Invent the Future

2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009

2002

UNLV begins planning phase for its first comprehensive fundraising campaign
UNLV publishes "Extending the Agenda," outlining the university's major priorities for 2002-2007
Deans, campus planning council, president begin to identify campaign priorities from the institutional "Extending the Agenda" plan
UNLV Foundation engages consultants to conduct campaign feasibility study
Jan. 28: The Lied Library, funded in 1999 in part from UNLV's largest gift from the Lied Foundation, breaks records in its first year of operation
March 5: The Greenspun family pledges $9.7 million for Urban Affairs building
Mar. 26: The William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration announces minority student recruitment and scholarship programs
May 18: 1,900 students graduate at the spring commencement ceremonies
June 30: The UNLV Foundation ends its fiscal year at $17,293,441.87; campaign totals reach $62.2 million
Annual Giving Council mobilizes for 2002-03, involving more volunteers in the life of UNLV
Dec.18: 1,000 students graduate at the December commencement ceremonies

2003

The Invent the Future campaign's nucleus gift phase begins
The campaign leadership committee holds it's first meeting
Feasibility study suggests that UNLV could raise $250 million in a seven-year campaign
Feb. 10: William S. Boyd School of Law receives full accreditation
May 1: Michael Shustek and his company, Vestin Mortgage, pledge $250,000 to the College of Business
May 17: 2,100 students graduate at the spring commencement ceremonies
May 22: The Lied Library receives donation valued at more than $35,000 from People's Republic of China
June 30: The UNLV Foundation ends its fiscal year at $21,031,792.81; campaign total reaches $116.6 million
July 31: The Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors (GLVAR) donates $25,000 to the College of Business to create a scholarship endowment
Sept. 9: UNLV receives $3 million for construction of the Science and Engineering Building
Dec. 9: 1,1000 students graduate at the December commencement ceremonies

2004

Mannetta and Michael Braunstein give the largest UNLV alumni gift to date: a pre-Columbian art collection to UNLV
Feb. 10: UNLV holds dedication ceremony for the Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center
April 7: Five donors named to the UNLV Foundation Palladium Society
May 15: 2,000 students graduate at the spring commencement ceremonies
June 30: The UNLV Foundation ends its fiscal year at $29,057,723.94; campaign totals reach $200 million
Sept. 9: President Carol C. Harter announces plans for “Midtown UNLV”
To encourage fundraising activity Chancellor Jim Rogers announces challenge pledge
Nov. 3: UNLV enrollment is at an all-time high with 27, 344 students. The rate of student enrollment has increased by 6.2 percent since 2003.
Dec. 14: 1,100 students graduate at the December commencement ceremonies

2005

Feb. 25: William S. Boyd donates $25 million gift to UNLV
50th anniversary campus committee plans celebration ideas for 2007-08
February: The Greenspun family announces a gift that will fund Greenspun Hall
Bill Boyd and Joyce Mack named honorary campaign co-chairs of the Invent the Future campaign
April: R&R Partners conducts campaign themed focus groups
May 14: 2,000 students graduate at spring commencement ceremonies
May 20: 150 volunteers attend campaign roll-out breakfast
June: UNLV selects Invent the Future as the campaign theme
Summer 2005: Faculty and staff are recruited for a campaign committee
The UNLV Foundation ends its fiscal year at $32,238,851.59; campaign totals reach $245 million
August: Campaign editorial boards reach out to local press
September: Public Affairs distributes "Greatest Clips," a compilation of UNLV's accomplishments in the press
Sept. 15: President Carol C. Harter announces $500 million goal for Invent the Future campaign at the State of the University address; the university celebrates with a gala at the Thomas & Mack center; nucleus gift phase of the Invent the Future campaign ends, public phase begins
Fall issue of UNLV Magazine features a overview of the campaign launch and funding priorities
Oct. 6: Thomas and Mack families commit $3 million to construct a high-tech moot courtroom
Nov. 10: There is a 2.8 percent increase in student enrollment, over 28,095 now attend UNLV
Campus community invited to "Framework for Invention" a campaign information session

2006

The Science and Engineering Building construction begins
Jan. 24: Campaign totals reach $300 million
March 28: Michael and Sonja Saltman donate a second gift to the Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution
April 28: Campaign totals reach $317 million
May 10: 5,1000 students graduate at the May commencement ceremonies
May 18: The NSHE Board of Regents name Dr. David B. Ashley the eighth president of UNLV
Hotel College launches Premier magazine
June 30: The UNLV Foundation ends its fiscal year at $42,019,471.95; campaign totals reach $331 million
Aug. 4: UNLV opens first international campus in Singapore
August: Terry Wright joins Don Snyder as Invent the Future campaign co-chairs
Sept. 26: UNLV hosts second annual volunteer breakfast
Oct. 31: MGM Mirage funds the MGM MIRAGE Academic Excellence Scholarship Endowment for National Merit® scholars with a $1 million gift.
Nov. 2: Two donors inducted into the UNLV Foundation Palladium Society
Nov. 2: Bob Boughner funds new career center in the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration with a $1.2 million gift
Dec. 18: Construction on Greenspun Hall begins

2007

Feb. 5: Campaign totals reach $337 million
March 17: UNLV Runnin Rebels, the men's basketball team, head to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen
March 22: The City of Las Vegas proclaims Rebel Red Day
April 3: 50,000th gift to the Invent the Future campaign made by College of Business graduate, Ron Harbison
April 27: Dr. David B. Ashley is inaugurated as the eighth president of UNLV
May 3: Campaign totals reach $341 million
May 12: 2,700 graduate at the May commencement ceremonies
June 30: Campaign totals reach $345 million
Sept. 6: Second phase of the new student union opens
Sept. 10 : Harrah's Entertainment Inc. announces a $30 million donation, the largest corporate gift in the university's history, to the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration
Sept. 30: Campaign totals reach $378 million
Oct. 3: UNLV's new Student Recreation and Wellness Center (SRWC) opens
Dec. 7: The Thomas & Mack Moot Court Facility, funded by donations from the Thomas and Mack families, is dedicated in the William S. Boyd School of Law

2008

Jan. 14: UNLV Foundation launches Invent the Future campaign resource webpages
Feb. 5: Campaign totals reach $402 million
Feb. 20: UNLV Foundation hosts the annual Scholarship Luncheon recognizing scholarship donors and honoring high-achieving students
April 25: Campaign totals reach $407 million
May 17: UNLV graduates 3,300 students at the May commencement ceremonies
June 7: UNLV Concludes its 50th anniversary celebrations with a picnic pops concert on the academic mall
June 30: Campaign totals reach $424.5 million
August: The Lincy Foundation donates $5 million to support an initiative to better coordinate higher education health sciences programs across the state.
Oct. 17: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman officially proclaims Rebel Red Day in Las Vegas in celebration of homecoming festivities
Dec. 2: Greenspun Hall is dedicated and becomes the new home of UNLV's Greenspun College of Urban Affairs

2009

Jan. 22: The Barrick Lecture Series begins 2009 with three of the nation’s leading political analysts who discuss the new presidency: "The First 100 Days: Predictions for the Obama Administration"
Feb. 19: UNLV Foundation hosts the annual Scholarship Luncheon; $3.5 million in privately funded scholarships were awarded in the 2008-09 academic year
March 15: UNLV Foundation launches a new printed newsletter for donors and archives the stories online
Aug. 6: UNLV's ninth president, Neal Smatresk, begins leading the university
Aug. 26: UNLV Foundation announces a gift of $14 million from The Lincy Foundation to establish The Lincy Institute at the university
Sept. 8: UNLV announces a partnership with the Brookings Institution to form the Brookings Mountain West Initiative, a significant collaborative research and public policy analysis effort
Nov. 3: UNLV Foundation announces a gift of $12.625 million from the Engelstad Family Foundation to create the largest active scholarship program in UNLV history
Nov. 5: UNLV announces that the Invent the Future campaign has surpassed the $500 million goal