Kevin T. Pitt

’95 MS Exercise Physiology, ’08 BS Nutrition Sciences
School of Integrated Health Sciences Alumnus of the Year

Some college students arrive on campus with a detailed and rigid life plan — and they have no intention of ever wavering from it. I’m majoring in THIS subject, graduating with THIS degree, and spending my entire career in THIS field — and that’s that.

Others show up to campus with an open mind and a backpack full of options, confident that their future will at some point reach out, tap them on the shoulder, and say, “Walk this way.”

Kevin T. Pitt? He relates to the latter experience.

“I had a difficult time choosing a major,” says Pitt, the 2025 School of Integrated Health Sciences Alumnus of the Year. “I liked computer science and biology, but found the labs too sedentary. I have always been very physically active, so when I started taking classes like biomechanics, exercise physiology, and nutrition — it seemed like I had found a better fit for my personality.”

That fit ultimately led Pitt to a physical education degree from the College of William & Mary in Virginia in 1990. Soon afterward, he followed his family to California, where he worked for several years in recreation.

While the work was fulfilling, Pitt wanted more. Specifically, he wanted to broaden his skills in what then was a burgeoning industry, in hopes of making a tangible difference in the health and wellbeing of others.

To achieve that goal, Pitt understood that he would have to return to school, so he began looking into graduate programs in physiology.

“Back in the 1980s, schools were just starting to offer more exercise science classes,” Pitt says. “When I graduated [from William & Mary], it seemed more like an academic introduction rather than a conclusion.”

Upon discovering that UNLV was offering a master’s degree in exercise physiology, the recent California transplant jumped at the opportunity to apply. After being accepted, Pitt packed his bags again and moved to the desert.

It didn’t take but a day for him to conclude that he made the right call to become a Rebel.

“I still remember Dr. Golding meeting with me shortly after my first class and welcoming me with respect and kindness,” says Pitt, referring to the late Larry Golding, who was an exercise physiology professor at UNLV for 37 years. “It was exciting to be in Las Vegas, and the program was set up so that there were always opportunities to gain hands-on experience.”

One such experience occurred soon after Pitt began taking classes at UNLV when a fellow student offered him the chance to lead a community exercise class sponsored by the American Lung Association for individuals with breathing constraints.

Not entirely confident in his skills, Pitt initially hesitated before agreeing to give it a shot. In doing so, he unwittingly accepted a new gig.

“My classmate started the session by saying it would be her last class, and I was their new instructor,” Pitt says. “You could say I was off and running at that point. But that was one of the strengths about UNLV: numerous opportunities to gain practical complementary experience outside the classroom.”

After completing his graduate degree in 1995, Pitt remained in Las Vegas, first landing a job with — of all organizations — the U.S. Air Force. The military outfit hired Pitt as the fitness program manager at Nellis Air Force Base, where for four years he administered a physical fitness testing program for 6,500 active-duty airmen.

After departing Nellis Air Force Base, Pitt continued his community-based work as the health and fitness manager at two separate active-adult communities in Southern Nevada.

By this point in his career, Pitt was keenly aware of the strong link between fitness and nutrition — the two go hand-in-hand for those interested in living a healthy lifestyle.

Unfortunately, Pitt’s institutional nutrition knowledge wasn’t enough to unlock the door to a more wide-ranging (and impactful) career in the connected fields of physiology and nutrition. So Pitt dusted off his backpack once more and returned to school in pursuit of a second undergraduate degree — this one in Nutrition Sciences.

His institution of choice? UNLV, of course. 

“It was an absolute no-brainer to come back,” Pitt says. “The school again provided an excellent education through formal coursework and hands-on activities.”

Upon completing his third degree and officially becoming a registered dietitian, Pitt headed back to California, where he worked at the Veterans Home of California-Yountville — the nation’s largest such veterans facility — until retiring in 2019.

“Thanks to my comprehensive education at UNLV, I was able to work [at the Veterans Home] in a clinical capacity at different levels of care as well as in the logistics of food service,” Pitt says. 

Pitt’s appreciation for that comprehensive education? It goes far beyond words of genuine gratitude. To wit: In 2020, he and his wife, Angela, donated to UNLV land they owned in Esmeralda County (about 200 miles northwest of Las Vegas).

The proceeds from the university’s sale of the land were earmarked for the Dr. Larry Golding Exercise Physiology Endowment Fund, which is used to purchase equipment for UNLV’s Exercise Physiology Lab.

But that’s not the full extent of the Pitts’ giving. Earlier this year, under the guidance of UNLV associate professor Laura Kruskall, the Pitts created a new endowment for the UNLV Nutrition Center (which Kruskall directs). 

The funds from the endowment will primarily be used to compensate graduate students for providing services.

“I was fortunate to receive a graduate assistantship after my first semester at UNLV and taught physical activity classes to undergraduates while attending classes,” Pitt says. “This [endowment] is especially meaningful to me, as it supports students gaining practical experience as part of their education — something that meant so much to me during my time at UNLV.”

What academic course did you lean on most to set you up for early-career success?

The lab classes were most instrumental. We learned how to properly use all kinds of tools to assess various health components. It was this knowledge that later helped me to select and perform appropriate tests in a variety of settings. 

After completing your master’s, you landed a job with the U.S. Air Force at Nellis Air Force Base. What was it like working in a military environment and alongside thousands of servicemen and women?

It was a broadening experience to work with such a diverse group of people on a common mission. I always felt that there was a strong sense of respect and purpose on base.

Beyond academics, how did your experience at UNLV help mold you into the person you are today?

I am not sure if it was UNLV, Las Vegas, or both, but being there for many years gave me an appreciation of the old and the new, of change and possibility, and having an open mind.

Five years ago, you and your wife donated land to UNLV, with the proceeds going to the Dr. Larry Golding Exercise Physiology Endowed Fund. What sparked this generous act of philanthropy?

When we realized that we weren’t going to develop the land, we still wanted it to have a positive outcome. Since UNLV had been so instrumental in my development, I thought that it would be appropriate to give something back.

With a little research, I learned that UNLV not only accepts property donations, but there was already an established endowed fund in Dr Golding’s name. It was a perfect fit. 

What’s your message to current Rebels about the importance of giving back to their alma mater?

My message is simple: If it means something to you, do it. The process is not hard. 

What does the phrase “Rebel Spirit” mean to you, and when was the last time your “Rebel Spirit” was on display?

To me, a Rebel is someone who follows their path despite the influences of conformity. Spirit is about energy. So together, “Rebel Spirit” is listening to your heart and then acting.

That type of “Rebel Spirit” was displayed when my wife and I recently visited Las Vegas to establish a new endowment for the UNLV Nutrition Center. Similar to how UNLV provided an assistantship to me many years ago, my goal was to establish a fund that would compensate nutrition students for providing practical services.