LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - To help celebrate 50 years of Title IX, UNLV Athletics plans to shine a light on UNLV's women in sports, positively impacted by the legislation.

The first monthly feature (October) is a spotlight on Dr. Blair Thomas, a UNLV volleyball alumna & professor at the UNLV School of Dental Medicine.

Dr. Thomas is definitely #MakingHerMark and showing that #IMPOSSIBLE!



Dr. Blair Thomas is a former UNLV volleyball player who is now a clinical sciences professor at the UNLV School of Dental Medicine. Thomas is a two time UNLV alumna ('03 BS Kinesiology and '08 DMD). She completed her residency in oral maxillofacial surgery at Meharry Medical College in Nashville and eight years in Oklahoma City, where she worked as a faculty member at Oklahoma University.

Family Ties with Sports
Thomas comes from a family full of athletes. Her father received a full ride scholarship from UCLA for basketball. Both of her parents emphasized that she and her other two siblings need to go to college to further their education and they will need to get a scholarship. Thomas and her brother both receive athletic scholarships and her sister received an academic scholarship. 

UNLV Dental Medicine 
After Thomas finished dental school, she went on to specialize in oral surgery. During her time in the residency program, Thomas was the only female alongside three males. With Thomas opening the gateway to admission for females, the school admitted more female residencies after she graduated. In the state of Nevada, she is only one of three female surgeons. 

Importance of Title IX
Thomas says that Title IX has improved over the years, but progression can always be made. She thinks it's important that women continue to get the same opportunities that men have in any industry.