Great Basin College Hosts Leadership Conference for Rural Nevada Students

Great Basin College brought together students from across rural Nevada this fall for its annual SkillsUSA Leadership Conference, an event designed to help young people build confidence, communication skills and a sense of direction as they prepare for life after high school.

The conference, held on the GBC campus in Elko, offered workshops, team-building challenges and hands-on activities led by SkillsUSA state officers. Students practiced public speaking, learned how to run effective meetings and took part in exercises meant to strengthen problem-solving and collaboration — skills that translate directly into school, work and community leadership.

While the event brought in students from communities around northern Nevada, organizers emphasized that GBC’s work reaches far beyond Elko. With satellite centers in Winnemucca, Battle Mountain and Lovelock, the college plays a steady, often quiet role in widening opportunities for students who live far from large campuses.

“The goal is to show students that their voice matters and that leadership isn’t something reserved for big cities,” the announcement said. “Kids from small towns bring grit and perspective that are incredibly valuable.”

SkillsUSA is a national organization focused on career readiness, workforce development and technical education. For GBC, the conference is an early step in helping students picture themselves in fields ranging from welding and nursing to cybersecurity, heavy equipment and early childhood education — programs the college offers across its rural network.

Local educators say the exposure matters. For many students in places like Pershing County, seeing a real college campus and meeting peers from other towns can be the spark that turns possibility into a plan.

GBC plans to continue expanding youth outreach in the year ahead, connecting more rural students with training, dual-credit programs and hands-on learning.

For small communities across Nevada, those connections add up — one student, one workshop, one new skill at a time.