Melissa Barber (Military & Veteran Services Center) has been awarded the prestigious WAVES Bill Pearson Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024. Barber is MVSC associate director of certifying. She was recognized for her nine years of establishing certifying services and programs to support more than 9,000 veterans, active duty service members, National Guard members, reservists and military family members over 12 years;  developing critical community partnerships on campus and in the Las Vegas community to connect any veteran in need with immediate resources; (cultivating a partnership with all of the UNLV advising centers to establish a veteran focused advising support team; and facilitating the recruitment, retention and graduation of 4,587 veterans and military family members at UNLV.  With her leadership and a very talented MVSC team, UNLV is ranked in the nation’s Top 10 (number 3) “Best for Vets” four-year colleges (2024–25).