• Students sitting at computers participating in e-sports
  • Archaeology students working at Valley of Fire
  • Student working in a research lab

Highlights

From creating community partnerships and advancing student achievement, to promoting research, scholarship, and creative activity, we work hard to achieve our goal of becoming a top 100 American research university. Check out our highlights to learn our impact.

A male and female in red UNLV nursing scrubs.

UNLV Nursing graduated its first cohort through its direct-entry master of science program. It was created for students who already have a bachelor’s degree and are looking for a career change to nursing and prepares them for licensure in one year. The school’s highly ranked online master’s programs are also filling the need for nurse educators, family nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, and psychiatric mental health.

A group of students in a mariachi band play music in front of large red UNLV letters.

This fall, UNLV became one of a select few U.S. universities to offer a robust slate of classes exploring mariachi, a cultural Mexican folk music. The College of Fine Arts also introduced a new bachelor’s degree in creative practice. Other new offerings across campus include athletic training, counselor education and supervision, and water resources. For those thinking ahead, UNLV will launch a new bachelor’s in neuroscience in 2025. 

Two college wrestlers wrestling on a mat. One is in UNLV branded gear and the other is in a purple and white singlet.

The only collegiate wrestling team in the state of Nevada, UNLV’s Wrestlin’ Rebels celebrated a historic milestone in 2024: a five-peat of NCWA West Coast Conference Championships (men's team), three national NCWA All-Americans (two from the men's team; one from the women's team), including UNLV's first-ever woman wrestler to reach the championships and become an All-American. UNLV Wrestling was resurrected in 2017 within the NCWA, perpetuating the tradition established by its NCAA Division-I team from the '70s and '80s.
 

A woman going over a FAFSA form with a student.

College affordability has always been a concern for many incoming students, but changes to the federal FAFSA form this year added a new level of anxiety. The newly restructured financial aid office took a proactive approach to get incoming students the information they needed to make their college decision faster. Over the last five years, UNLV has increased institutional aid to students by more than 15%. Loan debt for UNLV students, meanwhile, has decreased over the previous five years.

A hockey player wearing a UNLV jersey.

For the first time in the UNLV hockey program, the 2023-24 Skatin’ Rebels played for a national championship after a 25-6-2 regular season and took second overall. The team earned two First Team All Tournament Awards, two Second Team All Tournament Awards, and two Honorable Mention All Tournament Awards.

Members of the BeHERE NV team from left to right – Jill Manit, PhD, MSW; Sara Hunt, PhD; Eterniti Claggett, BS; and Adriana Monroy, BS – at the UNLV Mental Health Initiatives Forum in April 2024.

Nevada persistently ranks at the bottom in the country for overall access to mental health services. UNLV faculty are developing initiatives to change this unacceptable situation. The statewide BeHERE NV initiative, for example, will recruit, educate, and retain mental health practitioners across the state, with the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV serving as its administrative hub. And UNLV PRACTICE Clinic is implementing a strategic plan to unite graduate mental and behavioral training programs for the greatest impact.

Three students on their phones together.

UNLV teams have removed barriers, such as automatic enrollment holds and late fees, that frustrated students in the past. Increased collaboration across departments and targeted communication, via phone calls, emails, and texts, also ensure students get the support they need without overwhelming them. 

The Lady Rebels team holding up the Mountain West Conference trophy.

For the third consecutive season, the UNLV Lady Rebels have won the Mountain West Basketball Championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. UNLV is the first Mountain West women’s team to win both titles three seasons in a row. The Lady Rebels are making their 11th NCAA tournament appearance in program history and fourth since joining the Mountain West in 1999.