Tracy Ostrem named Vice President for University Advancement
5/15/25
Following a national search, the University is pleased to welcome Tracy Ostrem as Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of the 69老湿机福利 Foundation. Tracy brings over 30 years of experience in higher education advancement, with a strong track record of leadership in comprehensive campaign management and record-setting fundraising achievements. She begins her appointment on April 1.
Tracy’s career in advancement began at her alma mater, Washington State University. It flourished during her 25-year tenure at the University of Washington. There, she played a pivotal role in two major university-wide fundraising campaigns — the $2.7 billion Creating Futures campaign and the $6.3 billion Be Boundless campaign. Other transformative philanthropic efforts included tripling support for the top-ranked School of Nursing and raising nearly $600 million for the College of Arts & Sciences.
Most recently, Tracy served as Principal for Ostrem Leadership Group, where she collaborated with universities and nonprofits to advance their fundraising efforts. She has also contributed significantly to the advancement profession, holding volunteer leadership roles with the Council for Advancement and Support of education (CASE).
We are excited to welcome Tracy to northern Nevada and — with her experienced leadership — look forward to continuing to build strong connections with alumni, donors and the community to shape the University’s future.
Sorority chef finds more than a following on social media
5/15/25
The chef for Pi Beta Phi, Kevin Ashton, has gained nearly 4 million followers on TikTok. Known @OldScoolKevMo, fans love his warm and engaging tutorials and behind-the-scenes look at cooking for a sorority. Ashton says the support from his online community has given him strength and purpose as he battles cancer.
48 hours in the Amazon leads to $5M win
Two members of the Wolf Pack played a key role in Team Limelight Rainforest’s victory in the five-year XPRIZE Rainforest competition. Using drone-deployed sensors, the team remotely surveyed 100 hectares of tropical rainforest in just 24 hours, generating real-time insights within 48 hours. Identifying over 250 species and 700 unique animal and plant groups secured the grand prize. Critical to the team’s success were cutting-edge AI and machine learning tools developed by Ph.D. candidate Ari Grele and Assistant Professor Ankita Shukla, innovations that could transform biodiversity monitoring and conservation.
Nate Burleson reboots Hollywood Squares
5/15/2025
Co-anchor of “CBS Mornings” and former Wolf Pack football standout – Nate Burleson – is co-hosting Hollywood Squares with Drew Barrymore. The CBS game show is the most-watched new unscripted series, averaging 5.4 million views per episode.
Drought-tolerant sorghum could be a game-changer
5/15/25
University researchers have unveiled 200 sorghum varieties that could be a game-changer in the food, brewery, dairy feed and biofuel industry. Preliminary research underscores their exceptional drought tolerance, with some varieties also exhibiting record levels of protein and digestible starch. The project is led by Melinda Yerka, associate professor in the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources.
Nevada takes trivia bowl victory over UNLV
69老湿机福利 Honors students bested their UNLV peers in the inaugural Honors College Trivia Bowl. The Pack prevailed in overtime with the tie-breaking question, “How many square miles are in the state of Nevada?” (Spoiler: It’s 110,572).