Career Evolution Through Continuing Education

As a fresh college graduate I cringed at the question, “A history degree? What are you going to do with that?”

Twenty years later, I can happily answer, “Not what I thought.” Back when I was graduating, I never could have imagined the path my career would take.

I give a fair amount of credit for my ability to evolve and grow professionally to the numerous continuing education opportunities made available to me over the years. Grant writing, database management, group mediation, customer service, budget analysis, event planning, graphic design, and media relations weren’t taught as part of my history major, but I can now say I have a strong command of each thanks to conferences, seminars, classes, and other continuing education sources.

Coming out of college my first job was as a curator at a local history museum. On paper, I was going to do exactly what I had studied in school—exhibit research and artifact cataloging. In reality, though, the staff was small, money was tight, and I quickly had to learn how to write grants, plan events, lead programs, and balance a budget. Thank goodness for conferences, seminars, and mentors willing to liberally share their knowledge!

Making the leap from museum curator to city cultural program coordinator meant I was again thrown into the deep end. My history degree hadn’t taught me to plan concerts and theatre shows and Fourth of July. I had a lot to learn. I took advantage of every continuing education opportunity I was given. I took customer service classes, more grant writing courses, Microsoft Office training, and mediation training. I would have given almost anything for a class on nonprofit management and board relations like the ones offered at UNLV! I enrolled in some basic graphic arts courses so that I could start designing my own posters for concerts and community events.

My skills grew enough that when a communications position opened up within the department, I was ready. I completed a graphic design training program similar to the one offered through UNLV. I went to a “revenue school” to acquire marketing, budgeting, and other financial management tools.

Continuing education allowed me to guide my career in unexpected directions. Now that I am in a position where I help market continuing education opportunities, I love having the personal experience of seeing how training can be transformative.

My advice to those in every phase of their career would be to take advantage of training opportunities whenever you can. Conferences, classes, and cross-training all give you skills you can use as you move up or move on. Continuing education lets you steer your career in new, exciting directions. You, too, will be amazed by the unexpected path your career can take.

Post by Amy Tartaglia Johns

Living the Dream through Continuing Education

Mix one dream with an Emmy-award-winning instructor, attend a six-week class, and end up one step closer to turning the dream into reality. That was my recent experience with UNLV Continuing Education. After living through and witnessing some amazing events and interesting displays of humanity, I had a vision of writing a television pilot. I figured the time was right, presuming that I wasn’t the only one growing tired of the never-ending supply of reality television. Surely people would want more storytelling and less lie living!

I went online to take the easy route–download a screenwriting app, get a template for a spec script, and start writing. Could it really be that easy? Perhaps it could, but I personally didn’t get very far without feedback.

I decided to jumpstart the writing process with a Continuing Education class, How to Plot (Novels, Plays or Scripts) taught by John Hill, a former professional Hollywood TV and movie screenwriter (do you remember Quigley Down Under?) and Emmy award winner (I’m sure you’ve heard of L.A. Law). The first class enticed me to take another with John, How to Write a Screenplay.

I gained the beginning skills and knowledge to move forward with a little more confidence. I now knew how to set up a scene and write conversational dialogue. John also shared resources for finding an agent and selling a script, and informed us of the reality of working as a screenwriter. He even told us what it would take to write the next Hollywood blockbuster. His honesty will probably lead more people to write novels rather than screenplays, but at least they will make a well-informed decision. As for me, I am even more convinced my TV show needs to be seen weekly, and the show’s lead character absolutely needs to be explored more deeply in a made-for-TV movie.

So what’s your dream? Perhaps UNLV Continuing Education can help bring it to life.

Here are John Hill's upcoming courses:

How to Write a Short Story
03/31/14
How To Make A (Cheap) Feature Film In Two Weekends
04/02/14
Posted by LaNelda Rolley
 

SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS AND TRENDS FOR BUSINESS

Many people see social media and feel intimidated by it or adopt the stance that it’s a childish medium that a 13-year-old can do. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn can build your brand awareness in ways that have never been possible. A company can focus on marketing, customer service, entertainment, and education all within one medium. This new form of online marketing certainly needs to be taken serious.

As you get ready remember the saying, “Keep it simple, stupid.” Break everything down to the basics and build from there. Select the social media platforms that suit your needs. Will you make videos? If not, there is no need to worry about YouTube. Are you looking for a lot of business-to-business integration? If not, you might want to hold off on focusing on LinkedIn. The largest population of users on social media can be found on Facebook and Twitter, so my suggestion is to start there. Once a week I hear, “but millions of people are leaving Facebook every day!” It’s a true statement, but is it wise to turn your back on the 1.23 billion monthly active users on the site or the 650 million users on Twitter? Of course not. Don’t jump to the newest outlet just because it’s fresh or cool. Focus on the largest amount of users that you can reach for your business.

The first steps in setting up a business page for both Facebook and Twitter are to fill out the company information clearly and fully. Ensure you have a graphic or logo that best represents your company and upload it for your avatar and page header. Enlist all your friends and employees to like the page for Facebook and follow you on Twitter. Depending on your business, post on your page multiple times a day or at the very least every other day with insightful, interesting, informational, and interactive articles. Ensure to mix up the post with links, pictures, videos, and questions to drive user reaction. Most importantly, check your page frequently to answer any questions or take care of any customer services issues that may arise.

To learn more about the basics of social media in a business environment, check out the Business & Finance section of our catalog - http://continuingeducation.unlv.edu/catalog

Post by James Palmquist

The Napa Experience - Day 2

To read about day one of our excursion, click here.

We hit the ground running on Day 2 of the UNLV Continuing Education excursion to Napa Valley. On our way to the first winery, we stopped for breakfast at Thomas Keller’s Yountville bakery, Bouchon, where we filled up on croissants, quiches and, of course, caffeine.

Our first stop of the day was the beautiful Chappellet Vineyard, a pristine property and one of the area’s oldest family-owned wineries. Located above the fog line on Pritchard Hill, it took a bit of careful planning for our bus to navigate the twists and turns all the way to the top. Once we stepped off the bus and into the tasting room, a hush seemed to fall over the group – the space was incredible, with vaulted chapel-esque ceilings, rows of beautiful barrels and the most elegant tasting table we’d seen yet.

Candice Pannetier, our host and the director of guest relations at Chappellet, was knowledgeable, easy to talk to and very generous with her time. After a taste of Chappellet’s Chenin Blanc, we sampled the Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Las Piedras Bordeaux blend, the latter of which we took on a walk out to the vineyards. Candace explained to us how each morning their viticulture crew picked three leaves from every row of vines to check water levels, making sure the plant was appropriately thirsty (to build that Pritchard Hill character, of course) but not at risk of dehydration. Seeing such pride and attention to detail really makes it easier to understand the price differential between a $10 Cab and one that’s priced higher to account for the extra craftsmanship and manpower that goes into it. 

While walking through the vineyard, you could definitely feel that we were above the fog line, as the skies were sunny and the temperature was warm with a cool breeze. Our group got to take a walk through Chappellet’s man-made cave that’s carved into the hillside, which is quite green and could be platinum-LEED-certified if they wanted to go through the costly registration process. (We also learned Chappellet doesn’t have a water bill or electricity bill since they are so eco-friendly.) I could go on and on about the organic practices, neat bottling machinery and friendly winemakers who spent time with us, but suffice it to say that I loved this place so much I joined their wine club  -- and you’ll just have to visit yourself!

Our last stop before our voyage home was Baldacci Vineyards in the prestigious Stags Leap district, known for its world-famous Cabernet Sauvignons. We were greeted by Michael Baldacci, one of the proprietor’s sons who lives on the property full time and seemed to wear many different hats.

As he led us through the tasting, he sensed our enthusiasm as wine students and really started delving deeper into the story behind the family’s vineyard, as well as its winemaking techniques. One of the things I loved most about this trip was the access we were given: Not only did we get to explore the underground cave, walk through the rows of oak barrels and taste different grapes straight from the vine, but we also got to pick Mike’s brain about the state of the industry, his day-to-day priorities, and what he hopes for in the future. After hearing some of us were big fans of their 2009 Cab, Mike pulled a bottle for us, which boasted all the classic characteristics of a Stags Leap Cab: Drinks like an iron-fist with a velvet glove. (For us laypeople, that means it has lots of beautiful structure and body with a velvety-smooth finish.)

All in all, it was a fantastic trip that delivered incredible, off-the-beaten-path experiences that allowed for just the right balance of learning and fun. Unfortunately, I don’t think that any trip I could plan the future will match up to the experience I had this time, so I guess I’m just going to have to return on the trip next year!

The Napa Experience - Day 1

In lieu of our regularly scheduled programming, I thought this week I would write about our two-day excursion to the Napa Valley, offered in conjunction with UNLV’s Vine to Wine class.

We left Las Vegas bright and early on Thursday morning, so that by the time we arrived in Sacramento it was just after 9 a.m. and we had the full day ahead of us. We boarded our spacious bus and headed southwest to Napa Valley, arriving early enough to get lunch at Oakville Grocer, a gourmet sandwich and cheese shop where we could picnic out on the back patio. At the risk of getting carried away and making this entire blog post about the weather, I’ll simply say that August in Napa is delightful – easily the best I’ve felt all year.

One thing we had learned from class is that the most elegant, expressive wines come from vines grown on hills. To put it in terms we Las Vegans can relate to, planting grapes on a flat, valley surface is akin to letting them go hog-wild at the buffet. Nutrients are easy to come by, making for grapes that are fat and happy but that also may be one dimensional and less complex. Grape vines planted up in the foothills are required to dig deeper into the ground for nutrients and struggle to find food and water. While not as much fun as gorging on the fertile soil like their valley counterparts, this hardiness shapes their character and makes them all the more balanced and unique tasting when they end up in your glass.

Our first stop was at David Arthur Vineyards, located high on the famed Pritchard Hill on the eastern side of Napa Valley.  The vineyard was situated at an altitude of 1,200 feet, which is an ideal growing climate for their signature varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon. After being welcomed with a taste of refreshing Chardonnay, we followed the winemaker, Nile Zacherle, out to the vineyards to inspect some of the beautiful mountain fruit ourselves. The technical expertise displayed by Nile was second to none, and you could tell that extreme care was taken to yield the highest-quality fruit. We tasted the 2008, 2009 and 2010 vintages of their Cab to demonstrate the how weather and climate can influence flavor, even when the varietal is the same. We were lucky enough to sample their signature “Elevation 1147” wine, a truly premium product made completely on the estate. And perhaps best of all, the very friendly proprietor, David (Arthur) Long, stopped into our tasting to say hi, and we all felt like we were basically related to him by the end of our chat. 

With that, we were off to Caymus Vineyards, a family-owned winery located in Rutherford. However, don’t let the phrase “family-owned” fool you; This place had impressive scale, producing around 65,000 cases per year. In addition to the Caymus signature line, which is known for its incredible “big Napa cab” style, they produce several other brands such as Meiomi, Belle Glos, Mer Soleil and, perhaps the best recognized, Conundrum. Our group got a behind-the-scenes tour of the winery, where we saw how the grapes were harvested and aged. Jenny Wagner, the daughter of Caymus’ proprietor Chuck Wagner, was kind enough to join us for a bit, even letting us sneak a sample from the tank of her new line of Sauvignon Blanc that will be bottled this month. Unlike a New Zealand-style sauvignon with its high acidity and vegetative notes, it tasted wonderfully balanced and even had a bit of an oak presence, which we all enjoyed.  It was fun to watch Jenny work to carve out a name for herself in the Wagner family tradition, and I can’t wait to pick up a bottle in early 2014 when it’s released under the Emmolo brand.

With two great winery experiences under our belt, we relaxed and recharged at The Kitchen Door in downtown Napa for dinner. We enjoyed a family-style meal and, of course, the bottles we purchased from the wineries that day added to the experience.

Click here to read more about day two of our Napa trip.

Vine to Wine: The Fundamentals | Week 9

10 Things Overhead in Class

Most of the time, when learning a new language, you start to understand it before you are able to speak it. When I first stepped foot inside the classroom for UNLV’s Vine to Wine Class, there were a lot of expressions that went over my head. It was kind of like being someone who speaks English as a second language and doesn’t understand confusing idioms the rest of the group takes for granted, such as “kick the bucket” or “fit as a fiddle.”

Image created by Mick Stephenson mixpix

While many of my fellow classmates work in the service industry and were more advanced students, I was one of the only ones starting from the ground floor with very little knowledge about wine. Now, coasting into week nine, I find myself understanding and participating in more and more of the discussions.

On the very first day of class, I started writing down expressions that sounded funny or pretentious to me, and now I find myself not only understanding why they are used, but also agreeing with them.

Without further adieu, I call this list “Sh#t UNLV Wine Students Say.”

·      “How heavy is the oak influence?”

I have no idea why I thought this was funny; This is actually a really common question and a very important one that can tell you a lot about the wine. It was the first day, so I guess I was still kind of shell-shocked.

·      “Where is the fruit hiding? There’s not a lot of nose on this wine”

Sometimes when you stick your nose in a glass, you’ll pick up everything except fruit. It may take two, three, four smells to really “find” smells of fruit, earth, oak, etc.

·      “Does anyone else get that petrol on the palate?”

Petrol, oh petrol. It took me a full 7 weeks to be able to pick up on that smell during tastings, and I still find it a hilarious descriptor, along with “cat pee.” (Seriously.)

·      “You’ve got lots of weight in your mouth.”

This is used to describe a more full-bodied wine, perhaps with an oily film that coats the mouth.

·      “Now that’s some RIPPING-high acid.”

Acidity is that puckering sensation you feel when your mouth immediately starts to salivate upon the first sip. This expression is usually referencing a Sauvignon Blanc, known for its very high acidity.

·      “It’s got a little backbone, lots of juiciness.”

This expression must have been used to describe an elegantly balanced wine, meaning that you can easily observe the structure (the acid and tannins) while also picking up on some pleasant fruit notes as well.

·      “Now this one may not hold up to a steak.”

If you’re eating a rich, robust cut of meat, you need a wine to match. A wine you usually enjoy alone can seem flabby when it’s not paired thoughtfully.

·      “Find me a masculine-style Pinot.”

Wine that has notes of leather, cigar box and smoked meat. Stereotypes are fun!

·      “The wine is so clean, it’s almost clinical.”

When a wine is aged in stainless steel (as opposed to oak) it can be quiet crisp, but when overdone it loses its appeal.  

·      “Now this, my friends, is some Cougar crack.”

An overly-oaked, buttery, creamy Chardonnay that’s so one-dimensional it’s almost a caricature of itself, very popular with middle-aged socialites and those who wish they were.

I look forward to adding to my list during the next four weeks of class!

Vine to Wine: The Fundamentals | Week 8

Sommelier Heath Huidt

On the first day of class, our teacher, Heath Hiudt, asked students to share a little bit about their backgrounds and reasons for taking the course. Many of the students had careers in the service industry, and some (like me) were there for personal enrichment. However, one thing I noticed was that, regardless of background, a significant number of classmates were repeat students.

Have you ever heard that quote about how there are things you know, things you don’t know, and things you don’t know that you don’t know? Looking back, the latter category is how I feel about my first impression of UNLV Vine to Wine. I simply didn’t know that I didn’t know how interesting and varied the curriculum was. So I wondered to myself how and why these students had taken the 13-week, 7-hour-per-day class two or three times – wasn’t once enough?

After being in the course for 8 weeks now, I can honestly say I completely understand why people take it multiple times. Granted, when my first class series ends on September 22^nd, I will walk away with an incredible amount of knowledge and will forever be a more informed wine drinker because of it. However, once you start to learn about winemaking history, tasting, service notes, etc, I think it’s a natural reaction to want to dig deeper. Your knowledge can be as broad as you want it to be, but part of the real fun is picking a specialty you love and drilling down until you know it inside and out.

This week in class we covered Germany, Austria, Hungary, Portugal and Spain. We sampled some incredible German Rieslings and were able to draw on our past knowledge to contrast them with wines from Alsace, a nearby region in France that’s also known for that varietal. We learned how to decode the mystery of German wine labels, which offer a wealth of knowledge if you know where to look for it, including typical information like the producer, vintage and varietal as well as not-so-normal information like the ripeness category, dryness level, and quality level.

We learned about the Austrian Antifreeze Scandal of 1985 and got into some spirited debate amongst ourselves about just how dangerous ethylene glycol is when added to wine. And we sampled a unique Hungarian wine called tokaj, which uses individually-picked botrytised grapes that are ground into a paste and added to traditional wine.

In the afternoon during our Spanish tastings, one classmate brought in a delicious Manchego cheese wedge for all of us to share, which definitely enhanced all the riojas and garnachas we were sampling. While most wine drinkers equate Portugal with port from the Duoro Valley, we had the opportunity to sample a non-dessert red wine from the region. As one classmate put it, “I love this way more than Port! Why would you take a nice glass of wine and turn it into Robitussin?” While I’m not sure I agree (I’m a big port fan) the passion my classmates have for all things wine always makes for lively discussion.