The William S. Boyd School of Law recently announced that industry veterans Jennifer Carleton and John Tahsuda will lead the school’s Indian Nations Gaming and Governance Program as distinguished fellows. The program supports research and training on gaming, regulation, and governance for Indian nations, and it educates Native and non-Native students in the legal, political, and cultural context of tribal gaming.

UNLV developed the nation’s first AI president to provide students with access to information and resources 24/7. President Whitfield’s digital twin answers thousands of questions on more than 500 topics and provides mentoring and mental health tools for student wellness. The digital president continues to receive upgrades as it becomes integrated into campus life — and provides students with information and encouragement along the way.

As members of the Desert and Pacific Hub, UNLV and seven other major Western universities are providing campus-driven economic development in the federally funded Innovation Corps initiative. The Hub is one of 10 formed by the National Science Foundation and will empower UNLV researchers and entrepreneurs in the region to deliver innovative research to the marketplace.

The UNLV Honors College offers a unique summer field trip throughout the state to immerse students in issues that are both wide-ranging and interconnected. The goal is to build knowledge of the Silver State beyond Las Vegas so these future leaders better understand the industries and environments — from urban to rural, from industry to ranching — that make Nevada exceptional.

UNLV preschool teacher Carl Esteban was named Nevada's Early Childhood Educator of the Year for pre-kindergarten by the state's Department of Education. The award honors early childhood teachers who provide quality education for Nevada's youngest learners and reflects UNLV’s commitment to fostering a positive educational experience for students and their families.

UNLV's student-athletes earned the university's highest-ever NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) score of 985 out of 1000. The APR measures academic achievement within athletics programs by tracking eligibility, retention, and graduation rates over multiple years. For the 15th straight year, all 17 of UNLV's NCAA Division I sports programs possessed a multi-year APR score that exceeds the NCAA minimum. Seven UNLV teams earned a perfect score of 1,000 to set or tie their own top marks. Rebels continue to reach new heights, both on the field and in the classroom.

UNLV radiochemists earned nearly $3 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to support efforts to assess the role of higher education in meeting future nuclear workforce needs. UNLV stands out as one of the few universities in the U.S. with a radiochemistry program, further solidifying its position as a leading research institution in the field that is actively developing a skilled workforce for the future.

UNLV is officially tobacco-free and prohibits all forms of smoking, tobacco use, and unregulated nicotine products. This step demonstrates UNLV’s commitment to a healthier and more sustainable environment while reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.