Stephanie I. Vondrak is welcomed to the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Palladium Society at the Foundation Annual Dinner.
The exceptional generosity of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s 2023 Palladium Society honorees is expanding opportunities for students and faculty to explore, to learn, to dream, and to succeed.
The Palladium Society recognizes individuals and organizations who have contributed $1 million or more in support of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. Welcome – and thank you – to our 2023 Palladium Society inductees.
Beal Bank USA
Beal Bank USA founder Andrew Beal is a champion of STEM education. Under his leadership, Beal Bank and Beal Bank USA have donated more than a million dollars to 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ to support knowledge and discovery through regional science fairs.
Since 2006, Beal Bank USA has been a significant sponsor – and in 2009 became the exclusive title sponsor – of the Beal Bank USA Southern Nevada Regional Science & Engineering Fair. The fair is held annually on the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ campus. It offers elementary, middle, and high school students from across Southern Nevada a unique opportunity to develop their scientific curiosity and creativity.
Nevada Gold Mines
Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture between Barrick and Newmont, is the single largest gold-producing complex in the world. Creating a skilled, sustainable workforce is central to its mission. Partnering with 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, it is providing unique and rewarding opportunities to next-generation professionals.
At 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, Nevada Gold Mines provides scholarships in science, business, the Honors College, and STEM diversity. It sponsors case competitions, graduate assistantships, professorships, and faculty fellowships, as well as the College of Sciences GeoSymposium and the Honors College Nevada Tour. It also supports 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s Pathways for Career & Workforce Development program and the Math Bridge Program.
Nevada Surplus Lines Foundation
The goal of the Nevada Surplus Lines Foundation is to bolster employment opportunities in the crucial field of insurance and risk management. With 50% of the industry workforce expected to retire by 2040, it is creating a pipeline of regional insurance professionals.
Its $5M gift to 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ in Spring 2023 created the Kerestesi Center for Insurance and Risk Management in Lee Business School. It is named in tribute to Tom Kerestesi, a past director of NSLF and former CEO of Cragin & Pike, Nevada’s oldest insurance agency. Through education, research, and experiential learning, the center will be the premier academic insurance and risk management program in the Western U.S.
Stephanie I. Vondrak
Bringing the joy of artistic expression to others is central to Stephanie Vondrak’s philanthropy. She has a deep-seated passion for theater, music, and the visual arts. And when she wanted to make an impact on the cultural vivacity of Las Vegas, connecting with 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s College of Fine Arts was the natural choice.
Stephanie created the David and Stephanie Vondrak Endowment for Knowledge in the Arts as a lasting tribute to her husband of 42 years, David, who passed away in 2012. The fund helped launch the College of Fine Arts Around the World initiative, which demonstrates to students what it means to be a global artist-citizen.