Within two years, Project Wellness has grown from an idea of like-minded student leaders into one of the university’s largest student organizations. The initiative, guided by the premise of students helping students, is quickly becoming a national model for student-led mental health programming. The group is collaborating with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities — UNLV’s institution accrediting agency — to replicate its effectiveness in other universities.

Recognizing the critical need in the community for specialized healthcare providers, the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine is pioneering the first rheumatology fellowship in Nevada. With some patients waiting six to eight months for an appointment, this fellowship program aims to increase the number of specalists in Nevada and improve access to care. The fellows will train in rotation at the school of medicine’s affiliated hospitals, including the VA of Southern Nevada Healthcare System.

UNLV debuts its newest architectural feat, the Advanced Engineering Building (AEB), located between the Thomas T. Beam Engineering Complex and the Science and Engineering Building — coined the "innovation corridor." The AEB features a Maker Space, an open study space, a flexatorium (an auditorium that can be used as a lecture hall by day, event space by night), a drone aviary, open concept wet and dry labs, and conference rooms. Classes in the AEB will officially commence fall 2024.

The Student Union is pioneering the county's first Hyphen-run restaurant: orders placed online at Greens to Go-Hyphen are made via robot, hidden under the counter, while staff attend to in-person orders. The robotic makeline can produce 120 meals an hour while eliminating order defects such as missing ingredients and cross-contamination. It's the first of many dining changes coming to the SU this year.

National Science Foundation announced a multi-institutional consortium to confront the climate challenges facing the desert Southwest and spur economic development in the region. Both UNLV and the Desert Research Institute will serve as core academic partners on the project, leading and/or contributing to project management and water innovation, workforce development, and community development teams.

Las Vegas’ continued ascent into a global sports and entertainment powerhouse received a boost with the official launch of the UNLV Sports Innovation Institute (SII). Led by an interdisciplinary team of faculty and staff, SII connects UNLV students from a variety of sport-related academic disciplines with career and internship opportunities, and serves as the conduit for mutually beneficial partnerships between the sports industry and the university to advance sports science, business, and performance.

Rebel football had a record season, winning nine games for the first time since the 80s and advancing to their first-ever Mountain West Conference championship game at the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Quarterback Jayden Maiava earned the conference's Freshman of the Year honor, kicker Jose Pizano was named Special Teams Player of the Year, and first-year head coach Barry Odom became Mountain West Coach of the Year.

UNLV is fortifying its status as a top tier provider of cybersecurity education, kicking off 2024 with a $3.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to train the next generation of cyber defense professionals. Over the next five years, UNLV will establish a CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) program to cultivate cybersecurity experts skilled in artificial intelligence and machine learning for service in federal and local government.