UNLV’s Class of 2025 is a testament to the power of higher education and its ability to open doors to new ideas, to drive innovation, and to change communities – and families – for the better.
Over the course of three ceremonies on May 16 and 17, about 3,500 students will carry their unique stories of perseverance and triumph with them across the Thomas & Mack Center stage, joining the ranks of more than 150,000 alumni.
This spring’s class ranges in age from 17 to 78 and hails from 36 states and 49 foreign countries. The class is diverse – more than 66% identify as racial/ethnic minorities – and 88% of grads are Nevada residents. A whopping 47% are the first in their family to earn a degree.
An enduring commencement tradition is for the president to honor a few exceptional students who embody the academic, research, and community impact of the graduating class. This spring’s 10 honorees include rising researchers in psychology, science, and criminal justice; avid campus and community volunteers; mental and physical health advocates; a veteran and aspiring doctor changing career paths; and students battling hardships, including cancer.
Isabella Aceituno
B.A. in Psychology; Minors in Public Health and Neuroscience
Isabella Aceituno’s combination of research and service highlights read like those of a team of people – not just one incredibly talented and ambitious undergraduate. Isabella graduates with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, minors in both public health and neuroscience, and an impressive 3.85 GPA.
A two-time Ronald E. McNair Scholar, Isabella conducted research for two different UNLV psychology labs – with one project exploring children's emotional response to music, and another looking at gender differences in experiencing weight stigma from healthcare providers. Her work earned a best poster award at the UNLV Undergraduate Research Symposium and the Lance and Elena Calvert Award for Undergraduate Research.
Isabella also earned first place in UNLV’s Innovation Day Life Sciences Pitch Competition for a patent–pending device that uses visual and rhythmic cues to assist in walking rehabilitation for patients with Parkinson’s disease or traumatic brain injury.
Her incredibly active research portfolio was perhaps only matched by her commitment to service – both to UNLV and the local community. On campus, she served as president of two student organizations, including Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society and Model United Nations; she worked as a research assistant in the UNLV Music Lab and the UNLV Clinic for Research on Eating, Sleep, and Therapy; as a care advocate for the UNLV Care Center; and as a student worker with Student Wellness and the International Gaming Institute.
Off campus, Isabella’s extensive volunteer service includes work as a childhood nutrition program intern with Three Square, as a program administration intern with IndigenousAF – a local nonprofit spreading awareness of indigenous arts and cultures – and as an intern with the Southern Nevada Health District.
Following graduation, Isabella will continue her education and pursue a master’s in public health at the University of Washington.
Erin Cassin
Ph.D. in Biology
Scientist, mentor, mother, classmate, and cancer fighter. Erin Cassin overcame some serious challenges and continues to excel, making her personal, professional, and academic achievements nothing short of inspiring.
Faculty and peers alike celebrate her dedication to education. Erin's been a role model for the students she mentors, influencing several of them to enter graduate school. She also co-developed a course introducing undergrads to microbiology through the HHMI SEA-PHAGES program, sharing her love of science with generations of researchers to come.
She was diagnosed with stage three cancer shortly after defending her dissertation, continuing her studies and lab work while undergoing aggressive treatment.
Erin's the author of eight publications, acquired 11 graduate college scholarships, and earned fellowships from the American Society for Microbiology, NASA, and NSF. She is the first from UNLV to earn the American Association of Colleges and Universities Future Leaders Award, and a winner of the ASM Future Leaders Mentorship Fellowship.
She graduates with a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences and, in true Rebels fashion, is continuing to ‘Make it Happen’. She hopes to soon be cancer-free, and has been offered a postdoctoral position at a prestigious lab in the biofilm field.
Natalie Van Chisam
B.A. in Psychology; Minor in Neuroscience
Natalie Chisam’s interest in psychology developed early and quickly grew into a lifelong passion for helping others. The first-generation student poured that drive into her studies, graduating this spring with a bachelor’s in psychology, minor in neuroscience, and with an impressive 3.87 GPA.
And her investment in the university, community, and beyond is inspiring. As a re-entry specialist with Desert Psychological, Natalie helped marginalized, at-risk youth readjust to life outside of the justice system. As a Calm Clinic intern, she supported patients receiving psychiatric care. Those hands-on experiences motivated Natalie to assist others in pursuing their passions at UNLV, where the peer mentor and teaching assistant also helped fellow students land learning and job opportunities as a College of Liberal Arts internship program assistant.
Eager to understand the human mind and help others heal, Natalie joined three UNLV research labs — securing thousands in competitive funding and presenting at national conferences.
As a research assistant with UNLV’s Substance Abuse, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic, she conducted interviews with survivors of sexual violence and data analysis. The McNair Scholar is first author on published independent research on digital interventions for trauma survivors. She also studied brain processing in the Human Memory Lab, and contributed to epilepsy research in the Hines Neuroscience Lab.
A member of the Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society, Natalie also co-founded “Citrus for Smiles,” a student organization dedicated to mental health awareness and peer support. The nine-time Dean’s List student earned multiple scholarships and awards, including the UNLV Excellence Scholarship, Grad Rebel Advantage Program Scholarship, and recognition as the UNLV Outstanding Psychology Senior Student for 2025.
This fall, Natalie will begin UNLV’s social work master’s program as part of her journey to earn a Ph.D. and pursue a career as a clinical and research psychologist.
Tanya Dudinskaya
Ph.D. in Criminal Justice
If dictionaries included photos of people who embody the definitions, nominators say Tanya Dudinskaya is the clear choice for the word “resilience.” It’s tightly woven into her work with students and the community.
A prolific, peer-reviewed scholar with UNLV’s newly launched Tourist Safety Institute, Tanya has researched ways to keep local residents and visitors safe during high-profile events — directly informing public safety policies and strategies. She rallied for resilience among first responders, developing a program to improve police officers’ stress coping, impulse control, and overall health through mindfulness training. Her leadership led to further collaboration with law enforcement on “The Big Search Operation,” an initiative to combat human trafficking and locate missing youth.
Tanya’s tenacity was instrumental in building bridges for students too. She shaped key courses for first-year students emphasizing social-emotional wellness; both coordinated and personally taught a section of the College of Urban Affairs’ innovative Urban Adventure interdisciplinary experiential learning course for undergraduate students featuring simulations on homelessness, opioid use, and other real-world policy issues; and co-led redevelopment of the college’s Community Resiliency course to focus on sustainability and service learning.
When she wasn’t out in the community or inside the classroom, Tanya was busy presenting her published research on police use of surveillance technology, crime trends, sexual assault, and other criminology issues at national conferences.
All the while, Tanya led by example, demonstrating remarkable personal resilience by bouncing back and excelling despite brief academic pauses to overcome personal hardship.
Tanya graduates this spring with a perfect 4.0 GPA and Ph.D. in criminal justice.
Carissa Adrianna Hernandez
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Carissa Hernandez’s story is full of resilience, service, and innovation.
While pursuing her nursing bachelor’s, Carissa’s only sibling passed away. Then, while simultaneously pursuing her master’s and serving on the front lines as an ER nurse during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she unexpectedly lost her husband to the virus.
Those first-hand experiences on both sides of the hospital bed — as a nurse and a loved one awaiting news — have profoundly shaped her perspective as a nurse leader.
Carissa’s research as a graduate student focused on enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of cardiac arrest responses by medical-surgical nurses. To address gaps in competency testing and training, she designed an immersive virtual reality environment to simulate and assess CPR techniques. Projected to save more than a quarter-million dollars over three years when compared to traditional simulations, Carissa’s creative VR approach is a cost-effective model for offering training in remote locations and has already been used as a demonstration project within the VA hospital system nationwide.
Carissa also has a passion for nurse education. The cardiopulmonary expert has presented at national conferences. Inspired by her family’s legacy as active-duty military members and veterans to improve quality of care and emergency preparedness for both the community and our nation’s heroes, Carissa transitioned from the ER to an educator role as an American Heart Association program director at the Veterans Administration.
And she’s balanced it all with her job as a single mom of three young girls. The two-time UNLV graduate crosses the stage this spring with a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a stellar 4.0 GPA.
Carson Keller
B.S. in Biology
Carson Keller’s commitment to service – both to his community and to our nation – epitomizes what it means to be an outstanding graduate.
Carson is a non-traditional student and future emergency room physician whose journey to UNLV began as a member of the US Marine Corps. Following a career in military service, he worked in the hospitality industry as an event operations manager, helping to ensure some of Las Vegas’ largest annual trade shows went off without a hitch.
Despite a successful professional career, Carson’s dream of becoming a doctor eventually led him back to college and to UNLV. He graduates this spring with a bachelor’s degree in biology, pre-med, and with an impressive 3.85 GPA.
During his time on campus, Carson served as an undergraduate clinical research assistant with UNLV School of Medicine’s Emergency Residency Program, where he was named research assistant of the year in 2023 and became chief clinical research assistant earlier this year. He was also honored for his collaborative research on interruptions to resident workflow in ER departments, earning first place in an oral abstract competition at a national conference in Washington, D.C.
Following the Dec. 6 tragedy at UNLV, Carson collaborated with UNLV Risk Management to spearhead a “Stop the Bleed” first-aid and response initiative on campus. His nominators noted his “integrity, perseverance, and collaborative spirit,” saying that Carson is an “inspiration for both peers and faculty, always willing to mentor and support his colleagues.”
Carson’s next stop is medical school, which he plans to begin this fall.
Jose Llanes
B.S. in Biology
Jose Llanes is a natural leader whose academic talent and dedication to promoting wellness among his fellow students were on full display during his time as a UNLV undergrad.
As president of Project Wellness, a student-led organization, he has helped hundreds of his peers handle and overcome challenges with mental health. Jose has worked closely with the university to organize mental health town halls, even gaining the attention of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities – UNLV’s accrediting agency. And under his guidance, Project Wellness has become the largest registered student organization on campus and a recognized model for similar mental health advocacy on college campuses.
Additionally, he’s a publication coauthor, a teaching assistant with extensive lab experience, a peer mentor through the Philip J. Cohen Scholarship Program, served on the Blood Drive Committee for Alpha Epsilon Delta, a peer mentor for the Succeed in STEM Scholars program, and has clocked hundreds of volunteer hours for local charities.
He graduates with a bachelor’s in biology, and will pursue his aspirations to become a physician at Lincoln Memorial University’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tennessee.
Teresa Marie
Ph.D. in Criminal Justice
Teresa Marie is a two-time UNLV graduate whose story of perseverance, advocacy, and excellence embodies UNLV’s vision of improving lives and transforming communities.
Teresa’s lived experiences as a homeless teen who eventually found her forever family have both informed and motivated her academic and personal journey. Determined not to let her experiences early in life define her future, she poured her passion and incredible talent into advocacy for children who so often don’t have a voice.
With education as her refuge, Teresa enrolled in college classes while still in high school. She went on to receive a bachelor’s in criminal justice at UNLV and later earned a law degree from the University of Massachusetts. After earning her law degree, she returned to Las Vegas and began working in the Clark County court system to help some of our community’s most vulnerable youth. Wanting to do even more, she joined UNLV’s Ph.D. program in criminal justice and led research focused on how and why so many placements in the child welfare system are unsuccessful.
A natural leader, Teresa joined the university’s Graduate and Professional Student Association, serving as treasurer and most recently as president. During this period, she delivered supportive leadership and fierce advocacy in support of graduate students, speaking on behalf of students at the state legislature and at meetings of the Nevada Board of Regents.
Teresa is already putting her degree to work. Last month, she began a new role as a staff attorney for Legal Aid of Southern Nevada’s Children’s Attorney Project, where she’ll continue to empower and support children in need with, as one nominator shared, “a brave heart, a critical mind, and a strong voice.”
Kristina Martirosyan
B.A. in Psychology; Minors in Neuroscience and International Business (Honors)
Deep dedication to service, mentorship, and mental health advocacy defined Kristina Martirosyan’s undergraduate journey. The Honors College student’s long-term goal is to open a multicultural private practice to continue serving the Las Vegas community. And she’s well on her way — graduating this spring with a bachelor’s in psychology and dual minors in neuroscience and international business.
Nominators say Kristina left an indelible mark on UNLV through her campus involvement.
The Hixson-Lied Success Scholar offered crucial guidance to over 120 freshmen navigating their transition to college as a College of Liberal Arts and Academic Success Center peer mentor. She collaborated on studies into misophonia and speech-to-song illusion as a UNLV Infant and Child Music Lab research assistant. Kristina was also active in various campus groups, and helped develop the REB Talks podcast for students as part of the College of Liberal Arts Dean’s Student Advisory Council. She is a proud Armenian who was among winners of the Intersection’s First-Generation Essay contest for her reflections on balancing cultural traditions with American norms.
She was active off campus too. Kristina represented UNLV’s American Marketing Association chapter at its national collegiate conference, placing highly in the pitch competition. While studying abroad in Spain, the Love Yourself Foundation intern-turned-volunteer marketing strategist organized and co-led the group’s first international self-love workshop.
Campus leaders have recognized her career potential, academic success, leadership, and service — honoring the Grad Rebel Advantage and Outreach Undergraduate Mentoring Program mentee with a Shining Star Award and a Rebel Spirit Award.
After graduation, Kristina will continue her education at UNLV, pursuing a master’s degree through the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine’s Couple and Family Therapy program while serving as a graduate assistant with the College of Liberal Arts.
Kiarra Osotio
B.S.B.A. in Management; Minor in Global Entrepreneurship
Kiarra Osotio’s legacy at UNLV will be one of leadership, service, resilience, and pride. Her story is a testament to the power of education, the value of community, and the spirit of being a true Rebel.
Kiarra is a first-generation college student who is graduating with a bachelor's in business administration, majoring in management and minoring in global entrepreneurship, along with a certificate in sports leadership and management.
Though she earned an impressive 3.9 GPA and graduates Magna Cum Laude, Kiarra’s education was never just about grades to her. It was about growing herself so she could better serve others through her leadership skills.
Described as humble, gracious, dedicated, hard-working, committed, and compassionate, Kiarra’s list of service to UNLV and community groups is impressive. During her time at UNLV, she was part of nine different student organizations and led three – the Lee Women and Business Club, the Global Entrepreneurship Experience, and the Intercollegiate and Professional Sports Management organization. She also served as a lead ambassador for the Lee Business School, a Rebel Ambassador, Nevada Global International Ambassador in London and Singapore, and a Troesh Scholar.
As one professor noted, she not only leads, she elevates others. She changed the culture and expanded the reach of these organizations, ensuring future students would benefit.
As a first-year student, Kiarra secured a competitive internship with the Las Vegas Super Bowl Committee as a community affairs intern. She served in that role until she was promoted to lead fellow interns as a community coordinator for the MYS Consulting Firm.
Even with all of that, she remained deeply committed to community service. As a member of UNLV’s inaugural Urban Poverty and Business Initiative, she provided free consulting services to impoverished community members and collaborated with her peers to raise more than $4,000 for local charities.
