Supporting students through scholarship funds
The 2023 University of Nevada, Reno Balloon Race Scholarship Committee Pin features a replica of the balloon used during the previous races along with a new blue and silver, University of Nevada, Reno balloon. The balloon has participated in previous glow shows and continues to be a spectacular view in the sky during mass ascension.
Thank you to Xyla Correne Gayon for designing the 2023 Balloon Race Pin!
Xyla's goal was for the pin to have an old rustic feel, and she kept that in mind for all of her drafts. Xyla first attended the Great Reno Balloon Race years ago as a small child. It was one of her first memories of Nevada, and it was also the first time Xyla had ever seen and flown in a hot air balloon. After high school, she plans on attending the University of Nevada, Reno.
The Balloon Race Scholarship Committee would like to thank the campus community for their support in the purchase of our pins and tickets that enable the Balloon Race Scholarship Committee to award our two yearly scholarships.
The University Balloon Race Scholarship Committee has been in existence since 1986, has awarded scholarship funds since the early 1990's and distributed scholarships to students each year since 1999. The committee exists solely to raise the money to award two scholarships a year, one to an undergraduate student and one to a graduate student.
Each year the committee designs a new balloon pin and secures prizes donated from the community. Also, the committee donates six balloon rides for the drawing in the University’s sponsored balloon. The raffle drawing is held on the Wednesday before the Balloon Races.
In addition to selling pins and drawing tickets prior to the race, the committee also supports a hospitality tent advertising the University and has pins available the day of the Race. Often our scholarship recipients donate their time at the hospitality tent taking donations for pins and talking about the University.
On Race weekend, all committee members can participate as much as possible by crewing for the University balloon and helping at the hospitality tent.
The Balloon Race Scholarship Committee's Grand Prize is a ride in our balloon at the GRBR (weather permitting and rider must be at least 18 years old). There will be six rides raffled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday fly dates on Sept. 8-10, 2023. Please join us for the media launch from the Quad on September 7, 2023.
The Great Reno Balloon Race is the largest free hot-air ballooning event in the world. During three days in early September, you can look up into the Reno skies and see a rainbow of hot air balloons soaring about.
Three Balloon Race Scholarships awarded ahead of the Great Reno Balloon Race
The University's Balloon Race Scholarship Committee awards scholarships to two undergraduate students and one masters student
Balloon Race Scholarship recipients awarded for 2022
Ashley Osborne and Shane Kapala receive the 2022 Balloon Race Scholarship
2021 University Balloon Race Scholarship Recipients
Alec Brennan and Vincent Lee receive the 2021 Balloon Race Scholarship
