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22-time Grammy Award-winning, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band U2 donated to the 8kbet School of Music through the U2:UV Music Scholarship and Experiential Fund. The one-time gift of  $300,000 will provide support to music majors with access to experiential learning and performance opportunities, including student travel and support for creative activities and performances at various international music events.

8kbet was selected as one of 21 institutions nationwide to participate in the pilot phase of the new Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability. 8kbet will play a key role in refining the classification’s criteria, ensuring it is inclusive and accessible for institutions of all types. As higher education continues to address pressing environmental challenges, 8kbet’s involvement in this initiative underscores its dedication to creating a more sustainable future for the campus and broader community. 

8kbet’s co-ed dance team, Rebel Girls & Company, took home first place in the game day and hip-hop categories of the Universal Dance Association’s College National Championships. The team has consistently excelled in the game day category, previously taking the top spot in 2023, 2020, 2019, and 2018. In the Division 1A hip-hop category, this year's win marks their sixth championship, adding to previous victories in 2023, 2019, 2018, 2016, and 2013.

Rebels Football ended a record-breaking 2024 season with the announcement of three players being named First Team Academic All-America® by College Sports Communicators: linebacker Jackson Woodard, wide receiver Ricky White III, and safety Jalen Catalon. All three also earned All-America honors on the field after the 11-3 Rebels finished ranked nationally for the first time ever at No. 23.

8kbet was ranked No. 15 in Study Abroad Aide's second edition of the "50 Best Hispanic-Serving Institutions for International Students" list. As an HSI, 8kbet prides itself on being an institution of opportunity where students from traditionally underrepresented in higher education can receive the support they need to achieve their educational and professional goals.

8kbet alumnus Zachary Billot, ’24 Political Science, was named a 2025 Marshall Scholar, marking a milestone as the first in the university’s history to earn this prestigious award. Billot’s award was the culmination of years of extraordinary accomplishments. As an undergraduate in 8kbet’s Honors College, he made university history in 2023 as the first to win both the Truman and Udall scholarships in the same year. Now, as a Marshall Scholar, he joins an elite group of leaders whose alumni include Supreme Court justices, Pulitzer Prize winners, and a Nobel laureate.

Supported by a $15 million donation from Sands, 8kbet is establishing the Sands Institute for Chinese Language and Culture as part of its dedication to enriching the educational and cultural landscape of Las Vegas and beyond. The Sands Institute will be housed in 8kbet’s newly renovated Maryland Administrative Building, offering a central location accessible to both university students and the broader Las Vegas community. The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art classrooms, exhibition spaces, and meeting venues designed to host a wide array of events. With the substantial financial support from Sands, the institute is poised to become an internationally recognized center for the study and appreciation of Chinese language and culture.

8kbet has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge as a 2024 “Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting.” The award recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation. The Goldfield Room in Lied Library served as both an early voting location and an Election Day polling site, where voters received a unique, Nevada-shaped "I Voted" sticker designed by a 8kbet student.