UNLV freshmen welcomed with 3,000 Life Is Beautiful tickets
With classes just three days away and precious vacation time slipping by, incoming UNLV freshman Braden Pleggenkuhle almost didn't muster the energy to roll out of bed Friday morning for the school's welcome ceremony.
"I'm so glad I did," Pleggenkuhle said, clutching a $255 reward for attending the event — a three-day pass for Life Is Beautiful, downtown Las Vegas' annual music, art and culinary festival. "I'm in disbelief."
Pleggenkuhle was among more than 3,000 incoming freshmen and faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas who were welcomed to the campus on Friday with free tickets to the festival — a gift totaling $900,000. The surprise giveaway was announced by festival founder Rehan Choudhry, who talked to the incoming class about his own college experience and urged students to "combine your academics and your passion."
"We see Life Is Beautiful not just as a festival, but also as a community event," Choudhry said. "The intention was to welcome this entire class of students and help them transition in a celebrative way."
The festival, which is in its third year, reports an average of 30,000 attendees per day. It takes place Sept. 25 to 27.
A sea of students in the school's signature red T-shirts erupted with excitement inside UNLV's Cox Pavilion after Choudry's announcement, which was followed by a confetti drop and a joint performance by UNLV's marching band and cheerleading squad.
"This is a really exciting day at UNLV," said Senior Vice Provost Carl Reiber. "This is really our opportunity to formally have the students become Rebels."
Contact Ana Ley at aley@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5512. Find her on Twitter @la__ley
