When Director of Facilities Donna Chavez looked around campus this fall, she sensed something was missing. “It’s been a little blah,” she said with a laugh. “We needed to bring back the lights, lift spirits, and raise the holiday morale.” What began as a simple idea—to brighten the campus with festive decorations—quickly turned into a community-wide effort that has energized students, staff, and even neighbors in Las Vegas.
Donna spearheaded the initiative, but she’s quick to emphasize how enthusiastically others stepped forward. “Bob Nash, Senior Director of Operations and Safety, and Gene Garcia, director of security, jumped right in, and soon whole departments were getting excited,” she explained. Security staff contributed; staff brought decorations from home; faculty decorated their living units with lights; and little by little the campus transformed. The veranda of the castle was trimmed with lights, as was the top turret and the sign near the Welcome Center. Her team also prepared luminarias to line pathways to add a Southwestern flair to the festive spirit.
The revival of campus holiday cheer didn’t stop there. This year, UWC-USA entered the Las Vegas Electric Light Parade, a move that Donna believes helped strengthen ties with the local community. “The float was so well-received,” she said. “People were cheering, taking pictures, clapping, and calling out how glad they were to see UWC-USA participating. The students on the float were dancing, singing, and cheering everyone on. I absolutely think it helped bring us a little closer to the community.”
For Donna, the decorations and parade participation are about more than just the holidays—they’re about restoring energy, pride, and togetherness after a long semester. “What made this special was how everyone pitched in,” she reflected. “It felt like the whole campus decided to jump on the bandwagon.” As the lights brighten the winter evenings across campus, they deepen and illuminate the sense of community that defines UWC-USA.