A Celebration of Achievement and Resilience
As Miguel Cerda stepped out of the Thomas & Mack Center after the UNLV spring commencement ceremony, he felt a mix of pride and relief. At 28, Cerda had finally completed his undergraduate degree in communication studies from the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs. His journey to this moment was anything but straightforward.
Cerda, a nontraditional student, first tried college life after high school in 2015, but it didn’t work out then. Six years later, he enrolled at UNLV and celebrated his graduation on Saturday. “It feels great,” he said as he met family members outside the arena. “It’s a big accomplishment. I’m thankful for my family, friends, and my girlfriend for supporting me.”
The Thomas & Mack Center was packed with more than 14,000 attendees for the joyous ceremony, which included plenty of cheers and name-hollering. A second ceremony took place later that afternoon.
UNLV awarded just over 3,700 degrees this spring, an increase of about 8 percent compared to last year’s total. About half of all bachelor’s degree recipients were first-generation college students. While Cerda called his graduation “long overdue,” he wasn’t much older than the average age of bachelor’s degree earners this spring — 25.
A Gaming Future
Another graduate, Taylor Gauthier, 22, grew up in the Las Vegas Valley. Gauthier, a track and cross country athlete at UNLV, took a more traditional route to her graduation day, but her overall path was anything but ordinary.
Gauthier, who received degrees in mathematics and computer science, designed and developed an original casino game model and sold it to DraftKings during her time at UNLV. Due to a nondisclosure agreement, she couldn’t share details about the game, but she wasted no time in starting her career.
Gauthier has already accepted a job with Aristocrat Gaming, where she’ll work in game development. “It’s been a long four years, but an amazing four years and I just couldn’t imagine not being a Rebel,” she said. “I’m so happy and today was such a fun day.”
Many graduates decorated their mortarboard flat caps with creative messages. One cap read “What Now?” while another said “One Degree Hotter.” Another graduate’s cap read “Done with this B.S.”
Creative Expressions and Personal Journeys
Raven Plumer, who earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, had her cap decorated with flowers, butterflies, a big fingerprint, and yellow crime scene tape. Plumer, 33, works for Clark County and plans to use her degree to further her career in probation and parole.
“Today was probably one of the most rewarding feelings,” Plumer said. “It’s not only because you’re celebrating your own accomplishments, but also because you’re celebrating the accomplishments of so many hundreds of students as well.”
A Deeply Emotional Tribute
While Saturday was overwhelmingly joyous for most at the Thomas & Mack, it was a bittersweet day for the family of Yusuf Mosley. Mosley, 46, an Army veteran and UNLV urban studies student, was fatally stabbed about a mile from the arena on Sept. 6, 2025. UNLV awarded Mosley a posthumous degree to members of his family, who flew in from Jacksonville, Florida.
In a joint statement through a text message, Mosley’s parents, Joseph and Jackie Mosley, said the experience was deeply emotional for them. “We are incredibly proud of our son,” part of the statement read. “He was doing so well, and we were looking forward to seeing him walk across the stage. While our hearts are heavy, we are deeply grateful that UNLV chose to honor Yusuf and our family with this posthumous degree. It means more to us than words can express.”
Diversity and Representation
Sixty-seven percent of UNLV’s spring graduating class identified as a minority, according to the university. That fact was not lost on Miguel Cerda’s father, Miguel Cerda Sr. “Today is a very proud moment for the whole community,” he said. “When you look around today, you see all the Hispanics who have graduated. It’s just a good moment for everybody.”
A Wide Range of Graduates
Sixty percent of the class was female, according to UNLV. The oldest degree recipient was 77 while the youngest was 18, the university said.
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