Stepping onto a university campus often marks a significant transition in a young adult’s life, and for many University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) students, the Student Health Center (SHC) becomes their first point of contact for healthcare in a new city. Like returning to a familiar place after years away, there’s a comforting nostalgia associated with the SHC, even with its modern upgrades. It represents a crucial part of early adulthood for countless students, a place where they navigate healthcare independently for the first time, often facing new medical experiences on their own. Just as the student body has evolved over the decades, so too has the Student Health Center, adapting to meet the changing health and wellness needs of UNR students.
A Century of Student Medical Care at UNR
The roots of student health services at UNR stretch back to just before 1902. With an initial allocation of $3,500 from the Nevada Legislature, the SHC began as an inpatient hospital. This early iteration was designed to house and treat students who fell ill, featuring separate wards for male and female students, each capable of accommodating up to ten patients. Located east of Lincoln Hall, it functioned solely as a hospital for inpatients. The landscape shifted in 1961 when the original building was demolished to make way for the Noble H. Getchell Library (currently the site of the Pennington Student Achievement Center). The SHC found a new home on the first floor of Juniper Hall, which opened its doors in 1962. This relocation marked a strategic decision by university leadership to transform the SHC into a more comprehensive outpatient clinic, a function it maintained within Juniper Hall for the subsequent three decades.
Lincoln Hall and the University Hospital in 1912. Alt text: Historical image of Lincoln Hall and the original University Hospital at UNR in 1912, showcasing early student health facilities.
Julee DeMello, a ’94 business alumna, began working at the SHC in 1990 while a freshman, handling clerical tasks. She recalls the less-than-ideal layout of the Juniper Hall facility, with its entrance directly facing Manzanita Lake. “You’d sometimes have to fight the geese to get into the building,” she humorously recounts, also mentioning the yellow shag carpeting and a physician who permitted smoking in his office as distinctive features. She described it as “a little like a dungeon,” lacking windows and with entry stairs leading straight into the waiting area. At that time, the health services were still somewhat basic, not yet the extensive center it would later become. Dr. Cheryl Hug-English, M.D. ’82 and the current SHC Medical Director, shares a similar recollection from when she joined the staff.
The University Hospital in 1920. Alt text: Vintage photograph of the University Hospital at UNR in 1920, before its demolition to make space for the Getchell Library.
“It was just myself and one other physician. I remember when I started, there were no women’s health services, no birth control prescribed,” Dr. Hug-English remembers. “We didn’t have a laboratory, and we did not have any x-ray facilities.” In 1988, a pivotal moment arrived when the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine assumed oversight of the SHC. Dr. Hug-English was approached to lead the SHC and spearhead its development into a more comprehensive healthcare center for students. “I have to say, I fell in love with it from the first day, really, and I’ve been here ever since,” she shares with warmth. Having previously specialized in women’s health at UNR Med’s Family Medicine Center, Dr. Hug-English prioritized establishing a robust women’s health program at the SHC, offering essential services like pregnancy testing and routine Pap smears.
A significant upgrade occurred in 1993, facilitated by a generous donation from the Nell J. Redfield Foundation. This donation enabled the SHC to relocate from Juniper Hall to its current, purpose-built facility at the northern edge of the campus.
Rita Black, R.N., examines a student’s wrist in 1979. Alt text: In a 1979 photo, Rita Black, a registered nurse at the UNR Student Health Center, carefully examines a student’s wrist during a consultation.
The SHC’s operational budget, covering services and staff salaries, is sustained by a health fee paid by UNR students during registration. In 1995, the Board of Regents, University administration, and the Associated Students of the University of Nevada (ASUN) mandated this fee for all students enrolled in six or more credits per semester. Currently $93 per semester, this fee covers the majority of healthcare services available at the SHC, ensuring students have access to affordable and convenient medical care right on campus.
“When we moved into this building, we were able to expand and increase our services,” Dr. Hug-English explains. “Throughout the years, we’ve really evolved into a comprehensive family medicine clinic that provides a real variety of services for students.” This expansion marked a new era for student health at UNR, allowing for a broader range of medical expertise and facilities to better serve the student population.
Expanding Healthcare Services for UNR Students
The Student Health Center’s service offerings have grown considerably beyond basic illness and injury treatment. It has matured into a fully-fledged primary care practice, now encompassing a wide spectrum of specialized medical services. These include crucial areas such as sexual health, sports medicine, psychiatric care, dermatology, nutrition counseling, vaccination programs, testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), eating disorder support, and comprehensive health education initiatives. This wide array of services underscores the SHC’s commitment to addressing the diverse health needs of the UNR student community.
Crystal Rosas, SHC medical assistant, fits a student with a walking boot. Alt text: Crystal Rosas, a medical assistant at the UNR Student Health Center, is pictured fitting a student with a walking boot, showcasing on-campus medical support for student injuries.
Dr. Carol Scott, M.D. ’91, joined the SHC in 1994 as Assistant Director, bringing her expertise in family medicine, along with specialized qualifications in sports and adolescent medicine. Dr. Scott was instrumental in developing a primary care sports medicine fellowship, officially established in 2007, with her as its founding director. This initiative marked a significant development, transforming the SHC into a training site for UNR Med residents, albeit in a limited capacity, focusing on training in sports medicine and the treatment of athletic injuries. “We provided game coverage, did the emergency planning and preparation, traveled with the football and basketball teams, so the fellows really got a full year of just learning about the different sports — from rifle team to swimming, golf, football — the whole nine yards,” Scott details, highlighting the comprehensive experience provided.
The fellowship program has thrived, currently involving three sports medicine physicians and two fellows annually. While Dr. Scott is no longer the director, her ongoing role as team physician for Nevada Athletics and her responsibilities at the SHC keep her very busy, a stark contrast to the quieter days of 1994. “I remember when I started, sometimes I’d actually sit around a little bit and wait for patients to come in,” Scott recalls. “Now, we’re busy all the time.”
Indeed, the increase in services at the Student Health Center has been matched by a rise in patient visits, according to DeMello, who has remained with the SHC since graduating, progressing from business manager to her current position as clinical operations manager. Her data indicates a record 30,400 patient visits in 2018, with over half of the student body utilizing the center’s services at least once. This high utilization rate may reflect the dedicated efforts of the physicians and staff to enhance the SHC’s visibility and promote awareness of its clinical services and the value offered through the health fee. “There are so many things included in the $93 health fee. Occasionally people don’t want to pay it, and I think some of the resistance comes from not understanding what the fee is actually for,” DeMello notes, underscoring their continuous efforts to engage with students across campus and communicate the extensive range of valuable services available at the UNR Student Health Center, staffed by dedicated and experienced doctors and medical professionals.
