From Reno to Singapore: UNR Training the Next Generation of Gaming Industry Leaders

Attending university usually means going to classes on campus. But there’s nothing usual about the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). In fact, Jim McClenahan, the college’s Executive Director of Outreach and Engagement, makes sure students go far beyond the classroom to learn. And far doesn’t mean a short off-campus visit; for McClenahan, far means a continent, or three, over.

"My job is to make connections,” McClenahan told Casino.com. "It’s about connecting UNR’s College of Business's most valuable resource, which is our students, with businesses and industries in the real world."

And the real world means exactly that: the world at large. In addition to teaching in the college’s MBA program, McClenahan is leading the Nevada Global Business program, which takes students around the world to interact with and learn from the college’s Corporate Partners program. “The best way to learn is by being on the ground, talking to the people that are actually making decisions and doing all the stuff you’re trying to learn,” he adds. “It’s a mutually beneficial exchange. Students grow their professional and personal skills, while hosting companies later benefit from the skills and talent they help cultivate.”

Learning About Gaming

In January 2027, a group of University of Nevada, Reno, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) students will swap the desert sands of Nevada for Marina Bay Sands in Singapore to get an inside look into the operations of one of the most profitable integrated resorts on the planet.

The visit provides students with first-hand experience of an operation where the casino sits alongside luxury hospitality, entertainment, retail and international business. The trip also enables students to compare and contrast two very different sides of the same industry.  Nevada’s decades-old gambling culture and tradition vs Singapore’s purpose-built bespoke model for integrated resort tourism.

Examining the industry in both markets gives students the chance to see how business ideas translate across different regions, cultures, and regulatory environments. The visit forms part of Nevada Global Business, an initiative within UNR's College of Business that connects academic study with practical exposure to international companies and markets.

Inside UNR's Nevada Global Business Initiative

When Jon Lau traveled to Singapore and London with UNR's College of Business in 2023, one aspect of the experience stayed with him: seeing business concepts move from the classroom into the working world. The MBA alumnus told a university recap published the following year, “It was like watching a textbook come to life”, he said.

That observation gets to the heart of the Nevada Global Business program. It does not leave students to imagine how management theories work in practice but instead gives them opportunities to see businesses operating in unfamiliar markets, meet executives and other professionals and consider how local conditions influence commercial decisions.

Developed through UNR's College of Business in partnership with UNR Extended Studies, the Nevada Global Business program combines academic coursework with international travel. Students visit companies, attend lectures, take part in cultural activities and explore subjects including international business, management, entrepreneurship and leadership.

Earning Credits While on the Road

Because the trips are part of the university course, participants earn academic credit rather than simply adding an overseas excursion to their university experience. The upcoming Singapore course runs from January 3–10, 2027, and carries three credits at the undergraduate or graduate level. Its focus on international business offers students a chance to examine a major Asia-Pacific market, including the companies and commercial relationships connecting it with Nevada.

The initiative has already reached well beyond Singapore. In 2023, the College completed seven trips, with destinations including South Korea, Turkey and Argentina. UNR later reported that more than 100 students were part of Nevada Global Business programs in 2024.

Meet Jim McClenahan: The UNR Executive Bringing Global Business Into the Classroom

Jim McClenahan believes a business lesson does not have to end when students leave the lecture hall. It can continue in a corporate boardroom, during a discussion with an international executive or inside a major resort thousands of miles from Reno. His ethos has been to connect those experiences with what students learn at university.

McClenahan has worked at UNR's College of Business since 2013. Before that, he spent six years directing management and executive programs at UNR Extended Studies, developing professional education for businesses and industries. That background gave him experience in an important question facing universities: how can academic learning prepare people for the decisions and demands they will encounter at work?

At the College, McClenahan serves as executive director of outreach and engagement. His responsibilities include corporate relationships, career development and Nevada Global Business, the international initiative he developed and coordinates. He also teaches marketing in the Executive MBA program.

The international visits are designed to put students in contact with the people behind business decisions. “A huge, impressive office, or a resort full of luxury might make an immediate impression,” McClenahan says. “But the more valuable encounter can be a conversation about how an organization handles competition, manages its workforce, navigates through culture, and responds to changing customer expectations.”

This ties directly into the program's longer-term ambitions. McClenahan says it can help students apply their classroom learning in boardrooms. It’s also important to understand the culture and history of the destinations and to build professional networks that are valuable after graduation. The aim is to help students see more possibilities for themselves and give them a stronger foundation from which to pursue them.

Jim McClenahan, Executive Director of Outreach and Engagement

A Learning Trip to Singapore

The course information describes planned visits to businesses with ties to Nevada, giving students a chance to examine commercial relationships in the Asia-Pacific region. Marina Bay Sands is just the destination the course was designed for, and it is also operated by Las Vegas Sands, a company with existing roots in Nevada’s casino market.

This is not the first time UNR students have made the trip to Singapore. 27 students from UNR and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas traveled to the country in January 2023 through Nevada Global Business. That trip also included access to Marina Bay Sands, Microsoft Singapore and the U.S. Embassy.

Inside Marina Bay Sands: Learning from a Global Casino Operator

Marina Bay Sands is difficult to miss on Singapore's waterfront. Three hotel towers rise above the city, joined at the top by the distinctive Sands SkyPark. But the resort's striking architecture tells only part of the story. Behind the familiar skyline is a massive business in which gaming, accommodation, shopping, dining, entertainment and conventions all compete for attention within a shared visitor experience.

It’s a perfect international destination for UNR students. Nevada has been at the forefront of linking hospitality businesses to gaming, but Singapore offers a fresh take on the model. Also, there is a focus on tourism and business outside gaming, while the country's regulatory challenges are different.

An integrated resort is a city under one roof. Marina Bay Sands manages 2,500 luxury rooms, Michelin-starred restaurants, a 150,000-square-foot casino, and an iconic SkyPark. All this requires data analytics, crisis management, and international finance, skills that students start learning in Reno classrooms.

Ensuring the business runs effectively is a major daily challenge, and operators must do so without compromising the overall experience for visitors and consumers. Students can use the visit to see first-hand how a major resort juggles those challenges and remains successful.

From Las Vegas to Asia: Nevada's International Gaming Connections

The story of Nevada's gaming industry has never been strictly locked in Nevada. The casino resort model that made Las Vegas famous has been an inspiration for developments in international markets. By borrowing ideas from Las Vegas, global operators mix gaming with hotels, restaurants, retail, entertainment, and business events.

Few companies illustrate that evolution more clearly than Las Vegas Sands, the operator behind Marina Bay Sands. The company's history reaches back to 1989, when founder Sheldon Adelson and his partners acquired the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. The opening of The Venetian in 1999 helped advance a resort model built around more than casino gaming, bringing together luxury accommodation, shopping and extensive convention facilities.

Las Vegas Sands then took its model into the Asian market, firstly with the opening of Sands Macao in 2004 and then The Venetian Macao in 2007. Marina Bay Sands made it debut shortly after in 2010 as part of a $5.6 billion investment that created a major landmark on Singapore’s waterfront.

The resort's development was a signal of Singapore’s ambition to expand beyond being an important destination for business to also become a desirable location for leisure tourism. There are differences from Las Vegas, where casino resorts operate in a broad, competitive market. Singapore runs a tight casino duopoly. With high barriers-to-entry regulations and local entrance fees, the operator strategy here is noticeably different from that in Nevada.

Different but Similar

Despite the regulatory differences, there are major similarities between the markets. Both Nevada and Singapore resorts connect to larger hospitality sectors. Success of locations depends on much more than just casino performance. That does not mean you could simply copy one model from one country to another because of the licensing demands and tourism strategies.

That distinction is important, especially for the students making the trip. International resorts are multi-discipline operations that require expertise across finance, marketing, human resources, operations, technology, event management, customer experience and gaming itself. This means there is room for graduates in marketing, finance, business management, and beyond.

For UNR's College of Business, the connection between Nevada and Singapore offers a practical way to explore those possibilities. The industry may have its roots in familiar territory, but the professional opportunities and the business challenges extend beyond the Las Vegas Strip.

Preparing Students for Careers in Gaming and Hospitality

A career in the casino industry might begin in finance, marketing, information systems or human resources, rather than on a casino floor.

The Nevada Global Business program gives students an opportunity to explore those connections in professional settings. Its international courses combine academic instruction with company visits and opportunities to meet business leaders, while earning university credit. The planned January 2027 Singapore trip will focus on the Asia-Pacific market where cultural expectations influence operations.

Previous participants have described the value of that exposure in practical terms. During a 2023 Singapore trip, UNR MBA student Malia Redmon talked about connecting with businesses that were based in Nevada but had international reach. “The world is big, but getting to attend business meetings for companies that are in our state makes it feel a bit more manageable and less scary to take on,” she said.

Building that confidence is important in an industry where job roles can come from beyond just gaming. Casino and hospitality companies require people who can analyze financial performance, develop marketing strategies, manage large teams, oversee technology and deliver consistent customer experiences across different markets.

International exposure can help students recognize how those skills apply in unfamiliar environments, while conversations with professionals may introduce them to career paths they had not previously considered. UNR’s College of Business is not aiming to create direct job opportunities from the trip but wants to help students understand how to pursue roles when they graduate.

Beyond Singapore: Exploring Global Business Across Multiple Continents

A student who studies international business in Reno might spend one week examining casino and hospitality operations in Singapore, then encounter a very different set of commercial questions in Warsaw or Buenos Aires. That’s why Nevada Global Business offers a variety of destinations through a year-long program that gives students a chance to explore businesses across cultures.

The College of Business's destinations span several continents. In Tokyo, students can see Japan's blend of manufacturers, technology companies and emerging businesses. London's program tracks the relationship between British culture and business climate following Brexit, while Dublin offers a look at how heritage brands and global technology companies grow internationally.

During the Warsaw trip, students have previously visited business development companies, met financial and government leaders, and worked with startups through entrepreneurship activities. The Buenos Aires program focuses on business innovation, finance and entrepreneurship through visits to banking, manufacturing and retail businesses.

In Thailand, students explore how organizations in an emerging market balance commercial success with environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Switzerland is also among the program's offerings, providing more access to European markets. The experiences combine business visits and professional encounters with lectures, guided tours and cultural activities.

As much as the trips themselves, it’s the mix of activities that matters, combining company operations with understanding the regulatory environment. Singapore fits into this schedule as a particularly relevant destination for students interested in gaming and integrated resorts. But the initiative's ambition extends well beyond casinos and into manufacturing, finance, technology, and tourism.

UNR's Growing International Business Network

International expansion presents businesses with opportunities, but it also brings the familiar challenge of understanding how a market works before trying to succeed in it. For Nevada companies looking beyond the United States, knowledge of local conditions, commercial relationships and customer expectations can be essential. UNR's College of Business has been building international connections that bring those issues into students' education while supporting broader engagement with the business community.

The College's international network extends well beyond study trips. It has partnerships with universities in countries including China, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey, alongside short-term study programs in locations such as Singapore and Argentina. The College has also worked with the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development on trade missions and international business initiatives.

The university also ensures the connections work in both directions. Students gain firsthand knowledge of international markets, while the sector in Nevada benefits from research and professional relationships. This relationship can be seen in action when, in 2023, the UNR's International Trade Program linked the College's Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship and the Nevada Small Business Development Center. The partnership was set up to help students research export opportunities and connect local businesses with international markets.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Global Gaming Education

When UNR students travel to Singapore from January 3 to 10, 2027, they will continue a program that has previously taken students inside Marina Bay Sands and other international businesses. The course carries three university credits, with visits planned to companies that have ties to Nevada.

For Jim McClenahan, the program is about reaching beyond any single destination. He points to the opportunity to give students the chance to apply their classroom learning in the boardroom, meet international industry leaders, and build networks for their future careers.

The journey from Reno to Singapore is about more than seeing an international resort. It is an example of how UNR wants to prepare students for a business world in which opportunities, colleagues and customers increasingly cross national borders. It gives them first-hand experience and access to operations before they graduate.

“Many folks can read a balance sheet, but it’s a lot harder to read people,” McClenahan told Casino.com. “We teach our students that a true leader must first and foremost be a human being, understand how to communicate with people across cultures, organizations and departments, have everyone buy into the vision and get things done.” And McClenahan practices what he preaches, one student trip at a time.