Miller was impressed by our reputation as an early leader in technology and STEM fields, our connection to the space program and our success expanding into other areas. In fact, UCF boasted one of the highest certified public accountant (CPA) pass rates of any public university — impressive to an aspiring accountant.

So Miller applied, was accepted and committed to UCF sight unseen. It was the beginning of a journey that would change his family’s trajectory, along with the university’s.

Today, he committed a transformational $50 million gift — the largest single philanthropic investment in the university’s history — to position UCF as a global leader in fintech, artificial intelligence (AI) and business innovation by establishing the Barry S. Miller College of Business.

First-Generation Student

Miller is president and co-founder of both Voloridge Investment Management and Voloridge Health. He also founded and sold another successful business in his entrepreneurial career.

But back when Miller was attending UCF, he was paving the way as the first in his family to go to college. His dad, a self-taught contractor and developer and a single father, saw the value of higher education for his son.

“My father had a deeply ingrained work ethic that he passed on to me,� Miller says. “In the summer, he would get me out of bed early and have me carrying lumber and working on roofs. I learned to work hard, but I also learned that [it] was a tough job to do for 50 years. I wanted to try a different path.�

Once he started on that path, there was no stopping him.

Building Foundations

At UCF, Miller became a star student. He excelled in accounting, learned numerical analysis and had a knack for understanding financial markets. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in finance.

“I learned how to really study and apply myself academically at UCF. Essentially, I was learning strategy and project management as I made my way through school,� Miller says. “I didn’t know how impactful those habits would be until later in life. I realize now that everything I learned at UCF has been foundational to my success.�

“I realize now that everything I learned at UCF has been foundational to my success.â€�

Outside of class, Miller became a student-athlete, playing football when he initially came to UCF. That’s where he met then-quarterback Darin Hinshaw ’90 ’94MBA, who encouraged him to join his fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE), and became his big brother.

“Initially, I wasn’t interested in joining a fraternity. I had this idea that fraternities weren’t serious about school or life, and I was,� Miller says. “But my experience in PIKE ended up being formative. It’s where I learned about being a gentleman, dressing for success, networking and more.�

“To this day, so many of my friends are former fraternity brothers, including one of my best friends, Sean Hayes ’95, who has also been my business partner for nearly 30 years,� Miller continues. “As I look back, everything in my life has a connection to UCF — my friends, my business partners, my career and even my wife Rosie ’95, since we met in college.�

Leaving a Legacy

As he built his career and found success in the business and financial world, Miller wanted to give back to UCF. Over time, he has invested in first-generation and STEM student scholarships, UCF Athletics’ Knights Leadership Academy, the John T. Washington Center mural and more.

Each gift has been based on a personal connection or conviction.

“Being a first-generation student myself, having that opportunity to support students who are the first in their families to go to college is personal to me,� Miller says.

As his capacity to give grew, Miller wanted to make a transformative gift that would have an impact today and for generations to come. That led to conversations with university leaders about the opportunity to establish as a global leader in fintech, AI and business innovation.

To help bring that vision to life — and to build early momentum for , ±«°ä¹ó’s comprehensive campaign to fuel bold ideas and build its future — Miller has committed to a $50 million gift, establishing the Barry S. Miller College of Business.

The investment will accelerate an innovative new model of business educationÌıdesigned for a worldÌıwhere technology, data and decision-making are inseparable, and it will prepareÌıstudents with the skills the marketplace demands.

“We are at a seminal moment in business, and AI and new technologies are creating fundamental shifts at a dramatically faster speed than ever before,� says Miller, who was inducted into the UCF College of Business Hall of Fame in 2022. “I want UCF to become the leader in business education, paving the way for everyone else.�

Inspiring Others

“Finding a way to have an impact is one of the most gratifying things you can do with your time and money.�

Until recently, Miller has made most of his gifts to UCF anonymously. But as UCF unveiled Go For Launch, he saw a powerful opportunity to step forward and encourage others to do the same. By sharing his commitment more openly, Miller hopes to help build momentum and invite broader participation in ±«°ä¹ó’s vision.

“I hope this gift inspires people to be part of ±«°ä¹ó’s mission to create a bold new future and give at whatever level they can. Maybe it’s $10, $100 or $1,000 — it all makes a difference,â€� Miller says.

“I want to tell people this: If it’s not your time to make a gift today, maybe it will be a year from now, or five years from now,� he continues. “Finding a way to have an impact is one of the most gratifying things you can do with your time and money.�

“UCF is being trusted to lead, and Barry’s investment reinforces that UCF is a place where talent is developed at scale, where opportunity is expanded, and where our graduates don’t just succeed in the world — they come back to help build what’s next.� — Alexander N. Cartwright, UCF President

The investment will accelerate a bold new model of business education designed for a world where technology, data and decision-making are inseparable, and it will position UCF as a national leader in emerging fields that prepare students to lead with the skills the marketplace demands.

“This is a defining moment for UCF and for the College of Business,� says Board of Trustees Chair Alex Martins ’01MBA. “As an alumnus, I have seen firsthand how UCF transforms lives by opening doors to opportunity, and this extraordinary gift takes that mission to an entirely new level, giving future generations of Knights access to a world-class business education and an opportunity to achieve their full potential.�

“We are deeply grateful to Barry for his extraordinary belief in this university and in the impact our students make. This is a defining moment for UCF and a powerful signal of who we are and where we are going,� says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “UCF is being trusted to lead, and Barry’s investment reinforces that UCF is a place where talent is developed at scale, where opportunity is expanded, and where our graduates don’t just succeed in the world — they come back to help build what’s next.�

“UCF gave me the opportunity to build my future,� Miller says. “This investment is about creating that same opportunity for others — and ensuring students are prepared for a world where technology and business are constantly evolving.�

A Defining Moment for UCF

Few universities of ±«°ä¹ó’sÌıyoungÌıageÌıhave alumni giving back at this level.

At the center of thisÌımilestoneÌıis longtimeÌısupporter and entrepreneur Barry S. Miller,Ìıpresident ofÌıthe Florida-basedÌıÌıandÌıVoloridgeÌıHealth.ÌıMiller isÌıa first-generationÌıcollegeÌıgraduate whose early partnership and belief in the university helped accelerate ±«°ä¹ó’s trajectory.

His leadership and commitment to wideningÌıopportunity helped lay the groundwork for a future-focused strategy that will transform how students learn, innovate and launch their careers. Miller’sÌılatestÌıinvestment reflects ±«°ä¹ó’s ability toÌıproduceÌıtalent that succeeds at the highest levels and inspiresÌıthat talent to returnÌınot just with pride, but with capacity and conviction to shapeÌıwhat’sÌınext.

Building the Future of Business Education

“UCF gave me the opportunity to build my future. This investment is about creating that same opportunity for others.â€� — Barry Miller ’95, ÌıVoloridge Investment Management and Voloridge Health president

willÌıoperateÌıas a hub for technology-driven business leadership where students, faculty and industry collaborate in real time to solve complex challengesÌıin emerging fields like artificial intelligence,ÌıfintechÌıand digital risk.

The focus is not simply on technical skills, but on empowering graduates to take action to address organizational obstacles and lead in fields fueled by rapid technological change.

This vision is grounded in the region UCF calls home.

Orlando has rapidlyÌıemergedÌıas one of the nation’s fastest-growing technology hubs,ÌıwithÌıdemand for talent in fintech andÌıAI continuingÌıtoÌıevolve.ÌıAcross Florida, one of the largest clusters of banking and insurance firms in the country is fueling new opportunities in financial technology,ÌıriskÌıand data-driven decision-making.

UCF sits at the center of this momentum,Ìıuniquely positioned to develop the talent and ideas that will powerÌıthe future.

The investment will supportÌıa multi-phase strategy designed to position UCF asÌıtheÌıdestination for business and technology education, including:

• Five endowed faculty chairs in fintech, AI strategy, cyber risk,ÌıtrustÌıand disinformation
• A newÌımaster’sÌıinÌıtechnologyÌıleadership andÌıinnovation
• Expanded access to applied learning, including internships, simulations, BloombergÌıtrainingÌıand industry-led projects
• Growth of ±«°ä¹ó’s corporate partnership ecosystem.

Together, these investments will create a learning environment that mirrors modern workplaces — fastÌımoving, dataÌıdriven and deeply connected to industry.

“Technology is advancing rapidly, and the real opportunity is in how organizations use it to perform,â€� saysÌıCollege of Business DeanÌıPaulÌıJarley. “This investment allows us to build a business school focused on how the work actually gets doneÌı—–Ìıwhere students learn to apply judgment, navigate ambiguity, and lead in environments shaped by technology, data, and organizational complexity.â€�

Accelerating Momentum

Miller’s leadership giftÌımarks a milestone inÌıÌı— aÌı$3.5 billionÌıcampaign toÌıexpandÌıopportunity,ÌıadvanceÌıdiscovery,Ìıand drive impact across the university.

It sets the toneÌıfor what comes next,Ìıaccelerating the pride and vision that will inspire others to invest in ±«°ä¹ó’s future.

“This is what momentum looks like,â€� saysÌıRodney Grabowski, senior vice president for advancement and partnerships and CEO of the UCF Foundation. “It reflects confidence in ±«°ä¹ó’s vision and signals to partners, alumni and investors that this university is building something meaningful and worth being part of.â€�

Together, talent, opportunity and partnership are converging,ÌıpositioningÌıUCFÌıtoÌıbe a leading force in shapingÌıwhat’sÌınext in business,ÌıtechnologyÌıand innovation.

“UCF is not waiting to be recognized. We are being chosen, invested in and trusted to lead,� Cartwright says. “This milestone gift reflects a growing sense of pride across the university and signals the momentum others will want to help build — and it is only the beginning.�

“Once I realized it wasn’t a mistake, I was thrilled,� says Xhemali, one of the inaugural recipients of the Katherine Crock Memorial Scholarship. “I’m financing this entire experience on my own, so every bit helps. That’s money I can now put toward my future.�

For Xhemali, an aspiring lawyer, college once felt like a distant world reserved for others. Between traveling back-and-forth across the Atlantic Ocean to live with his parents in Albania and relatives in Chicago and Jacksonville, Florida, he constantly balanced family expectations with his own ambitions. Ultimately, Xhemali faced a difficult choice: work to support his family or focus solely on his studies. He chose both, supplementing his scholarship by working as a produce clerk at Publix and a warehouse shipper.

College of Business alum Raymond Smithberger ’02MBA understands that drive. Growing up on a 100-acre farm in Southeast Ohio, Smithberger learned the value of hard work and family obligation early on. The oldest of five, with a father who worked in a factory and a mother who was a receptionist, Smithberger was aware of the financial hurdles facing a first-generation student when he left home to pursue his undergraduate degree and later an MBA at UCF.

Now the chief operating officer at Help at Home, a national home care provider, Smithberger credits his late mother, Katherine Crock, for pushing him to blaze his own trail.

“She was the one who really encouraged me to do things differently,� Smithberger says.

Following his mother’s passing, Smithberger honored her legacy by creating the Katherine Crock Memorial Fund. The endowment ensures students like himself, and Xhemali, have the support they need to define their own futures — and pays tribute to someone who valued education more than anything else.

UCF Day of Giving is Thursday, April 9. Join us during Knight Nation’s single largest day of impact as we support our favorite colleges, programs, student services, research endeavors and more. .

“[My mother] wanted to pursue further education but never had the chance,� Smithberger says. “I feel honored to support other first-generation students in her memory.�

Strategically launched last year on to maximize impact, visibility, and matching opportunities, the Katherine Crock Memorial Fund helps to expand student access, reduce financial barriers,and accelerate academic success. By funding both established and new scholarship initiatives, donors directly enable UCF students to focus on their studies and career-shaping experiences, such as internships and campus involvement, rather than financial stressors.

While the finer points of UCF Day of Giving are still new to Xhemali, he understands the significance ofSmithberger’s generosity.

“I’m still fresh, but I’m figuring out this stuff,� Xhemali says. “What I do know is that I want to use this scholarship to put me in a position where I can help someone like Mr. Smithberger has helped me.�

Justin Press ’24, a UCF photonic science and engineering major, may have developed a solution that benefits both employers and applicants. His brainchild, Hire Match AI, is an analytics layer that integrates with existing applicant tracking systems to better analyze and interpret hiring data.

“We reparse resumes, structure candidate data more accurately and use statistics to identify which combinations of skills and experiences tend to stay longer and perform better in a company over time,� Press says. “That helps teams look past what I call ‘checklist champion’ resumes, where a candidate appears perfect on paper but is really just optimized for a filter.�

Press says what sets his digital tool apart is its focus on analytics, fit and compliance.

From Frustration to Framework

He developed the idea as head of professional development for the Engineering Leadership and Innovation Institute — part of ±«°ä¹ó’s College of Engineering and Computer Science — where students develop professional skills through a certificate program, specialized courses, maker spaces and mentorship. In that role, he helped students optimize their resumes for job listings and quickly realized the process wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed.

“At UCF, I was going through hundreds of applications and postings each year, and it became obvious how much of the process was turning into a game,� Press says. “That gave me a firsthand look at how inefficient and frustrating the process was for both applicants and the people trying to help them.�

Launching What Hiring Lacks

From that frustration came Hire Match AI. Press brought the idea to the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, where he received guidance on turning the concept into a business. Now, as he prepares for launch, several businesses have already expressed interest in using the platform to analyze their hiring data more deeply. Press says the goal is to make data analytics more accessible, no matter which ATS a company uses.

“The bigger vision is to make hiring more data-driven, more transparent and less dependent on surface-level filtering.”

“We want Hire Match AI to plug into every major ATS so companies can get better visibility into candidate fit, hiring patterns and compliance risk without having to switch the systems they already rely on,� he says. “Down the line, that means expanding into larger platforms like Workday and other major enterprise systems. The bigger vision is to make hiring more data-driven, more transparent and less dependent on surface-level filtering.�

Engineering with Purpose

Press says he was drawn to the field of photonic science and engineering by a desire to create technology that improves people’s lives. His advice to students with similar ambitions: focus on what makes their idea unique.

“For engineering students especially, having a wide range of experiences is a huge advantage,� Press says. “A lot of the best ideas come from [understanding] how technical problems connect to business problems, user behavior or broken systems in the real world. That matters even more now, with tools like large language models making it easier to build quickly.�

Companies interested in using Hire Match AI can or sign up for early access.

Our students are groundbreaking national and global scholarship winners, researchers, athletes, teaching assistants, residence assistants and leaders in campus organizations, including Student Government, LEAD Scholars and the President’s Leadership Council. The honorees include transfer students, those from first-generation and international backgrounds and members of the Burnett Honors College.

Aside from focusing on academics and campus causes, many of the student honorees volunteered at hospitals, schools, parks, food banks, shelters, clinics, youth clubs and with many community service organizations — at times as organizers and coordinators for support drives and campaigns.

“When you look at this group, you see trajectory.â€� — John Buckwalter, UCF’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs

“The students we recognize at our Founders’ Day Student Honors Celebration are extraordinary not just for what they’ve achieved, but for how they’ve shaped their time at UCF. They’ve pursued opportunities, challenged themselves and lifted others along the way,â€� says John Buckwalter, UCF’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “When you look at this group, you see trajectory — students whose experiences here are opening doors in meaningful ways and changing the direction of their futures, the trajectories of their families and the communities they inhabit.â€�

Student award categories highlight new inductees of the Order of Pegasus, ±«°ä¹ó’s highest student honor; graduate awards for outstanding master’s thesis and outstanding dissertation; undergraduate awards for honors thesis; and individual college awardees as chosen by the respective college deans. All honorees earned financial awards.

This year’s 37 inductees into the Order of Pegasus mark the 25^th anniversary class of top-achieving Knights. The average GPA of the 2026 class is 3.912.

The campus community is invited to attend the Student Honors Celebration on Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Student Union’s Pegasus Ballroom. A brief reception will follow.

Here are the students to be recognized.

Order of Pegasus Inductees

• Fatima Alziyad, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Andy Ayup, College of Sciences
• Megan Bailey, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Stacie Becker ’23, College of Arts and Humanities
• Akash Hari Bharath ’25MS, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Swati Bhargava ’25MS, College of Optics and Photonics
• Sanjana Bhatt, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Griffon Binkowski ’24, College of Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Ossyris Bury, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Nico Chen, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Kyle Coutray, College of Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Allyson Crighton, College of Nursing and Burnett Honors College
• Nyauni Crowelle-Feggins, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Cameron Cummins, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Andrew “Drewâ€� Hansen ’25, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Andrea Hernandez Gomez, College of Sciences
• Lindsey Hildebrand, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Ariana Johnson, College of Medicine
• Sanjan Kumar ’23, College of Medicine
• Kworweinski Lafontant, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Meera Lakshmanan, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Abrianna Lalle, College of Nursing
• Ilana Logvinov, College of Nursing
• Hannah Lovejoy, College of Business
• Taiel Lucile, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Robin Marquez, College of Sciences
• Shanel Moya Aguero, College of Community Innovation and Education and Burnett Honors College
• Gabrielle “Gabbyâ€� Murison, College of Sciences
• Varun Nannuri, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Natalie Otero, College of Business and Burnett Honors College
• Om Pathak, College of Medicine, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Pritha Sarkar ’24, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Jacob Vierling, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Janapriya Vijayakumar, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Ornella Vintimilla, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Om Vishanagra, College of Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College

Undergraduate Student Awards

College Founders’ Award

• Liam Pivnichny, Burnett Honors College
• Antonella Bisbal Hernandez, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jordan Nell, College of Business
• Jude Hagan, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Ossyris Bury, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Timothy Horanic, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Sun Latt, College of Medicine
• Abrianna Lalle, College of Nursing
• Jacob Silver, College of Optics and Photonics
• Emily Willis, College of Sciences
• Fabian Rodriguez Gomez, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis

• Edwin Garcia ’25, College of Arts and Humanities, Outstanding Honors Thesis in Arts, Humanities and Creative Inquiry
• Eric Haseman ’25, College of Sciences, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Social Sciences
• Shreya S. Pawar ’25, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Natural Sciences
• Andrea C. Molero Perez ’25, College of Medicine, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Health Sciences
• Nicholas Rose ’25, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Outstanding Honors Thesis in Engineering and Technology

Graduate Student Awards

Outstanding Dissertation

• Jessica Moon ’25PhD, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Michael Pierro ’20 ’23MS ’25PhD, College of Engineering and Computer Science

A well-regarded civic leader who has helped propel Orlando’s trajectory as the fastest major metro area in the United States, Martins has spent 30 of his nearly 40 years in professional sports management as part of the Orlando Magic organization. For his many years of dedicated service and leadership, Martins became the 14th person inducted to the NBA franchise’s Hall of Fame.

The UCFÌıgrad, who earned hisÌımaster’s in business administrationÌıin 2001,ÌıjoinsÌıthe likes ofÌıfellow Hall of FamersÌıShaquille O’Neil, Anfernee “Pennyâ€� Hardaway and Dwight Howard.

“His decades of work with the Orlando Magic and his continued investment in our university reflect the character and commitment that define UCF.� — UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright

“Chair MartinsÌıleads with humility,ÌıgenerosityÌıand a deep sense of responsibility to this community,â€� saysÌıUCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “His decades of work withÌıthe Orlando Magic and his continued investment in our universityÌıreflect the character andÌıcommitmentÌıthatÌıdefineÌıUCF. As chair of our Board of Trustees, I see every day how deeply he believes in this institution and theÌıopportunitiesÌıweÌıcreate forÌıCentral Florida. His induction into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame is a well-deserved recognition of a remarkable careerÌıandÌıall of us atÌıUCFÌıareÌıproud to celebrate this moment with him.â€�

Man of the Hour

MartinsÌıwasÌıinducted on Monday, MarchÌı23,ÌıatÌıKia Center, near the Orlando Magic Fan Experience.

“We are excited to welcome Alex Martins into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame,â€�ÌısaysÌıOrlando MagicÌıchairmanÌıDanÌıDeVos. “His innovative business acumen has transformed our organization, while working tirelessly to make the Magic an invested community partner. For his efforts that spanned three decades, this is truly a worthy recognition for Alex and his family, and we look forward to continuing to work with him in his role as vice chair.â€�

Ties that Bind

MartinsÌıwas namedÌıÌıin 2021 andÌıalsoÌıserves on the dean’s executive council for theÌı. Martins served on the developmental board of the globally acclaimed Ìıat UCF, which is funded through a $9 million endowment by Rich and Helen DeVos and awards dual master’s degrees inÌısport managementÌıand business administration. Under Martins’ leadership, the Magic contributed $1.5 million to the construction ofÌıUCF DowntownÌıin 2015, the first major private donation for the campus.

HeÌıis a member of the College of Business’ Hall of Fame and recipient of the university’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Magic Career

MartinsÌıserves as vice chair ofÌıthe OrlandoÌıMagic. In this position, he acts as a senior advisor to the Magic Board of Directors to advance long-term strategic initiatives and serve as a resource to Magic executives.

Martins also represents the Magic as the team’s alternate governor to the NBA Board ofÌıGovernors, andÌıoversees all operations of the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL and the Osceola Magic of the NBA G League.

Martins served as the Orlando Magic’sÌıCEOÌıfor 14 seasons (2011-25). He has held various senior-level management capacities with the Magic between 1989-98 and upon his return to the organization in 2005, including director of media relations, executive vice president of marketing and franchise relations,ÌıpresidentÌıand chief operating officer.

During his tenure as CEO, theÌıSports Business JournalÌınamed the Magic as one of the “Best Places to Work in Sports,â€� the only franchise in the four major professional sports leagues to receive the recognitionÌıin 2024.

His effort and collaboration with local business and political leadersÌıhelped toÌısecure the Kia Center as a sports and entertainment home, which opened in October 2010. The Kia Center was named theÌıSports Business Journal’s Sports Facility of the Year in 2012.

Martins has also held senior executive positions with the New Orleans Hornets, the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and Tavistock Group. He started his career as a student assistant in theÌıVillanova sports information department,ÌıassistedÌıin the Philadelphia 76ers public relations department and was also the assistant sports information director at Georgetown º£½ÇÖ±²¥.

Tomorrow’s leading video game developers areÌıbeing built today at UCF.

The university’s graduate video gaming program, , and undergraduate program continue to develop a pipeline ofÌıtalent to fuel Florida’s economyÌıat a standard of excellence few can match, affirmed by The Princeton Review and PC Gamer’s Top Video Game Design Schools 2026 rankings.

The Princeton Review andÌıPC GamerÌıhas recognized FIEA as one of the top two programs of its kind in the world six of the past seven years.

GaIM improved two spots from last year to its highest ranking, rising to No. 3 in the world. Both programs continue to hold the title of No. 1 in the South.

Strategy for Success

Since their inception, FIEA and GaIM have modeled their classrooms as close to a real-world, studio-like environment as possible, led by faculty with industry experience. That real-world perspective shapes every course, every project and every student who graduates.

“Our program intentionally emulates a collaborative ecosystem with a range of diverse talent in artists, designers and programmers, which is crucial to developing products and intellectual property,� says Nicholas Zuccarello, a 3D art instructor at FIEA who has previously worked for Sony Online Entertainment and Electronic Arts Tiburon. “We even structure projects to emulate real-world development pipelines as closely as possible within an educational setting.�

Orlando: A Leading Tech Hub

With Electronic Arts (EA) and IronÌıGalaxy Studios located less than a mile fromÌıthe programs’ home base in downtown’s , Orlando is the perfect setting to transition from college to career and now mentioned in the same breath alongside traditional tech-giant territories San Francisco, SeattleÌıand Los Angeles.

Many alums go directly into the game industry including Epic, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony and more.

FIEA has graduated 1,160 students since its first class in 2006 — about 100 of whom worked on several of the most popular games sold in the U.S. in 2025, including EA SPORTS College Football 26, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.

But it’s not just the gamingÌıcompanies that eagerly hireÌıFIEA and GaIM graduates. The skillsÌıtaught in the two programs align perfectlyÌıwith some of Orlando’s top industries.

Graduates land roles in the modeling, simulation and training sector. Others find their footing in medical technology, where interactive systems and game-based design are transforming how clinicians train and how patients heal. Knights can be found at many of the region’s big-name employers, including Disney, EA, Lockheed Martin, and Universal Destinations & Experiences, among others.

“Our students don’t just make games, they develop the creative and technical fluency to work wherever those skills are needed.� — Associate Professor Peter Smith ’05MS ’12PhD

“Our students don’t just make games, they develop the creative and technical fluency to work wherever those skills are needed,� says Associate Professor Peter Smith ’05MS ’12PhD, who serves as the associate director of GaIM. “That’s what makes GaIM graduates competitive across industries. It is a true honor to see The Princeton Review recognizing this accomplishment of our students and faculty.�

Nitin Bakshi ’21, who joined FIEA’s faculty as a technical art instructor after graduating with his master’s in interactive entertainment, says the program takes great pride that many of our alumni continue to live and work in Florida, contributing directly to the local economy.

“These companies rely on artists, designers and programmers who understand real-time production,� he says. “That is exactly the kind of training our program is built around.�

Serious Business

Interest in the program has risen in the past year. FIEA recently drew its largest applicant pool with more than 200 applicants resulting in 90 new enrollees, the largest cohort to date.

For good reason.

The average starting salary for a FIEA graduate is $83,000, and 80% of graduates are in their desired fields at over 400 companies around the world.

The global market size for gaming, hardware and software sales is more than $189 billion (NewZoo’s 2025 Global Games Market Report), overshadowing music and movie industries combined.

“Adapting to the needs of the industry has always been one of our strengths,� Bakshi says. “Whether it is new real-time technologies, new platforms, or new ways of collaboration, we work hard to make sure the program grows along with the field. Seeing the program attract more talented students each year, while continuing to evolve with the industry, is what makes me most excited about the future and about the impact these programs will continue to have.�

Climbing the Leaderboard

±«°ä¹ó’s GaIM improved two spots from last year to its highest ranking, rising to No. 3 in the world and continues to hold the title of the No. 1 program in the South.

The bachelor’s in digital media with a track in game degree design blends theory and practice with a sharp focus on industry readiness. The program stands out as one of the few programs that combine a strong emphasis on both art and technology.

Students develop skills in programming, game design, game programming, as well as 2D and 3D art and visual effects.

The GaIM Maker Space lab, located on the UCF Downtown campus, reflects that commitment in concrete terms: nearly $500,000 in mixed-reality technology including augmented and virtual reality, motion capture, physical computing, 3D printing, and web and mobile development equipment, alongside dedicated research space for applied work.

The impact on the quality of the students’ education and training is undeniable.

“The tools the maker space provides are integrated deeply into virtually every class in GaIM,� Smith says. “Students in early classes are printing board games and 3D printing game pieces, seniors are recording audio and motion capture sequences that are integrated directly into their capstone projects.�

The Rankings’ Methodology

The Princeton Review and PC Gamer’s game design school rankings are based on more than 40 data points derived from the company’s survey of administrators at 150 schools offering game design courses and/or degrees. Most of the institutions are in the U.S., with two in Canada and four abroad. The 50-question survey covered four areas: academics, faculty, technology and career topics.

Nicole Lapeyrouse ’16MS ’18PhD never knows when and where she might be recognized. Students and their significant others who have never met her in person will come up to her in stores and along sidewalks to say, “Excuse me, but aren’t you …?�

Yes, it’s her.

The chemistry and geology instructor recently walked into a coffee shop on campus and heard the barista casually singing a familiar tune: Chemsi-Tea time, Ohh-Ohh-Ohh. Flattered, Lapeyrouse said, “That’s my jingle. You must be in my online course.�

Random encounters around the community make it clear that students are engaging with the videos Lapeyrouse produces for her classes. They learn about concepts like plate tectonics and viscosity, while also getting to know the person teaching it — she likes drinking tea, for example — and that’s the point.

“I design the classes this way because I love doing it,� Lapeyrouse says. “But most importantly, it’s effective. That’s the end goal.�

On Founder’s Day, Lapeyrouse will be recognized in public again, this time by peers who have selected her to receive the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for excellence in online teaching. The award, in its 13^th year, is named for ±«°ä¹ó’s first Pegasus Professor and an international pioneer in online learning. Dziuban will be presenting Lapeyrouse with the award at Founders Day, where he will also be honored for his 55 years of service to UCF.

“It’s a tremendous honor because Dr. Dziuban’s name is synonymous with the pillars of good online teaching,� she says. “I heard about him when I was developing my first course. At that time, I wanted to do something different, but I had no idea where it would lead.�

Merging Science with a Hidden Talent

Awards were not on Lapeyrouse’s mind when she designed her proof of concept in 2017 as a better way for one instructor to connect Chemistry Fundamentals to a class of 475 students.

“To teach the material well to that many students, I needed to be creative,� she says of the flipped class that eventually supported a fully online class. Students had known Lapeyrouse as an authority on math and science, with a doctorate in chemistry from UCF to back it up. They were not aware of her love for art.

The large enrollment class, oddly enough, allowed her to apply all her interests in a flipped classroom format. Instead of developing a standard educational video with the typical PowerPoint slides and voiceover, Lapeyrouse personalized her course. She turned her garage into a studio, borrowed her sister’s camera and, after dozens of takes and hours of editing, debuted ChemisTea Time, complete with the introductory jingle.

“Honestly, I just hoped it wouldn’t bomb,� she says.

It didn’t bomb, although interest in her classes did explode. Feedback was so positive that she used the same video format for her geology course, which has grown from 30 students to as many as 125.

Within the videos, Lapeyrouse enters discussion boards to embed questions and scavenger hunts, and make sure students understand the material. It’s working, as evidenced by pre-test scores climbing from an average of 25% to a post-test average of 83%.

Over the years, Lapeyrouse has integrated better technology to elevate the production value and engagement of her videos. She created a teleprompter and a lightboard so she can write directly on the screen and maintain eye contact with her invisible audience.

What the students do not see is the time Lapeyrouse puts into each video: 10 hours for one 10-minute video.

“When I see how engaged the students are,� she says, “that makes it all worthwhile.�

UCF is setting the standard, earning a 99% match placement rate, compared with a national average of 93.5%.

Knights matched into specialties that include internal and family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, radiology, surgery, pathology and emergency medicine, with 46 of the 108 completing some or all their training in Florida.

Nationally, students are headed to programs that include Brown, Duke, Emory, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Stanford and Vanderbilt. In Florida, students are going to Orlando Health, Miami, º£½ÇÖ±²¥ of Florida and º£½ÇÖ±²¥ of South Florida. Nine will further strengthen their ties as Knights in UCF-HCA Healthcare residencies in Greater Orlando, Gainesville and Tallahassee.

Medical school students cannot practice medicine immediately after graduation but must do three to seven years of residency training, depending on their specialty. Match results are kept secret until noon on the third Friday in March.

“At noon, as you open your match envelope, you are opening the door to your future,� Deborah German, vice president for health affairs and dean, said moments before the long-awaited unveiling.

A Match Day Tradition

Friday’s Match Day was particularly meaningful for German, who recently announced she is transitioning away from her role leading the medical school. During her 20 years as dean, German has conducted the first class of medical school for each new cohort. Called, “The Good Doctor – A UCF Tradition,� she asks students to think of the person they love most in the world and describe the characteristics of the doctor they want treating their loved one.

She writes those traits on a blackboard, which stays in the College of Medicine lobby as a contract between students, their faculty, patients and community.

Class of 2026 students designed decorative boxes to hold their Match Day envelopes. The boxes contained their Good Doctor words from four years ago, includingÌıgrateful, humble, compassionate and resourceful.

Finding Their Match

Ariana Johnson began to cry even before she opened her envelope and learned she will be doing her otolaryngology residency at Old Dominion º£½ÇÖ±²¥. A recipient of ±«°ä¹ó’s highest student honor, the Order of Pegasus, Johnson says the tears came as she realized she was finally achieving her dream after four years of hard work in medical school. As an ear, nose and throat specialist, she will be able to combine excellence in surgery with clinical patient care.

“I’ll be providing longitudinal care for patients,� she said. “With this specialty, you get to know patients for their whole lives.�

“I’ve wanted this since I was in middle school.� — Brandon Molligoda

Brandon Molligoda matched into neurology at Duke. He says his match result “means everything to me. I’ve wanted this since I was in middle school. I was always fascinated with how the brain works.�

Holly Moots ’17 ’24PhD is the third M.D./Ph.D. graduate in ±«°ä¹ó’s history. She researched pancreatic cancer during her joint degree and was thrilled to match into internal medicine at Lakeland Regional Hospital because of the residency’s focus on research and clinical trials.

“With my background, I want to take what I’ve learned in the labs and translate that into a clinical setting,� she said. “I can finally use all of this knowledge I got here at UCF and apply it to help patients.�

Addressing Florida’s Physician Shortage

The UCF-HCA Graduate Medical Education Consortium is the fastest growing residency and fellowship program in Florida and by this summer will be training more than 800 physicians in Greater Orlando, Sanford, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Ocala, Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach. UCF-HCA filled all their residency programs during National Match Day, adding 310 new physicians.

“As the need for physicians grows in the state of Florida, with an estimated 18,000 physician shortage projected over the next decade, we are helping to meet those needs,â€� says Stephen Cico, ±«°ä¹ó’s associate dean for graduate medical education and the UCF-HCA consortium’s designated institutional official. “We are focused on medical specialties that are or are going to be in the highest demand.â€�

Primary care is one of those specialties.

Victoria Millington ’21, who earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences before pursing her MD, is one of five Knights who will be staying in Orlando to serve their residences. She matched into her first-choice, internal medicine at the UCF-HCA Healthcare program in Greater Orlando.

Millington says she chose the specialty because it allows her to have long-term relationships with patients and coordinate with specialists to “bring all of the pieces of care together.�

“We are excited to welcome the next generation of physicians who will carry forward our mission — above all else, to care for and improve human life — and deliver compassionate, patient-centered care in the communities we are honored to serve,� says Cheryll Albold, who serves as vice president of graduate medical education for HCA Healthcare’s North Florida Division.

With its numerous industries to sustain a career and vibrant culture to build a life, Orlando isn’t a hard sell. Still, when it comes to promoting all this city has to offer, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who loves it more than Andrea (Rodrigues) Sage ’12.

The advertising-public relations grad spent the last decade in various sales-related positions with the Tampa Bay Rays, Orlando Magic and insulated beverageware company Corkcicle (headquartered in Orlando).

That experience along with the leadership and life skills she developed at UCF and her beloved hobby as the mastermind behind — an immensely popular social media account that explores new activities, restaurants and happenings in Central Florida — gave her what she needed to land her dream gig as marketing manager for Visit Orlando.

“I get to marry my love for this community and something I’m passionate about doing — marketing this city. It’s perfect for me,� Sage says. “To find this opportunity with Visit Orlando, it truly has been a dream come true.�

Tourism Shapes Orlando

Sage’s mission in her role at Visit Orlando as a marketing manager, specializing in domestic tourism, is to bring visitation to the destination, period.

Orlando is the most visited destination in the U.S. bringing more than 75 million visitors. According to Visit Orlando, tourism supports 37% of all jobs in the region.

Central Florida’s tourism industry generated an economic impact of $94.5 billion in 2024, a 2.2% increase over the previous year, according to a study by Tourism Economics, a division of Oxford Economics and a leader in industry research.

As 2025 numbers work on being finalized, all signs point to the continued momentum of the region’s tourism.

It’s not hard to see why Orlando is in demand:

• Standard-setting theme parks
• Marquee sporting events — earning Orlando the No. 1 spot for Sports Event Cities in the U.S., according to Sport Business Journal
• Vibrant arts scene
• Top-of-the-line hotels and resorts
• 58 Michelin-recognized restaurants
• Proximity to beautiful beaches and Port Canaveral’s cruise ships

Sage gives a glimpse into what goes into helping shape Orlando’s reputation as one of the world’s most desirable destinations.

Advertising All of Orlando

Sage’s role with Visit Orlando oversees many facets. She might be placing a billboard in Baltimore, a well-timed ad on a streaming platform, or organize a tropical oasis in the middle of New York City on a 30-degree Fahrenheit day, enticing winter-weary New Yorkers to plan their next vacation.

She recently spent a week overseeing the production of an eco-tourism campaign video shoot at several locations to highlight the area’s natural beauty, hiking and springs.

“Culinary, arts, theme parks, nature, cultural experiences, whatever your travel bug is, this destination brings it all.� — Andrea (Rodrigues) Sage ’12

“Adults with kids, adults without kids, this vacation has all your needs — culinary, arts, theme parks, nature, cultural experiences, whatever your travel bug is, this destination brings it all,� Sage says.

Competing on the Global Stage

Orlando’s prime competitors in the tourism market depends on who you’re talking to.

It could be California (theme parks), Las Vegas (conferences), or Spain and Italy (international visitation). As cruise lines have come roaring back after the pandemic, the Caribbean is now in the mix, too. Orlando doesn’t just compete with other cities for tourists, but entire states and countries.

“Our destination is amazing, but every Jan. 1 the visitor tally resets, and there is a lot of work happening behind the scenes to make sure we remain top of mind,� Sage says.

Success Fueled by UCF

A St. Petersburg, Florida, native, Rodrigues was recruited to UCF to play for the women’s soccer team. From 2008-12, she helped lead the Knights to five NCAA postseason appearances, including the 2011 Elite 8, three conference championships and one of the program’s highest national rankings (No. 6) in school history.

During her collegiate career, she also joined the Portuguese National Team, which exposed her to places and cultures that would ultimately spark her interests in travel and exploration today.

As an elite scholar-athlete, she points to the intangible soft skills she gained — work ethic, goal-setting, communication, collaboration and time management all at an elevated standard of excellence — as formative to her life as a working parent.

“Being a UCF student-athlete has made who I am.�

“Being a UCF student-athlete has made who I am,� Sage says. “I take interviews today as a 36-year-old and still talk about how it has positively shaped me. I would go from a 6 a.m. strength training to study hall to three classes to practice to a night class, still have homework and study and then travel to a road game the next day.

“The controlled chaos I lived in then, it is innate in me and still my normal today. I have two little kids, I’m married, I have a full-time job, I work out every day, I have a hobby. It just feels right. It is a controlled chaotic environment that I love.�

Living Where the World Vacations

Rodrigues says what she appreciates most about living in Orlando is getting to explore new places in her own backyard. She started @cheatdayorlando in 2021 after becoming a mother. Since then, she has grown the account to nearly 100,000 followers and landed a regular gig on the 106.7 FM morning show Johnny’s House spreading the word about new experiences in the area.

“It doesn’t feel like you’re stagnant in Orlando — you can have a different experience just 10 minutes away,� she says. “I love that there’s something for everyone to feel like home because we have a melting pot of culture.�

Spring Break Scene

Whether you’re a local enjoying a staycation or coming to Orlando for your Spring Break, Rodrigues shares her pro tips on some new experiences worth checking out:

• ICON Park will soon feature Ripley’s Crazy Golf, a glow-in-the-dark immersive indoor miniature golf course with many unconventional ways to putt.
• Harlow Grove Restaurant and Lounge, a new trendy restaurant in Winter Garden, opened this month and features a rooftop terrace and elevated menu.
• Maitland’s Enzian Theater is a single-screen independent cinema cafe that offers cozy, vintage decor and seating, with a full kitchen menu. For the parents out there with little Spring Breakers, consider the theater’s Peanut Butter Matinee Family Film Series, which offers free admission to kids 12 and under. Cars 2 will be featured at noon on March 22.