Francisco Morales, Senior Policy Advisor at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, The Honorable Elaine Marzola, Nevada Assemblywoman, Emily Zamora, Director of Silver State Voices, The Honorable Sandra Jauregui, Nevada Assembly Majority Leader, Leonardo Benavides, UNLV Director of State Government Affairs, and Alejandro Rodriguez, NSHE Director of Government Affairs at the White House.

Cindi Rivera, Associate Executive Director of Futuro Academy Charter School, Francisco Morales, Senior Policy Advisor at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Alejandro Rodriguez, NSHE Director of Government Affairs, and Leonardo Benavides, UNLV Director of State Government Affairs

The Honorable Brenda Zamora, CCSD School Board Trustee, Francisco Morales, Senior Policy Advisor at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Cindi Rivera, Associate Executive Director of Futuro Academy Charter School, The Honorable Selena Torres, Nevada Assemblywoman, The Honorable Cisco Aguilar, Nevada Secretary of State, Leonardo Benavides, UNLV Director of State Government Affairs, and Alejandro Rodriguez, NSHE Director of Government Affairs.

A Rebel "Thank You" to Clark County Commissioners

During the 82nd Session of the Nevada Legislature, local governments were granted the power to regulate the time, place, and manner of operation of personal delivery devices, and to establish standards for their safe operation. On September 3rd, UNLV students became benefactors of this new legislation when the Clark County Commission voted to expand the range personal delivery robots at UNLV may travel, beginning in 2026. The Commission’s vote enables UNLV to provide additional safe and accessible food options for students, including those students with mobility challenges and those dining later at night. Since 2022, the robots have made more than 3,300 deliveries at UNLV and covered more than 4,000 miles to deliver food on campus. 

Step Up for Kids & Clark County Mayor Election

Each year, Step Up for Kids brings together people to show widespread support for investments in children and families. Participants include child advocates, politicians, parents, and kids. The program is designed to raise awareness among voters and political candidates regarding the issues American children face, such as access to early care and learning, after-school programs, poverty, child abuse and neglect, and health care.

On October 5th, UNLV’s Nevada Institute for Children’s Research and Policy (NICRP) in partnership with the Southern Nevada Early Childhood Advisory Council hosted the 17th Annual Step Up for Kids event. As part of the event programming, NICRP hosted the Clark County Youth Mayor election to engage 4th and 5th grade children in the electoral process. Five finalists, Isabella Vivas, Justyn Boumah, Keaton Bucher, René Guevara, and Ricky Gourrier López Jr., created campaigns about an issue they were passionate about, displayed their campaign materials at the event, discussed their issues with attendees, and gave a 1-2-minute speech on their campaign issues. The kids in attendance were able to register to vote, enter a voting booth, and cast their ballot. 

Congratulations to RJ Gourrier-Lopez, Jr. for winning the election! Mayor RJ aims to create a happier, more successful world for kids, free from bullying, with reduced screen time and more outdoor physical education.

9/26 - Dionne Stanfill, School of Law J.D. Candidate and President of the Student Bar Association, traveled to Washington, D.C. to meeting with the offices of Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jackie Rosen, and President Biden and Vice President Harris to share her experience from the December 6th tragedy, advocate for gun safety and mental health on campus, and witness the Gun Violence Executive Order signing at the White House.  

10/4 - The Honorable Claire “Clara” Thomas, Nevada Assemblywoman, enjoyed the Rebel Football game against Syracuse with Leonardo Benavides, UNLV Director of State Government Affairs.

10/4 - The Honorable Reuben D’Silva, Nevada Assemblyman, and The Honorable Pamela Goynes-Brown, Mayor of the City of North Las Vegas, enjoyed the Rebel Football game against Syracuse.

10/4 - Patty Charlton, Chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education, enjoyed the Rebel Football game against Syracuse with Marc Kahn, Dean of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. 

10/7 - President Keith E. Whitfield and Dean Danica Hays, hosted a meeting with The Honorable Burgess Owens, Congressman (UT), to discuss the UNLV College of Education’s Nevada Forward teacher apprenticeship program, and related opportunities for collaboration to address K-12 education needs.

10/9 – UNLV welcomed the State of Nevada’s Legislative Counsel Bureau staff to campus to see, first-hand, the impact on campus resulting from the 82nd Legislative Session, and to review UNLV’s legislative requests for the upcoming 83rd Legislative Session. 

10/11 – UNLV hosted a visit with The Honorable Josh Green, Governor of the State of Hawaii, to share information about UNLV’s economic and workforce development initiatives, and to discuss topics related to hospitality and gaming. 

10/21 – Vice President Constance Brooks joined UNLV’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute for a Mayoral debate with candidates Shelley Berkley and Victoria Seaman, moderated by Sondra Cosgrove. The event provided an opportunity for Southern Nevada’s senior citizen population to engage in spirited discourse relative to the upcoming City of Las Vegas Mayoral election.  

10/25 - The Honorable Heidi Kassama, Nevada Assemblywoman, enjoyed the Rebel Homecoming game against Boise State with President Keith E. Whitfield and Vice President Constance Brooks.

10/25 - The Honorable Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod, Nevada Assemblywoman, enjoyed the Rebel Homecoming game against Boise State with Vice President Constance Brooks.

10/25 – UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield was honored to be recognized as the recipient of the Excellence in Education Award at this year’s Urban Chamber Green Tie Awards gala. 

10/30 – UNLV was an early voting site (and an Election Day voting site, Nov. 5, from 7am to 7pm) and voters at the site receive(d) the "I Voted in Las Vegas!" sticker designed by UNLV senior art major Niko Navalta, which won the UNLV "I Voted" sticker contest.

10/30 – The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV celebrated its 10th anniversary, and welcomed Planning and Founding Dean, Barbara Atkinson, back to campus to participate in the celebration.

10/30 – UNLV hosted a Town Hall meeting to provide filmmakers, students, and community members an opportunity to engage directly with industry leaders and policymakers. Panelists, including the Honorable Roberta Lange, Nevada State Senator, discussed benefits and future tax incentives of a Warner Bros. Studios in Southern Nevada, as well as the impact on Nevada’s efforts to diversify its economy.

10/4 – UNLV Athletics and Office of Government and Community Engagement provided the opportunity for a few participants of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s youth mentoring program to cheer on their Rebel Football players at the game against Syracuse. 

10/4 - UNLV’s jazz station, KUNV Radio 91.5, received a nod from Inside Radio for “hitting the Nielsen Jackpot” with their programming. This recognition is the result of the KUNV team’s efforts to promote the station and engage with its listeners.

10/5 – President Keith E. Whitfield provided remarks at the regional Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine gathering which brought UNLV, the Desert Research Center, University of Utah, and Arizona State University together to highlight the collective research work with the National Science Foundation designed to address drought in the Southwest and maintain the economic vitality of the region. 

10/8 – UNLV’s School of Dental Medicine hosted a resource table at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s National Night Out event at Bob Price Park. 

10/8 – UNLV’s Office of Government and Community Engagement hosted a resource table at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s National Night Out event in partnership with The Honorable Tick Segerblom, Clark County Commissioner for District E, at the Hollywood Recreation Center. 

10/9 – UNLV joined Silversummit Health Plan and Acelero Learning for a Community Baby Shower and Resource Fair, which provided an opportunity to share UNLV programs with attendees.

10/9 - UNLV hosted its annual Barrick Lecture Series, this year welcoming acclaimed author and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell to campus. Gladwell, widely regarded among the world’s top thinkers, discussed his latest book, Revenge of the Tipping Point - Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering. 

10/10 – Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada (JA) celebrated the opening of its new Inspiration Center which includes immersive storefronts designed to help local kids learn financial and business skills. UNLV is represented with two storefronts – a dorm room and a classroom. These spaces will have a big impact, allowing JA to grow, from serving 20K to 60K youth each year.

10/10 – UNLV hosted a resource table at the City of Las Vegas Ward 5 Community Meeting and Resource Fair, which included a discussion between community members and elected officials about community improvements and safety concerns. 

10/11 – In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, UNLV joined other community partners at the Explore Academy Charter School for a community fair, including food, face painting, games, and resources.

10/24 – UNLV’s Office of Government and Community Engagement hosted a resource table at Paradise Elementary School’s Fall Festival to help connect our youngest neighbors and their households with services and programs designed to improve quality of life. 

10/28 – UNLV participated in the Cambridge Recreation Center’s annual Boo Bridge Halloween event to bring Halloween spirit to the youngest members of our neighborhood, and provide resource information for their parents and guardians. 

10/29 – UNLV joined more than 15 community partners to support Commissioner McCurdy’s Wacky World of Halloween event at the Walnut Recreation Center.

COMMUNITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Paradise Professional Development School

Paradise Professional Development School is a PK-5 CCSD school located on the northwest side of the UNLV campus. Its proximity to UNLV’s College of Education and Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center is ideal because, as a professional development school, Paradise partners with UNLV to improve teaching and learning. The partnership is designed specifically to prepare teachers and improve student outcomes through a combination of research, theory, and practice. 

Paradise provides a powerful learning environment which fosters responsible decision-making, values diversity, and enables all students to master essential skills and concepts in reading, writing, and mathematics. Through continual professional renewal, Paradise Professional Development School and UNLV ensure that students reach their highest potential. To learn more about Paradise Professional Development School, including what you can do to support its mission, visit the school’s website.