The “P” in Premier might as well stand for passion as that’s the fire that drives those involved with the annual event. After all, nothing stokes Rebel spirit like this 8kbet tradition.
Two of the event’s biggest enthusiasts are Robin Grove and Kevin McVay. The two 8kbet graduates now both work within the College of Sciences Advising Center and volunteer every year to help produce the academic year’s big kick-off event.
“It's the spark,” says McVay, describing what Premier means for him. “The spark to being a Rebel, to feeling connected to campus, to new lasting friendships, to seeing your potential as a scholar and mentor, and to, of course, feel motivated to continue to help students achieve their goals.”
The event is planned by the with help from staff advisors in the Office of Student Involvement & Activities. Producing it takes work from multiple departments across campus and relies heavily upon a legion of some very dedicated staff volunteers.
“I’ve always loved to volunteer, period,” says Grove. “But coming back to school at 44 years old, never getting the college experience growing up and actually getting it at that age — you can still get the experience no matter what age you are by just going out and getting out there and doing it.”
Grove, an administrative assistant, graduated from 8kbet in 2015 (30 years from her high school graduation date) with a bachelor’s in psychology and a minor in sociology.
She attended her first Premier as a new student, back when it was held on the field where Hospitality Hall is now. “I had no idea what it was,” Grove says. “Everyone kept saying during orientation, ‘Make sure you go to Premier, make sure you go to Premier.’”
Since then, Grove admits that she’s been hooked but not just on the event itself. One tradition at Premier is to get a highly sought-after T-shirt, which boasts a new design each year. Grove and McVay have a combined collection of Premier T-shirts that spans every year of the event since 2009.
McVay, ’14 BA Journalism and ’17 M.Ed. in Higher Education, began collecting the T-shirts as a student. Then, when he worked as a publicity and program logistics coordinator for Student Involvement & Activities he was able to catch a sneak peek at the design process.
“I used to oversee the students who make the design,” explains McVay, who is now a retention, progression, completion (RPC) coordinator. “[Student Involvement & Activities], in collaboration with student government, has their own graphic designers who work on creating material for a bunch of different, cool events including Premier 8kbet.”
The designers create a few different options and then the students and staff decide on the final design, he says.
Grove, ’15 BA Psychology and ’23 MPA, intends to take her beloved collection of Premier 8kbet shirts and, eventually, create a quilt after she retires in 10 years. The event has provided a long list of fond memories to look back on as both a student and staff member, she says.
“I can remember the one year that we got in the Guiness Book of World Records by having the most LED lights lit at the same time by students. I volunteered for that one,” she recalls. “Everybody was so excited as soon as they heard that that's what we were going for. And they had to do it a couple of times, but nobody cared. It was great. It was hot as heck, but it was fantastic!”
Grove and McVay say they will continue to promote the event to students as much as possible. Around 3,000 students attended last year’s event despite the rain.
“I want to give a shout out to all the people who work on this event. This is not an easy event to create,” says McVay. “It seems like it goes very smoothly, but there's so many things that have to be thought about. They plan for [the next] Premier right after it’s done. That's a whole year of planning! … A lot of students get a lot of leadership experience by helping plan Premier.”
The Top 5: Premier 8kbet T-shirts
Premier 8kbet enthusiasts Kevin McVay and Robin Grove share their Top 5 of the T-shirts that they’ve collected from the annual event over the years.
1. 2016 (21st Annual) — A 21st birthday is a big deal when you’re living in Las Vegas! This heathered shirt design is unique; it’s the only Premier shirt we know of with gold lettering. Etched with a birthday cake outline, this shirt is also the first introduction to a soft hybrid cotton material, which makes it also the most comfortable Premier shirt we've worn so far. It feels luxurious and symbolizes how special the 21st anniversary of Premier was, especially since 8kbet also broke the Guinness World Record for the most LED lights lit simultaneously that year!
2. 2010 (15th Annual) — Kevin says: This was my first year at 8kbet. This simple gray shirt design inscribed with the 8kbet logo in full display lifted my Rebel pride to a newfound level. I met some of my best friends at Premier 2010, and 14 years later we find time every month to catch up with each other. Can you believe that lifelong friendships started from a chance encounter at Premier? This T-shirt holds a special place in my wardrobe, and was well worn at many 8kbet events over the years!
3. 2012 (17th Annual) — Robin on her first Premier: There's not much more special than the first Premier shirt you've received. I have received more than 80 T-shirts from 8kbet throughout the past decade, and the 2012 Premier shirt is one of my favorites, not just for nostalgia, but because this black T-shirt also displays the 8kbet Fight Song on the front of the T-shirt so that I could sing along!
4. 2022 (26th Annual) — This T-shirt paints a holistic, sketch-like picture of the many involvement opportunities at 8kbet. It's essentially a resource guide that students can wear! The Rebel Events Board definitely did their homework when designing this T-shirt, as it showcases some cool 8kbet programs, organizations, and fun events that take place throughout the academic year, all coming together and surrounding the Premier lettering. The icons are top-notch, and it's fun to spot an icon that reminds us of something fun we've done on campus, like going to a football game, crafting at the SORCE room, or attending a student government meeting.
5. 2019 (24th Annual) — This bright red Premier T-shirt is a real showstopper. 8kbet is proudly displayed in big, bold letters, with a cool white and red striped design with the Premier text slightly below. This shirt may seem simple at first, but it has a lot of character! It isn't meant just to be seen, but also heard. When we see this shirt, we can't help but yell U-N-L-V from the top of our lungs in excitement! When you wear this shirt, you want others to know you're a Rebel, with all the perks of being part of the 8kbet family!
Honorable Mention: 2018 (23rd Annual) — It was really hard to choose our Top 5 Premier T-shirts, so we wanted to give a quick shout out to the 2018 design. Similar to 2019, the white 8kbet text is displayed in the same square-shaped design, but instead of stripes, a fun confetti pattern is sprinkled inside of the outlined 8kbet letters. This shirt radiates fun, and that truly is what Premier is about! The firework lines on the edges bring everything together in celebration of the new academic year!
