Beyond the Gray

What’s happening behind the headlines at UNLV? In the first episode of Beyond the Gray, the student journalists of the Scarlet & Gray Free Press explore two stories affecting the University of Nevada, Las Vegas: a proposed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fee tied to international student work opportunities, and the hands-on restaurant experience at UNLV’s Bistro 410.

International students and immigration policy: Metro writer Elise discusses her reporting on a DHS proposal involving F-1 visa holders and Optional Practical Training (OPT). How could changes to employment-related requirements affect international students at UNLV? She also explains the challenge of translating complicated federal policy into clear, accurate campus reporting. The proposal discussed is not presented as an enacted rule.

Inside Bistro 410: Assistant News Editor Sebastian Ornelas Emmerich takes listeners inside UNLV’s student-run restaurant concept lab, where hospitality students plan menus, manage budgets, develop restaurant concepts, and get real-world feedback from diners.

Plus, hear how student reporters find sources, navigate the editing process, and prepare upcoming coverage of UNLV athletics, campus culture, Las Vegas politics, and community events.

Episode chapters
00:03 — Meet Beyond the Gray and the Scarlet & Gray Free Press
00:56 — DHS proposal and international student work opportunities
02:39 — The potential impact on UNLV students
05:38 — Reporting and editing complex government policy
09:05 — UNLV Bistro 410 and student-run restaurants
11:17 — Real-world hospitality and business experience
17:43 — Coming up in the Scarlet & Gray Free Press
18:16 — UNLV news, sports, opinion, and culture previews

Follow the Scarlet & Gray Free Press on Instagram at @UNLVFreePress, and read more campus reporting at unlvscarletandgray.com.