UNLV's College of Business announces that alumnus Michael Shustek and his company, Vestin Mortgage, have pledged $250,000 to the college for faculty recruitment, development, and retention.

"Invest in the best faculty, and the best students will follow," said Shustek, who received a bachelor of science degree in finance from UNLV in 1993. "I wanted to invest in a program that creates leaders for the Las Vegas of the future. That is the best way I know to thank Las Vegas and UNLV for my success."

UNLV President Carol C. Harter said, "We are thrilled to receive this generous donation from a graduate who believes in our vision and is willing to invest in our future. This gift will help us to recruit and retain top-notch scholars whose teaching and research will contribute greatly to Nevada's business community."

College of Business Dean Richard Flaherty said the gift comes as the college embarks on an aggressive strategic plan to transform the college into a premier business school. "Having the best faculty on board and providing them the tools and resources they need are critical elements of nearly every goal stated in the strategic plan," he said. "We have a donor who 'gets it.' Investing in people is the key to our success. Mike and Vestin Mortgage realize recruiting and retaining the best faculty is not only important but also expensive."

Steve Schneider, vice president of Vestin, said he believes the college plays a major role in the economic growth of Las Vegas and the state.

"Las Vegas needs to produce home-grown leaders," Schneider said. "The research the college conducts and the students the college educates have a significant impact on the area. We need to continue to improve the college so that new companies recognize it as an incentive to move here and as a resource to grow their businesses."

Through its teaching, research, and service activities, the UNLV College of Business is a critical component of economic development in the region. In addition to serving more than 3,000 undergraduate students in nine majors, the college offers four graduate degrees: master of business administration, executive MBA, master of science in accounting, and master of the arts in economics.