Tiger graduates UNR with dual degrees

After spending the last five years focused on his education, 2020 Jump Start Valedictorian Mike Rubio is collecting two bachelor’s degrees at this week’s University of Nevada, Reno, graduation ceremonies.

According to his mother, Rubio received the Robert Laxalt Distinguished Writer's Award and will receive his degree from the Reynolds School of Journalism on Friday. He is also collecting a degree in political science.

Rubio said Sunday that he plans to work for a bit in order to raise money for a trip to Europe.

“As for my plans now, I have no idea,” he said. “I don't plan to be working in journalism until I come home from that trip. At least, I won't be planning to find a career until then.”

In addition to the Laxalt award, Rubio received the Sidney W. Robinson Memorial Scholarship from the Department of Political Science, and he was nominated for the National Honor Society from the Reynolds School of Journalism and is part of the Kappa Tau Alpha group, according to his mother.

Rubio received an associates of arts degree while attending Douglas High School, which accelerated his university education.

In a 2020 interview with The Record-Courier, Rubio said he spent his junior and senior years as part of the Jump Start program. The program allows high school students to work toward an associate degree at Western Nevada College.

During his last semester at college, Rubio took all his classes online, signing up before the coronavirus outbreak shut down in-person classes. He said he just didn’t want to drive to Carson while trying to lock down his final semester at Douglas High.

Since then, he took the advice he offered back in 2020 to achieve dual degrees.

“Put your head down and push forward until you get through to the other side.”

Around 55 Douglas County residents are eligible to participate in this week’s graduation ceremonies at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The university will confer more than 3,100 degrees in five in-person ceremonies scheduled for Thursday through Saturday.

This week will see the university confer it’s 125,000^th degree in its 149-year history.

Founded in 1874, the University serves 21,000 students.

There are Douglas high school graduates who are not included on the list because they moved to Reno or other places.

Gardnerville

Jakob James Gmitter

McKenzie Fay Henley-Ballard

Carly Elaine Howe

Ian Alexander Ozolins

Bhavin G Patel

Dillon Joseph Seward

Madison Taylor Vickers

Genoa

Jeannette Meszaros Bostedt

Christopher Martin Reichhold

Minden

Hannah Barca

Alyssa Corynn DiBona

Sydne Huck

Jillyan Lynne Jacobson

Hunter Eugene Morris

Corinne Noemi Novotny

Joe G. Paschke

Douglas William Vannest

Sarah Ellen Vannest

Matthew Michael Wallace

Megan Crystal Xin

Kaspar Lily Donoho Young

Martina A Schambra

Alexander Julian Valdes

Tristan Shae Bailey

Dylan Jeffrey McCullough

Justin K. Lu

Mikaela Denise Camara

Wellington

Cassidy Marie Still

Ian Everett McGraw

Zephyr Cove

Melanie Aide Sanchez

Gardnerville Ranchos

Jonah Muir Hedlund

Brianna Jo Fujii

Austin Montgomery Clutts

Gavin Fitzhugh

Celime J. Garcia

Andrew Cameron Isherwood

Sydney Alan LaCost

Casey Shyan Lawrence

Erika Ann Leitenbauer

Evan B. McCormick

Lana Alexandra Merkley

Brianna Michelle Mooney-Bennett

Michael Jacob Rubio

Darrell Shawan Staley

Patrick Abbott Voss

Indian Hills

Julia Rose Blank

Bradley Benjamin Denney

Brooke Elizabeth Gardezi

Samantha Rose MacCarty

Lydia Marquez

Parker Randy Nelms

Hannah Elizabeth Potts

Victoria Lynn Stroud

Catherine Aniela Wedin

Jennifer Georgia-Anne Weston

Mirian Cruz Ponce