51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

Gold medal Olympian and 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ alumnus Connor Fields, who competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has gone from BMX competitor to NBC commentator for the Summer Olympics held in Paris. After a terrible crash during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics left him with extensive injuries and a yearlong recovery, Fields has pivoted, with the help of his 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ degree in business management, from competitor to gear designer, coach, and TV show host.

Rebel Grounds, a student-run coffee shop inside the Harrah College of Hospitality, serves up delicious fare while giving student staff the space to turn classroom theory into practice. Students also are charged with overseeing everything from food preparation, design, and café décor to handling cash and training staff. This, along with its central location and ever-rotating menu items, makes Rebel Grounds a favorite stop for students, campus visitors, and 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ faculty and staff.

Airborne pollen is a health concern for many residents in Clark County. The Clark County School District (CCSD) and 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ established the Pollen Monitoring Program to provide local pollen and mold spore counts in Las Vegas. The county-wide distribution of the sites is a unique feature of the program and makes it possible to monitor important data for the west, northwest, southeast, and 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ ZIP codes. Regular monitoring and reporting of airborne pollen concentrations continues to help the community prepare for or avoid exposure.

Former 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ men's swimming standout Panos Bolanos will represent Greece in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Bolanos, who will swim in the men’s 4x100-meter free relay, is the first men’s swimmer since Richard Hortness (Canada, 2012) to represent the Rebels in the Olympics.

Public Health professor Erika Marquez, winner of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s 2024 Community Engagement Award for Community-Based Research, received $1.2 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The funding will ensure every Nevadan has equitable access to COVID-19 resources and vaccines through the Vaccine Health Equity Initiative. Marquez works with organizations and agencies throughout the state to reach racial and ethnic minorities, sexual and gender minorities, communities with lower incomes, and people who suffer from one or more chronic conditions. 

The Harrah College of Hospitality received a $1 million gift from entrepreneur and alumnus Marco Benvenuti to establish the Marco Benvenuti Excellence Endowment. The endowment will support student travel, professional development, and special projects to complement coursework and enhance student retention and success.

The Sands Center for Professional Development in the Harrah College of Hospitality brought in Historically Black College and University students from across the country as well as French students from L'Institut Lyfe for hospitality management education, tours, and project work. They will receive a deep introduction to the travel, tourism and leisure industry and its wide range of professional positions to inspire them to consider one of the world’s fastest-growing and largest employment fields.

Over 900 high school seniors graduated in 2024 with college credit and a taste of the college experience — all at an affordable price, thanks to 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's Rebel College Accelerator program, which enables students to complete high school and college credits simultaneously. Many students who participate in 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ early college coursework plan on continuing their education as full-time 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ students and benefit from the familiarity they gained with the campus community and university resources.