History of Premier UNLV
Premier UNLV started in August 1996 by the Office of Student Involvement and Activities which is a part of the Division of Student Life (the name of the Office in 1996 was Campus Community Development). It is a collaborative event including: Office of the President, Athletics, Sports Marketing, Marching Band, CSUN Student Government, Campus Housing, Greek Life, and First Year Programs. Premier was created to be a major kick-off event to welcome students to campus.
The name of the event is two fold: one, UNLV is considered a Premiere urban university; and two, as a kick-off event it serves as a Premier of the year (similar to a television season Premier). In particular Premier is designed to help new students feel excited about being on campus and to feel more connected to the REBEL experience.
Premier includes a welcome BBQ, live music, fight song t-shirts, UNLV Marching Band and Cheer Squad as well as many upper-class students from Athletics and Student Organizations to welcome new students. The event ends with a big bang (literally) when all of the students gather on the field to form the letters U N L V and an aerial photograph complete with flashlights and fireworks choreographed to the UNLV Fight Song.
Each year the event has grown and every year the photograph has been slightly different and slightly better. The goal is that is 20 years a UNLV alumni could meet another alumni and they would both be able to remember the common UNLV experience of standing in the letter formation for the annual photograph. One alumni might remember being in the top of the U and another alumni might proudly claim they were in a different letter every year!
Premier UNLV has grown into a cherished tradition at UNLV and is embraced by all students, new and returning. Each year students have an opportunity to be in a different letter of the UNLV. Freshmen are asked to stand in the U, sophomores in the N, juniors in the L and during their final year at UNLV seniors are giving the privilege of standing in the V.
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