One of my favorite roles as UNLV president is leading our commencement ceremonies. 

Few things are more gratifying than looking out from the Thomas & Mack Center stage toward a sea of smiling graduates in scarlet, gray, and black caps and gowns, with parents and loved ones beaming with pride from the stands as we all collectively celebrate UNLV’s newest alumni. 

No matter how many ceremonies I participate in, the weight of the moment is never lost on me. To earn an undergraduate or graduate degree is a monumental undertaking, and I feel a bit like those proud family members when I get to shake the hands of graduates as they cross the ceremonial finish line. 

This includes our first-ever doctoral graduates in Occupational Therapy. The program launched in 2020 to address a severe shortage of licensed professionals, so it’s no surprise that the inaugural cohort of 34 students are already in high demand and most will graduate with job offers in hand. Occupational therapists fill a vital need in our health care system, helping patients develop, recover, or maintain their ability to perform activities of daily living.

From health care and STEM to the arts, hospitality, business, education and more: every one of our 3,500 spring graduates has a unique story to tell. Many will become the first in their family to graduate from college, most have overcome adversity in their pursuit of higher education, and all are entering a workforce that needs their skills, their passion, and their ideas.

I invite you to read more about how Nevada’s newest occupational therapists are already making their mark, and be inspired (like I am) by 10 exceptional graduating students that I’ll have the privilege to honor this Friday and Saturday. 

Congratulations to all of our Spring 2023 UNLV graduates on a job well done! 

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