their advanced education in orthodontics.

And as the needs of the health care industry continue to evolve, there is no doubt USN will continue to grow and change with it.

Over the past decade-plus, Henderson and Las Vegas have become home to countless retirees who have flocked to Southern Nevada to take advantage of its warm weather and high quality of life. Therefore, the need for quality, trained allied health professionals and pharmacists is on the rise as well. There is a bright future for health care professionals in Nevada, and there is a bright future for you in Nevada.

As manager for the City of Henderson’s Economic Development Division, I am looking forward to serving as your commencement speaker on June 5. Regardless of whether you are graduating next month or next year, I encourage you to attend this upcoming commencement ceremony. We have a lot to celebrate that day.

Bob Cooper serves as the City of Henderson’s Economic Development Division Manager.

22 spring/09

ALUMNIINACTIONBrooke D. Tom

by Jason Roth

Since graduating as part of the College of Nursing’s second class in Oc-tober 2008, Brooke Tom has fulfilled her childhood dream to be a nurse. Today, she is an emergency/trauma nurse in the Emergency Room at St. Rose Dominican Hospital’s Siena campus in Henderson. “Growing up I always wanted to be a nurse,” said Tom. “I had a few aunts who were nurses and I was always fascinated with the human body.” The Morganton, North Carolina native has channeled her passion for nurs-ing and has successfully applied it on the job. After serving nearly one year as a nurse, Tom has received certifications in advanced cardiac life support, pediatric advanced life support and trauma nursing care. Tom was also recently asked to join the Unit Team Council, a group of St. Rose Hospital employees working to achieve Magnet status, an award

given by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center (ANCC), an affiliate of the American Nurses Association, to hospitals that satisfy a set of criteria designed to measure the strength and quality of their nursing. A Magnet hospital is stated to be one where nurses deliver excellent pa-tient outcomes, have a high level of job satisfaction, a low turnover rate and appropriate grievance resolution. “Magnet status is the highest cre-dential a hospital can achieve in the area of nursing,” said Tom. “We’re working hard to set a new standard in Southern Nevada.” When she’s not working, Tom devotes herself to her 11-year-old daughter and fixing up the new home she and her husband “Moose” recently pur-chased in the Sunrise Mountain area of Las Vegas. Getting her house together takes a lot of her spare time, leaving little room for hobbies, says Tom. However, she does have one hobby that hasn’t fal-tered – the collection of casino memorabilia. “I have a billiard room filled with slot machines, casino tokens, ash trays and other items I’ve collected through the years,” said Tom. Even with her busy schedule, Tom is already looking forward to furthering her education by entering a Family Nurse Practitioner program next year.“I love the action as a nurse,” said Tom. “Sometimes it gets the adrenaline pumping.”

“We’re working hard to set a new standard in

Southern Nevada.”

[2005]Artimis Khatibi (Pharm.D.) - Staff pharmacist at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. [2006]Danielle Nakhle (Pharm.D.) - Clinical pharmacist at the Department of Veteran Affairs in Las Vegas.

Got Updates? Send us your update and we’ll get you into an upcoming issue of Con-nections. Updates may be edited for space. Personal e-mail addresses and telephone numbers cannot be published.

E-mail: alumnirelations@usn.eduWeb site: www.usn.edu/alumni U.S. Mail: Connections Alumni UpdateUniversity of Southern Nevada11 Sunset WayHenderson, NV 89014

ALUMNI UPDATES

In July, the University of Southern Nevada will observe the 10th anniversary of its found-ing as the Nevada College of Pharmacy in 1999. To commemorate this significant mile-stone, the university is planning numerous events and activities throughout the 2009-2010 academic year, including a special alumni reunion in the fall for the Classes of 2003 and 2004. As preparation for this event begins, the university would like to invite alumni from the 2003 and 2004 graduating classes to join a planning committee to help create an exciting and memorable affair. With the fall season fast approaching, the university needs to begin the planning process in the coming weeks. To be part of the committee, please e-mail alumnirelations@usn.edu, stating your interest and contact information.

sprinng/09 23

USN Launches New Online Endeavors to Help Alumni Stay ConnectedTo enhance the University of Southern Nevada brand and to create new forums for com-munication with alumni as well as current students and the public, the university has increased its presence on the World Wide Web through social networking. The USN blog (http://univsonev.wordpress.com) features the latest news and informa-tion about the activities and successes of alumni, students, faculty, and staff. The page also provides details about many events USN hosts or sponsors throughout the year. The site is updated several times a week, providing always fresh content. Visitors are invited to subscribe to the site’s RSS feed or sign up for e-mail update alerts. USN is also on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/univsonev), a free social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time. The service allows friends, family, co-workers and businesses to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent online messages. Finally, the university has launched a Facebook group exclusively for its alumni. Alumni that are members of Facebook may request to join the group and have an opportunity to reconnect and communicate with their peers on a social level. Information about up-coming USN events as well as news and information about the USN are also posted on the group page. It can be found by searching “University of Southern Nevada Alumni” on the Facebook homepage (http://www.facebook.com). – Jason Roth

Join the USN Reunion Planning Committee

FACESOFUSN

Jason Roth, director of marketing, with son Zachary.

Janice Muhammad, assistant professor of nursing, in Sedona, Arizona.

Pharmacy student Darlene Banzhaf at Trail Dust Town in Tucson, Arizona.

Vice President for Executive Affairs Chuck Lacy posed with an elephant painted

as Ganesha while visiting KLE University in Belgaum, India.

Sukanya Mandal and daughters Rohini and Sohini celebrate Holi,

a religious festival of India.

South Jordan pharmacy student Preston Alberts in Missouri.

Dr. Allison Welder at Best Friends animal sanctuary in Kanab, Utah telling the Labrador Retriever that she is rescuing that he will never

be hungry again.

Christina Madison, assistant professor of pharmacy practice and Allan Rosenblatt at

St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Leticia Manzo and Mayra Segura , administrative assistant for the Registrar in

Scottsdale, Arizona.

Abigail, daughter to pharmacy student Eralda Lapi, on Easter Sunday.

Pharmacy students Falguni Patel and Leonor Rojas.

Nursing Professor Regina McFerren in Sedona, Arizona.

24 spring/09

spring/09 25

TRAVELOGUE

There’s no escaping the overwhelming awe one experiences during a visit to Sedona, Arizona. The majestic red sandstone buttes in contrast with a vast blue sky combined with the mystical aura of the region have been a place of wonder since the days of the Wild West. Today, the cowboys and Indians of the past have been replaced by throngs of tourists eager to experience one of Mother Nature’s most remarkable land-scapes. Whether enjoying an exhilarating off road adventure, exploring many of the area’s reported Vortexes, shopping for one-of-a-kind gifts in its abundant gift shops and art galleries, or tasting the unique flavors of its many dining op-tions, Sedona has everything necessary for an exciting vacation experience. There are many places to stay in the area, ranging from the small, no-frills motel to the luxury resort and spa. One of our family’s favorites is the quaint L’Auberge De Sedona Resort. Nestled at the bottom of a cliff and situated on the banks of Oak Creek, guests are invited to stay in The Lodge, The Creek House or in a one or two-bedroom private cottage. The cottages, in particular, offer an opportunity for guests to truly experience the natural beauty of the region from their private front porches. L’Auberge De Sedona is also home to one of our favorite restaurants, the fa-mous Restaurant on Oak Creek. Hugely popular with visitors and locals alike, the restaurant offers an unparallel outdoor dining experience along the trick-ling creek side. Its seasonal menu of French-inspired American cuisine is an outstanding epicurean treat and its vintage wine selection is superb. Wine Spectator has awarded the restaurant a “Best of Award of Excellence” for 14 years in a row. It’s a “can’t miss” during a Sedona vacation. Nearby, the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village is home to a variety of dining and shopping options. It’s always on our list of places to visit. Resembling an authentic Mexican village, Tlaquepaque is an epicenter for the Sedona experi-ence, with eclectic live entertainment, artisans and flavors all in one beautiful, natural setting. If you love Mexican food, a “must try” is El Rincon. Their food is influenced by the Navajo and is “muy delicioso.” Tlaquepaque is also a great starting point for an off road tour of the area’s ma-jestic landscape. Sedona Off Road Adventures offers Hummer and Jeep tours at the Village as well as from The Adventure Store located in the Uptown Mall. Many tour options are available and the vehicles can accommodate groups of up to 12 at a time and always offer an adrenaline-filled trip. Off road tours are very popular, so reservations are encouraged. Also, don’t forget your camera as the panoramic views are absolutely breathtaking. You’ll want to capture the experience.

Sedona Off Road Adventures, as well as other tour operators, also offer wil-derness horseback tours as well as mountain bikes rentals for the extreme outdoor enthusiasts. While in Sedona, you can also hike the rugged terrain in search of the area’s many purported spiritual Vortices (locals call them Vortexes). Sedona has been labeled as a spiritual center for many generations, because it is claimed that power emanates from vortexes producing some of the most remarkable en-ergy on the planet. This energy is the reason why Sedona is home to a lot of people that are “on the path” of spiritual growth. It is also the reason that a large New Age community and tourism industry has sprung up in the Sedona area, bringing with it a variety of spiritual practices and alternative healing modalities. Sedona is now often referred to as a spiritual Disneyland. Popular Vortex spots include Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Can-yon, and Schnebly Hill. Maps of these locations can be found at all of Sedona’s New Age shops. If you do decide to hoof it into the Sedona wilderness, as always, please take proper precautions, like packing plenty of water, a map and a cell phone. You wouldn’t want to become a permanent part of the landscape. Finally, if the weather’s warm and you need to cool off, head on over to the famous Slide Rock State Park. There the Oak Creek has transformed the red rocks into a natural, slippery water chute. You can take a ride down the chutes, sunbath, wade or swim in the cool waters. It’s a blast.

Exploring the Grandeur of Sedona, Arizonaby Jason Roth

Getting To SedonaSedona is located approximately 115 miles north of Phoenix. From USN’s Henderson campus, take US 93 east to Kingman. From there, take Interstate 40 east to Flagstaff, to AZ 89A south to Sedona. The drive is 267 miles and will take between four and five hours. From the South Jordan campus, take Interstate 15 south to UT 20 east and then head south on US 89. Once you reach Flagstaff, take AZ 89A to Sedona. The route is 531 miles and will take between nine and 10 hours. Of course, a faster way to travel is by air to Flagstaff or Phoenix and rent a car.Adapted from an article written for the travel website, Uptake.com/blog. Have a great travel experience to share. Send it, along with photos, to connections@usn.edu for publication in a future issue.

The Gift That Keeps Giving What would you say if you discovered that there was a way to give a gift that would keep on giving in perpetuity? Impossible you say! Well, you will be delighted to learn that an endowed scholarship with the University of Southern Nevada does just that very thing. When you give as little as $5,000, the funds can be placed in an endowed scholarship account. The principal of that sum will always remain intact, but each year it will earn interest . The interest only will then be paid out as a scholarship and the fund will continue to grow providing a continual flow of scholarships for future students. As additional interest is earned, the principal will grow providing even greater scholarships. Currently the Board of Trustees of the University has approved a payout rate of 5 percent. You will also have an opportunity to place your name or the name of your choice (such a memorial gift) on the scholarship fund. The question is, when do you, a parent, a friend, or a corporate supporter want to start your endowed scholarship? Invest in education and create interest!by Barbara Wood

THE USN ADMINISTRATION meet

Dr. Renee CoffmanDean, College of Pharmacy

Mr. Raymond PerezVice President ofTechnology Services

Dr. C. Lynn HurstDean, College of Dental Medicine

Dr. Larry FanninCampus Dean, South Jordan, College of Pharmacy

Dr. Charles LacyVice President for Executive Affairs

Ms. Eileen HugVice President for Business and Finance

Ms. Marlene MillerVice President for Facilities Management

Dr. Eucharia NnadiVice President for Academic Affairs and Program Planning

Dr. Mable SmithDean, College of Nursing

Dr. Okeleke NzeogwuDirector, MBA Program

Mr. Stuart WienerChief Operating Officer

Dr. Harry RosenbergPresident

For more information about USN administration, please visit www.usn.edu.

26 spring/09

Back by popular demand, the exciting, and tastefully delicious, Chefs Wine & Spirits Too event will be hosted from 6 to 10 p.m. on August 13 at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas. Chris Hanmer, the award-winning executive pastry chef for The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, will be returning to create new and fascinating desserts exclusively for this event. Chef Don Espaniola, owner of the Henderson restaurant, Intimate Fine Dining, will be joining a group of creative and talented chefs, each preparing a separate course in a five course gourmet dinner paired with fine wines. Also joining the group will be Chef Lee Rizzo of Morton’s, The Steakhouse. Mark your calendars now and make your reservations early for this culinary affair as seats will be limited to150 guests. Call 702-968-2055 or e-mail bwood@usn.edu.

The Las Vegas community is invited to indulge their senses with fine wines, enticing cocktails, mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres and spectacular art at University of South-ern Nevada’s “Taste of the Arts” event from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2009 at Morton’s, The Steakhouse, located at 400 East Flamingo Road. The event will showcase the exquisite canvas oil paintings of Cynthia Yosef, striking Swarovski crystal jewelry by Romie Semenza of Swiss Star and eclectic ceramics by Sarah Grear. Many items will be available for purchase by guests at the event. A sommelier will treat guests to the art of wine blending, offering both wine connois-seurs and novices an opportunity to experience the winemaking artistry that creates a wine that is ultimately more interesting and flavorful than each individual element. The guest that creates the ultimate blend will win a magnum of signature wine from Franciscan Estates of Napa Valley. Morton’s will provide appetizers for the event, including Mini Prime Cheeseburgers, Petite Filet Mignon Sandwiches, Miniature Crab Cakes, Crab, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Chicken Goujonettes, and Roma Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella & Basil on Crostin.Tickets for this exclusive event are $85 per person, with proceeds benefiting USN’s ongoing community outreach programs, such as quarterly health festivals offering free health screenings and information. Corporate sponsorship is also available. For information or to make a reservation, call 702-968-2055 or e-mail bwood@usn.edu.

Mark Your Calendar For The Return of Chefs Wine & Spirits Too by Barbara Wood

S a v e T h e D a T eUSNEVENTS

Saturday, May 302 to 4 p.m. A Taste of the ArtsMorton’s, the Steakhouse, Las Vegas

Friday, June 59 a.m.Henderson Campus Class of 2009 CommencementHenderson Pavilion

Saturday, June 69 a.m. South Jordan Campus Class of 2009 CommencementCapitol Theatre – Salt Lake County Center for the Arts

Thursday, August 136 to 10 p.m.Chefs, Wine & Spirits TooThe Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas

Saturday, August 29Continuing Professional Education: Utah Fall Education SeminarUniversity of Southern Nevada, South Jordan Campus

Wednesday, September 16Continuing Professional Education: Nevada Pharmacy LawLocation TBD

Friday, October 16 – Saturday, October 17Nevada Society of Health-System Pharmacists Annual MeetingSilver Legacy, Reno

Monday, November 16Tenth Annual Scholarship Golf TournamentCascata Golf Club, Boulder City

For detailed information about USN events, please visit www.usn.edu/events-calendar Area Health Education Center of Southern Nevada  has released a 2-hour CE webinar,  “Ethical Issues in Prescribing Antibiotics.” visit www.snahec.org for more information.  The program cost is $25.00.

spring/09 27

University of Southern Nevada Offers

“A Taste of the Arts”

By Barbara Wood

University of Southern NevadaA Nevada Non-Profit Corporation11 Sunset WayHenderson, NV 89014-2333

NON-PROFIT

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

LAS VEGAS NV

PERMIT NO. 1840

WHERE AMBITION MEETS INNOVATION.™

UN

IVER

SITY OF SOUTHERN N

EVA

DA

1999

UNIVERSITY OFSOUTHERN NEVADA

Address Service Requested

Congratulations to Amber Tuckett, Class of 2011 pharmacy student from USN’s South Jordan campus. She’s the winner of the Connections Photo Contest with her photo of Slot Canyon at Lake Powell, located in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah. Her photo demonstrates outstanding composi-tion and contrast. When viewing the photo, the human element draws you into the immense scale of the natural and majestic rock formations of the region. Do you have a great photo that captures the spirit of Nevada or Utah? Submit it to the contest at connections@usn.edu for a chance to be fea-tured on the back cover of the next issue of Con-nections and for a special prize. Photos should be in jpeg format (minimum 300 dpi) and include a brief description (150 words or less).

Photography Contest Winner