Nevada State University officials told the county commission Aug. 5 they are advancing plans for two satellite sites intended to expand access to higher education and workforce training across Southern Nevada.

Dr. Amber Lopez‑Lassiter, officer in charge at Nevada State, said the university serves about 7,500 students, has the largest bachelor’s‑level nursing output in the state and is expanding dual‑enrollment opportunities in local high schools. NSU outlined two projects under development: a juvenile allied‑health education center and clinic in the medical district that would create new degree programs (nutrition and kinesiology) and host existing programs (speech‑language pathology and educational psychology); and a North Las Vegas downtown campus, described as a 30,000‑square‑foot, three‑story building to provide academic programs and student support close to that community.

Lopez‑Lassiter said the projects are being pursued in partnership with the cities of Las Vegas and North Las Vegas and that funding and sustainability rely on those local partnerships. She emphasized workforce alignment, transportation barriers for students traveling to the main campus, and the potential to retain graduates locally: “over 80% of our students stay local once they graduate,” she said.

Commissioners asked questions about coordination with existing hospital and medical providers. One commissioner asked specifically whether University Medical Center (UMC) had been engaged; Lopez‑Lassiter said she would “go back and double check” but that NSU is coordinating with UNLV in some areas. Another commissioner expressed concern that past outreach efforts to districts and communities in her area had been limited and urged more direct engagement and data on ZIP‑code distribution of students to ensure equitable access.

NSU representatives also described progress on dual enrollment — more than 32,000 course enrollments in college credit programs, an 11% increase since 2018–19 — and said 1 in 3 incoming fall students previously participated in dual‑credit programs. The university said it is finalizing board actions on the satellite plans and that site partnerships and funding conversations with the cities are ongoing.

No board action was required; the presentation served as an information update and an invitation for continued coordination with county officials and other health‑sector partners.