Nearly 2,300 students joined the UNLV class of 2023 at winter commencement ceremonies on Dec. 19 and 20.

They hail from 36 states or U.S. territories and 39 countries. Many are the first in their family to graduate from college; 88% are Nevada residents. And the majority —  71% —  are from ethnically diverse backgrounds, an important statistic given UNLV’s highly diverse undergraduate body.

The average age of those receiving their bachelor’s degree was 25. The youngest to receive a diploma was an impressive 19 while the oldest was an inspiring 72.

But they are more than statistics. The class of 2023 are future educators, scientists, engineers, and accountants. They are writers, artists, social workers, and health care professionals. They are someone’s daughter or son, a spouse, or even grandparent. They are role models for their children and younger siblings.

Now they are a part of another family — a Rebel forever.

Many of them began their studies in the isolation of COVID-19 and ended with the Dec. 6 campus shooting in which three faculty members were killed and one seriously injured. Yet, being able to come together in the face of adversity has only made the UNLV community — including UNLV’s graduating class — stronger. UNLV Strong.

“Today, as we gather to commemorate our academic achievements, our hearts are made heavy by recent events that have shaken our community,” student speaker Matheu Nazareno told the graduates and families. “But, in this face of adversity, we, as a UNLV family, have shown what it truly means to be UNLV Strong. Together, we stand united, proving that our strength lies not just in our individual accomplishments but in our collective ability to overcome.”

Nazareno, who graduates with a bachelor of science in biological sciences from the College of Sciences, wants to attend medical school and build a practice as a physician in Nevada.

Chris Heavey, provost and executive vice president, shared similar sentiments during opening remarks, “This commencement ceremony is not just a celebration of academic accomplishments; it is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. The graduates before us have overcome challenges, demonstrated resilience, and showcased the power of education to uplift and empower.”

By taking what they’ve learned at UNLV, graduates are still hoping to make a difference in their communities. They have goals, dreams, and aspirations.

After all, it was students who encouraged UNLV administrators to carry on with holding a commencement ceremony two weeks after the shooting.

“In choosing to move forward with our commencement ceremonies, we do so with a shared conviction that we cannot allow the heinous actions of one individual to overshadow the collective achievements and dreams of our graduates,” UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield remarked during the ceremony. “We refuse to let darkness triumph over the light that emanates from this assembly of determined minds and resilient spirits.”

As per UNLV commencement tradition, Whitfield honored a group of six outstanding graduates who represent what it means to be a Rebel: making a difference through research, community outreach, and exemplary academics. Those undergraduate and graduate students included: Godson Adjovu, Mary Blankenship, Felicia Jong, Michael Mucthison, Chloe St. George, and Fae Ung.

Being a Rebel also means having the courage to stand up for what you believe in, said Kaitlyn Bustamante, the student speaker featured in the late-afternoon ceremony. A graduate of the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, she was one of 20 UNLV students featured this year in the Amazon Prime series The College Tour. She hopes to channel her passion for storytelling and performance by working in the business entertainment field.

“This is the story of my generation: We learned how to cover windows and hide under desks while learning times tables. We learned to make note of the emergency exits in movie theaters in case we had to escape,” said Bustamante during her speech. “And I've learned that this is a uniquely American experience. It is not normal for people to fear for their lives at school, work, concerts, and movie theaters. It is not utopian or unrealistic to believe in a world where mass shootings and gun violence are close to nonexistent.”

But, Bustamante said, “We’re survivors. We’re fighters. We’re Rebels.”

They are a generation of graduates who will be spurred on by events like Dec. 6 to create change and to honor the support of the faculty they lost — professors Jerry Cha-Jan Chang, Patricia Navarro Velez, and Naoko Takemaru.

"Let their legacy be the catalyst for positive change and for commitment to creating a better world," said Sierra Suzanne Gil, the student speaker at the graduate ceremony. She earned her master's in educational psychology. "As we step into the future, remember that hope is not passive. It is a force that drives us to action. It calls us to come together, support one another, and to forge a path of compassion and understanding."

Whitfield hopes that the graduates' UNLV experience, though tinged with challenges, instills a sense of duty to others as they join a network of nearly 150,000 alumni worldwide.

“We need you to lead – to be the person who brings new ideas to the table, to challenge the status quo, and improve the world around you,” he said. “We need your ingenuity, your business acumen, your teaching spirit, your generosity, your compassion, and most importantly, your empathy and your understanding of others.”