The College of Southern Nevada (CSN) hosted its annual Outstanding Student Awards ceremony at the North Las Vegas campus last Thursday. The event celebrated 22 students from various academic departments, recognizing their academic achievements and personal growth.
The awards highlighted students who overcame significant challenges, including medical setbacks and mental health struggles. Some students were acknowledged for their roles as mentors and role models. During the ceremony, several students expressed gratitude for CSN’s support. One student remarked, “I wish I could be a student here forever—I never want to leave.”
Mariellena Mariscal, recognized in the World Languages category, shared her journey: “I wish my high school teachers could see me now. I was told I would never amount to anything, that I wouldn’t speak English well enough, that I wasn’t white enough.”
Dr. James McCoy, Vice President of Academic Affairs at CSN, concluded the evening with a message encouraging resilience and connection: “Keep sharing your stories, your resilience to overcome, and recognize the power of support and connection.”
Each award recipient received a $1,000 scholarship from the CSN Foundation for further education at CSN or another NSHE institution. In an unexpected gesture, Dr. McCoy pledged an additional $500 to each student.
The ceremony left attendees with a sense of pride in the accomplishments of these students and optimism for their future endeavors.
