Supporting, facilitating, and promoting engagement

between the university and its many communities

 Recap - February, 2024 

Government Engagement

The Southern Nevada Forum is Now in Session! 

 

The 83rd (2025) Session of the Nevada Legislature will begin on February 3, 2025, and Rebels are already busy working on UNLV’s agenda for the session. Much of this pre-session work involves connecting with our partners to get input on and gain support for the university’s legislative agenda. And, since 2013, a key partnership UNLV has relied upon to help guide its legislative agenda is with The Southern Nevada Forum.

Started in 2013, the...(more)

UNLV, DRI Partner on NSF’s First Regional Innovation Engine

 

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced a multi-institutional consortium – which includes UNLV and DRI – to confront the climate challenges facing the desert Southwest and spur economic development in the region. The effects of climate change are acutely evident in the American West and Southwest, from the desertification of Utah’s Great Salt Lake to the record-breaking extreme heat in Arizona and the dwindling supply of the Colorado River reaching Nevada. NSF Engines: Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine (SWSIE) will use these...(more)

UNLV, ONA Discuss Opportunities for Aspiring Americans

 

In January, UNLV was delighted to host a meeting with the Governor’s Office for New Americans to explore ways we can achieve our shared goals. The Office for New Americans (ONA) was created to promote opportunities for aspiring Americans, including immigrants and refugees, to thrive in Nevada. Through civic and economic pathways, ONA seeks to foster opportunities for these populations to move up the economic ladder. The office strives to bridge together state government, immigration law, and policy that impact all Nevadans, while also in…(more)

UNLV Football Day in Clark County 

 

February 20th was officially UNLV Football Day in Clark County! During the Board of County Commissioners Meeting, Commissioner Tick Segerblom presented a Proclamation to the UNLV Football team for their historic 2023-24 season and expressed his appreciation for the role UNLV has had in making Southern Nevada the sports capital of the world...(more)

Rebels Honored for Black History Month

The Clark County Commission commemorated Black History Month on February 6th, by acknowledging three exceptional leaders in Clark County, including Dr. Tiffiany Howard, a UNLV Political Science professor who specializes in international security, immigration, and refugee policies, as well as race, gender, and ethnicity.

The Clark County Board of Commissioners celebrated Black History Month by honoring exceptional leaders in our community on February 6th. UNLV’s first Black President, Dr. Keith Whitfield, was one such honoree. Commissioner William McCurdy II recognized President Whitfield for his work to inspire, educate, and elevate our community.

On February 13th, Nevada State Senator Fabian Donate presented UNLV’s Coach Cooper with a Proclamation for his activism and dedication to advancing the lives of UNLV athletes in honor of Black History Month. Senator Donate noted that Coach Cooper is not only a hometown hero, but his legacy resonates far beyond the field. 

Click for Federal Appropriations Updates
Click for Federal Appropriations Spotlights

Community Engagement


Las Vegas Hosted the Super Bowl: Rebels Helped Make It Happen

 

In partnership with the NFL Foundation, United Way of Southern Nevada, and UNLV’s Sports Research & Innovation Initiative, the Las Vegas Super Bowl LVIII Host Committee Internship Program kicked off in September of 2022 with the inaugural class of graduate and undergraduate UNLV student interns. These internships, the first fully-paid program of its kind with the Super Bowl, provided more than 40 UNLV students with direct access and exposure to the world of large-scale event execution and allowed them to gain valuable hands-on experience in operations, sales, philanthropy, logistics, marketing, and communications. UNLV is grateful to the partners and our Nevada Federal Delegation who helped secure the funding needed to support this program.

2/6 – UNLV was honored to partner with the NFL to host the annual Social Justice Town Hall. This community-driven discussion, facilitated by The Honorable Aaron Ford, Nevada Attorney General, brought together athletes, educators, thought leaders, seasoned businesspeople, and entrepreneurs to discuss strategies to create a world free from the inequalities of race, gender, and class.  

2/6 – UNLV, in partnership with the NFL and Clark County School District, hosted student athletes from area high schools for the More Than a Game Wellness Symposium. 

2/9 – UNLV hosted the NFL Health and Safety Super Bowl Medical Summit. The Summit provided an overview of injury prevention, head impact measurement and reduction, concussion review, sudden cardiac death in athletes, and emergency management strategies used in sports medicine/football.

Black Mountain Institute Announces Spring Literary Events


The Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute (BMI) at UNLV recently announced its spring calendar of in-person and virtual events. These public programs, which began Feb. 22, are part of BMI’s mission of supporting a wide range of writers and storytellers in Las Vegas and the Southwest. These community programs are free to attend and open to everyone.  

UNLV Partner, TheDream.US, Celebrates Ten Years


UNLV is proud to be a partner college with TheDream.US, the nation’s largest college access and success program for immigrant youth. On February 8th, TheDream.US celebrated its tenth anniversary in Washington, D.C. To-date, more than 10,000 college scholarships to Dreamers have been awarded. Nayelli Rico Lopez, who now serves as Coordinator for UNLV’s Undocumented Student Program, is one such recipient and was honored to attend the celebration.

REBELS IN ACTION

1/15 – Rebels ensured UNLV was well represented at this year’s MLK Jr. Day Parade which took place in downtown Las Vegas and celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A great time was had by all!

1/27 – UNLV hosted a resource table at the Hispanic Alliance Equestrian Event to share information about resources and programming available to the community. 

1/27 – 1/29 - UNLV Medical Students planned and hosted the Region 1 Medical Education Conference for the Student National Medical Association. The conference focused on the needs of medical students of color and featured programming for pre-med undergraduate students and high schoolers interested in medical fields.

1/30 - The Runnin’ Rebels celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the Thomas & Mack Center. Attendees enjoyed a variety of related games and give-aways, as the community celebrated this community icon together!

1/30 – UNLV, including representatives from the UNLV PRACTICE, hosted a resource table at the Siegel Suites on MLK to share information about resources and programs for the community which are designed to improve quality of life, including our mental health workshops and youth groups.

2/1 – UNLV in partnership with Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada hosted 900 high school students for a JA Inspire Career Fair. Attendees explored career and educational opportunities from local businesses and UNLV. On May 7th, there will be a second Fair at UNLV for local middle schoolers.

Rebel Spotlight

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Kalin Sokell


Kalin Sokell joined UNLV’s Office of Government and Community Engagement in January of 2024 as an extern assisting in government and community engagement, including financial- and athletic-related matters affecting UNLV. Sokell is currently studying to earn his Juris...(more)

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Four Rebels Living Big-League Dreams 


In this edition’s Alumni Spotlight, we are highlighting six outstanding Winter 2023 graduates who have now become alumni. These individuals include an educator with innovative ideas for inclusive teaching; a service member with a penchant for navigating the legally complex; an engineer seeking…(more)

COMMUNITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Pet Partners of Las Vegas


Charlie, a shih tzu mix, was a disheveled thing when Sue Grundfest found him a few years back in a shelter. He was experiencing many medical issues and was not the cute dog people are drawn to now. “No one could initially tell what kind of dog he was because his hair was so matted. He had certainly been neglected in his previous home, and took some time to warm up to people. His first days with...(more)

UNLV News

Big Game Lends Big Opportunity for Boyd Law Student


Like most sports fans who grew up in Las Vegas, third-year law student D’Ahna Scott (2024 J.D. candidate) had February 11, 2024, circled on her calendar for quite some time. The reason: It was the...(more)

Childhood Love of Night Sky Turns Into Studying Protoplanetary Disks


Shangjia Zhang spends his time tackling the big question: How did we get here? As a researcher in physics and astronomy, he explores how our solar system was formed and how planetary systems were formed in...(more) 

Elevating the Game: UNLV Sports Innovation Institute


Las Vegas’ continued ascent into a global sports and entertainment powerhouse received a boost in December with the official launch of the UNLV Sports Innovation Institute (SII). Initially formed in 2018 as an...(more)

A Word of Gratitude

REBEL RECOVERY PROGRAM


Since the December 6th tragedy, the Rebel community continues to experience kindness, support, and encouragement from so many. We would like to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for all those who have helped and inspired us as we continue our recovery process. Don’t forget to check-in for the latest updates as we continue to progress on our Rebel Recovery Program. Please visit the UNLV Strong website to learn more.  

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