More than 225 recipients of the state's Millennium Scholarships received diplomas Saturday at the University of Nevada, Reno's commencement exercises.
The former Nevada high school students represented the first full class of graduating Millennium Scholars. They were among 1,251 UNR students who received diplomas this spring.
The state-funded $10,000 scholarships were established by Gov. Kenny Guinn for top students with a portion of Nevada's lawsuit settlement against tobacco companies.
"I can't emphasize enough what this means to the state," Guinn said. "Because of the Millennium Scholarship, higher education in Nevada has become accessible to so many more people.
"This first full graduating class at Nevada represents an incredible pool of talent that will lead the state's educated workforce for many years to come," he said.
