• Students sitting at computers participating in e-sports
  • Archaeology students working at Valley of Fire
  • Student working in a research lab

Highlights

From creating community partnerships and advancing student achievement, to promoting research, scholarship, and creative activity, we work hard to achieve our goal of becoming a top 100 American research university. Check out our highlights to learn our impact.

A person being filmed through a camera.

The UNLV College of Fine Arts and UNLV Film hosted an in-depth panel conversation in November regarding plans for Warner Bros. Studio Nevada. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), one of the world’s leading global media and entertainment companies, announced  plans to partner with UNLV and Birtcher Development through a long-term commitment to lease, operate and fully occupy Nevada Studios – the centerpiece of a film studio tax credit legislative proposal that seeks to establish film and TV studio infrastructure and workforce development programs at UNLV’s Harry Reid Research & Technology Park in Las Vegas.

 

A view of the Thomas & Mack, with event attendees walking in.

UNLV Athletics generated more than $109 million annually in added income to the local economy, according to a recent economic impact analysis conducted by labor market analytics company Lightcast. The study highlighted the many ways that UNLV Athletics creates value, from playing a key role in helping student-athletes increase their employability to generating both dollars and opportunities for Clark County through operations, visitor spending, and human capital.

A student at commencement.

UNLV was one of just three national finalists for the annual Degree Completion Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, which recognized innovative approaches the university has taken recently to drive graduation rates to the highest level in its history. These programs include, Rebel Ready Week, the development of Student Outreach, and Retention, Progression, and Completion coordinators in each college. Thanks to these resources, UNLV; graduation rates are at an all-time high.

A woman in a recording booth.

Students in the Department of Film are pioneering the future of sound design by beta testing unreleased audio technology software from Holoplot. Using this tool, they created a documentary to showcase its potential and tested the results in Holoplot's U.S. office in Las Vegas. With direct connections to industry leaders, UNLV students are poised to redefine the boundaries of sound and film innovation.

Two people look over an exhibit at the Barrick Art Museum.

The UNLV College of Fine Arts introduced a BA in Creative Practice degree program for students wishing to pursue a career in the arts within a broad context. This innovative degree offers focused coursework in arts leadership, management, and entrepreneurship. With organizations across diverse industries seeking leaders who can integrate knowledge across disciplines, the program equips graduates to excel in a wide range of roles, driving innovation and advocacy in the arts and beyond.

A large crowd of students walking on campus.

Building on the momentum of historic spring 2024 enrollment, UNLV has surpassed its own record-breaking achievements again this fall, reaching a new enrollment milestone even as universities nationwide face declining enrollments. The university welcomed 32,911 students this fall – up nearly 6% over last year – which marks the highest enrollment total in UNLV’s 67-year history.

Engineering students working in a lab.

The College of Engineering has invested heavily in several initiatives over the years, taking a holistic approach to addressing the needs — from academic to financial to emotional — of a diverse, and growing, student body. The result: This fall, the college welcomed its largest-ever freshman cohort of nearly 700 students, with a record-breaking 88.7% first-year retention rate.

Dean of the School of Public Health in a mask talking to another colleague in a mask.

Twenty years ago this fall, the School of Public Health was established at UNLV with the goal of improving the health and well-being of people worldwide. In the last two decades, Public Health departments, programs, and research units have grown and prepared students to become leaders and professionals in the field of public health. In addition to advancing research in critical areas such as health equity, epidemiology, and environmental health, the college also led the effort to make UNLV a smoke-free and tobacco-free campus.