Every year, By Dzign provides decor and design assistance for the UNLV Alumni of the Year Awards. It’s one of our all-time favorite events to assist with, as our By Dzign team is chock-full of UNLV grads and lifelong Runnin’ Rebel fans. We were so thrilled, then, when we got the exciting news that our very own Event Designer Kathy Dyke had been selected as the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration 2017 Alumna of the Year.
Kathy first moved to Las Vegas in 1989, the year that UNLV’s star-studded Runnin’ Rebels basketball team won the NCAA championship title. The experience turned Kathy into a lifelong Rebels fan, and, as someone who always knew she wanted to go into hospitality, UNLV’s hotel management program seemed like a natural (and fateful) fit.
Kathy eventually joined the By Dzign team in 2012, with a B.S. in hotel management from UNLV and two decades of impressive event and hospitality experience to her name. She is one of our team’s key event designers and inspires us everyday through both her killer eye for aesthetics and her endlessly giving spirit. Kathy is a member of the UNLV Alumni Association where she enjoys helping with events with both Blake Roberts and Missy Arendash. She donates her time as a member of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. She regularly contributes to both UNLV athletics and the UNLV Foundation, and constantly helps the hotel college throw unforgettable events. We knew, then, that we wanted to help make Kathy’s night at the UNLV Alumni of the Year Awards as amazing as she is.
We started by working with the Printing By Dzign team to create custom large-format white flooring that boasted high-res, colorful event sponsor logos. The flooring turned out beautifully and was an absolute hit at the event. For the reception, we knew we needed to make the University’s colors of red, white and grey as prominent and pretty as possible—so Linen By Dzign draped guest tables in simple charcoal accordion linens and Furniture By Dzign brought in silver chiavari chairs to add some shine to the space.
Floral By Dzign then hand-crafted tight, focused arrangements of lush white hydrangea and gorgeous red roses, which ended up playing perfectly against the charcoal linens and red-and-white design accents throughout the room.
Finally, for the focal point of the entire room, the stage itself, we strategically draped red and silver linens as a backdrop to help define the space and create an aesthetic that felt both formal and festive. From the flooring to the centerpieces to the stage, the end result was a space that was as spirited as the UNLV Rebels who filled it. We were honored to help bring the 2017 UNLV Alumni of the Year Awards to life and were even more thrilled to watch as one of our very own was honored for all of her hard work and impressive accomplishments.
“Many things from UNLV helped me become the professional I am today,” Kathy said, “from the classes I took to the internships and work experiences this hospitality city provides just minutes away from the campus. I cherish the people I have met along the way who have become lifelong friends and colleagues.”
Congrats, Kathy—and, as always, thank you to our friends and family at UNLV for all that you do for our community!