Las Vegas Sands Donates $15M for Chinese Institute at UNLV

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has announced the creation of a new institute for Chinese Language and Culture. The new institute will be sponsored by Las Vegas Sands and will reflect the global operator’s dedication to “global engagement and cultural exchange.”

The Institute Will Provide Students with New Perspectives

Las Vegas Sands has donated some $15 million to the UNLV Foundation, allowing it to jumpstart this enterprise. UNLV, which has already secured official approval from the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents, will begin the process of hiring staff and creating programs.

The new institute will be called the Sands Institute for Chinese Language and Culture, celebrating the operator that made it possible. Its creation reflects Las Vegas Sands’ unwavering support of Chinese culture and ambition to foster cultural exchange.

The Sands Institute for Chinese Language and Culture at UNLV will be located at the Maryland Administrative Building on Maryland Parkway – an easily accessible location that has been renovated to feature cutting-edge equipment.

The New Facility Will Benefit the UNLV Students

The project was welcomed by academics who praised the opportunities it brings. Keith Whitfield, president of UNLV, spoke with the Las Vegas Review-Journal on the matter, saying that diversity is UNLV’s strength. He thanked Las Vegas Sands for its support and desire to help create a new place that allows people with different backgrounds and perspectives to meet and exchange experiences.

Whitfield, who has visited China on several occasions, added that his voyages have made him appreciate Chinese culture, which is why he is looking forward to introducing it to UNLV’s students.

There’s different ways in which you can design these kinds of interactions, and ways to be able to benefit from the knowledge that’s either here or there. But it’s always one of understanding and seeing a culture that’s slightly different.

Keith Whitfield, president, UNLV

Robert Goldstein, the CEO and chair of LVS, added that the new institute will serve as a “vital resource for students, scholars and the broader community to immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage of China.”

Chris Heavey, EVP and provost at UNLV, also weighed in on the matter, calling the Sands Institute for Chinese Language and Culture at UNLV a “win-win” for the UNLV students and the broader Vegas community. According to him, the new institute will provide students with everything they need to “engage more effectively with the world around them.”

Heavey thanked LVS for its incredible support, which the new institute wouldn’t have been possible without.