Since joining UCF in 1986, Clark became a cornerstone of the university’s history department, known for his engaging lectures, sharp wit and passion for storytelling. Throughout his nearly four decades at UCF, Clark taught thousands of students, from large introductory courses to intimate honors seminars.

According to his former department chair John Sacher, “Jim was an excellent colleague and an outstanding teacher. He was passionate about the success of his students, the history department and UCF. He was a people-person who genuinely cared about others. And, he did all of the above with an unrivalled sense of humor.”

A scholarship fund has been created in Clark’s name. Make a gift at .

In addition to teaching at UCF, Clark spent over 30 years in journalism, including at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Magazine. He was also a familiar face on News 6, offering political analysis with characteristic humor and insight. His articles have appeared in The Washington Post, Washington Monthly, The Nation and the Miami Herald. His work has been honored by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors, the Florida Magazine Association and the Florida Historical Society.

His face was familiar to many for his work with WUCF, where he helped bring Central Florida’s history to life through his contributions to both Central Florida Roadtrip and Florida Road Trip. Clark allowed the community and future generations to see Central Florida through his eyes through his contributions to Central Florida Roadtrip and Florida Road Trip, says Jennifer Cook, executive director of WUCF.

“From the very first season of WUCF’s Central Florida Roadtrip, Dr. Clark brought history to life with energy and depth that made every story memorable,” Cook says. “Nearly a decade later, his relationship with WUCF continued through to the most recent season of Florida Road Trip, where he remained a trusted voice sharing his knowledge on the people and places that shaped our community.”

Clark authored 11 books on Florida history, including Red Pepper and Gorgeous George: Claude Pepper’s Epic Defeat in the 1950 Democratic Primary, A History Lover’s Guide to Florida and, most recently, Lost Attractions. His work made him a popular speaker across the state. In his last few months, he served as the keynote speaker at a Tallahassee celebration of the 125th anniversary of Claude Pepper’s birth, and he had been invited to deliver the main address at the Florida Council for Social Studies. He was also a very popular lecturer for the Florida Humanities Council.

Careers often follow an arc, says Jeff Moore, dean of the UCF College of Arts and Humanities, and in Clark’s case, his impact only grew with time. He never lost the spark of engagement or the joy of learning. He was always asking questions, always publishing, always teaching at the highest level.

“He was a people person in every sense of the word, and that translated beautifully into his teaching.” — Jeff Moore, dean of the UCF College of Arts and Humanities

“Jim Clark was my friend for over 30 years and a model of what you hope for in a faculty member. His depth of knowledge as a Central Florida historian was extraordinary. But what truly set Jim apart was how that knowledge was rooted in his connection to people. He was a people person in every sense of the word, and that translated beautifully into his teaching. He positively impacted everyone he met, usually with a bit of his trademark humor mixed in.”

UCF plans to honor Clark with a campus tribute, inviting his many friends on campus and in the Central Florida community to share memories and reflections. As the university community mourns his loss, it also celebrates the indelible mark he left on Florida’s historical landscape and the hearts of those who knew him.

Celebration of Life

Join us as we celebrate the life and legacy of James C. Clark on Thursday, April 16 from 5–8 p.m. at the Live Oak Event Center on main campus.

A scholarship fund has been created in his name. Make a gift at .

Langworthy, a faculty member and former chair of UCF’s , passed away recently at age 78. Colleagues, friends and former students remember his warmth, wit and matchless ingenuity.

, associate professor of criminal justice, was one of Langworthy’s students and a longtime mentee. Having known Langworthy for over three decades, Holmes describes him as larger than life.

“Bob was a force of nature,” Holmes says. “He had one of those large, welcoming personalities that took over a room and made you feel [like] you were in the presence of someone great. He was your friend and your defender.”

, professor and chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and a former mentee of Langworthy, remembers him as a relentless champion of faculty and staff success.

“Bob was a facilitator and a motivator,” Paoline says. “He was a down-to-earth guy who would roll up his sleeves and get in the trenches with you. He was a hard worker.”

Originally from San Diego, California, Langworthy graduated from Kearney High School in 1964 before joining the U.S. Air Force, where he served in Pakistan and Turkey. He later attended Utah State ����ֱ��, where he met his wife, RoseMarie, with whom he shared 52 years of marriage. He went on to earn a master’s degree in geography from Minnesota State ����ֱ��, Mankato, followed by master’s and doctoral degrees in criminal justice from the State ����ֱ�� of New York at Albany. He co-authored two books on criminal justice and published over 30 articles in 15 academic journals.

After graduating, Langworthy worked as a senior analyst at the National Institute of Justice in Washington, D.C. He later held faculty roles across the country, including associate professor at the ����ֱ�� of Alabama at Birmingham, professor at the ����ֱ�� of Cincinnati, and chair and research director at the ����ֱ�� of Alaska Anchorage.

When Langworthy arrived at UCF in 2007, he was a well-known scholar who had a tremendous impact on the department, Paoline says. In fact, he helped introduce the university’s criminal justice-focused doctoral program, the first of its kind in Florida.

“Bob played a big role in the formation of the ����ֱ�� of Cincinnati’s criminal justice doctoral program, and when he came [to UCF], he wanted to bring in doctoral education,” Paoline says. “That takes showing a need for it and going through the Florida Board of Governors. Bob said [that] we were going to get a doctoral program, and we did while he was here.”

In addition to helping introduce the doctoral program, Langworthy transformed the department by bringing a fresh perspective and inspiring cooperation. Holmes says that Langworthy’s long-term vision emphasized the importance of research, the value of creative approaches and the role of students as future leaders in criminal justice.

After a long and accomplished career, Langworthy retired in 2015. In his free time, he enjoyed reading, fishing, traveling and spending summers in Alaska.

Throughout his life, Langworthy left an extraordinary legacy of positive change and built a storied reputation as a titan in the field of criminal justice. Along with his many professional achievements, Holmes says thatLangworthy was a protector and mentor to all — always striving to bring people together and make them feel supported and valued.

“Everyone respected Bob, and Bob respected everyone,” Holmes says. “We all owe a great debt to this man. UCF was very happy to have him.”

“Dr. Dan” helped to foster deep relationships across the community and across the State of Florida that propelled the university’s rise in quality and reputation.

He helped shape many of the big ideas that have transformed UCF into the place it is today including championing the region’s modeling and simulation industry and UCF’s partnerships with the military. He helped to secure additional state funding for UCF and also the College of Medicine and UCF Downtown in particular.

And as an instructor he delighted being in the classroom with students, helping to shape future public relations and government relations professionals.

Holsenbeck, 80, reported to five UCF presidents before retiring in December 2019. His impact on UCF and throughout Central Florida will be felt for generations.

A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at 3 p.m. in the UCF Fairwinds Alumni Center. All are invited to attend.

“Dan’s political and communications skills are unmatched in the history of Florida higher education,” says former UCF Board of Trustees Chairman Rick Walsh ’77 ’83MS. “His wise counsel and key relationships helped UCF in immeasurable ways. Simply put, without ‘Dr. Dan,’ UCF would not be the institution it is today.”

In 1985, Holsenbeck was hired as associate vice president of government relations. He was promoted to vice president in 1993 and senior vice president in 2014. He served as senior counsel to the president in 2018 and 2019 and then was honored with the title of senior vice president emeritus.

Holsenbeck was blessed with a loving family whom he adored and admired. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Joyce Clampitt, a former UCF administrator, and his daughter, Amy Clampitt-Holsenbeck, a board-certified physician assistant and pediatric health specialist. He was preceded in death by his son Alan Clampitt-Holsenbeck.

He also greatly appreciated the important role nonprofit organizations play in the community and volunteered his time generously on several boards. One of them was the board for Kids House of Seminole County, which is dedicated to preventing child abuse and helping child abuse victims and their families.

Former House Speaker Steve Crisafulli ’96, a UCF graduate who represented Brevard County in the House for eight years, met Holsenbeck in 2008 while running for office. Crisafulli says he admired Holsenbeck’s focus on his family and faith as well as how deeply he cared about the university and students in particular.

“He wore the badge of the university proudly and advocated on behalf of the university passionately,” Crisafulli says. “I also had the opportunity to speak to students in his classes, and I found right away there’s a connection he had with them. He made them understand and be more passionate about the governmental side of what they were learning about the state.”

Crisafulli also praised Holsenbeck for establishing the UCF Legislative Scholars program, which he described as the “best program” of its kind in Tallahassee. Created in 19 years ago, the program enables students to augment their academic learning by working full time in legislators’ offices during the annual legislative session. Since then, 220 scholars have learned the “ins and outs” of Florida’s legislative and public policy making arena, learning directly from legislative staff, governmental agencies and lobbying groups while gaining valuable governmental experience.

As an instructor in the Nicholson School of Communication and Media, Holsenbeck delighted in helping to shape future communications and marketing professionals. He regularly invited guest speakers from communications and government to share their expertise and how they handled real-life scenarios. Holsenbeck continued to teach into this year.

For those that wish to share a memory of Dan Holsenbeck with his family, please send your thoughts and memories to: drdanmemories@gmail.com.

“Students loved Dan’s classes because he brought actual examples and situations into the classroom that brought academic concepts to life,” says Professor Robert Littlefield, founding director of the Nicholson School. “In the public relations courses he taught at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, students left better prepared and ready to face the challenges of their careers. He was generous, supportive, strategic, and collegial. We certainly will miss his presence as a faculty member in the Nicholson School of Communication and Media.”

Holsenbeck also served UCF presidents in numerous public relations and advisory capacities, including managing ����ֱ�� Economic Development and Defense Transition Services.

A former captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, he was honored by the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, which named a Navy jet in his honor in recognition of his dedication to growing the Modeling, Simulation and Training community.

George Cheros, president and CEO of the National Center for Simulation (NCS), credited Holsenbeck as the “principal visionary for the Partnership Complex” that brings UCF researchers and military agencies together in the Central Florida Research Park, as well as his success with obtaining funds for the five partnership buildings and for security enhancements to protect the military buildings in the Research Park.

“Most of us will never know exactly how much work Dan did behind the scenes to make UCF, the CFRP and the Modeling and Simulation industry what it is today,” Cheros says. “He leaves a tremendous legacy and as president and CEO of NCS, I have a deep sense of gratitude to him.”

Holsenbeck earned a bachelor’s in mathematics, with honors, from Auburn ����ֱ��, a master’s in education from Johns Hopkins ����ֱ��, and a doctorate in higher education management systems from Florida State ����ֱ��.

UCF awarded Holsenbeck an honorary doctorate degree in 2019 in recognition of his distinguished service to the university and Central Florida, as well as in the military.

Before coming to UCF, Holsenbeck was associate vice president for development and alumni affairs at the ����ֱ�� of South Florida, the director of university relations at Auburn ����ֱ��, and vice chancellor for development at Auburn ����ֱ�� at Montgomery.

He was active in local and national civic and professional organizations, including the Central Florida Partnership, the Economic Development Commission of Mid-Florida, the board of directors of Visit Orlando, the Orange County R&D Authority (chairman, 1999-2000) and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Holsenbeck served on the CASE National Board of Trustees and was chairman of CASE’s National Commission on Government Relations. He was chairman of the CASE National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges and American Association of State Colleges and Universities Task Force on State Relations from 1996-1997. In 1999, Holsenbeck received the highest national recognition for his state relations activities, the Swede Johnson Award sponsored by CASE, NASULGC and AASCU.

He has served on the Boards of Kids House of Seminole, Work Force Central Florida, the UCF Foundation, the National Center for Simulation, the UCF Alumni Association and the Board of Visitors for the FAMU College of Law.

Holsenbeck was director of basic enlisted mathematics for the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power School from 1967-69. He served as the principal civilian advisor on college and university teaching and testing to the Chief of Naval Education and Training in Pensacola, Florida. In that capacity, he conducted teaching seminars for all NROTC Navy and Marine instructors from 1971-1998. As a drilling reservist, Holsenbeck held four commands in Orlando and Montgomery, Alabama.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that consideration be made to contributing to either the Captain Daniel Holsenbeck Navy ROTC Scholarship at Auburn ����ֱ�� or the Clampitt-Holsenbeck Broughton-Kerr ROTC Scholarship at Florida Southern.

Gaudnek was born in 1931 and endured forced labor as a child in Czechoslovakia following World War II. He later studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, and in 1957, received a Fulbright Scholarship which brought him to the United States. As an artist in New York amidst the art movements of the 1960s, he proclaimed his philosophy of polymorphism — the idea that a painting is never finished and can be continuously evolved.

He emerged in the public eye after being featured in the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) New Talent Exhibition, and later received a “best show of the year” review from the New York Times for his installation, Unlimited Dimensions. Gaudnek received a doctorate from NYU before he began teaching at UCF in 1970, where he helped establish the art department and taught for the next five decades.

Gaudnek’s work has been featured in exhibitions around the world, from Sao Paolo to Florence. Today, his work is held in permanent collections internationally, including the John C. Hitt. His large series of paintings titled The 10 Commandments were donated to Pope Francis, and he founded several galleries and museums internationally, including the Gaudnek Museum in Altomünster, Germany, where he received a Public Service Medal in 2011.

Throughout his teaching career, Gaudnek received numerous awards from UCF. In 1990, he was granted the Distinguished Researcher of the Year Award and received a in 2020. In 2021, he was awarded . Before his retirement from UCF, work from throughout Gaudnek’s career was celebrated at the UCF Art Gallery with a solo exhibition, , curated by Gaudnek and his daughter, Yve.

Gaudnek is remembered by his former students and co-workers as a unique artist and professor. He encouraged students to fulfill their artistic potential while promoting openness, challenging students to see from different perspectives.

In a 2020 article by Matt Palm from the Orlando Sentinel, Rudy McDaniel, director of the UCF School of Visual Arts and Design said of Gaudnek, “Because he’s one of a kind, I think he recognizes students as individuals. Art is most powerful when it is personal. His ability to bring that out in students makes him not only a great artist but a great professor.”

Former student Jean-Claude Rasch remembers Gaudnek as one of his most inspiring teachers.

“He taught me how to be an artist, not just a painter,” Rasch says. “He definitely opened my eyes as to what it takes to push myself as an artist.”

Robert Rivers, current art professor, remembers Gaudnek as a cornerstone of the art department at UCF. He recalls a quote about Gaudnek from Mark Price, former director of the .

“Walter overcame an early family tragedy as a boy in Europe, brought on by World War II. With talent and just the right measure of eccentricity and willpower, he became a recognized New York artist,” Price said. “He then brought his adventurousness and enthusiasm to help birth a dynamic art program at the tiny new university that would become UCF. Thank you, Walter.”

UCF honors Gaudnek’s contributions to the School of Visual Arts and Design as a founding member of the art department, an innovative artist and a beloved professor for many generations of students.

Ehrhart, familiarly known as “Doc” or “Llew,” had campus ties dating back to the early days of Florida Technological ����ֱ��. The founder of the Marine Turtle Research Group (MTRG) died at home in Oviedo, Florida on March 3, 2022. He was 79.

Ehrhart was a pioneer in the world of conservation biology and one of the first advocates for historical, long-term research into marine turtles. His work found that female turtles return to the same nesting grounds and was instrumental in protecting those shorelines by establishing areas like the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge. Born on Earth Day, April 22, the conservationist was also honored as UCF Arboretum’s inaugural Earth Day Conservation Hero last year.

His secret ingredient was the “gift of gab,” a seemingly endless source of stories buoyed by unbridled enthusiasm for biology.

“Conservation requires stories. Stories engage people and help them relate to things a little better,” says Associate Professor Kate Mansfield current MTRG director. “And there was no better storyteller than Llew.”

Among those who knew him the longest was Biology Professor Emeritus Jack Stout, who first met Ehrhart when he served on Stout’s hiring committee at UCF.  Ar that point, Ehrhart and Stout were both still studying the ecology of small mammals. While the pair were still figuring out how to divide their research, Ehrhart was introduced to sea turtles by the refuge manager for the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Ehrhart’s early exploration into a largely untapped area of research received a boost from the late ����ֱ�� of Florida Professor and renowned herpetologist Archie Carr, a longtime friend and mentor. Carr showed him the fundamentals like how to tag turtles and offered encouragement, but otherwise it was Ehrhart on his own figuring out how to do the research.

Small federal and county grants kept the project afloat (barely), along with graduate students willing to put in the sweat equity to make the research possible. Ehrhart’s passion and conviction provided the rest.

“He was very gifted in showing his enthusiasm and showing real data,” Stout says. “He could make it into talking points that were compelling to everyone — from teenagers to seasoned politicians.”

Associate Research Scientist Erin Seney was among those who met him for the first time after his retirement in 2004. What stands out in her mind about Ehrhart was his recruitment ability.

“(Field work) is challenging beyond belief,” Seney says. “It’s not for everyone. But he found a way to get people excited. He came to it with the mind that anyone out there can do it.”

Pictures fail to completely capture the size of sea turtles and the corresponding strain working with them puts on your back. Field work also brings long hot days on the water, slapping bugs and frustrating setbacks. That can make it hard to find volunteers and, more importantly, volunteers willing to return.

Ehrhart kept them encouraged in the field with his relentless optimism. Even on days when the team only managed to study one turtle, he would quip, “Well, it’s better than zero.”

What Mansfield says she will miss the most is the infectious enthusiasm Ehrhart brought to field research. A member of the last generation of true naturalists, Ehrhart could easily point out different species from a boat and name all types of facts about them.

“He made it really fun,” Mansfield says. “He clearly enjoyed doing everything out there (in the field). I’m going to really miss introducing him to the lab and the interns. That is what hit me the hardest.”

Ehrhart’s global reputation grew as he uncovered just how dire the situation was for green turtles. Small changes made a big difference, like his education efforts that led Brevard County officials to establish   Florida’s first county ordinances to limit beach lighting during nesting season. He spoke to anyone who would listen, including Lavar Burton on .

Ever humble, though, Ehrhart was an “approachable and curious person,” who always took the time to listen and learn from everyone, Seney says.

The only time he was not approachable was when he was chowing down on “weird snacks, like Vienna sausages,” Seney says with a laugh.

Even after Ehrhart left the classroom he remained an active figure in the MTRG for many more years. He remained in close contact with his former students and loved to track their successes.

“He would get this twinkle in his eye any time students came up,” says Pegasus Professor Linda Walters. “They were a very big part of what he considered his success story.”

Walters was not only a fellow biologist, but a close neighbor in Oviedo, Florida, who kept Ehrhart company when the pandemic forced everyone into social distancing. Walters notes that being a biologist was not just Ehrhart’s credentials, but part of his character. Years after he hung up his lab coat Ehrhart would cycle around his neighborhood for hours and study the wildlife. That night around the backyard fire ring he would report back on the otter and shore bird activity for the day, Walters recalls.

At the same time, Ehrhart was one of the few people, Walters says, who would be genuinely interested in hearing her stories about bobcats, turkeys and all sorts of other animals visiting restored oyster reefs.

“People uniformly loved Llew,” Walters says. “He was a gentleman and a scholar.”

Pegasus Professor Graham Worthy shares a marine biology background with Ehrhart, but he didn’t have much one-on-one time with him. What he does know without a doubt is that Ehrhart “set the foundation for sea turtle research on a global scale.”

Most faculty with full-time labs establish a lineage of successful students; cocktail discussions at conferences revolve around who studied under whom. From that perspective, Ehrhart is an academic grandfather several times over for an impressive list of graduates who hold high-ranking positions on the national and state level. Perhaps more importantly, many of those graduates have developed their own sea turtle conservation initiatives.

“We talk about family trees in science, and in that context Llew was the seedling that started this whole thing,” Worthy says. “It’s grown into a very large and encompassing tree, and all these students that came through in the early years can trace their roots back to Llew.”

Sturm, who died Nov. 12 at age 58, taught both finance and accounting since returning to his alma mater in 2000 as an adjunct instructor. He was an avid musician and had recently started a band called Ray and The Storm Surge.

“Ray was such a talented person, so full of life. An academic ‘switch hitter’ who was as much at home with accountancy as with finance and was hugely popular with his students,” says Ajai Singh, chair of the Department of Finance and Director of the Dr. P. Phillips School of Real Estate at UCF. “It is so difficult to believe that Ray is not with us any longer. He will be sorely missed by all his colleagues and students.”

A Central Florida native, Sturm grew up in Winter Park and graduated from Winter Park High School in 1981 before enlisting in the United States Army. After serving in the Army, he earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and master’s in taxation at UCF before completing his Ph.D. at Florida Atlantic ����ֱ��. He started out teaching on UCF’s regional campuses and spent the latter part of his career on main campus. Prior to his teaching career, Ray was a partner of Sturm and Sturm CPA in Winter Park with his father and owned Ten Talents Assets Management, Inc.

“Ray was a teacher at heart, intellectually curious, and like all passionate people, hardheaded at times,” says Paul Jarley, dean of the College of Business. “Like a lot of us, he was a down-to-Earth professor who believed in higher education’s promise of upward social mobility.”

Sturm was a Certified Public Accountant and member of the AICPA. He published regularly in the Journal of Behavioral Finance and was actively pursuing several research projects.

“Ray was on the search committee that brought me to UCF,” Jarley says.“He was the coolest two-time grandfather I know. He was a surfer, rock band member and faculty advisor to the Young Investors Club.”

Sturm is survived by his wife, Laurie, daughter, Nicole Gardner, and two grandchildren. A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 19, at Winter Park Presbyterian Church, 400 S. Lakemont Ave., Winter Park, Florida, 32792.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, or .

The memorial will begin at 11 a.m. in the Darden Auditorium at the Rosen campus and will close with a reception at 1:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear red or colorful clothing.

The South African native was a beloved teacher who strived to foster a learning environment that considered international perspectives. In all her work at Rosen, from lecturing in the classroom to mentoring doctoral students, her lively spirit and passion for teaching helped shape her students’ success.

“Mathilda’s passing is a great loss, which words cannot describe, for the Rosen college family,” says Youcheng Wang, the college’s dean. “She made huge impacts on so many of us. Mathilda was such a passionate educator who inspired our students to excel above and beyond expectations. Her positive and caring personality and her love for life influenced all of us and for that we will forever miss her.”

https://www.facebook.com/rosencollege/photos/a.137591384338/10157601385079339/?type=3&theater

In 1994, van Niekerk earned a bachelor’s degree at the Potchefstroom campus of South Africa’s North-West ����ֱ��. Two years later she earned an honors bachelor’s in tourism and recreation management, then a master’s in tourism in 1998 and a doctorate in tourism management in 2004. She also obtained an MBA in 2013.

Throughout her career van Niekerk authored or co-authored more than 110 academic publications. Her teaching experience spanned 18 years and more than 30 courses in South Africa and the United States. She won numerous awards, including Outstanding Editorial Support in 2017 from the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, and Rosen’s ����ֱ�� Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in 2015.

As an accomplished researcher, van Niekerk focused on stakeholder theory and advocated for better community-participation models that ensure destination tourism benefits the local communities where it functions.

“Mathilda was such a passionate educator who inspired our students to excel above and beyond expectations.” – Youcheng Wang, Rosen College of Hospitality Management’s Dean

Before coming to UCF, she held several leadership positions in the industry and academics that helped her take her teachings in the classroom beyond textbooks. One of her jobs was cluster leader in Nelspruit, South Africa, during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, making her responsible for the marketing, communications and events for the host city. In a 2018 interview, she said her work with FIFA World Cup was one of her proudest achievements.

During her first visit to America, van Niekerk visited the Rosen campus and said she immediately fell in love with the world-class facility. Although she had never planned to leave South Africa, she applied for a position in January 2012 and on Valentine’s Day that year she found out she got the job. On July 4 of this year she became a United States citizen during a special ceremony that was held at Central Park in Winter Park due to health.

Coming from another country, she said she initially wondered what she could teach students in America, but realized no matter where you’re from there’s always something to learn from one another and the best practices develop when you consider a wide range of global perspectives.

“For me, teaching is an opportunity to create a legacy and change students’ lives,” van Niekerk said in a 2018 interview. “There’s nothing as nice as seeing students complete the program and go on to be successful and happy in their lives.”

van Niekerk’s legacy will live on in the students and faculty members she impacted with her knowledge and kindness.

Wright was a prolific writer and academic, with more than 200 journal articles, 10,000 citations and 22 books to his name. He was also recognized as a Pegasus Professor in 2013 — the highest academic honor for an educator at UCF — and a Provost Distinguished Research Professor during his 17-year tenure at UCF.

But it was his civic activism that earns the warmest praise from his colleagues, including projects and consulting work that benefited organizations including Heart of Florida United Way, Second Harvest Food Bank, Coalition for the Homeless, and Orlando Housing Authority. As director of UCF’s Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences, Wright brought in more than $1 million in funding for these projects.

“He had a huge heart and concern for others,” says Elizabeth Mustaine, chair of the Department of Sociology. “He constantly lifted up everyone he could – helping agencies that support the neediest in our community, and helping other faculty members and students succeed. His time in the sociology department made it a much better place, an improvement that we expect will last for years to come.”

Wright graduated from Purdue ����ֱ�� in 1969, then pursued his master’s and doctorate in sociology from the ����ֱ�� of Wisconsin. His academic career prior to arriving to UCF in 2001 includes stints at the ����ֱ�� of Massachusetts and Tulane ����ֱ��.

 “Jim was a wonderful scholar, a person with deep concern about society’s less fortunate members, and a friend and mentor to many.” — College of Sciences Dean Michael Johnson

Wright was a gifted writer, and he generously shared his talents. He published scholarly papers with 36 current or former UCF colleagues and graduates. His recognition as “Outstanding Faculty Advisor” in 2006 and again in 2014 was due largely to his commitment to mentoring: He either directed or served on the committees of approximately half the students awarded graduate degrees in sociology since the inception of the doctorate program.

Sharing his insights extended beyond campus. Wright served on many national and regional organizations, including Foundation on Violence in America and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

“Jim was a wonderful scholar, a person with deep concern about society’s less fortunate members, and a friend and mentor to many,” says Michael Johnson, dean of the College of Sciences. “We are fortunate that he chose to bring his talents to UCF. We will miss him sorely.”

The students who were honored were:

Abigail Elizabeth Rosemeyer; College of Health Professions and Sciences, Masters of social work

Branden Allen Aebersold; College of Sciences, Actuarial science

Brooke Michele Campanile; College of Community Innovation and Education, Counselor education

Dennis C. Holland; Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Hospitality and tourism management

Erin G. Connell; College of Arts and Humanities, Religion and cultural studies

Gianfranco Giuseppe Apa; College of Business Administration, Accounting

Hailey Anne Hinson; College of Arts and Humanities, English language arts education

Jaclyn June Austin; College of Science, Psychology

Javish Rodriguez-Rivera; College of Engineering and Computer Science, Transportation engineering

Jeanelie Francois; College of Engineering and Computer Science, Information technology

Jeff Mentor; College of Business Administration, Accounting

Kate Lynn Marie Sullivan; College of Health Professions and Sciences, Pre-clinical health sciences

Michael John McDoniels Jr.; College of Undergraduate Studies, Interdisciplinary studies

Reuel E. Buchanan; College of Community Innovation and Education, Criminal justice

Richard Conner McPeak; College of Sciences, Psychology

Samuel Day Shaw; Rosen College of Hospitality Management; Entertainment management

Seth Anthony Beyrooti; College of Business Administration, Marketing

Thomas Edward Mundy; College of Community Innovation and Education, Health informatics and information management

William Weiler; College of Arts and Humanities, Film

Keyera Lyn, Miss UCF, led the beginning of the ceremony with a 38-second moment of silence (two seconds for each student being honored.) Vice President for Student Enrollment and Services Maribeth Ehasz gave an official welcome shortly before Interim President Thad Seymour Jr. provided opening remarks. The memorial also included poetry readings of “I Do Not Think My Song Will End” and “We Will Remember” by Lyn and Malachi Mullings, Mr. UCF and musical performances.

“The students we are remembering today were on their way to reaching their academic goals, and we are honored that they chose UCF for their journey,” says Provost Elizabeth A. Dooley before introducing the eulogist. “Each student contributed to our Knights family, and his or her academic work and impact will live on in our faculty, staff and fellow students.”

Carolyn Walker-Hopp, a retired faculty member from the College of Community Innovation and Education, gave eulogies for each student. As each individual’s name was said, members from the President’s Leadership Council placed a white rose in individual vases to honor them.

Bersia started working at UCF in 2001, later became a special assistant to the president for Global Perspectives, and was the executive producer and host of a weekly WUCF TV show by the same name, covering diplomacy, world affairs, human trafficking and other issues.

He was viewed by many of his colleagues and students as a global citizen, always pushing education, fairness and international awareness with the goal of a peaceful world.

“John gave UCF and Central Florida a wealth of opportunities to learn about the world and to tackle our toughest challenges, particularly human trafficking and modern slavery,” says interim President Thad Seymour Jr.

“He brought many distinguished world leaders to campus and also speakers who challenged us to actively help human trafficking victims and others who had no voice. We will forever be thankful that John has made us a stronger, more civic-minded and more compassionate campus community.”

Harriet L. Elam-Thomas, a former ambassador to Senegal and director of the university’s diplomacy program, says she came to UCF as the State Department’s diplomat in residence for one year but remained 16 years because of Bersia, “who always demonstrated the human touch” in his approach to community and world issues.

“John was the epitome of civility. Global Perspective staff, interns and fellows gained academic and life leadership skills throughout their affiliation with the Global Perspectives Office,” she says. “Thanks to John’s commitment to inform and expose the broader Central Florida community to international and domestic thought leaders, this community is well informed and able to make wise decisions on globally focused and culturally sensitive issues. The ����ֱ�� and the surrounding community present a comprehensive face of America, thanks to the insight, outreach and selflessness of John Bersia.”

Dean Michael Johnson of the College of Sciences, of which Global Perspectives is a part, says Bersia dedicated many years of providing students “an opportunity to be part of the world.”

“What John knew is that the world has become very small, and our students are going to live in a world where they’re going to work and compete with people from every part of the globe,” Johnson says. “John played a key role in opening doors for students and faculty to interact, learn and engage with different cultures.”

Bersia grew up in Winter Park and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science/international relations and French at UCF in 1977. He went on to receive a master’s in government/foreign policy from Georgetown ����ֱ��, a master’s in public information administration at The American ����ֱ��, and a master’s in international relations from the ����ֱ�� of London.

Before coming to UCF, Bersia worked in the global political-risk analysis and publishing business, was as an adjunct professor on international affairs at Rollins College, and served on the Orlando Sentinel’s editorial board for 16 years, when his series of editorials on predatory payday-loan practices, “Fleeced in Florida,” won a Pulitzer Prize in 2000 and prompted the Florida Legislature to make changes in regulations of loan companies.

He helped establish the Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery, was board chairman of the World Affairs Council of Central Florida, and served in various roles with numerous organizations and programs on and off campus to promote global peace and security.

“John was my friend for more than 30 years. In his hometown, and even in our university, few realize how greatly respected and admired he has long been throughout the world,” says Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs James Bacchus and director of UCF’s Center for Global Economic & Environmental Opportunity. “John laid much of the foundation for the emergence of UCF as a global institution – a foundation on which we will continue to build for many years to come.”

To highlight that foundation and the impact and legacy of the Global Perspectives interviews hosted by Bersia, WUCF will broadcast a special retrospective at 9:30 a.m. March 31.

“John worked tirelessly to bring attention to important issues and to help bridge cultural divides,” says Phil Hoffman, WUCF executive director. “He was able to combine his passion for education with a real depth of knowledge to bring an understanding of the world to Central Florida audiences.”

Bersia is survived by his wife, Renee Johnson, and a stepdaughter.

Services will be held at noon March 30, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 4001 Edgewater Drive, Orlando.