North Las Vegas proclaims Nov. 5 as UNLV Day; university outlines growth and local partnerships

The North Las Vegas City Council on Nov. 5 proclaimed the day as UNLV Day and welcomed Chris Hebe, interim president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to discuss the university's role in the region. Hebe described UNLV as the largest university in Nevada and said the campus serves students from across Clark County while producing roughly 7,000 graduates a year.

“We call UNLV the anchor institution of Southern Nevada because it's the largest institution in the state of Nevada as well as Southern Nevada,” Hebe said, summarizing the university's growth and community engagement. He noted roughly 25% of students are Pell-eligible and that the university is pursuing partnerships with North Las Vegas, including a future site and collaborative projects such as a proposed Children's Science Park and workforce programs in health care, cybersecurity and AI.

Councilmembers emphasized the potential local benefits, including workforce development and clinical training tied to UNLV's Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine. The council framed the proclamation and the presentation as a step toward formal collaboration: Hebe said the university is exploring a large site in North Las Vegas and expects to develop programs and facilities that could provide local jobs and training.

The presentation was a discussion item only; there was no council action required. Mayor Goins Brown and councilmembers thanked UNLV representatives and invited further engagement to explore next steps and community outreach.