Matt Jacob

Matt Jacob is a freelance writer based in Las Vegas.

Articles by Matt Jacob

White man in a navy blue blazer, light blue button-down shirt and blue jeans poses with his hands in his pockets in front of a blurred image of a city bus
| September 30, 2025

As a young adult, Dave Swallow had to make a difficult family decision, one that led the Engineering Alumnus of the Year to UNLV and positively shaped his personal and professional trajectories.

portrait of man holding his arms as a music conductor does
| September 30, 2025

Iñaki Sandoval has enjoyed immense success as a world-class performer, composer, producer and educator. And the Fine Arts Alumnus of the Year credits UNLV for paving the way.

White man with grayish hair wearing a gray suit and white collared shirt stands at a clear podium in front of a microphone speaking at a conference
| September 26, 2025

After building a career in the manufactured home industry, Leo Poggione — UNLV’s 1991 Homecoming King — reigns supreme as the Business School Alumnus of the Year.

a mother and her two adult daughters posing, wearing Boyd sweatshirts
| September 25, 2025

A passion for justice drove Boyd Law Alumna of the Year Shane Jasmine Young to become a difference-making lawyer. Now her twin daughters (and fellow Rebels) are following in her footsteps.

Man in a dark blue pinstripe suit with black and gray hair and beard poses in a hotel bar with his left arm resting on the bar and the Bellagio hotel in the background
| September 24, 2025

A brief campus visit during a chance trip to Las Vegas set the Hospitality Alumnus of the Year on a journey to the top of the hotel-casino org chart.

Woman in white medical coat with the UNLV School of Medicine logo poses in front of a UNLV School of Medicine sign with her right hand in her pocket and left hand on a silver rail
| September 23, 2025

When Dr. Faun Lee Powers isn’t caring for patients, the School of Medicine Alumna of the Year is back at her alma mater shaping the next generation of mental health practitioners.

Two male and one female students sitting at desks wearing virtual reality headsets
| September 15, 2025

From trips to Peru and an alien zoo, UNLV faculty lead students on learning journeys via the university’s newest immersive learning tools.

man in military uniform inside the cab of a large military vehicle
| September 19, 2025

The UNLV School of Nursing Alumnus of the Year overcame a rocky academic start to earn two degrees in a field that has long been his calling.