The Residence Hall Association (RHA) won top honors at the Intermountain Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (IACURH) Regional Business Conference at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs earlier this month. 

RHA won the prestigious "School of the Year" award. This is the top distinction in the region and is awarded to RHA chapters which have achieved their goals creating a thriving and productive residential on-campus community. UNLV students produced a 30-page bid document highlighting RHA's programs, initiatives, and other achievements from the past year. The bid then was defended by RHA President Holly Williams with a Q&A session from other RHA student leaders from Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Afterward, those representatives voted for the winner. UNLV bid and won against Northern Arizona University, which was the only other school to bid for the award this year. 

UNLV's RHA now will compete for the national honor with "School of the Year" winners from the other seven regions of the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH) during the annual international conference, which will take place at Purdue University in May. 

UNLV's bid at the conference in Colorado Springs mainly focused on large-scale programs such as "Big Dam Road Trip" and "Debate Viewing Parties" and how inclusivity is integrated throughout all of its initiatives. The bid also showcased how collaboration with other on campus departments is essential to success.

UNLV previously won this award in 2011 as a part of the Pacific region. Considering this is RHA's first year in its new region (Intermountain), earning the top honor this first year was unprecedented.