We are America鈥檚 Space 海角直播. And we celebrate UCF Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what鈥檚 next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

With world-renowned faculty, hands-on learning experiences and a location less than an hour from Florida鈥檚 Space Coast, UCF continues to prove why it鈥檚 America鈥檚 Space 海角直播 鈥� where education, industry and exploration unite to shape the future of space.

Oct. 25 marks the start of the second UCF Space Week, a university-wide celebration of all the ways Knight Nation boldly pushes space forward. The observance highlights UCF鈥檚 vital role in advancing space research, supporting Florida鈥檚 fast-growing space economy, and preparing the next generation of explorers, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

Here are a few key reasons why we celebrate UCF Space Week and how SpaceU is launching the next era of space innovation.

A Legacy in Fueling the Space Industry’s Talent Pipeline

When the university first opened in 1963, landing humans on the moon was a dream that seemed out of reach. Yet UCF dared to believe 鈥� and take action 鈥� by supplying talent and research to the nearby space industry based on the Space Coast just 35 miles east. UCF鈥檚 purpose has only grown stronger more than six decades later as space exploration fuels transformative innovation here on Earth.

Every year, thousands of students gain real-world experience, conduct interdisciplinary research and participate in programs 鈥� including the听aerospace medicine program 鈥� directly connected to industry, preparing them for in-demand roles across the space sector.

The university鈥檚 excellence in providing talent is supported by data, as the American Society of Engineering Education consistently ranks UCF in the top five nationally for awarding bachelor鈥檚 degrees in (2025):

• Aerospace engineering (No. 4)
• Mechanical engineering (No. 5)
• Computer science (No. 5)
• And No. 10 for awarding engineering bachelor鈥檚 degrees overall 鈥� the highest in Florida

Advancing Research That Reaches New Frontiers

When visionaries look to the future, they also look to UCF 鈥� a leader in space research, innovation and education with 14 experiments sent to space aboard commercial rockets since 2016. UCF Space Week spotlights these breakthroughs, connecting the community with the pioneering work happening right on campus.

Studying Aging in Space

Researcher: Professor Michal Masternak, College of Medicine
Project: Masternak and his team study how the extreme conditions of space affect human aging and health. By simulating microgravity and space radiation, the researchers identified molecular changes associated with accelerated aging, offering insights that could help protect astronauts on long-duration missions and inform future therapies for age-related diseases on Earth.

Unlocking Lunar Resources

Researchers: Planetary Geologist and Associate Professor Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Interim Department Chair of Physics and Associate Professor Adrienne Dove
Project: Donaldson Hanna and Dove are leading NASA鈥檚 Lunar-VISE (Lunar Vulkan Imaging Spectroscopy Explorer) mission, which aims to uncover clues about an unexplored part of the moon and potential insight for deeper space exploration.

Detecting Habitable Worlds

Researcher: Professor Stephen Eikenberry, College of Optics and Photonics
Project: Eikenberry and his team are developing advanced photonics technology to help future space telescopes detect Earth-like planets hidden by the brightness of nearby stars. The NASA-funded project could improve scientists鈥� ability to directly observe potentially habitable worlds and search their atmospheres for signs of life.

Building Partnerships That Propel Discovery

UCF Space Week highlights these crucial collaborations with support from Blue Origin, KPMG, Lockheed Martin, Verizon, Space Florida and SpaceX.

At the heart of UCF鈥檚 success is collaboration. The university works closely with NASA, government agencies, private companies, and research institutions to create opportunities that bridge education, research, and real-world application. These partnerships help students gain experience and industry insight while advancing technologies that will define the next phase of space exploration.

On Sept. 9, UCF partnered with the U.S. Space Force鈥檚 innovation enterprise to launch the听. The effort strengthens connections between government, academia, industry and entrepreneurs to help promising ideas move faster from research to real-world capability.

UCF is also helping space鈥憆elated research, innovation and workforce development across through the Florida Space Research Consortium. Alain Berinstain, who joined UCF in January as director of the Florida Space Institute, now leads the eight-university initiative 鈥� underscoring UCF鈥檚 leadership and expertise in this evolving field.

Powering Florida鈥檚 Space Economy

Space is no longer just a frontier 鈥� it鈥檚 the future. With the global space economy projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, UCF is preparing the visionaries who will fuel discovery and shape that growth.

Now expanding its impact into the business of space, UCF is helping lead the business of space under the direction of Space Commercialization and Strategy Program Director Zaheer Ali . His work is building a pipeline of leaders ready to drive innovation, strengthen national security and unlock opportunities that will advance humanity鈥檚 future beyond Earth.

Reaching for What鈥檚 Next

UCF Space Week isn鈥檛 just about looking back at past achievements 鈥� it鈥檚 about imagining what comes next. With a legacy built on exploration and a community fueled by curiosity, UCF continues to inspire students and researchers to reach higher, think bolder and push the boundaries of what鈥檚 possible.

Because at UCF, space isn鈥檛 the final frontier 鈥� it鈥檚 just the beginning.

It鈥檚 an enormous operation, but for De Salvia, hospitality has never been simply about delivering excellence at scale.

His approach is grounded in empathy and care. He understands the power of that kind of service because long before he was responsible for hospitality on a global level, he experienced it himself as a UCF student.

It began when De Salvia became a Knight in 1999, pursuing his bachelor鈥檚 in marketing and discovering a natural connection to consumer behavior and marketing intelligence. While his UCF journey deepened his academic understanding of hospitality, it would ultimately contribute toward the formation of his belief that true service occurs when life hits hardest.

Humanity, Hard Work and Honor

De Salvia arrived at UCF ready to begin a new chapter. But just weeks before starting his first year at UCF, he lost his best friend to an asthma attack.

“He was the one that always pushed me to continue pursuing my academics,” he recalls. “He always told me I was so much smarter than I thought, and that I had to keep going.”

Inspired by his friend鈥檚 belief in him, De Salvia forged on with his bachelor鈥檚 until he was rocked by another loss a month later: his brother George, an Orlando police officer, was killed in the line of duty at only 29 years old.

Suddenly, De Salvia’s degree hinged on two things: his will to succeed, and the support from UCF faculty and administration who rallied around him.

“I’ll never forget that,” he recalls fondly. 鈥淭hey kept me on track. I didn’t have to drop classes or change things. They were there for me every step of the way.鈥�

Together, they transformed a trying and challenging semester into a successful journey that forever tethered De Salvia鈥檚 heart to UCF.

鈥淚 decided not to let my brother and best friend down; to work hard, outpace and outperform everyone to honor their memory,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 express how big a part UCF played in my life, ensuring I could make them proud.鈥�

De Salvia stood by his decision by earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree and, in 2004, establishing the at UCF. True to his promise to excel, he returned in 2009 to earn his .

New Knowledge, New Horizons

鈥淚 call my master’s in management the awakening of my professional career,鈥� De Salvia says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the best money I’ve ever spent investing in myself.鈥�

The program challenged him to recognize his capabilities and reconsider his professional direction. Empowered by an expanded mindset and greater self-awareness, he resolved to take his knowledge to an organization where he could implement it.

鈥淚 call my master’s in management the awakening of my professional career. It鈥檚 the best money I’ve ever spent investing in myself.鈥�

That meant acknowledging he was unhappy and unfulfilled in the job he held at the time. In a bold move, he resigned two days after graduating.

There was no plan b.

He credits that step with granting him the life he has today, and UCF with giving him the personal insight to take it.

His newfound freedom led to an eight-year career with Disney overseeing their Vacation Club sales and marketing, ultimately propelling him to his current position with Hilton Grand Vacations.

De Salvia largely measures the value of his success by how much he gives back, especially to UCF.

In addition to the scholarship honoring his brother, he sits on both the Entrepreneurial Leadership Board and the management board at the Barry S. Miller College of Business, mentors students, supports the and speaks at

Through Hilton Grand Vacations, he鈥檚 also working to establish the Hilton Grand Vacations Scholarship Fund to help reduce financial barriers for hospitality students and bring Knights into the Hilton Grand Vacations family.

It’s a level of support that gives UCF students greater access to the industry while deepening the partnerships that are central to their experience at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

鈥淭he scholarship reflects Hilton Grand Vacations鈥� commitment to developing the next generation of hospitality leaders,鈥� says Kyle Trager, director of development for Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

“Derek recognizes the long-term impact an endowed scholarship can have on attracting, supporting and retaining exceptional hospitality students,” he continues. “His leadership has been instrumental in advancing both the scholarship and broader partnership opportunities between HGV and Rosen College.”

Life, Lessons and Leading the Next Generation of Knights

De Salvia says he strongly believes UCF alumni share a responsibility to return and pay their knowledge forward. One of his key lessons is encouraging students to enter the world with their eyes wide open.

鈥淒on’t look at just one path you feel you need to be on,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hatever feels like an opportunity you want to pursue with passion, go for it. The thing people can never take from you is passion.鈥�

And De Salvia鈥檚 devotion to his alma mater won鈥檛 be waning. He wants to pursue his doctoral degree at UCF and when he retires, he’d be happy to teach here and share what he’s learned to help students get a better start.

Are you interested in matching De Salvia’s spirit of service and helping UCF succeed in our next great mission? Learn more about the that鈥檚 elevating student success and building a future the world has only begun to imagine.

A groundbreaking discovery in a university laboratory may solve a scientific problem but turning that discovery into a successful company is an entirely different challenge. Researchers must determine whether customers actually need their technology, develop a viable business model, attract investors, and build the expertise and infrastructure needed to compete in the marketplace. Even promising technologies can stall somewhere along that journey.

After decades of helping researchers bridge the gap between discovery and commercialization, UCF is now bringing that proven model to a national stage.

Small U.S. businesses based in a variety of technologies that are seeking support to scale their reach can .

With a $20 million investment from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), UCF is leading the National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI), a two-year pilot program designed to help late-stage federally funded technology companies make the difficult transition from validated technology to commercial success.

The effort has drawn support from more than 30 organizations across industry, academia, national laboratories and the innovation community. Samsung, Siemens, Lockheed Martin and L3Harris are a small sample of the industry leaders that submitted letters of support. Research and higher education institutions supporting the effort include UC Berkeley, the Florida High Tech Corridor, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory. Together, these organizations and others that will be brought into the mix represent the kind of national network NCTI aims to bring together to help promising technologies reach the marketplace.

How NCTI Will Support Small Businesses

Under the leadership of UCF鈥檚 experts, NCTI will build on that commercialization experience by studying companies that have progressed beyond the initial stages of research and development. Researchers will examine how different combinations of support, including capital investment, mentorship, training, prototyping and testing, and market validation, can most effectively accelerate commercialization.

鈥淣CTI completes that pipeline rather than duplicating any part of it.鈥� 鈥� Ivan Garibay, professor

UCF Professor of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems 鈥�00MS 鈥�04PhD, principal investigator for NCTI, will lead the institute. For more than 20 years, the UCF computer science alum has advanced research focused on modeling and simulating complex systems that combine social, technological, and economic factors. Through his previous positions at UCF, including serving as the Office of Research鈥檚 director of technology and innovation, Garibay has gained unique expertise on how to transform developments from the lab into real-world innovations.

Garibay says NCTI is designed to build upon existing federal research translation and commercialization programs by providing support at a later stage, when promising technologies have been developed but companies may still struggle to reach the market. NCTI also builds on another NSF effort Garibay has been leading at UCF since 2024, the Accelerating Research Translation program, which has strengthened internal processes at the university to enhance potential for developing viable business.

鈥淣CTI completes that pipeline rather than duplicating any part of it,鈥� Garibay says. 鈥淲e coordinate the full continuum of federal resources, managing the handoffs from [the NSF] Innovation-Corps customer discovery through to commercialization support, so each company knows where it stands and what comes next.鈥�

鈥淔urthermore, the research study conducted in this effort will discover which interventions applied to enhance commercialization efforts of deep tech companies have the intended impact.鈥� 鈥� Michael Georgiopoulos, CECS dean

, dean of UCF鈥檚 College of Engineering and Computer Science for over a decade, will also contribute expertise as a co-principal investigator for NCTI. Georgiopoulos is a seasoned researcher in electrical and computer engineering whose areas of interest include machine learning and neural networks. Georgiopoulos has also helped lead NSF-supported efforts focused on strengthening STEM education and student success 鈥� fueling a talent pipeline for future innovators and entrepreneurs.

鈥淭his is a great opportunity for UCF with its prior expertise with TIP (Technology, Innovation and Partnership) programs such as ART, I-Corps, Engines to bring together a national network of entrepreneurs, innovators, venture capitalists, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders to help deep-tech companies with proven technologies to successfully commercialize their efforts and attain the expected impact that their technologies are destined for,鈥� Georgiopoulos says. 鈥淔urthermore, the research study conducted in this effort will discover which interventions applied to enhance commercialization efforts of deep tech companies have the intended impact.鈥�

Enhancing a Commercialization Ecosystem

Over time, UCF has steadily expanded its efforts to help faculty researchers move discoveries beyond the laboratory, from establishing the UCF Business Incubation Program in 1999 to taking leadership roles in major economic-focused NSF initiatives.

听 鈥�96MS 鈥�96MBA 鈥�05PhD, a professor of industrial engineering and management systems, has been involved in many of these efforts. He founded the UCF Business Incubation Program, which Time magazine recently named the No. 17 on its inaugural America鈥檚 Best Incubators and Accelerators 2026 鈥� and the top ranked traditional business incubator in the country.

鈥淭he notion now is bringing all these disparate tools together to help an engineer or a scientist get the training, processes, and tools that they need to transfer that technology into something beneficial to society.鈥� 鈥� Thomas O’Neal, professor

鈥淭he whole notion is to build a robust ecosystem at the 海角直播 to help us get technology out of the laboratory and into the marketplace,鈥� O鈥橬eal says.O鈥橬eal also serves as the co-principal investigator for UCF鈥檚 NSF Innovation-Corps (I-Corps) program, which launched at UCF in 2014 as the first NSF-sponsored economic effort at the university. Through the program, researchers undergo a structured customer-discovery process that helps them evaluate the market for their technology and ultimately reach what O鈥橬eal describes as a 鈥済o or no-go鈥� decision about pursuing commercialization.

鈥淚t is a formal process that helps engineers and scientists transfer their technology into viable business opportunities,鈥� O鈥橬eal says.

UCF is also strengthening the broader infrastructure surrounding research commercialization through NSF ART, which O鈥橬eal is a co-principal investigator on.

鈥淲e were really siloed before,鈥� O鈥橬eal says. 鈥淭he notion now is bringing all these disparate tools together to help an engineer or a scientist get the training, processes, and tools that they need to transfer that technology into something beneficial to society.鈥�

Expanding Tech Focuses and Business Insights

That commercialization experience at UCF also extends to the Florida Semiconductor Engine, an NSF-funded initiative led by UCF Galloway Professor of Management , a co-principal investigator of NCTI.

鈥淪ome of the most critical factors include sufficient capital investment, clarity on customer need, business savvy and focused leaders, and the discipline to execute.鈥� 鈥� Ron Piccolo, professor

鈥淭he Florida Semiconductor Engine is charged with translating and commercializing promising technologies in the semiconductor domain,鈥� Piccolo says. 鈥淚 am hopeful that we can support similar efforts in adjacent technologies. 鈥� NCTI extends the university鈥檚 portfolio of programs that support entrepreneurship, technology development and market readiness.鈥�

As an NCTI co-principal investigator, Piccolo will draw on his experience as a business scholar to help develop and execute the institute鈥檚 research plan. His work with the Florida Semiconductor Engine will also help connect NCTI with a national network of NSF Engines spanning critical technology areas, including energy, textiles, quantum computing, critical materials, semiconductors and natural resources.

Determining why some promising technologies become viable companies while others do not will be a central part of NCTI鈥檚 research.

鈥淪ome of the most critical factors include sufficient capital investment, clarity on customer need, business savvy and focused leaders, and the discipline to execute,鈥� Piccolo says.

Ready to Grow Your Business?

NCTI supports a select group of NSF-funded U.S. small businesses (NSF-funded SBIR and STTTR Phase II and Phase IIB companies) at the later stages of deep technology research and development 鈥� such as AI, biotechnology, quantum computing and other fields 鈥� 听through funding, mentoring and connections, paired with individualized support that includes diagnostic triage, a commercialization plan, dedicated mentor teams and curated introductions to customers, investors, industry and national laboratories.

Small businesses across America based in a variety of technologies that are seeking support to scale their reach can .

Carrillo is not among those planning to retire. He isn鈥檛 panicking either. After 30 years in underwriting, actuary work, risk management, research, and product development, Carrillo believes he鈥檚 just getting started. He embraces the workforce chasm as an enormous opportunity. It鈥檚 why he brought decades of experience to UCF in July 2025 to direct the Center for Risk Management and Insurance Education.

鈥淚 came here because UCF鈥檚 strengths in areas like technology and innovation give us a head start to transform this field in spaces where it鈥檚 lagged and build something special from scratch.鈥�

鈥淚 came here because UCF鈥檚 strengths in areas like technology and innovation give us a head start to transform this field in spaces where it鈥檚 lagged and build something special from scratch,鈥� Carrillo says.

He credits Ron Piccolo, associate dean for strategic initiatives in the Barry S. Miller College of Business, for preparing a smooth runway. They鈥檝e worked hard to have a major and minor in risk management in place by Fall 2026. In April 2026, UCF鈥檚 Board of Trustees approved a new bachelor鈥檚 program in risk management and insurance education, pending Florida Board of Governors鈥� approval. Carrillo and Piccolo aim for an MBA and a continuing education program to follow. Experts trained at UCF will eventually partner with industry leaders to identify problems, apply research and deliver cutting edge talent.

鈥淚 can see what鈥檚 ahead, and it鈥檚 amazing,鈥� Carrillo says. 鈥淎t the same time, I鈥檓 fully aware of the serious challenges directly in front of us.鈥�

Shattering Perceptions of Insurance

To infuse the program at UCF with as much optimism as he exudes, Carrillo must first face down the insurance industry鈥檚 most significant obstacle.

鈥淧erception,鈥� Carrillo says, bluntly. 鈥淣egative depictions of insurance professionals are everywhere. We even see it in kids鈥� movies, like The Incredibles, where the boss at an insurance agency is a villain. People grow up believing the entire industry is complicated and greedy.

鈥淥ur first step is to blow up those perceptions.鈥�

To do that, Carrillo has been inviting professionals to show UCF students what the future of risk management looks like (young and enthused) and where their talents are being applied (Disney, the PGA Tour, the New York Yankees, and Marriott, to name a few). The diverse skillsets (drone operators, investors, accountants, and experts in fintech and cybersecurity) and personalities (extroverts and introverts) do not perfectly match old stereotypes.

The casual 鈥済et-to-know-us鈥� events have stirred enough interest to fill as many as 144 seats, with others at The Exchange reaching the capacity of 120.

鈥淪tudents sit up and say, 鈥榃ait, we thought working in this field meant shlepping life insurance to people who don鈥檛 want it or sitting in cubicles to deny claims.鈥� Their minds open up when they hear about professional playgrounds that don鈥檛 fit the mold.鈥�

鈥淚 believe this calling is among the most noble things we can do. We鈥檙e helping people put their lives back together at a time of great loss.”

Interest heightens when 鈥渢he cliff鈥� enters the conversation. In addition to jobs opening because of mass retirement, analysts expect risk management and insurance to grow 17% per year into the foreseeable future, with average starting salaries ranging from $60,000-$90,000. Carrillo says a recession-proof career is all but guaranteed. To the skeptical question, 鈥淏ut is it fulfilling?鈥� he candidly answers from his own experience.

鈥淚 believe this calling is among the most noble things we can do,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e helping people put their lives back together at a time of great loss. Is that what people think we do? Maybe not. It鈥檚 up to us to change that.鈥�

And that leads to a second canyon-size gap: the knowledge gap. Sound personal advice has been replaced with search engines that find the cheapest rates for the minimum coverage, which can turn out horribly for customers when coverage is actually needed.

鈥淔inancial literacy has to be a big part of what we build,鈥� Carrillo says. 鈥淲ith it, graduates can help people make informed decisions and have better lives.鈥�

The 85-15 Ratio

Carrillo plans to launch a podcast soon called, 鈥淣o One Does This on Purpose.鈥� From his own research, he estimates only 15% of the people working in insurance and risk management intended to enter the industry. The other 85% have stories like Carrillo鈥檚.

As an undergraduate at Purdue 海角直播, he took a summer job in the mailroom of an insurance company. An underwriter welcomed Carrillo on his first day and told him, 鈥淵ou鈥檒l stay in this business.鈥� Shortly after, the president of the company and shared more welcoming encouragement.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 pay much attention because I wanted to be a pilot,鈥� Carrillo says, 鈥渂ut everyone at that place blew up my own perceptions. The culture hooked me.鈥�

He鈥檚 identified hooks all around Central Florida. UCF will be the 77^th institution with a risk management and insurance education program, but Carrillo says few have a comparable location or a blank slate to do something truly new 鈥� another reason he chose to come here from one of the oldest such programs in the country at FSU. The Center will partner with major risk management companies, collaborate on research with other colleges on campus and with Daytona State, and match students to internships where fresh perspectives are coveted.

鈥淚 expect this to explode,鈥� he says, sounding very much like a man who鈥檚 about to ride a clean wave into the future with a new generation of students. Like him, they might never want to leave.

鈥淣SF invests in small businesses that bring the most innovative cutting-edge technologies to the market and society,鈥� says Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for TIP. 鈥淏y closing this gap that is known as the 鈥榲alley of death,鈥� NSF aims to strengthen our commitment to translational research and further develop innovation ecosystems in the United States.鈥�

The 鈥渧alley of death鈥� refers to a stage at which a new technology innovation has been substantially de-risked but the technology has not yet been commercially proven, making it difficult to attract funding or other support needed to achieve commercial viability.

鈥淣CTI builds on UCF鈥檚 growing national leadership in helping promising technologies become products, companies and economic growth.鈥� 鈥� Alexander N. Cartwright, UCF president

鈥淢any NSF-supported small businesses have the potential to become great commercial successes and contribute significantly to economic growth and job creation throughout the nation,鈥� says Lesia Crumpton-Young, TIP section head for small businesses. 鈥淲e want to support small businesses to overcome the hurdles common to commercializing deep technology innovations.鈥�

Led by the 海角直播鈥檚 National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI), the pilot will examine the factors, conditions and approaches that lead to the successful transition of deep technology innovations to nationally impactful technologies.

The institute represents the latest evolution of a commercialization pipeline UCF has spent years developing. Through initiatives including the Southeast Hub of NSF I-Corps, NSF Accelerating Research Translation (ART) and the Florida Semiconductor Engine, UCF has helped researchers evaluate commercial opportunities, advance emerging technologies and strengthen regional innovation. NCTI will build on that foundation by expanding UCF鈥檚 commercialization efforts to companies nationwide.

UCF Professor of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems , principal investigator for NCTI, will lead the institute, which will provide commercialization funding, expert mentorship and investor connections to SBIR/STTR Phase II and Phase IIB funded companies, while evaluating which approaches most effectively help deep technology 听companies reach the marketplace.

鈥淲e are grateful to the National Science Foundation for its continued confidence in UCF and for the opportunity to help shape the future of research translation and commercialization,鈥� says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淒iscovery reaches its greatest potential when it moves beyond the laboratory and improves lives, strengthens industries and creates opportunity. NCTI builds on UCF鈥檚 growing national leadership in helping promising technologies become products, companies and economic growth. With Central Florida鈥檚 extraordinary concentration of talent, industry and innovation, UCF is well positioned to build a model that can deliver impact for Florida and across the nation.鈥�

鈥淯CF鈥檚 readiness to lead this national effort is anchored by our highly integrated entrepreneurial infrastructure critical in the ‘lab-to-market’ pipeline,鈥� says Winston Schoenfeld, vice president for research and innovation. 鈥淣CTI will ensure that federally funded technologies successfully transition into investor-ready commercial enterprises.鈥�

鈥淧roviding a 鈥榖ridge鈥� to support our late-stage NSF-funded companies will move their impactful innovation to the market more quickly and thereby benefit the national economy.鈥� 鈥� Peter Atherton, program director for NSF Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer.

鈥淎 validated technology is a scientific achievement, but it isn鈥檛 yet a business. Many NSF SBIR Phase II companies hold genuinely de-risked technologies, yet still lack the business expertise, infrastructure, and capital access to turn that validation into a viable company,鈥� Garibay says. 鈥淣CTI completes that pipeline rather than duplicating any part of it: we coordinate the full continuum of federal resources, managing the handoffs from I-Corps customer discovery through to commercialization support, so each company knows where it stands and what comes next.鈥�

The pilot will support a select group of NSF-funded small businesses at the later stages of deep technology research and development through funding, mentoring, and connections, paired with concierge-level individualized support: diagnostic triage, an individualized commercialization plan, dedicated mentor teams, and curated introductions to customers, investors, industry, and national laboratories.

鈥淧roviding a 鈥榖ridge鈥� to support our late-stage NSF-funded companies will move their impactful innovation to the market more quickly and thereby benefit the national economy,鈥� says Peter Atherton, program director for NSF Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer.

Each stage of the pilot will be structured and independently evaluated. Designed as a scalable model, the results of the pilot will determine whether to establish a long-term program.

Learn more about the .

The top three finalists from the new program, organized by UCF Alumni, are creating jobs, strengthening communities and introducing innovative approaches in industries ranging from health care and hospitality to technology, finance and motorsports.

Their origin stories are shaped by education, family, friendships, unexpected career turns and the ability to adapt. UCF helped the Ever Upward honorees build the knowledge, relationships and confidence to turn their ideas into impact. Rodney M. Grabowski, UCF鈥檚 senior vice president for and CEO of the UCF Foundation, connected the honorees鈥� work to the university鈥檚 founding mission.

鈥淯CF was founded to support the space program … to launch humanity even further. And that spirit still defines us today,鈥� Grabowski says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e launching students into careers and leadership positions in every industry. We鈥檙e launching ideas from our classrooms and labs into the real world.鈥�

Recognizing Excellence

Ever Upward is UCF鈥檚 first program recognizing the fastest-growing Knight-owned and Knight-led businesses around the world. The 2026 rankings were based on cumulative percentage revenue growth over a consecutive three-year period, using calendar years 2022 through 2024.

Explore ways to

UCF Alumni accepted applications in January before announcing the top 25 finalists in June. Companies were ranked by percentage of cumulative annual growth in revenue. The final rankings were revealed at a special celebration in August.

Grabowski says, 鈥淭he success of Knight-led businesses is part of the momentum shaping UCF鈥檚 future. Through the university鈥檚 $3.5 billion campaign, UCF is investing in people, ideas, research and partnerships that will help bring tomorrow within reach.鈥�

鈥淭hese companies demonstrate the transformational power of entrepreneurship,鈥� says Mike Harding, UCF associate vice president for partnerships. 鈥淎s they grow, their success creates opportunities for employees, strengthens the industries and communities they serve and inspires other entrepreneurs to pursue their own ideas.鈥�

Learn more about this year鈥檚 top three finalists.听

No. 3: Reception 24/7

Ryan Rapolti 鈥�11MBA, founder and CEO of Reception 24/7, traces his approach to leadership to experiences he had at home.

Rapolti watched his mother return to college while raising a family, which shaped his understanding of perseverance. His stepfather鈥檚 work in vocational rehabilitation also influenced his belief that business can be a vehicle for helping people.

Those influences became part of the foundation for Reception 24/7, which provides around-the-clock answering services for businesses. As artificial intelligence reshapes customer service, the company combines aspects of that technology with human support so clients can remain responsive and accessible. Rapolti applies the same people-first philosophy to the company鈥檚 workplace culture.

For Rapolti, innovation begins with understanding what both clients and employees need, then using technology to strengthen rather than replace human connection.

“You take away so many things from the UCF experience 鈥� not just what you learn in a textbook or from the professor, but from the people sitting next to you,鈥� says Rapolti. 鈥淚 am so excited to have been in the top three. Being able to grow quickly is great. Hopefully it will allow us to hire more UCF graduates and continue to do great things with the university.鈥�

No. 2: Sebring Driving Club

Four years ago, W. Paul Jones 鈥�94 had a choice to make: accept his fate or pivot.

Jones was the longtime managing director of the Palm Beach Driving Club before the historic raceway shuttered its gates in 2022. When an opportunity to purchase the听Sebring International Raceway appeared in front of him, Jones decided to take action.

Jones, who had extensive hospitality management experience, returned to his longtime interest when he founded the Sebring Driving Club, creating memorable experiences in the form of a private driving community. The club gives members access to Sebring International Raceway and a place to connect through a shared interest in motorsports.

By turning the traditional track experience into a year-round membership community, Jones found a new business model.

Jones challenges aspiring entrepreneurs to take the leap and dare to chart their own paths forward.

鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to fail,鈥� says Jones. 鈥淪tart your company and keep on going. Go at it with passion.鈥�

No. 1: Coastal Investment Company

For Coastal Investment Company founders Keith Ahrens 鈥�08, Travis Barr 鈥�09, Tyler Bloechinger 鈥�09 and Carey Sobel 鈥�09, entrepreneurship was shaped by friendships that began at UCF.

The partners built a diversified investment company that acquires and grows businesses across multiple industries. Their model combines complementary expertise with a hands-on approach to identifying opportunities, supporting leadership teams and helping companies reach their next stage of growth.

They credit UCF with providing the mentors, networks and entrepreneurial environment that gave them the confidence to take risks and ultimately launch Coastal together. Those connections remain central to the company鈥檚 culture, from hiring fellow Knights and drawing talent from their UCF networks to mentoring students and young alumni.

“We met at UCF, continued on, kept in touch and pushed each other,鈥� says Bloechinger. 鈥淩elationships are so important. People are what will lead to your success.鈥�

Coastal鈥檚 approach shows how different perspectives and complementary strengths can create a more collaborative model for growth.

Celebrating the Top 25

Interested in Ever Upward? Details about the next application period, including eligibility for 2027 honorees, will be announced at .

See the final rankings below.

1. Coastal Investment Company

• Tyler Bloechinger 鈥�09听

• Keith Ahrens 鈥�08听

• Travis Barr 鈥�09听

• Carey Sobel 鈥�09听

2. Sebring Driving Club

• W. Paul Jones 鈥�94听

3. Reception 24/7

• Ryan Rapolti 鈥�11MBA

4. Orange Tree Staffing

• Mardly Smith 鈥�95听

• Craig Smith 鈥�94听

5. Quadrant Engineering, P.C.

• Rafiqul Chowdhury 鈥�09 鈥�11MS听

6. Island Direct Primary Care

• John Rothwell III 鈥�13 鈥�15MS 鈥�18DNP

7. Martin Aquatic Design and Engineering

• Josh Martin 鈥�07听

8. Maymont Senior Care

• Nichole Blake-Little 鈥�15听

9. Boys Electrical Contractors

• Kyle Nylander 鈥�02 鈥�09听

10. Brewlando

• Shara Sooknarine Pathak 鈥�04

11. Qu5 Services, Inc.

• Zachary Quandt 鈥�84听

12. I’m All Ears

• Shelby Roemer 鈥�08

13. Strategos Group

• Adam Giery 鈥�08 鈥�11MA听

14. CJS Communications

• Christopher Slaven 鈥�13听

• Alexander Fackler Sr. 鈥�11听

15. Space Coast Pool School

• Lauren Broom 鈥�00听

16. Buckalew Hospitality

• David “Skee” Buckalew 鈥�05

17. Knight Federal Solutions

• Chris Baeten 鈥�03听

18. Boston Data Pro, LLC

• Rajeev Verma 鈥�04MS

19. McGinniss Himmel Insurance Agency

• Allen McGinniss 鈥�05

20. Threaded Marketing Group

• Kelly Jo Jefferis 鈥�04听

21. Garney Construction

• Matthew Reaves 鈥�05听

22. aVenue Event Group

• Sean Hughes Jr. 鈥�10听

23. S Cook Productions, LLC

• Stacey Cook 鈥�99听

24. Global Ktech

• Kannan Srinivasan 鈥�96MS听

25. Kavaliro

• Mark Moore 鈥�99听

• John Mahony 鈥�96

• Diane Mahony 鈥�96 鈥�01MEd听

• Bill Peppler 鈥�96听

The more Jake Rose鈥檚 colleagues at UCF and his neighbors around Chuluota, Florida, get to know him, the more he surprises them. The California native surfs and gardens. He is as comfortable building barns as he is building frameworks for AI-driven interfaces. He studied premed, minored in information systems and at heart admits to being 鈥渁 closet psychologist.鈥� He and his wife, who is now a visiting lecturer in the Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting at UCF, raised their two children in New Zealand and recently purchased seven acres of workable land in the Orlando area.

The man with the callused hands is one of only a handful of professors in the world merging artificial intelligence (AI) and neuroscience to shape the future of the field he鈥檚 best known for at UCF 鈥� accounting.

Welcome to the dawn of neuro-accounting.

鈥淲hen my master鈥檚 students hear about these new ways to view and practice accounting and the tremendous difference technology can make, it heightens their interest,鈥� says Rose, UCF’s Kenneth G. Dixon Eminent Scholar. He adds with a smile, 鈥淚鈥檓 also more relatable when they find out how I spend my weekends.鈥�

“Accounting provides the information needed for [business] decision-making, and that鈥檚 why neuro-accounting will eventually impact the entire global economy.”

On his most recent Saturdays, he鈥檚 been using his hands to dig postholes for 2,000 linear feet of fencing while letting his mind do what comes naturally to him: envisioning the future. In this one, he sees Paso Fino horses and an orchard.

Then, fully refreshed on Monday, he鈥檚 Professor Rose again with his thoughts laser-focused on what he calls 鈥渢his unusual combination鈥� of behavioral science, technology and accounting.

鈥淚鈥檝e never viewed accounting as just credits and debits,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen you take a step back, you see business is about decision-making. Accounting provides the information needed for this decision-making, and that鈥檚 why neuro-accounting will eventually impact the entire global economy.鈥�

Trailblazing with Technology

Rose joined UCF in August 2025 after directing accountancy programs at universities from the South Pacific to America鈥檚 heartland. He made the move because he recognized a unique culture in , which recently received a $50 million gift from entrepreneur and alum Barry Miller 鈥�95 to strengthen tech-driven business education 鈥� including Rose鈥檚 work.

鈥淭his is one of the very few business schools that want to pursue experimental work with technology,鈥� Rose says. 鈥淚 saw it as a unique place to make progress in neuro-accounting, which, other than UCF, only exists in a colleague鈥檚 lab in Australia.鈥�

He鈥檚 made rapid progress. Within weeks of arriving at UCF, Rose was named the university’s Kenneth G. Dixon Eminent Scholar for excellence in accounting research. At the award ceremony, Rose emphasized the larger mission driving his work: 鈥淲e can literally improve the world.鈥�

When he says 鈥渨e鈥� in this context, he refers to a collaboration between people and advanced tech.

“When we design systems and interfaces that allow people and AI to make important decisions together, then every business and government can benefit.”

鈥淭he basic mechanics of accounting are already being automated,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he future will be about how people perceive risks within financial data and how technology can improve professional judgment. The consequences of good judgment are massive and affect businesses and lives worldwide. The truth is, we鈥檙e bad at dealing with large amounts of data because our brains are limited. But AI and other new technologies are expanding our limits. When we design systems and interfaces that allow people and AI to make important decisions together, then every business and government can benefit. The implications are massive.鈥�

Those improvements, the way Rose sees them, will have their origins at UCF鈥檚 Dixon School of Accounting, in the first neuro-accounting lab of its kind in the U.S.

Fun and Fresh: The Future of Accounting

Rose already knows what the future lab could look like because he鈥檚 worked in the Business Behavioural Laboratory at Monash 海角直播 in Australia. The Dixon School鈥檚 director, Jay Thibodeau, is currently seeking funding to bring the concept to UCF.

Once complete, the lab would allow researchers to measure how new technology and financial information influence crucial judgment factors like stress and attention.

鈥淯ltimately, we鈥檒l be able to help firms make better decisions,鈥� Rose says.

However, he doesn鈥檛 want to be one of the only people in the world who understands neuro-accounting.

鈥淭his is why I love teaching,鈥� Rose says. 鈥淚 get to spread the word with students and let them experiment. It鈥檚 fun. They鈥檙e enthusiastic about taking accounting where no one has taken it.鈥�

This guide is a resource to help you develop a sense of belonging, find community and build lifelong friendships while studying at UCF.

Marquee Events

Whether you鈥檙e studying at UCF Downtown, the , Rosen College of Hospitality Management or the main campus,听听you鈥檒l have plenty of opportunities to get involved.

Some signature events have become beloved UCF traditions听with not-to-be-missed programming:

• Pegasus Palooza, UCF鈥檚 annual welcome week, greets new and returning students to campus with a variety of events including notable headliners at Comedy Knight and Concert Knight.

• UCF Homecoming听Week,听featuring听Spirit Splash,听kicks听off听Monday,听Oct. 19,听and听concludes听with the UCF football team鈥檚 matchup against BYU on听Saturday,听Oct. 24.

• Space Game, a football game unlike any other in the nation, pays tribute to our UCF鈥檚 roots as America鈥檚 Space 海角直播. This year鈥檚 matchup against Baylor on Friday, Oct. 30, marks 10 years of the Space Game.

• , held each spring at听听Orlando鈥檚 Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, showcases the artistic talents of UCF鈥檚 faculty and students in performances, exhibitions, presentations and interactive experiences.

• Gather Luncheon,听a听community-building event in the spring hosted by听Wellness & Health Promotion Services and Dining Services,听听brings hundreds of students听together听听for听a free, three-course meal.

Recreation, Intramurals and Sports Clubs

In addition to its fitness and recreation facilities, the Recreation and Wellness Center has longstanding intramural and sports club programs that allow students to form friendships and win championships, sometimes on the brightest of stages.

The RWC鈥檚 intramural sports program welcomes all UCF students, especially those who are new to Orlando and haven鈥檛 met enough peers to form their own team. Thanks to its free agency feature, individuals ca听be matched up with others or be paired with an established team.

The sports club includes 45 different sports, encompassing everything from judo to lacrosse to wakeboarding and have produced some of UCF鈥檚 most notable alumni. Gold medalist Phil Dalhausser 鈥�02, who played club volleyball while pursuing his business degree, and bronze medalist Kristen Thomas 鈥�16, who began her rugby career听as a theatre studies major听at UCF,听both went on to听represent听Team USA听at听multiple Summer Olympic Games.

For more information, visit听.

Registered Student Organizations

UCF offers more than 650 registered student organizations spanning academic, professional, cultural and spiritual, social and recreational, and sports interests.

KnightConnect听is UCF鈥檚 official involvement platform where students can explore听these organizations or even create a new one.听Each organization has its own page with meeting times, contact information,听and ways to get involved.

Visit the听听to find the organization right for you.

Greek Life

The fraternity and sorority experience has long been a part of campus life. Since the 1970s, fraternities and sororities have been providing spaces of belonging for students to grow together during their collegiate years.

Currently our UCF Greek community is comprised of 47 organizations, which all share the values of scholarship, leadership, service and brotherhood/sisterhood.

For more information visit听.

UCF Athletics 鈥� Knightmare Society and Marching Knights

UCF is a member of one of the premiere conferences in the nation, the Big 12. From听Fear the Fronds听to听Zombie Nation, the student section鈥檚 energy is听an integral part of the game day atmosphere听and gives the Knights a distinct home field (and court) advantage.

All full-time UCF-enrolled students (except UCF Online) are eligible for free tickets to home sporting events. Please note: all seating is first-come, first-served and admission is not guaranteed. For more information, especially for football and men鈥檚 basketball student tickets, please visit .

The听 is an organization built and run by UCF students and supported by UCF Athletics. Joining the official group has its perks, including football tickets automatically loaded to members鈥� Ticketmaster accounts, a dedicated fast pass entrance at all UCF men鈥檚 basketball games, and first access to post-season student ticket claims.

Students can also contribute to game-day experiences by joining听, a more than 390-member marching band student organization that performs at pregame shows, halftime shows, pep rallies and听other听fan-fest听events. By creating the soundtrack for these dynamic events, the Marching Knights serve as one of the most vibrant and visible forces for school spirit.

Engage in听Research

Undergraduate research provides opportunities to build a learning community with faculty and fellow students听while engaging听in meaningful work that听develops听solutions听for听challenges facing our communities,听industries听and the world.

In addition to forging connections with peers and mentors, this听practical experience听allows students to听build their professional resumes听before听they graduate.

, UCF鈥檚 annual university-wide celebration of research and creative scholarship showcases graduate and undergraduate research. The week is scheduled for March 29 through April 2, 2027, featuring presentations, exhibitions and other events showcasing student research.

For more information on how to get involved with undergraduate research, visit听.

Explore听Orlando

UCF students live in one of the most vibrant destinations in the world, Orlando.听Whatever your interest, Orlando听likely has听it:听theme parks,听elite听sporting events,听electric festivals,听Michelin-rated restaurants,听nearby听coastlines听and听natural springs.

Orlando is what you make it, and there are ways to experience it all on a student budget.

The听听offers听discounted听tickets to various attractions, including Walt Disney World, Universal听Orlando听and Kennedy Space Center.听Every spring semester, UCF students听enjoy听free, exclusive access to Universal Islands of Adventure as part of Universal Knights.

听gives Knights of all experience levels opportunities to go on hiking and camping trips at nearby springs, learn to surf, paddle through bioluminescent waters and more.

Several cultural museums in the area offer free entry,听including听the听 on the main campus,听Rollins Museum of Art听and Mead Garden in nearby Winter Park,听and the听Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Central Florida听in Maitland.听The听acclaimed听Orlando Museum of Art听offers free entry on the third Thursday of each month听as part of its Access for All initiative.

Held annually at the start of the fall semester, Visit Orlando鈥檚 Magical Dining offers a chance to sample some the area’s exceptional restaurants at a fraction of the normal cost. Savor three-course, prix-fixe dinners听 鈥� including at Aurora at the on-campus The Celeste Hotel 鈥� for just $40 or $60 per person from Aug. 14 鈥� Sept. 30, 2026.

For a combined 13 years, Alexandria Marcellus and Mason Miles lived lives defined by missions, military orders and serving something greater than themselves.

Then came a challenge unlike any either had faced before: college.

Stepping onto UCF鈥檚 campus meant trading uniforms for backpacks, military precision for unstructured schedules and familiar routines for classrooms filled with students years younger than themselves. After years of knowing exactly where they needed to be and when, they suddenly had to chart their own course.

That uncertainty became the beginning of an entirely new mission.

This summer, the two U.S. Army veterans 鈥� both first-generation college students 鈥� will cross the stage during UCF鈥檚 Summer 2026 Commencement with bachelor鈥檚 degrees and full-time jobs already secured. Their journeys represent far more than earning a degree. They show how resilience, adaptability and a willingness to embrace the unknown can transform possibility into opportunity.

Alexandria Marcellus: Finding Stability 鈥� and a Calling to Serve

Marcellus has spent much of her life opening doors no one in her family had opened before.

At 17, she became the first person in her family to enlist in the Army. While stationed in Germany, she earned an associate degree in business administration and began to see college as a realistic option for the first time.

“The military was an escape,鈥� Marcellus says. 鈥淚f I wanted a different life from the one I’d seen, this was the way.”

鈥淪erving my soldiers put me in a position to always be in service of others because of the difference that I can make.鈥� 鈥� Alexandria Marcellus

During seven years of military service, she quickly rose into a noncommissioned officer leadership role, discovering that her greatest fulfillment came from helping others succeed.

鈥淪erving my soldiers put me in a position to always be in service of others because of the difference that I can make. That鈥檚 what stuck with me the most,鈥� Marcellus says.

That mindset followed her to UCF.

Leaving the military and becoming a full-time student just two months later proved more difficult than she expected.

The campus felt enormous. The freedom she had long desired suddenly became intimidating. Unsure where she fit, she walked into (MVSS), where a veteran peer success coach assured her she wasn’t alone.

鈥淭hat’s when, for the first time since I left the military, I felt like somebody understood me,鈥� Marcellus says.

What began as a place to ask questions quickly became what she describes as her “duty station on campus.”

Inspired by the support she received, Marcellus returned as a peer success coach, helping veterans and students on academic probation regain confidence, navigate challenges and create plans for success. Often, she found that what students needed most was someone willing to listen.

She recalls several students telling her, “No one has ever asked me what’s going on in my life that’s affecting my grades.”

Marcellus became that person.

Wanting women veterans to experience the same sense of belonging she found in the military, Marcellus established the Women Veterans Association at UCF, creating a community where women veterans could build lifelong friendships and support one another throughout college.

“If I could create a space where women could come together and find someone who was going to be pivotal to them succeeding along their journey,” she says, “then I wanted to do it.”

Her own journey wasn’t without setbacks. After realizing the management major wasn’t the right academic fit, she discovered UCF’s integrated business program, where collaborative projects and interdisciplinary coursework aligned perfectly with her strengths.

“I want my future children, my nieces and nephews, my godchildren and anyone close to me to see what’s possible because when you watch someone you know accomplish something, it suddenly feels like something you can accomplish, too.” 鈥擜lexandria Marcellus

As graduation approached, she looked beyond the classroom for industry experience. After six unanswered applications to Lockheed Martin, persistence paid off when she landed a year-long position through the Lockheed Martin College Work Experience Program (CWEP), which provides undergraduate and graduate students with real-world work skills relevant to their academic and career goals. As an integrated program planner, she balanced full-time coursework while coordinating schedules, improving processes and building industry-ready skills.

The experience helped prepare her for her current position as an administrative assistant at CHA Consulting, a local engineering consulting firm, where she supports engineering teams across Central Florida.

Graduation isn鈥檛 the finish line. She plans to earn her project management professional certification before pursuing graduate studies focused on business psychology and organizational leadership.

For Marcellus, every achievement represents another opportunity for someone else.

“Every single challenge or opportunity in life is like a door,” she says. “When I can open one, it doesn’t just change my life. It creates a path for people coming after me. I want my future children, my nieces and nephews, my godchildren and anyone close to me to see what’s possible, because when you watch someone you know accomplish something, it suddenly feels like something you can accomplish, too.”

Mason Miles: Turning Curiosity into a Career

For many teenagers, an 18th birthday comes with cake and car keys. For Miles, it came with a decision to enlist in the Army.

College wasn’t financially realistic after high school, but military service offered opportunity, purpose and a way forward.

The son of a construction worker who had long been fascinated by engineering and aviation, Miles participated in JROTC throughout high school before spending six years in the Army, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

He began as an unmanned aircraft operator before advancing to aircraft commander, instructor and noncommissioned officer, eventually helping develop battlefield training doctrine alongside senior military leaders 鈥� responsibilities few people in their early twenties ever experience.

Yet during deployment, another passion quietly emerged.

鈥淚 saw that it was direct industry-relevant experience that was veteran-preferred. So I thought, 鈥榃hy not try my hand at it?鈥� I ended up in a field that has a ton to do with my exact interest.鈥� 鈥� Mason Miles

Between missions, he taught himself Python programming, built Arduino robotics kits and enrolled in online college courses.

“I knew engineering was something I was interested in,” Miles says. “I never thought I would do it. Once I got back from deployment, I saw I had plateaued [in my career]. My natural next step was in engineering.鈥�

Returning to his hometown of Orlando, he enrolled at UCF to study computer engineering.

Determined to gain industry experience as early as possible, he applied to Lockheed Martin鈥檚 CWEP program during his first year as a Knight.

Having previously worked with Lockheed Martin while serving in the military, he recognized the program as an opportunity to combine classroom learning with real-world experience.

鈥淚 saw that it was direct industry-relevant experience that was veteran-preferred,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o I thought, 鈥榃hy not try my hand at it?鈥� I ended up in a field that has a ton to do with my exact interest.鈥�

Over the past three years, Miles has worked as a software engineer focused on cybersecurity for embedded systems, strengthening his knowledge of software and hardware development.

“Every class I took throughout my computer engineering degree either has a direct piece of software or skill or toolbox that I need for my job.” 鈥� Mason Miles

Classroom learning and professional experience quickly became inseparable.

“Every class I took throughout my computer engineering degree either has a direct piece of software or skill or toolbox that I need for my job,” Miles says.

His proudest accomplishment came during Senior Design, a capstone course for engineering and computer science disciplines at UCF. He helped create a biometric sleep-tracking device that mimics a bedside lamp 鈥� an invention he hopes to patent while continuing his accelerated bachelor鈥檚-to-master鈥檚 degree in computer engineering.

Miles has already accepted a full-time position as a cyber software engineer with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando.

Where Their Stories Go From Here

For Marcellus, graduation represents another door opened for her and for the generations of family members and fellow veterans who鈥檒l follow.

For Miles, it marks the moment when years of military service give way to a career solving tomorrow鈥檚 greatest cybersecurity challenges.

As they graduate with careers already underway, they embody what military service has always been about: using your skills to make a difference wherever you鈥檙e called next.

Natalie Otero 鈥�26 may have missed her graduation ceremony this spring, but she had a good excuse. She鈥檇 just landed in Japan for a long-awaited vacation that was three years in the making. She says the trip 鈥� where she discovered new interests (sword-making), traversed a mountain and bonded with friends 鈥� symbolized her UCF experience.

鈥淏uilding knowledge and strengthening friendships,鈥� Otero says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my story at UCF.鈥�

Those relationships led her to pivot from pre-med to accounting and opened her up to learn new skills like coding. Friends fueled her drive, brought her joy and encouraged internships, all of which she credits for her induction into the Order of Pegasus, the highest honor for UCF students.

鈥淲hen I started at UCF, I didn鈥檛 know anyone,鈥� says the Jacksonville, Florida, native. 鈥淓verything changed quickly.鈥�

Discovering Her Own Calling

Otero didn鈥檛 really want to be a doctor. She just heard she was supposed to be a doctor.

鈥淲hen you do well in high school, people say, 鈥極h, be a doctor and cure cancer.鈥� That鈥檚 where my mind was when I arrived as a freshman,鈥� says Otero, who began her UCF journey studying biomedical sciences.

Then an elective class, Principles of Financial Accounting, intervened.

鈥淭he professor, Jeff Reinking 鈥�13PhD, broke the mold of what it means to be an accountant,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he concepts made such perfect sense that I switched my major to accounting and saw a clear path ahead. For a freshman, that鈥檚 exciting.鈥�

That same year, Otero鈥檚 friends introduced her to KnightHacks, a student organization that hosts UCF鈥檚 biggest software-building marathon annually for hundreds of students from throughout the nation.

鈥淚 said I鈥檇 go for fun. Only one girl in our group was a computer science major, but we were able to use basic coding theories to build a program from scratch in 36 hours,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 need to win. Learning and becoming closer, those were our awards.鈥�

A Powerful Cycle for Success

Otero needed no push but says her friends at UCF became like iron sharpening iron. They鈥檇 talk about work experiences, which made Otero feel as if she needed to catch up. As a sophomore, she applied for the (CWEP), a year-long paid opportunity that enables undergraduate and graduate students to gain real-world work skills and abilities relevant to their academic and career goals.

鈥淚 guess they sensed something genuine because they offered the position to me,鈥� she says.

A few months later, she was chosen for another internship, this one with Deloitte. By the time she started her junior year, she had experience with two corporations, had become a hackathon regular and developed a hunger for accounting coursework.

鈥淚t all comes full circle. The instructors bring business experiences to the lessons, and we take lessons into businesses,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檇 leave [Associate Professor] Sean Dennis鈥檚 class and think auditing must be the most exciting subject ever. All along, my friends and I kept encouraging each other.鈥�

Her True Inspiration

Word about Otero鈥檚 accounting skills spread until people began asking her to help with their taxes. She routinely gives her time and skillset to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, where she serves people limited by income, language and disabilities.

鈥淢y dad walked me through financial knowledge, and with VITA I have the privilege of doing the same for others,鈥� she says.

Otero has drawn more than financial knowledge from her family. Her paternal grandparents came to the U.S. from Cuba at young ages as part of Opera莽ion Pedro Pan, an agreement of cooperation between the U.S. State Department and Catholic Charities of Miami in the 1960s that saw more than 14,000 unaccompanied children sent by their parents to Miami, away from the growing communist regime in Cuba.

鈥淭his has been so much better than I imagined when I came to UCF and didn鈥檛 know anyone.鈥� 鈥� Natalie Otero ’26

鈥淚t was hard, but my grandparents talk about how happy they were to be in the U.S., even with limited resources and not knowing when they鈥檇 see their parents again,鈥� Otero says. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e always been optimistic because they know the value of opportunities and they worked hard to make the most of them.鈥�

Otero鈥檚 own optimism engages friends, and her work ethic has led to the Order of Pegasus award, another internship with Deloitte this summer and graduate school in the fall at UNC Chapel Hill.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to believe,鈥� Otero says. 鈥淭his has been so much better than I imagined when I came to UCF and didn鈥檛 know anyone. Everything is more rewarding, too, because of all the people who have made it possible.鈥�