Seven information technology employees were celebrated for their longtime UNLV careers during the Faculty Length of Service Recognition Ceremony on Dec. 4 in the Student Union Ballroom. They joined over 100 other faculty who were recognized for their 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-year anniversaries.

Don Diener was honored for his 40 years of service to the university. The associate vice provost for information technology started in 1983, the same year the Thomas & Mack Center opened, said Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Kate Korgan, who took audiences down memory lane spanning several decades.

In preparation of the ceremony, Diener was asked by event organizers about his experience as a seasoned university employee. He said the best thing about working at UNLV was “feeling that what you do makes a difference regardless of your level in the organization.”

Faculty Affairs Vice Provost Janet Dufek read the names of all the long-serving academic and administrative faculty during the milestone awards ceremony. The list included six information technology employees who joined UNLV in 2013.

10-Year Service Milestone Recipients

• David Montgomery-Blake, computer facilities supervisor
• Yassine Nacht, senior integrations developer
• Vito Rocco, chief information security officer
• Elvis Rowe, computer facilities supervisor
• Kimberly Schjang, network engineer
• Paul Trinidad, associate director of IT operations center

According to the program’s webpage, individuals with a “10-year milestone receive a commemorative pin” and long-serving faculty with 20, 30, and 40 years of service “receive a medallion to be worn at commencement ceremonies and similar events.”

The event is held annually by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost during the fall semester. For a complete list of this year’s milestone honorees, visit the Faculty Length of Service Recognition Program website.