A Champion of Readers, Learners, and the Literary Arts
Marydean Martin will forever be remembered as a stalwart advocate for literacy, avid reader, and world traveler whose generosity and vision shaped the community of southern Nevada. Her life’s work illuminated the power of books, learning, and human connection, and her legacy will continue to inspire all who walk through the doors of the university she helped build.
Marydean believed deeply in the transformative promise of higher education. As a founder of Nevada State University and an inaugural member of the Gibson Society, her philanthropy advanced academic libraries, enriched literary arts programming, and opened doors for aspiring teachers and writers.
Marydean’s devotion to literature took root early during weekly visits to the library with her mother. While attending Nevada Southern (now UNLV), she worked as an assistant librarian at Las Vegas High School, later serving as a reference librarian at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Even after her professional path led her into a successful marketing and public relations career, she remained firmly connected to the world of books—serving on the Friends of the Library Board at UNLV, which would later become the Libraries Advisory Board.
Her transformational support of Nevada State University resulted in the naming of the Marydean Martin Library, which in 2020 was nationally recognized with the Excellence in Academic Libraries Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Association of College and Research Libraries. That same year, Marydean helped imagine and launch the Marydean Martin Writers’ Project, offering book swaps, readings, silent reading gatherings, interactive poetry programs, and workshops that welcome both campus and community members into the joy of literary expression. In partnership with the City of Henderson, this project also sparked a cherished tradition: an annual poetry celebration each April, now known as Poetry in the Park.
Marydean’s philanthropy extended deeply into student support. She established multiple scholarships, including the Marydean Martin Scholarship for future teachers and the Laura J. Silvestri Scholarship for those pursuing special education. During the pandemic, when she was not able to meet with friends for monthly lunches, she made what she called her “lunch money” gifts, a series of scholarships that recognized Nevada women who helped shape the community we have today. They are Pearle Brown (open to all majors), Jan Curtis Smith (open to minors in Creative Writing), Ruby Deny Turner (open to Education majors). Marydean provided the initial seed money, but made the scholarships open for future donations.
In ways large and small, Marydean became part of the solution whenever she became aware of a need. Her support reached across the university and throughout southern Nevada, always guided by her belief that reading changes lives. Reading and literature were so important to Marydean that, in an effort to encourage reading, she created bookmarks featuring literary quotes and gave them out to everyone she met. Meeting with Marydean inevitably involved a new stack of books, newspaper clippings about poets – and a new bookmark. You might even find a book in your mailbox.
Through the Marydean Martin Library and the Marydean Martin Writers’ Project, she placed countless books into the hands of Nevada State University students and nurtured a flourishing culture of creativity, scholarship, and community. Her visionary commitment to literacy, higher education, and the arts has left an indelible mark on Nevada State University and the many lives she touched.
Marydean Martin’s legacy lives on in every student who discovers a beloved book, every aspiring teacher who steps into a classroom, and every writer who finds their voice. Her belief in the power of reading will continue to guide and inspire future generations.