“We meet students where they are, respond to our communities, and create pathways to opportunity.”
– President Amber Donnelli
Juggling Pros
Faculty and staff from across Great Basin College came together August 20 in Elko,
Ely, Winnemucca and Pahrump for the College’s annual Welcome Back event, marking the
beginning of the 2026–27 academic year. The event, broadcast simultaneously to all
four campuses, gave GBC President Amber Donnelli an opportunity to celebrate the College’s
accomplishments, recognize the people behind its success and look ahead to an exciting
year.
Donnelli began with a message that captured the spirit of GBC employees: “We know how to juggle.”
“Sometimes we make it look easy,” Donnelli said, noting that GBC employees balance students, classes, meetings, budgets, emails, deadlines, projects, committees, accreditation, grants, events and the unexpected challenges that inevitably arise.
“And sometimes we drop a ball,” she said. “The important thing is that we pick it back up, help each other when we can, and keep going.”
That spirit of perseverance and teamwork was a central theme of Donnelli’s remarks as she reflected on what she called an “epic” past two years.
A Year of Record Growth
GBC has experienced an incredible 22.8% growth, which, if funded as anticipated, represents approximately a $3.6 million impact in caseload growth for the institution.
Donnelli emphasized that the growth is not simply a number—it is the result of the commitment and hard work of faculty and staff throughout the College.
“Every class taught, every student advised, every phone call answered, every event held, every facility maintained, every grant written, and every extra effort to help a student stay on track contributes to that success,” she said.
That success is reflected in several key measures. GBC is the #1 community college in Nevada for graduation rate, with the most recent data showing a 48% graduation rate.
During the 2024–25 academic year, GBC awarded 950 total credentials to 749 graduates, the highest number of awards recorded in the College’s metrics over the past decade.
GBC is also reaching students earlier in their educational journeys. Dual credit enrollment reached 1,742 students in 2024–25, demonstrating the College’s growing presence in Nevada high schools and its ability to introduce students to higher education at an earlier stage.
Donnelli noted that the numbers tell a much bigger story.
“These are not simply numbers and data,” she said. “They represent people. They represent families. They represent lives changed through education.”
A Message of Belonging
Vice President Sarah Negrete reiterated Donnelli’s message with one of her own that emphasized that while GBC faculty serve students in many different capacities, they are all connected by something bigger—the GBC community.
“Our faculty serve our students in many different capacities, but every faculty member is part of the GBC community,” Negrete said. “We want people to know from day one: you belong here, and we are glad you’re here.”
New Academic Pathways on the Horizon
Negrete also highlighted exciting developments in GBC’s academic offerings, including two new bachelor’s degree programs moving forward for final approval in September.
GBC Kicks Off 2026 Academic Year 3 The proposed Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health and Wellness and Bachelor of Science in Social Work represent new opportunities for students while responding to the needs of communities throughout Nevada.
“These programs represent opportunities to respond to the needs of our communities, expand educational pathways for our students, and continue growing the impact GBC can have across Nevada,” Negrete said.
The programs would further expand GBC’s ability to provide accessible, career-focused bachelor’s degree opportunities in fields that are important to the health and well-being of rural communities.
“Why I Teach”
Donnelli also touched on the need to connect—not only with each other but also with
communities and students. Thus, as the College continues to grow, GBC will place more
emphasis on telling the stories of the people who make that growth possible.
This year, GBC will begin highlighting faculty through a new “Why I Teach” feature across the College’s marketing, social media and website.
The initiative will give faculty members an opportunity to share why they chose education, why they teach at GBC and what motivates them to continue serving students and their communities.
Donnelli summarized the goal of the initiative: “We want our communities and future students to know the people behind the programs.”
New Mascot – New Look
Another major focus for the coming year is the continued rollout of the updated GBC brand.
Donnelli announced that the College will reveal its finalized branding and introduce
the GBC Bighorn mascot at the Board of
Regents meeting later this month. “The Bighorn is a great representation of who GBC
Kicks Off 2026 Academic Year 4 we are—strong, determined, and uniquely connected to
the rugged rural Nevada communities we serve,” said
Donnelli.
The new mascot and logo, featured on polos provided to all faculty and staff, will
help create a strong identity for the College, its faculty, staff, and alumni.
GBC Rodeo Club Returns
The new identity will also become part of student life through the return of the GBC
Rodeo Club. For the first time in many years, GBC will have
student-athletes representing the College in athletics, with the rodeo club members
among the first students to compete under the new Bighorn identity.
Growing Through Grants
Donnelli also recognized grants management team for their efforts securing more than $7 million in grant funding to support the expansion of educational and workforce programs and initiatives.
Further, the College has also assisted two rural communities—Esmeralda County and Tonopah—in securing an additional $4 million in funding over just a four-month period.
“Those dollars translate directly into opportunities—expanded Health Science programs, updated equipment, improved facilities, new workforce programs, and increased capacity to serve rural Nevada.
The accomplishments reflect GBC’s growing role not only as an educational institution, but as a partner in strengthening rural Nevada communities.
Looking Ahead
As GBC begins the 2026–27 academic year, Donnelli encouraged employees to celebrate the progress they have made while embracing the opportunities ahead.
“Have some fun today. Laugh a little. Try something new,” she told faculty and staff during the Welcome Back event. “And if you are terrible at juggling this afternoon, just remember—you are probably already juggling far more important things every day.”
The message was both lighthearted and meaningful: GBC’s continued success is
built on people who show up, adapt, support one another and remain focused
on transforming lives through education.
As the College enters another year of growth, the focus remains clear— celebrate the people, embrace the future and keep moving forward together.