RENO, Nev. – Nevada Athletics' Associate Athletics Director, Student-Athlete Services Kim Gross was named a recipient of the inaugural President's Award for Research, Innovation and Scholarly Impact.

Gross was named the recipient of a Catalyst Award, the category which supports projects that require targeted investments to move promising ideas from concept to implementation. The Catalyst Awards are intended to generate preliminary results, establish new collaborations, or position projects for competitive external funding.

"We are honored to receive this support from President Sandoval and are grateful to the University for believing in this vision. This investment will allow us to expand how we support academic success while creating meaningful opportunities to connect athletics with our campus community," said Gross. "I'm especially excited for our Student-Athlete Services staff, whose dedication, innovation, and commitment to student success continue to make a lasting impact on the lives of our student-athletes. We're excited to create a model that enriches the student-athlete experience and reinforces academic excellence across our University."

Gross and academic advisor Katie Rosenblad-Pietzold worked together on the proposed project, a Peer Academic Mentorship Program for Student-Athletes. The program, with Rosenblad-Pietzold overseeing the day-to-day operations, is a structured support initiative designed to enhance the academic success, self-efficacy, and retention of student-athletes at the University of Nevada. It would include upper-class or graduate student mentors, each assigned to a cohort of 3-5 student-athletes, who would meet with student-athletes and focus on vital topics as academic organization, time management, assignment tracking, and executive functioning skills. The overall goal would be to build sustainable academic habits that support long-term success.

The program aligns closely with the University's and Athletics Department's shared mission to support student success, foster inclusive excellence and promote community engagement. Expected goals for the program include improving student-athletes grade-point averages across all sports, continuing positive trends in Academic Progress Rate and retention which will positively impact institutional notoriety and athletics recruiting, increase student-athlete academic confidence and strengthen connections between Athletics and the broader University student body.

It would enhance the exceptional academic performance of Nevada student-athletes most recently demonstrated as the department posted its third-straight academic term with a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.20 this spring. The Wolf Pack turned in a 3.21 mark led once again by Women's Golf at 3.896. The current three-semester run began with the department's 3.278 in Spring 2025 and continued with last fall's 3.211 figure.

For the second-straight term, 14 Wolf Pack programs posted team GPAs of at least 3.0, with nine programs having hit the 3.0 mark in all 11 semesters since the return to in-person learning in Spring 2021.

"We would like to extend our gratitude to President Sandoval, as well as to the Faculty Senate and Staff Employees' Council and the review committees for their consideration of this proposal. This program will be a transformative step in our continued efforts to provide the highest level of support for our student-athletes," said Nevada Director of Athletics Stephanie Rempe. "Kim and her staff have put an incredible amount of effort, care and passion into our student-athletes and it has shown with the continued ascendance of the Wolf Pack's performances in the classroom, community and representing Nevada's College Town. This program will no doubt enhance the development of our student-athletes off the field as well as on."

The President's Award for Research, Innovation and Scholarly Impact was established to invest in bold ideas with the potential for sustained impact, future extramural support, or broader institutional adoption as the University continues to make a transformational impact on the world around it. A total of 13 recipients received a total of approximately $700,000 in awards and were chosen from 82 proposals.