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Sometime this year, UNLV will exceed 100,000 graduates -- an exciting milestone for our university. By our estimate, about 65,000 of our alumni are living and working in Southern Nevada. This is an important figure. College graduates are employed at significantly higher levels than those without degrees. In fact, studies show that unemployment among college graduates is 6 percent, versus 17 percent for people who did not finish high school. Nevada, with one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, needs more college graduates.

College graduates form the backbone of work- force creation. They lead the way to a diversified economy, which can help Nevada rebound from current and future fiscal challenges. UNLV produces graduates who are leaders in the public and private businesses and organizations in Nevada. In the pages of this magazine, you will read about alumni who are making a difference in our state. However, only about 20 percent of Southern Nevada's population holds a college degree in contrast to nearly 40 percent in other comparable regions.

UNLV's primary function is to increase the number of college graduates in our region and state so we can help provide a more robust and diverse economy to benefit everyone who lives here. We graduate alumni who make a difference in health care, education, business, entertain- ment, tourism, law, science, and countless other professions that improve the quality of life in our community. UNLV has improved our academic success during the last few years, and we are do- ing better than ever in supporting our students -- our future alumni -- on their paths to graduation and great careers. Even in these difficult times, we are working hard to make a UNLV degree even more valuable in this marketplace and beyond.

UNLV is an engine for our economy. For every dollar that the state gives to UNLV, we generate $5.80 in return. This is a $1.15 billion-a-year economic impact in our region. UNLV attracts people from all 50 states and 77 countries to participate in our economy. Our faculty, staff, and students donate thousands of hours of services to the community. We bring nearly $100 million a year in federal funds -- grants and contracts -- to our region. In addition we run a major entertainment venue, the Thomas & Mack Center, the top-grossing college arena in the country. UNLV is an investment -- an investment in Nevada for Nevadans.

Right now, more than at any other time in our history, UNLV needs our alumni and friends to stand up and be heard. The budget currently pro- posed before the state Legislature will mean we can serve fewer students, produce fewer alumni, and contribute less to our region's workforce needs. I think most of us envision a future in which our children and their children will be able to attend one of the best institutions in the world, right here in Las Vegas. A future in which we have a strong economy, a high quality of life, and prosperity.

Spread the word. Let your friends, neighbors, and elected officials know. While we cannot avoid budget cuts, we hope to minimize them. We've set up a website, go.unlv.edu/ambassadors, where you can share your story, be informed about the latest budget facts, and volunteer to help. Please share your stories about UNLV and help us en- sure that the Nevada System of Higher Education gets the funding that it deserves and that Nevada gets the college graduates and the economic benefits that it so desperately needs.