UNLV News Center

New Face: Miles Boulton

An advisor with an unexpected career path
PEOPLE|OCT 30, 2017|BY JOYCE HSU

Miles Boulton, Senior Academic Advisor, College of Engineering (Josh Hawkins/UNLV Creative
Services)

B efore Miles Boulton was advising students what classes to take, he worked
in areas one would not expect from handling shipping and receiving at
Sears' warehouses to setting up audio and visual for concert stages. Now, students
nd this College of Engineerings new advisor relatable and unexpected because, like
so many others, Boulton had to venture through different jobs before he found his
true calling.

Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Las Vegas so naturally I know the valley like the back of my
hand. This city is a hit and miss, people either absolutely love or hate it, and I love it.
Ive really put down some roots; this is my home.
Why UNLV?
It was important for me to be close to home. Having grown up in Vegas, going to
UNLV seemed like the natural choice for its convenience and quality of education. I
received a bachelor's degree in psychology in 2013.

What inspired you to get into your eld?

Both of my parents are retired Clark County schoolteachers so I got to experience the
ups and downs of teaching.

Timing was really the key for me being an advisor. When this position opened up, I
gured I thrive on human and interpersonal connections, and my experiences in
undergraduate biochemistry will be relatable to STEM students. Advising is
something Ive always wanted try and now I cant picture myself doing anything else.

What is the biggest challenge in your eld?

Remembering its someones rst time.

What kind of advisor do you want to be?

I want my students to be able to recognize me and feel comfortable enough to just
walk up and strike up a conversation. I want them to feel connected.

What about UNLV strikes you as different from

other places you have worked or where you went to
school?
Prior to working in higher education, I was working on my feet, opposite of the desk
life. For four years I managed Sears warehouse shipping and receiving. Concurrently
I worked as a stagehand for Rhino Staging (bumped into Justin Timberlake once)
and other conventions in town. I loved every second of live event production the
energy, the ow, but the non-traditional hours and crazy traveling really put a strain on
my body.

In 2014 an opportunity presented itself to work for UNLVs provost o ce as the

retention progression and completion specialist to improve student success in
completing their degrees. We worked closely with each colleges advising center to
coordinate events and provide data and the necessary resources. UNLV is a
community. Its different than other places because I truly feel like I can rely on other
departments. Its very much a family-like environment. There is no ulterior motive,
everyone has the same agenda to help our students succeed and to provide a
better learning environment.
Tell us about a time in your life when you have been
daring?
It would have to be the time when my friend and I skydived at San Diego. I was
overwhelmed with fear and paralyzed with shock before jumping out of the plane.
The whole experience helped me overcome fear. Theres nothing like ying through
the sky and looking down to put things in perspective, and I would absolutely do it
again!

Finish this sentence, "If I couldn't work in my

current eld, I would like to ..."
Ive always had a fascination with carpentry, working with my hands. I love seeing the
instant progress you make, especially with building things. Theres a certain
satisfaction of having created something and being able to call it your own.

Im partial to metal working. It might be an in uence from my father whos made

various decorative pieces in my o ce. Ive dabbled in masks and furniture pieces.

Tell us about an object in your of ce that has a

signi cance for you and why.
A large tiki mask made by my dad back in the 70s when he was teaching students
how to make paper-mache. If you look closely you can see newspapers dated from
that time.

Any tips for success?

Keep your eyes on the prize and experience as much as you can.

I always tell my students that real-life experiences weigh in gold. If I didnt shadow a
pharmacist during my biochemistry undergraduate years I probably would have
ended up with a job I dont enjoy at all. You have this mental image of what you might
like but until you actually do it you will have no idea. Thats why I bounced around in
so many industries so I could nd what my true calling is.

Pastimes or hobbies?
Miles runs miles is a running joke amongst my friends and family. I picked up
running in high school and have never stopped since. I even joined my track team at
Durango High School.

2015 UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS