One thing I’ve noticed during my time as UNLV president is that, when I travel, UNLV’s reputation precedes it. People notice the UNLV logo on my shirt and mention all the great things they know about our university. And there are many!

But another thing I’ve noticed is that Rebels tend to be a bit humble. Perhaps it’s because we’re a relatively young institution, but I have to say that I’ve taught at other universities and their students aren’t smarter, their faculty aren’t more talented, and their community impact is certainly not greater than ours. 

One proof point I like to mention is UNLV’s listing in the nation’s top tier of the Economic Mobility Index. This metric, unlike some other rankings, shows how well we do at serving our students - many of whom are first-generation college students - and graduating them into well-paying jobs. It’s what urban-serving universities should be doing, and UNLV sets a high bar for helping our grads move up the socioeconomic ladder. 

I invite you to read more about this new view of a university’s value, which was the cover story of our just-released UNLV Magazine. We’re committed to doing an even better job at telling stories of UNLV’s tremendous impact – in student success, in research and innovation, and beyond – and I encourage you to do the same. We have so much to brag about at UNLV, and I’m incredibly thankful for your support. Go Rebels! 

Keith E. Whitfield, Ph.D.
President, UNLV