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By Blake Boles 
LAS VEGAS, NV (December 16th, 2016) — Many college students across the United States have finished the arduous process of becoming graduates, with many universities recently bestowing degrees at the conclusion of the Fall semester. Most follow the stereotypical calling of names to the tune of ‘Pomp and Circumstance’. But on a Friday evening, members of UNLV’s Rebel Vet organization treated their student veterans to a life experience, as their military service was honored alongside their academic achievements. It was the seventh such graduation ceremony held for UNLV’s graduating veterans. 
Director of the Military & Veteran Services Center at UNLV, Army veteran Ross Bryant, was gushing over the efforts of his school to support veterans. “We had a guy that was deployed in 2003 to the Middle East, as an air traffic controller,” Bryant said. “Before he left, he had a 3.4 GPA, and was able to take classes full time while being active duty. When he returned, he was told that he had failed all his classes, and owed the University $6,000.” Due to the efforts and understanding of UNLV leadership, however, that student veteran was able to waive off those costs, and reclassify those failing grades into withdrawals. “The University ate the costs,” related an ebullient Bryant, “and that’s the kind of support that UNLV has for our student veteran population.” Bryant also stressed the importance of mentors in their Rebel Vet organization, the TRiO Initiative, and the PAVE Program, which matches incoming veterans with student-veteran mentors who have already gone through the transition process at UNLV. All these initiatives, along with hardworking staff members, ensure that student veterans are set up for academic success. 
Guests in attendance were treated to a warm buffet, a wet bar, and a cake that was ceremoniously cut using Bryant’s own officer’s sword. Prizes donated from veteran-friendly organizations were raffled off free of charge; student veterans received graduation cords, a pin indicating their branch of service, and were able to take photographs with Hey Reb!, the UNLV mascot. In a first, there was even a Naval Officer’s Commissioning Ceremony, as an enlisted Naval NCO put on her officer’s rank for the first time. Others in attendance were staff members from Nevada’s congressional delegation, The Veterans Benefits Association, the Student Veterans of America, Rally Point 6, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), members of the Armed Forces, and family members.