The University of Nevada at Las Vegas bestowed its first degrees in 1964, nearly a half century ago. Last month, the university gave out its 100,000th degree. The recipient was Emily Tamadonfar who majored in biology and graduated with a perfect grade point average. She now plans to go to medical school.
Tamadonfar was born and raised in Nevada and her father has taught political science at UNLV for 25 years. She was the valedictorian of her high school graduating class. At UNLV she conducted research on anatomy and stem cells. In addition to a stellar academic record, Tamadonfar volunteered in the oncology unit of St. Rose Dominican Hospital in Siena. She was also involved with Chemical Interactions, a campus group that seeks to increase the interest of elementary school students in chemistry.