If you had told me four years ago that I would end up at the University of Nevada, Reno as a journalism major and student writer, I wouldn’t have believed you.
My journey here at the University of Nevada, Reno has been nothing short of a giant rollercoaster. Originally from Las Vegas, I arrived here in 2022 not expecting to see such rich history and culture that the city and University offer. I can confidently say now that my decision to attend school here was one of the best choices I’ve made.
The entertainment industry has always held a specific fascination for me. My aspirations in high school were to attend a California university. Universities in California are renowned for their prestigious film schools and various entertainment industry opportunities, and I knew that any California university near a major city with a film program was ultimately where I wanted to end up. Because I believed Nevada wasn’t involved in the entertainment industry beyond casinos and shows, I wasn’t very inclined to attend university here. Along with the fact that the only other university outside of my hometown was in Reno, which I believed was a smaller version of Vegas, I found myself wanting to experience other places.
When in-person classes started again following the COVID-19 pandemic, I was going into my senior year of high school. The Nevada Bound program had just started up again that year after not being utilized throughout the pandemic. The program offered a one-day, round-trip ticket to Reno for high school students to see the campus and what it has to offer. Hesitant to go, I decided it wouldn’t hurt to visit and see the campus. Upon arrival, I discovered that the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University was not only highly ranked nationwide, but it also had a film and television production emphasis to pair with it.
My views of the University quickly transformed after that trip. The University proved itself to offer a prestigious, resourceful, effective and affordable quality education.
I came to the University in 2022 to major in journalism, and I declared my minor in cinema and media studies in the spring 2024 semester. Since my arrival, I’ve broadened my knowledge of the entertainment industry more than I thought I could. The Reynolds School has been a huge help in ensuring my success during my time here and post-graduation.
To further my education and communication skills, I also got a job on campus as a student writer at the Office of Marketing and Communications where I write articles for the University’s news website, Nevada Today and prepare news summaries among other tasks. The job has been a significant help in preparing me for future jobs and furthering my writing skills, and it has also broadened my networking circle significantly.
I strongly recommend the Nevada Bound program to anyone who is on the fence about attending the University. My time here has been unexpectedly rewarding with opportunities being thrown at me from every direction since I got here. What I first thought of as a safety school became everything I had hoped for in my college life. I now can confidently look back and say I don’t regret my decision to attend the University of Nevada, Reno, and I am proud to be part of the Wolf Pack.
About the author
Ashton Despain is a University of Nevada, Reno student and writer. Originally from Las Vegas, he came to Reno in 2022 to study journalism at the Reynolds School. He has since minored in cinema and media studies and plans to attend law school to become a media attorney.
