For this piece, Marian Alper, director of donor relations for the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Foundation, highlights some donations that have made a difference for the campus.
Scratch the surface of most any program at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, and you're likely to find that private gifts from 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ donors help support it. In the past year alone, the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Foundation received more than 15,000 gifts. These contributions help fund scholarships, Rebel athletes, faculty, research, and more. While all donations are put to good use, a few stand out for supporting programs that are not only distinctive, but, well - kinda cool.
1. Hixson-Lied Success Scholars
The guiding principle behind the new at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ: "Ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things!" Funded through a $2 million gift from the Lied Foundation Trust and named in honor of Christina M. Hixson and Ernst F. Lied, the program provides economically and/or academically challenged Nevada students with an opportunity to excel. It not only helps them to earn a college degree, but comes with the expectation that they serve as peer mentors and 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Academic Success Center volunteers. It's a cool calculation that giving back to the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ community will teach these Hixson-Lied scholars the true meaning of success.
2. Berman Debate Forum
Whether being on a debate team is nerdy or cool is, well, debatable -- but the track record of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's debaters is undeniably something to be proud of. Let's start with its death-defying history: the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ debate team was totally dismantled in 1998 because of budget cuts. But in 2007, the program was resurrected through the infusion of support from donors Sanford and Sandra Berman. Within five years, under the direction of professor Jacob Thompson, the had risen to a Top-10 ranking in the country, beating out the likes of Harvard, Dartmouth, and Stanford.
3. Yellow Ribbon Program
51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ was recently named a "Vetsuccess Campus" by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. One of the programs that helps 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's veterans and their families to successfully transition from military to campus life is the program. Funded by private donations and matched dollar for dollar by federal monies up to $100,000 a year, the program serves veterans who do not meet in-state residency requirements by paying for college expenses not covered under the G.I. Bill. "We want to help heroes build their future," says 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Office of Veteran Service's Ross Bryant.
4. Russell Frank Astronomy Lecture Series
Black holes, dark matter, quasars and quarks -- what's not cosmically cool about these free astronomy lectures? The series debuted in fall 2012 with a presentation by CIT professor John A. Johnson titled, "Hot on the Trail of Warm Planets Orbiting Cool Stars," and it's taken off from there. The program is the brainchild of donor Russell Frank, a local retiree with advanced degrees in physics, finance, and law. While the topics covered are on the cutting edge of scientific exploration, these public lectures are geared toward lay people and scientists alike. A lifelong learner who has enjoyed taking courses at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, Frank says, "Providing the lecture series to the community is my way of giving back to 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ."
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5. Thomas & Mack Legal Clinic
The is proof positive that 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's William S. Boyd School of Law has a very big heart when it comes to serving Clark County's most vulnerable populations. Case in point: Every youth who appeared in juvenile court used to be brought into the courtroom in leg irons and handcuffs, no matter what the charges. 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ law students and faculty influenced a change in policy, so now only those young defendants who present a risk of violence or flight are shackled. This is just one example of how the legal clinic program, endowed through the generosity of the Thomas and Mack families, ensures that our community is a more just and compassionate place to live.
