Nevada State University (Nevada State) celebrated its first graduating class as a University at the spring 2024 commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 4. Over 840 degrees were conferred on May 4 to the 822 graduates earning degrees in more than 65 majors and minors, including nursing, psychology, business, education, speech-language pathology, and criminal justice. Additionally, the University awarded three honorary master’s degrees to Executive Director of Baby’s Bounty Kelly Maxwell, President of the College of Southern Nevada Federico Zaragoza, and President of the Las Vegas Raiders Sandra Douglass Morgan, who also delivered the keynote address.
“This year holds special significance for our graduates, as they represent the first class to have ‘University’ printed on their diplomas after officially renaming Nevada State College to Nevada State University last summer,” said Dr. DeRionne Pollard, President of Nevada State University. “As we continue to uphold our mission as a University for All, we take immense pride in offering high-quality and affordable higher education to our uniquely diverse student body – including people of color, first-generation learners, immigrants, non-traditional students, and transfer students.”
Nevada State also honored the first graduating class of its Data Science program, with six students receiving bachelor’s degrees this year after launching the program in Fall of 2021. The program has continued to steadily grow, with nearly 50 students enrolled in the major as of the recent spring semester.
“We take great pride in celebrating the inaugural graduating class of students from our innovative Data Science program, which was created in collaboration with our private sector partners to directly address the rapidly growing demand for high-tech jobs in Southern Nevada,” said Pollard. “Graduates are well-prepared for a wide range of data analytics careers, including financial risk analysis, fraud detection, and enhancing customer experiences. Additionally, this degree opens up pathways in educational analytics, environmental science, biology, medical fields, and virtually any industry where data plays a crucial role.”
In addition to the growing Data Science program, Nevada State continues to excel in its flagship programs, graduating over 300 new nurses and over 100 new teachers and speech pathologists. With 80 percent of graduates staying in the state, Nevada State is directly addressing labor shortages that are harming our economy and our communities. Additionally, more than 400 students are graduating with degrees from the School of Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Business.
More than 75 percent of Nevada State’s student population come from culturally diverse backgrounds, and half of the student population are first-generation college students. The institution also has a highly rated dual-credit program, allowing students in high school to start earning college credit, which saves students money, promotes early pathways to college, and accelerates graduation.
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