Welcome to
Sierra Nevada University’s 52nd annual Commencement
Saturday, May 14, 2022 @ 10 am
Commencement Speaker Rose McKinney-James
Rose McKinney-James embraced a passion and made it a reality. Her work to advance the commercial deployment of renewable resources established her as a national leader in climate and clean energy. She is the Managing Principal and Founder of Energy Works LLC, which focuses on sustainable energy infrastructure. As the former CEO of CSTRR, a solar and renewable energy company, she authored strategies to fast track the integration of renewable resources into utility energy portfolios. As director of the Department of Business and Industry, Nevada’s largest state agency, she was innovative in providing efficient and advanced services to the business community.
McKinney-James has also been deeply engaged for decades in every aspect of public company board governance. She is considered a leading voice in ESG (Environmental Social Governance), at companies including MGM Resorts International, Employers Insurance, and the Mandalay Resort Group. Her work with MGM management led to key initiatives designed to advance diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainability and philanthropy in the communities where it operates. The inaugural diversity program for Mandalay Resorts that she was responsible for creating and implementing became a model for the gaming industry.
Her professional expertise and advocacy have led to her recognition by organizations as diverse as the US Small Business Administration, Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and the Nevada Conservation League. She is a recipient of the Direct Women Sandra Day O’Connor Award for Board Excellence and the GreenBiz Verge VANGUARD Award, and the Chair Emerita for the American Association of Blacks in Energy. She is a graduate of the Antioch School of Law in Washington D.C., and received her BA from Olivet College.
“…nothing can be changed until it is faced…” James Baldwin

Valedictorian Mišel Marovt
Mišel came to Incline Village from Slovenia. During her time at SNU, she won the 2021 Preger Prize Creative Idea Challenge with an innovative plan to heat greenhouses with excess heat generated by manufacturing processes. She was an active member and senior year president of the Young Professionals Club, and was inducted into the entrepreneurship honor society (Sigma NU Tau) in 2020.
As a four-year member of SNU’s alpine ski team she won multiple awards, including three USCSA National Championships (slalom and giant slalom in 2019, slalom in 2022) and a Vice Championship (giant slalom, 2022). The many team awards she contributed to included seven USCSA National Team Championships – giant slalom, slalom and dual slalom in both 2019 and 2022, and giant slalom in 2020.
“Studying and living on the other side of the world has really put things into perspective for me. I’ve learned about who am I, what I value, and what I want to become, all thanks to this amazing place I get to call home. This school allowed me to combine my deep passion for skiing with my desire to continue my education and learn more about economics, global business, and marketing. There is no place like this, and Sierra Nevada University will always have a special place in my heart.”
Commencement Events
Commencement plans remain subject to change based on COVID-19 conditions.
Commencement Rehearsal
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Friday May 13th @ noon
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Patterson Lawn
Help ensure the big day is a success. Mandatory for undergrads; optional for graduate students.
Awards Ceremony
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Friday May 13th @ 1pm
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Patterson Lawn
Academic and SGA awards presented for outstanding performance.
Commencement Reception
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Friday May 13th @ 2:30pm
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Patterson Lawn
For all graduating students and their families.
Commencement
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Saturday, May 14 @ 10am PDT
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Patterson Lawn
All graduating students report to TCES 139/141 at 9am. Please attend this important milestone event early to prepare for your final goodbye!
Faculty report to Prim Library at 9am.
Guests should arrive between 8:30-9:30am.
2022 Alumni Reunion Weekend
Come Back To the Lake – Celebrate and Reconnect!
A reunion of this kind has been a long time coming.
Commencement Weekend, Thursday May 12 – Sunday May 15, 2022
Alumni Weekend Info