When it comes to UNLV, I am an enthusiastic and unabashed braggart. Sure, that’s a part of any university president’s job; but as the examples here show, it’s not bluster.

On airplanes, I wear UNLV-branded clothing, and around town, I often drive my classic 1969 Chevy Blazer, now painted in our scarlet and gray and emblazoned with the spirit mark. The UNLV pin on my sport coat or the “Rebel Ride” moniker across the Blazer’s tailgate have a way of starting conversations with strangers. I invite them to tell me about their experiences with UNLV, and then I share my own stories of the incredible impact this university has on our community and in the world. I tell them about the impressive work of faculty. They are helping address big issues, like the drought in the West, and being tapped for elite projects, like NASA’s Mars 2020 science team. I tell them about the unique opportunities our Las Vegas location creates in terms of partnerships with business and community organizations.

I believe that this is truly a place like no other. To be sure, we still have work to do through our Top Tier 2.0 strategic plan to continue our rise. But this university is the prototype for what every public, urban university can and should do to serve its students and its community. We set the bar high and will continue to reach.

Want the proof? Here you’ll find plenty of reasons why UNLV has earned its license to brag, including its rapid growth as the largest research university in the state and ranking among the top 3 percent nationally.

Keith E. Whitfield, Ph.D.
UNLV President