Carole Rae, a professor of dance at UNLV, was awarded the February Alumni Faculty Award for Excellence in Academics and Student Focus.

Professionally trained in ballet, ballroom, jazz, modern, Spanish, and Thai dance, Rae is the founder of UNLV's department of dance arts and served as the director of dance from 1976 to 1989.

Rae joined the UNLV faculty in 1976 after serving as a professor and director of dance for four years at the University of Houston.

Her choreography has been performed throughout the country. One of her works, "Requiem in a Closed Room," has been re-created for several universities.

She is a member of numerous professional associations, including the American College Dance Association, the American Dance Guild/Council for Research on Dance, the International Jazz Congress, and the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.

Rae received her bachelor's degree in education from Northern Illinois University. She earned both her master's degree and doctorate in dance at Texas Woman's University.