Since I was in middle school, I dreamt of leaving the Chicago area and attending University of Nevada-Las Vegas. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, UNLV was a national brand and powerhouse. Everyone was wearing UNLV hats and shirts. Despite the lack of proper guidance, I sent in my application, which included a meager 1.9 GPA, a low SAT score, and a poorly written application. Unfortunately, schools in my area were not known for preparing students for college. The inevitable rejection letter that arrived left me heartbroken, devastated, and feeling resigned to a future confined to the Chicago area. For some unexplained reason, a teacher provided the most remarkable life changing act. She found and contacted the Community College of Southern Nevada and then walked me though the process.
That summer, I moved to Vegas and started taking classes at the Henderson campus. With strong grades and references, I later reapplied to UNLV and was accepted with an academic scholarship (below is the letter.) Words cannot express the overwhelming joy. It was the greatest moment of my young life. Of course, there were some back then and probably today who do not consider UNLV their first choice. For me, I knew going to UNLV could change my life.
Over the years, the CommCap team supported the university in many ways and now it is time to financially invest in the next generation of CRE professionals. We are proud to announce the creation of the CommCap UNLV CREST Scholarship. Once fully funded, the endowment will perpetually award annual scholarships to deserving students. Without UNLV, I would not be the husband, father, friend, or professional I am today. Attending and graduating from UNLV was my dream come true. We hope the CREST Scholarship helps others fulfill their dreams.
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