What’s happening behind the headlines at UNLV? In this episode of Beyond the Gray, the student journalists of the Scarlet & Gray Free Press explore two stories connecting the university community to its broader history and social climate: a campus discussion on advocacy and allyship for minority students targeted by ICE, and the 52-year career of a longtime UNLV athletics equipment manager.

Advocacy, allyship, and immigrant students: News Staff Writer Alyssa Boblett discusses her front-page story, “UNLV Panel Supports Minority Students Targeted by ICE, Discusses Importance of Advocacy and Allyship.” Following the detention of UNLV student Valeria Pacheco, the university’s Department of Interdisciplinary, Gender and Ethnic Studies hosted two panels bringing together faculty members and student representatives to discuss advocacy, solidarity, and support for immigrant communities. Alyssa explains the distinction between allyship and advocacy, the importance of student organizing, and the challenges of turning hours of panel discussions into a concise, accurate news story. She also reflects on the public response to her reporting and the responsibility journalists have when covering politically sensitive issues.

52 years behind the scenes of UNLV athletics: Sports Staff Writer Marla Mundel takes listeners inside her profile of Larry Chin, a longtime UNLV athletics equipment manager who has spent more than five decades with the university. From the glory days of Jerry Tarkanian and the 1990 Runnin’ Rebels national championship to the story behind Tarkanian’s iconic towel — and an unexpected connection to Taco Bell — Marla shares the history and personal anecdotes behind her reporting. She also discusses the challenges of interviewing a subject with decades of stories to tell and deciding which details belong in a finished profile.

Plus, hear how student journalists approach telling other people’s stories, handle negative reactions to their reporting, and navigate the editorial decisions that shape their work. The episode also previews upcoming coverage of campus events, immigration policy, Las Vegas politics, arts and culture, and UNLV athletics.

Episode chapters

00:00 — Meet Beyond the Gray and this week’s student journalists
00:46 — UNLV panel on advocacy and allyship for immigrant students
02:03 — Defining advocacy versus allyship
03:08 — Student organizations, solidarity, and campus activism
05:02 — Turning four hours of panel discussions into a news story
07:47 — Election coverage and conversations with UNLV voters
09:05 — Reporting on immigration without losing sight of the human story
12:17 — Reader reactions, social media comments, and negative feedback
15:22 — Larry Chin’s 52 years with UNLV athletics
15:47 — Reporting on the legacy of Jerry Tarkanian and the Runnin’ Rebels
20:22 — The story behind Tarkanian’s iconic towel
21:20 — The surprising Taco Bell connection
24:32 — Building a narrative and editing a long-form profile
25:38 — The responsibility of telling someone else’s story
28:52 — Upcoming coverage from the Scarlet & Gray Free Press
31:26 — Where to find more UNLV student journalism

What’s happening behind the headlines at UNLV? In the first episode of Beyond the Gray, the student journalists of the Scarlet & Gray Free Press explore two stories affecting the University of Nevada, Las Vegas: a proposed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fee tied to international student work opportunities, and the hands-on restaurant experience at UNLV’s Bistro 410.

International students and immigration policy: Metro writer Elise discusses her reporting on a DHS proposal involving F-1 visa holders and Optional Practical Training (OPT). How could changes to employment-related requirements affect international students at UNLV? She also explains the challenge of translating complicated federal policy into clear, accurate campus reporting. The proposal discussed is not presented as an enacted rule.

Inside Bistro 410: Assistant News Editor Sebastian Ornelas Emmerich takes listeners inside UNLV’s student-run restaurant concept lab, where hospitality students plan menus, manage budgets, develop restaurant concepts, and get real-world feedback from diners.

Plus, hear how student reporters find sources, navigate the editing process, and prepare upcoming coverage of UNLV athletics, campus culture, Las Vegas politics, and community events.

Episode chapters
00:03 — Meet Beyond the Gray and the Scarlet & Gray Free Press
00:56 — DHS proposal and international student work opportunities
02:39 — The potential impact on UNLV students
05:38 — Reporting and editing complex government policy
09:05 — UNLV Bistro 410 and student-run restaurants
11:17 — Real-world hospitality and business experience
17:43 — Coming up in the Scarlet & Gray Free Press
18:16 — UNLV news, sports, opinion, and culture previews

Follow the Scarlet & Gray Free Press on Instagram at @UNLVFreePress, and read more campus reporting at unlvscarletandgray.com.