University Balloon Race Scholarship Committee

Supporting students through scholarship funds

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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.

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 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.

Great Reno Balloon Race Website

In the news

Inflated hot air balloon with Nevada logo on the field in Mackay Stadium

2021 University Balloon Race Scholarship Recipients

Alec Brennan and Vincent Lee receive the 2021 Balloon Race Scholarship

Deflated hot air balloon with red and white checkers and people's shadows in the background.

University Balloon Race Scholarship Recipients

Jennifer Heppner and Ivana Lang receive the 2019 Balloon Race Scholarship

Callie Adair and Stephanie Guevara Martinez

University Balloon Race Scholarship recipients announced

Callie Adair and Stephanie Guevara Martinez selected for 2018-2019 awards