Support the Healing Garden & Memorial Project

About this Initiative
On Dec. 6, 2023, a tragic campus shooting took the lives of three UNLV faculty members — Dr. Jerry Cha-Jan Chang, Dr. Patricia Navarro Velez, and Dr. Naoko Takemaru — and critically injured a fourth, Dr. Bot Rith. The tragedy left the campus community with both a profound sense of loss and, over time, an appreciation for its resiliency.

The healing garden will offer a touchstone for positive memories of these beloved professors and pay tribute to the extraordinary efforts of first responders. It will also balance a sense of community with spaces for solitude and reflection.

About the Design
This healing garden was designed as a joint project by Gensler Las Vegas and LAGE architecture and landscape design firms under the guidance of the Faculty Senate Memorial Committee and UNLV Planning & Construction. The design incorporates elements to reflect the personalities and cultural heritage of the professors we lost.

The healing garden will feature four distinct pods, curated with landscaping to reflect the personalities and cultural heritage of each of the professors with a cedar elm as a focal point in the center. Detailed memorial markers and interpretive elements will share our story and convey our message of hope.

The Opportunity
The Healing Garden and December 6 Memorial will be completed in three phases, beginning with the central area. The total cost of the project is projected to be $2,500,000. In addition to cash donations, there are opportunities to support the project through materials such as concrete, electrical and lighting systems, landscape plant materials, and architectural features.

Your Role in Helping Hope Bloom
The garden will be made possible through the generosity of donors who believe in healing, remembrance, and the enduring strength of the UNLV community. Donor recognition will be thoughtfully incorporated throughout the site as part of the installation design.