The University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Business launched two new podcasts, the “Sage Outlook” and “The Jim and Jeremy Show,” to provide and deliver pertinent information to students, faculty and the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The University Center for Economic Development released its new podcast, “Sage Outlook,” to discuss Nevada agriculture and economics in the wake of COVID-19. Each episode aims to provide reliable information so that members of the agricultural community and consumers in general can make more informed choices and decisions.

The College of Business Career and Corporate Outreach Center teamed up with the College’s Student Success Center to bring back the podcast, “The Jim and Jeremy Show,” a podcast designed to offer advice and information to students as they plan for life after the University.

"Sage Outlook"

Tom Harris, professor of economics and director of UCED; Malieka Bordigioni and Mike Helmar, UCED research managers; along with a variety of guest experts such as Shannon Neibergs, extension economist from the School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University Extension, are committed to providing an economic outlook on varying topics regarding the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on Nevada agriculture.

In their most recent podcast, Harris, Bordigioni and Helmar talk specifically about supply chain issues, processors and supply and demand of milk products.

The UCED researchers explain that the pandemic has put pressure on and complicated the supply chain in many industries. Over the course of the last few months, they collected and looked at data and statistics from agricultural industries to evaluate trends resulting from the effects of COVID-19. For example, they examined how the transportation between producers, feedlots, processors, retailers and end consumers has been affected in the cattle and dairy industries due to factors such as travel restrictions and processor plant closures. The researchers also looked specifically at Nevada agriculture and observed that the pandemic has taken its toll on Nevada livestock and dairy producers who rely on both national and international markets to sustain their operations.

“One thing we need to remember is that Nevada agricultural production is more dependent on national and international markets than it is on the domestic market for our beef, processed milk, lamb, wool and hay industries,” Helmar said in the podcast. “These industries are very much dependent on national and international markets.”

By providing information and an economic outlook on how agriculture has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, UCED hopes that the local Nevada community will be able to make informed decisions and be more aware of what is going on around them.

"The Jim and Jeremy Show"

Jim McClenahan, director of corporate relations and outreach, and Jeremy Tiedt, director of advising, recruitment and retention, cohost the podcast to provide advice, resources and information for College of Business students.

In the first episode McClenahan and Tiedt discuss and address the changing environment of career opportunities after college. They describe how adaptability and flexibility are key to navigating the changes students currently face.

McClenahan and Tiedt explain that students should reflect on how they have had to adapt and overcome the varying challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. They mention that employers are beginning to look for and emphasize adaptability when hiring. For example, employers are interested in how students handled the pandemic (i.e. how they managed classes, work and/or life from home).

McClenahan also suggests that students should work on their future career every day. This means staying active on LinkedIn, participating in virtual networking events and staying relevant on current topics. He recommends that students take online classes to improve their skills – free online coding classes for example – to become comfortable with coding languages.

In their second “Jim and Jeremy Show” podcast, McClenahan and Tiedt suggest that there can be added value in gaining another undergraduate degree or pursuing a master’s degree during these unprecedented times. They discuss the value and suggest that an MBA has the potential to jumpstart your career, especially if you work part- or full-time while pursuing a master’s degree. McClenahan and Tiedt also mentioned that even if you missed the MBA application, the University is making accommodations and students still have the opportunity to try master’s courses.

“We just want to help make students the best professionals that they can be and to help them get through their education with good advice on navigating the hurdles,” McClenahan said.

Students with questions for McClenahan and Tiedt can reach out to businesscareers@unr.edu or businessadvising@unr.edu.