Information
Narrator
Date
2006-07-17
Description
Reva Giles grew up in the little town of New Carlisle, Indiana. She was one of twelve children, learning from an early age to share, to give and take, and to appreciate hand-me-downs. Her mother stayed home with the children, and her father worked for Studebaker, a large automobile manufacturer. Right after high school graduation, Reva moved to Redland, California, to live with a sister, working first at an ice cream place and then a bank. Reva married a military man, and she and their three sons followed him as he was transferred first to Las Vegas, then Okinawa, and finally Utah. When he retired in 1964, they returned to Las Vegas, where he went to work for Pete Findlay Oldsmobile. Their ' middle son Stuart played football at UNLV, and Reva got involved in fundraising and ticket sales for the team. Reva always enjoyed helping students, and from the ticket office she moved into admissions, and then student services. She worked for Drs. Ackerman and Burns helping to certify athletes, and from there went into career services, helping students find jobs and practice interview techniques. After Reva retired, Susie Smith asked her to come back and help, which Reva did gladly. She volunteers as an office aide to Susie as well as Mike Hamrick, athletic director at UNLV. Mike worked with Reva back in the eighties when he was a graduate student, and they have kept in touch through the years. Reva recalls the university campus when there were only two buildings, and was there for much of the new growth. She is familiar with the history of the Millennium Scholarship, the impact of Tarkanian's Runnin' Rebels on the community and school, and the North-South rivalry between UNLV and UNR's teams. Reva and her family have supported UNLV teams for many years, and she has many anecdotes concerning team trips.
Digital ID
OH_00685_book