David Dickens, a professor of sociology, died suddenly on Oct. 8, 2022, at his home in Las Vegas. Dickens joined 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ in 1984 and was an enormously positive influence during his 38 years here. His outstanding teaching anchored the department’s theory emphasis and drew both undergraduate and Ph.D. students to the program. His innovative scholarship offered important insights on critical and postmodern theory, commodity culture, international development, and qualitative methodologies. Dickens especially embraced his role as a graduate student mentor and served on an extraordinary number of campus advisory committees.
Derek A. Drake, ’09 BS Business Administration, passed away Sept. 13, 2022, after a short illness. Drake was a Las Vegas native born on Jan. 18, 1981, to the late Wayne Edward Drake and Jackie Thornton Drake. He will be deeply missed by so many.
Timothy Durnford, associate dean of finance and administration at the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, died Aug. 14, 2022, with his family by his side. He joined 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ in 2019 and was known for his commitment to mentoring people and to helping them become the best version of themselves whether it was his children, a colleague, or a teen in a youth group. He loved his work at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ and, most importantly, the people he got to work alongside. As he said a few weeks before passing, he felt like "the richest man in the world."
Carolanne M. Kardash, professor emerita in the department of educational psychology, leadership, and higher education, died Aug. 27, 2022, after a three-year battle with small cell lung cancer. After earning degrees at Le Moyne College, the College of Saint Rose, and Arizona State University, Kardash taught at the University of Missouri-Columbia before coming to 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ in 2001. She published 14 articles in two of the most prestigious journals in that field: Journal of Educational Psychology and Contemporary Educational Psychology.
Darrell W. Pepper, a mechanical engineering professor, died Oct. 18, 2022. Born just outside of St. Louis in extreme poverty, he excelled at school and sports and became the first in his family to attend college, eventually obtaining a Ph.D. His career included positions with Savannah River Site and Marquardt Corporation; teaching at Cal State Northridge; owning a private business; and working for the U.S. Air Force. He joined the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering in 1992, eventually serving terms as department chair and dean, helping create new programs, and becoming a beloved advisor. In 1992, along with engineering professor Brendan O'Toole and a team of students, he helped 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ earn the world record for the largest flying disc.
Sara Ensley Smith, ’87 AA Nursing, ’91 BSW Social Work and ‘92 MSW Social Work, passed away Oct. 16th, 2022, after a long battle with dementia and heart-related issues. Smith was raised in the mountains of Northeast Georgia. She graduated from Young Harris College in her mid-30’s and obtained a degree in nursing from 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. While working full-time as a neonatal and AIDS nurse at UMC Hospital in Las Vegas, Smith continued her education at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, earning her master’s degree in social work. She spent over 30 years in the Las Vegas area as a licensed clinical social worker in private practice with a focus on helping teenagers. She spent a week rafting the Colorado River, loved to sail, visited all over Europe, skydived, wrote her own music, published an album, published a music video, and performed in the Las Vegas area. She raised three kids and helped in raising some of her grandchildren.
