Vanessa Cruz

Off the Court

UNLV alumni, as Vanessa Cruz tells it on the shows. Each story was checked against its source.

• Shelley Berkleycongresswoman, mayor of Las Vegas

  Shelley Berkley was the first in her family to attend college. She became our student body president, graduated with honors in 1972, went to Congress, and then got sworn in as mayor. Vegas loves a headliner who works her way up.

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• Eric WhitacreGrammy-winning choral composer

  Eric Whitacre arrived at UNLV unable to read music. He left with a composition degree, and later built a virtual choir with singers from a hundred and one countries. Now that, darlings, is a residency.

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• Jimmy Kimmelcomedian and talk show host

  Jimmy Kimmel attended UNLV and did not graduate. In 2013 we gave him an honorary degree anyway. In this town, sometimes the house lets you win.

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• Anthony E. Zuikercreator of CSI

  Anthony Zuiker, a Rebel, is the creator of CSI. So that whole crime lab empire started with one of ours. Vegas does love a good reveal.

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