Las Vegas is one of the fastest warming cities in the nation, but UNLV is working to reverse the "heat island" effect. The UNLV-led Las Vegas urban forestry initiative received a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service to educate residents of Clark County about the importance of trees in cities and add thousands of drought-tolerant trees to our community. These trees will create shade and help reduce temperatures.

UNLV is tackling the teacher shortage in the education workforce through the Nevada Forward Initiative. This state apprenticeship program — the first of its kind in the western U.S. — enables paraprofessionals, substitutes, and other school support staff to earn their teaching degrees while maintaining their employment. With about 70% of the students in the program representing historically marginalized groups, these incoming teachers will reflect the state's diverse student populations. 

A team led by the UNLV Department of Brain Health and the Office of Economic Development earned $1.5 million from the National Institute on Aging to launch a student-focused Alzheimer’s innovation incubator. A series of workshops, business collaborations, and healthcare partnerships will grow student involvement in careers that assist Alzheimer’s patients.

The UNLV Disability Resource Center raised $1.9 million in student scholarship assistance to help nearly 3,000 students with disabilities with appropriate advocacy, accommodations, and supportive services. These services ensure access to campus courses and activities and make the dream of higher education accessible to students with disabilities.

UNLV received a $3 million grant to establish the National Science Foundation National Resource Hub for Culturally Relevant and Responsive STEM Environments at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). This HSI-Hub will serve as the premier site for sharing resources for faculty professional development and community building, as well as knowledge generation and dissemination by and about HSIs. These efforts will reach STEM faculty across 570 current and 400 emerging HSIs in the United States who want to advance and cultivate culturally-responsive and relevant teaching.

UNLV Health opened its second no-cost medical care clinic for students and their siblings in the Clark County School District (CCSD). The clinic, located in the Family Support Center on Maryland Pkwy., is made possible through grants and is staffed by UNLV Health personnel. By providing accessible and free care, UNLV Health is ensuring that students in the community receive the medical attention they need to thrive academically and personally. 

UNLV’s partnership with the Barnes & Noble College’s First Day inclusive access program removes barriers to higher education by improving affordability of course materials and making them more convenient for students to obtain. The program ensures students have access to their materials before the first day of class, resulting in better student outcomes and savings up to 50%. 531 sections of 60 classes at UNLV are currently part of this program.

Available now on Amazon Prime, see UNLV in action on The College Tour. Amazon viewers are learning about our top tier research institution from students and alumni. By leveraging a streaming platform, UNLV is taking its outreach efforts to new levels, inviting viewers across the world to connect with the university like never before.