Seeking a community of creatives at UNLV

In such a unique city local creatives are eager for a sense of community at UNLV

Jakob Ivahnick and Marsello Mikel sip slurpee's outside a 7/11 (Photo from Kevin Ludowitz)

Going to school in Las Vegas provides for a unique schooling experience. Many students here are presented with opportunities many could only dream of being given. With so many casinos, and local sports teams many students are having opportunities not afforded to others, especially in creative fields. UNLV appears to have a large creative community on campus, but even with that large community and all these terrific opportunities, do creatives on campus feel that they have a community to interact with.

With so many different outlets and creatives on campus UNLV should have a thriving creative community, but some students do not feel that way. With all the unique dynamics Las Vegas brings to the table, what are some of the ways students can help to cultivate a community to create in this city? Why do students want to connect with other creatives and bring a community some students feel they are lacking?

Jakob Ivahnick, , a journalism student and photographer at UNLV, is pursuing a career in photography and collaborates with UNLV students and Las Vegas locals.

“I haven’t really met other people who have as strong of an interest in creative stuff as I do,” Ivahnick said. “But of those people I have met, I am surprised how much our interest aligns.”

Ivahnick & Mikel (Kevin Ludowitz)

From the fact UNLV has such a large commuter population, to the lacking means of public transit allowing students easy free travel around the local area. Ivahnick felt that the lack of community was not just stemming from one issue.

Ivahnick said there is much that can be done to help students, and in particular creatives on campus to connect with one another. With ideas like rejuvenated efforts to get students to meet one another like community social media pages, to on campus events, Ivanhick hopes incentives like these could help bring students together.

Outside of UNLV, there is a rich local artist community students can connect with outside of the school environment. Marsello Mikel is a local photographer, stylist, and clothing designer.

Mikel said there is a large community of creatives in Las Vegas but maybe not so much at UNLV.

“The best of the best hang out, hang out with each other, and everyone else seems kind of lost,” Mikel said. “My circle is getting bigger and bigger as people are getting to know me.”

Ivahnick's most recent instagram post (curtesy: Jakob Ivahnick)

Mikel and Ivahnick have been friends and creative partners since high school. Collaborating on numerous projects in the last few years. While Mikel does not go to UNLV this highlights this touches on the idea that while there is a large community of creatives in Vegas you might have to look outside the university to find them. Both Ivanick and Mikel highlighted social media being one of the main ways they connect with other creatives.

College is a critical time for a lot of creatives to form connections to bring into the job market after graduation and students may be missing out on these opportunities if there are inadequate outlets for community on campus.

Ivahnick spoke about how all though he has enjoyed his college experience he wonders if he missed out at all by not going to a college with a more prevalent artist community on campus.

UNLV is home to lots of terrific creatives on campus and it might fall upon those students to help cultivate the community they desire. Ivahnick recommends students go out of their way to form connections with other students to help cultivate this community and to “be the change you want to see.”

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