Through the service-learning course Books for the Unhoused, students first took a dive deep into studying housing insecurity issues. Then they spent six weeks working in the community to organize book drives and reading fairs at shelters like The Shade Tree for women and children in crisis. Professor Maria Jerinic got the idea for the class when she realized her own book donations were popular with the people local shelters serve.

Students in the UNLV Gaming Innovation course are taking their ideas from the drawing room to the casino floor. The course pulls together students from hospitality, engineering, art, law, and more to develop novel concepts into marketable games. UNLV students can now lay claim to more than two dozen patents, as well as licensing agreements and job offers, as a direct result of their classwork.

Food waste and flies may sound like garbage, but for a team of UNLV students, that combo turned into a $25,000 startup treasure. A team of students took first place in the second annual UNLV President’s Innovation Challenge with a proposal to use black soldier fly larvae to better produce compost. The competition is aimed at spurring entrepreneurial activity among students.

From organizing events for the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee to covering the action as Rebel Report journalists on the sidelines, experiences lined up by UNLV are making sure Rebels are part of our city’s pro sports evolution. The programs give students access to the business behind the sports and builds their resumes for jobs after college.

The Military and Veteran Services Center and the College of Education joined ranks to create a novel new class specifically for veterans transitioning back to civilian life. It helps them address common academic issues, recognize their strengths, and make connections with peers. It’s yet another reason that UNLV has long been named one of the nation’s Best Schools for Vets.

In June, UNLV was named to the First Scholars Network which recognizes universities for their demonstrated commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for students who are first in their families to attend college.

UNLV can brag about the fact that its students graduate into well-paying jobs with a low level of debt, but do they know how to manage their paychecks in the future? This fall, we officially launched a new Financial Literacy and Wellness Institute to ensure Rebels — students and even staff — have the essential skills to build generational wealth. Among the programming is a new series of courses open to all majors on financial wellness.

For first-time students, finding their place on a campus the size of a small city can be daunting. Rebel Ready Week — a significantly expanded orientation program — launched this fall to help ease the transition to college. Sessions ranged from understanding classroom expectations (deadlines matter!) to making the most of the rec center offerings. But most important, all the social events helped students quickly connect with new friends.