Selma Bartlett was a pioneering local businesswoman, longtime supporter of UNLV, and tireless advocate for the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering. A prominent banker widely credited for spurring Henderson’s explosive growth in the 1950s and ’60s, Bartlett also gained a reputation as an ardent community booster and philanthropist.
She passed away Sept. 16, just days short of her 98th birthday.
Bartlett was one of the first female bank officers in Nevada. She moved to the area in 1954 when her husband, Troy, was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base. She began her banking career at the Henderson branch of Bank of Nevada weeks after its opening, and was named a bank officer in 1958.
She facilitated millions of dollars in loans for real estate projects, medical practices, and business start-ups, sparking Henderson’s ascendancy from a small factory town to a thriving city.
Bartlett left an indelible mark on UNLV over more than three decades of philanthropic engagement. The Gilman and Bartlett Engineering Scholarship, the Selma and Troy Bartlett Electrical and Computer Engineering Scholarship, and many other programs she supported enriched the education and careers of hundreds of students. She also took great joy in her personal interactions with students and faculty at the College of Engineering and across campus.
Maria Ramos Gonzalez is among those who were profoundly saddened to learn of Bartlett’s passing. A former recipient of the Gilman and Bartlett Scholarship at UNLV, she is now a distinguished postdoctoral fellow at MIT, where she works on cutting-edge research in smart prosthetics, feedback sensations, and human-robot interaction.
She noted how “incredibly involved” Bartlett remained as a mentor and their many years of correspondence. “Selma’s scholarship and continued mentorship were pivotal to my studies and career progression, allowing me to focus on earning my bachelor’s degree and continue my studies to earn a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering,” Gonzalez said. “Through the students she uplifted, Selma’s contributions will live on for years to come.”
Rama Venkat, dean of the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering, said, “Selma was unparalleled in her support of scholarship, helping many of our students and changing their lives for the better. A great friend to all who were lucky enough to know her and a champion for those who needed her the most, UNLV Engineering will miss Selma — our very own 'Queen of Scholarship' — immensely.”
Her business acumen and generosity earned Bartlett many accolades and awards. She received the UNLV President’s Medal in 2002, the Silver State Award in 2007, and was inducted into the Nevada Business Hall of Fame in 2016. At that time, she was working as a private banker at Meadows Bank, a position she held until her retirement in 2021 at age 93.
One of her proudest achievements was receiving recognition through the naming of the Selma F. Bartlett Elementary School in Henderson in 1992.
In 2017, the UNLV Foundation welcomed Bartlett into the Palladium Society in appreciation of her philanthropic contributions to the university exceeding $1 million. She was also awarded the Academy of Engineering Distinguished Community Partner Award in 2018 for her contributions and inspiring impact in the UNLV College of Engineering.
