She fulfilled that promise four years later with the trek of a lifetime to climb the world’s tallest mountain in October 2023. A true test of her limits, posing some challenges and new experiences along the way, her journey serves as a powerful reminder to appreciate the beauty and wonder of life.

Prepared for Anything

Preparedness was key for Harby, who trained at the gym using the StairMaster with a weighted backpack to simulate the trek’s demands. She also utilized altitude training masks to simulate varying altitudes. Despite physical preparation, the mental challenge loomed large, particularly the prospect of flying from Tenzing-Hillary Airport to reach the trek’s starting point. Known as one of the world’s most dangerous airports, it’s carved into the Himalayan mountains and has a single, short runway that can only accommodate small aircraft.

Trekking to the Top

While initially intending to trek solo, Harby found camaraderie with a colleague and fellow adventurer who shared her same dream of climbing Everest.

“I had never met another female solo traveler who wanted to do the same thing,” Harby says. “So we met up and we said, ‘Let’s do this together.’ ”

Their 12-day journey stretched to 17 due to weather delays in Kathmandu, Nepal, but they faced this setback with determination. Accompanied by a porter, who carried their larger bags, and a knowledgeable sherpa guide, Harby’s daily routine started at 6 a.m., involving six to seven hours of hiking and periodic stops at eateries and rest areas.

The first few stops in lower altitude — Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche — offered plenty of homey comforts. They found Irish bars, bakeries, plenty of souvenirs and gear shopping and religious sites such as the Tengboche Monastery. Ascending from lower altitudes to over 13,000 feet, the trek grew increasingly difficult, with altitude sickness posing a significant challenge. Harby mitigated symptoms like headache and dry cough with acetazolamide tablets.

As the environment changed at each stop, familiar faces provided a sense of community.

“Since most guided treks follow the same schedule, you see the same people almost every day,” she says. “Meeting up for evening tea and to just decompress from the day was a highlight as we journeyed onward. We even started a WhatsApp group to keep in touch.”

By 4 p.m., the group would reach their next town and check-in to a lodging place, called a tea house, for the night. These tea houses are designed to meet trekkers’ basic needs — food and a place to sleep. Extras like a hot shower, Wi-Fi, toilet paper and charging stations are available for an additional cost.

“Most evenings we’d end up in the common area [of the tea house] where fellow travelers would wind down from a long day of trekking,” she says. “I’d just tune out the world for a couple of hours and watch some shows that I downloaded on my iPad just to have some sense of normalcy.”

Their arrival at base camp was unmistakable, marked by a massive rock bearing the words “Everest Base Camp” in red paint.

“I didn’t think I would cry once I saw base camp for the first time. Once my hand touched the rock, that’s when it really felt exhilarating,” she says. “It just felt overwhelming 
 to be there in person.”

Forever Changed

Trekking to Everest base camp in Nepal was a unique experience for Harby, distinct from her past adventures in paragliding, skydiving and climbing fourteeners in Colorado. She marks the journey as one of her biggest accomplishments in life so far.

“This journey has proven to me that I can do anything, and whatever challenges I face along the way, I’ll find a way to overcome them.”

“I learned that I am capable of so much more than I really think that I am,” she says. “This journey has proven to me that I can do anything, and whatever challenges I face along the way, I’ll find a way to overcome them.”

It’s onward and upward for Harby from this point forward. With her newfound courage to dream bigger, she plans to return to Nepal and take on the Annapurna base camp as well as Mount Kilimanjaro in the future.

“If you have a goal, believe in your goal and your soul is going to get you there,” she says. “Your spirit is so much stronger than you think it is, and I fully believe that we’re all capable.”

“Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine someone like me being called ‘a stroke survivor.’”
— Former UCF offensive lineman Ray Forsythe

Two months earlier, the former UCF offensive lineman, who played for the Knights from 1993-94, had suffered a major stroke at the age of 41 despite being, as he says, “in the best shape of my life.” A lengthy stay in rehab had finally allowed him to return home a day before Easter, and he was eager to get on with his daily life — which meant on Sunday he’d prepare dinner.

That’s when the 6-foot-5, 320-pound Forsythe, whose hands once manhandled massive defenders, realized he could no longer handle a knife. Every time he attempted to carve the turkey, the knife fell to the floor.

Forsythe, who majored in what is now called interdisciplinary studies at UCF, walked out of the kitchen, away from his wife and six children. He sat in the bedroom wondering what more he’d have to do to be an active dad, a breadwinning husband, to simply be himself again.

“Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine someone like me being called ‘a stroke survivor,’ ” Forsythe says.

Thousands of people who have yet to hit midlife are wrestling with those same thoughts. While the vast majority of strokes in the United States occur in people age 65 and older, according to a study in JAMA Neurology, from 2003 to 2012, there was an increase of more than 30,000 patients hospitalized for strokes in people younger than 65 — accounting for an increase of roughly 30 percent. A number of factors can explain a portion of the increase, including population growth and changes to how diagnoses are classified, but the fact remains that people are having — and surviving — strokes younger than ever before.

And while certain factors can come into play, such as lifestyle, pollution, genetics and better diagnoses, there is no real profile of a stroke victim. It happens to toddlers and teenagers. To athletes and artists. It can happen to anyone, anywhere. For Forsythe, it happened at the mall with his family.

“I’d been cautious about the foods I ate,” he says. “I was going to the gym every day, spending time on the treadmill. As big as I am, my body fat was only 10 percent. The idea that I’d have a stroke 
 it’s almost five years later and it still doesn’t sound right.”

“I refuse to be stagnant, even with the lack of resources available for young stroke survivors,” Forsythe says.

Forsythe admits he’s blessed just to wake up each day and say: “Good morning.” His wife, Doreen, is a nurse and made sure he received immediate care following the stroke, including the two months at Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville. But then he lost his job. The family had to sell their cars and downsize their home. His wife had to figure out how to get Forsythe to therapy, the kids to their activities, and herself to work.

All the things you never think about because it can’t happen to someone like me.

“I have one speed now — slow,” Forsythe says, referring to his speech as well as to the legs that once ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.7 seconds. “But I refuse to be stagnant, even with the lack of resources available for young stroke survivors.”

And so he has become an expert, not so much on why he had a stroke when he did, but on recovery. He started a support group. He attends seminars. He listens to stories from young stroke survivors trying to raise families and hold jobs, such as fellow Knight Rachel Groves ’05 ’10MS.

“Someone Like Me”

Groves, who earned a bachelor’s and master’s in nursing from UCF, remembers everything about June 3, 2016. First, the tingly fingers. Then the pop in her ear, followed by ringing. When she started losing her vision, her 4-year-old son called 911 for help. He would later say, “Mommy looked like a fish flopping out of water.”

According to study in Neurology, young stroke survivors face physical, emotional and financial challenges uncommon to stroke survivors who are past retirement age.

A nurse herself, Groves knew she was having a stroke. But at the age of 32? With two young children?

“I thought, ‘This cannot be happening to someone like me.’ ”

When paramedics arrived, Groves tried telling them exactly what was going on, but her speech had become so slurred they were convinced she’d been drinking. It would be the first of many frustrations. “You want so badly to get on with life, pursue your goals, and be productive for the people around you. But …”

You start to speak, but stop because the words are trapped between the brain and the mouth. You want to move from here to there, but it takes three times longer than it should. You’re willing to do whatever it takes to recover, but find nothing but brick walls and maybe a wheelchair.

According to study in Neurology, young stroke survivors face physical, emotional and financial challenges uncommon to stroke survivors who are past retirement age. Not only is diagnosis often more challenging, but once patients receive an accurate diagnosis, survivors and their families often face significant financial difficulties due to extended leaves from work or the inability to return to the work force at all during what should be their most productive years. That speaks nothing to the cost of paying for medical bills, fighting for continued rehabilitation services, or finding and paying for childcare.

“There shouldn’t be so many obstacles for someone who simply wants to be productive,” says Groves. “Sitting in a chair all day is not the answer.”

Just as daunting as the physical limitations is a system based on old assumptions rather than realities. In short, it’s set up for older stroke survivors, not young ones.

Forsythe and Groves connected after hearing each other’s stories at a stroke awareness event in 2018.

“The first few weeks after a stroke are crucial to restoring basic functions, but insurance companies heavily regulate therapy. Fortunately, my husband and I fought hard enough to get what I needed. But what about stroke survivors who don’t? What do their lives become?”
— Rachel Groves ’05 ’10MS

“Strokes create a chemical imbalance and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder,” says Forsythe. “But neurological care isn’t typically allowed as part of recovery. And what about disability forms? They’re difficult to fill out, especially for someone recovering from brain trauma. Then there’s the challenge of transportation because your spouse needs to work.

“My battles on the football field are not even close to what I’ve been through as a stroke survivor. I don’t want to sit at home and simply say I survived a stroke. That doesn’t do anyone any good.”

Groves similarly didn’t want to feel sidelined.

“When I left the hospital, they were going to send me home with a walker, and left me to figure out my own logistics for rehab,” she says. “At the time, I had the functional abilities of a toddler. I said, ‘No. I need to perform my daily activities and be a mom. Then I need to return to work if we’re going to pay the bills.’ I needed intense rehab, but we continually ran into resistance.

“The first few weeks after a stroke are crucial to restoring basic functions, but insurance companies heavily regulate therapy. Fortunately, my husband and I fought hard enough to get what I needed. But what about stroke survivors who don’t? What do their lives become?”

A shared frustration — and determination — is exactly why Forsythe and Groves decided to take their own initiative and launch Young Empowered Stroke Survivors (YESS) Foundation. They’re forming support groups, recruiting volunteers and raising funds.

In the meantime, Forsythe and Groves continue their own recoveries.

Groves can now kick a soccer ball around the backyard with her kids. But she also has a constant headache and occasional bouts with vertigo. Like Forsythe, her mental fatigue can be so severe it actually hurts.

Forsythe can now hold a knife well enough to cut vegetables, though maybe not a turkey. He walks without assistance — unless he’s at his son Stone’s football games at the șŁœÇֱȄ of Florida where he needs someone to push him in a wheelchair.

If you couldn’t tell already, Groves and Forsythe are driven. It’s why they’ve been able to relearn motor skills and speech. But both say they’d never be where they are today if they hadn’t learned to do something entirely new to them: Ask for help.

Through YESS, it’s a lesson that could benefit thousands of young stroke survivors just like them.

The easy-to-use hardware and software uses electrical impulses from the user’s muscles to play the game.

“We’re going to be busy,” says Matt Dombrowski, assistant professor of digital media. “We’re so excited. The potential to help children is just amazing.”

Dombrowski is part of a team that developed a series of nine games for Limbitless Solutions a year ago. The UCF-based nonprofit approached Dombrowski in hopes of recruiting student volunteers to sculpt and paint the 3-D printed arms the group creates and gives to children at no cost.

The Origin of a Partnership

“It’s funny to remember how it all started,” Dombrowski says. “It was just a conversation and I said, ‘Sure we can help with painting, but what would be really cool is to create really good video games the kids can play.’ ”

Designed by UCF students, Smash Bro encourages users to stomp, smash, and destroy as much as possible in a city within a time limit.

Two years later, Dombrowski and a group of collaborators unveiled nine different games in their alpha stage. Assistant Professors Peter Smith and Ryan Buyssens worked with him to create easy-to-use hardware and software that uses electrical impulses from the user’s muscles to play the game. They worked with Limbitless Solution’s electromyography bio-sensing system to make the interface a reality. Students in video-design classes worked on game designs, and four children who received arms through Limbitless tried the games on campus in October.

“They really got into the games and were really good about providing specific feedback,” Smith says. “We took notes, made adjustments and then got a grant from the College of Arts & Humanities. That really helped us refine the games.”

Smash Bro Goes to D.C.

The professors chose one of the most popular games among the bionic kids, Smash Bro to submit to the Smithsonian. It was designed by students Zack Henderson, Melissa Scharf and Amanda Simmons, who have since graduated. Scharf and Simmons have jobs in game design and Henderson will start graduate studies this fall at UCF’s Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy in downtown Orlando.

The Smithsonian was one of the first museums in the nation to acquire video games as part of its permanent collection. Video games offer a compelling performance space, activated by artists and players alike, whose interaction creates an artistic experience.

Smash Bro, in which the gamer’s objective is to stomp, smash, and destroy as much as possible in a city within the time limit, had stiff competition. More than 180 independent designers submitted their games to be part of the Smithsonian’s SAAM Arcade event. A panel of independent game makers and industry veterans selected 40 participants.

The one-day event drew 11,000 people last year. It was so popular that this year the museum expanded to two days beginning Aug. 4. It includes a collection of vintage games such as Donkey Kong and Pac Man, current games and the 40 selected independent games.

“Video games are a part of our visual culture and worthy of display as well as study at SAAM,” says Stephanie Stebich, director of the museum. “We are pleased to provide ‘SAAM Arcade’ as an innovative forum for video-game developers and fans as the field continues to test the boundaries between art, science and technology.”

The Smithsonian was one of the first museums in the nation to acquire video games as part of its permanent collection. Video games offer a compelling performance space, activated by artists and players alike, whose interaction creates an artistic experience. The event is supported by several industry leaders and the Entertainment Software Association Foundation.

The UCF group also will meet with the Smithsonian secretary to discuss the impact of fusing artistic design with engineering. A current National Academy of Science study, under the direction of the secretary, David J. Skorton, is focused on integrating higher education in the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering and medicine.

White House staff from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities is also scheduled to meet with the group and try out the video games.

“We’re really excited,” Dombrowski says. “We love Limbitless’ mission, so it was natural for us to partner with them. We want to be able to take this tech to all children who can’t play games now, to make games accessible. It really is all about the children.”

“This is only the beginning.”

Limbitless Solutions founder, Albert Manero, said he is grateful for the support and enthusiasm SVAD has offered his team.

“We want to be able to take this tech to all children who can’t play games now, to make games accessible. It really is all about the children,” Dombrowski says.

“We are thrilled to be working with SVAD,” says Manero, who will travel to Washington for the meetings with government officials. “They [SVAD] have been incredible partners and are helping to make both the experience and training for the bionic kids innovative, exciting and fun. We have the same passion to help children, and the games are really fun. Some of our bionic kids who got a sneak peek at some of the games keep asking when they’ll be ready to play them with their friends.”

The goal of the partnership is twofold. Limbitless hopes to use the games to help children who are selected to receive bionic arms, train and learn how to use the system before they get their arms. The SVAD team hopes to make 2.0 versions of the games that would be available for any child to play with some very simple attachments that make the experience as exciting and as easy as traditional game consoles, maybe even better.

“We’ve got a few other things in the works in this area,” Dombrowski says. “This is only the beginning.”

Hannah Hollinger is one of the few who does. A senior studying environmental studies, Hollinger became aware of UCF Facilities and Safety by being involved in Energy Knights, a student club that focuses on spreading knowledge of how to be more environmentally friendly. The Energy Knights’ president at the time told Hollinger that Facilities and Safety was looking for an intern.

“I went to see what it was about, and I was beside myself,” Hollinger said. “I thought ‘This is what I want to get into.’ I didn’t even realize it existed.”

In July 2015 Hollinger became Facilities and Safety’s Sustainability Initiatives’ social outreach intern, in charge of marketing campaigns that can educate the UCF community on sustainability efforts. After a year of seeing firsthand how Facilities and Safety works to make UCF a more sustainable campus, she realized something was missing: student input.

“I realized how, as a student, we don’t have access to understand what happens behind closed doors when it comes to sustainability, operations and facilities at UCF,” she said. “We needed a connecting piece between students and operations.”

That’s what inspired her to create the Student Sustainability Advisory Committee, a 13-person committee that began last August. It gives students access to UCF’s faculty and staff Sustainability Advisory Committee meetings, and the opportunity to help improve UCF’s sustainability in return for internship credit. Students commit for one academic year to create proposals on how they think UCF can improve its sustainability and present them to SAC members who can help make them a reality. The first proposals are expected to be presented this month.

Although there’s no guarantee the student ideas will be implemented, Hollinger is confident most are at least feasible. One proposal is a composting pilot program in The Burnett Honors College. Another idea is to take a plain exterior wall on campus and make it a green wall with plants hanging from top to bottom, which can improve air quality and overall quality of life. “We can utilize what used to be just concrete or drywall and make it into a living organism and a place you desire to be,” said Hollinger, who also is the Student Government Association’s health and sustainability coordinator.

A third proposal is to create a community garden at Lake Claire where students can manage their own plot and grow their own fruits and vegetables.

Targets of each proposal range from improving campus buildings, land, energy usage, food, transportation, waste and water.

The creation of the student committee has been mutually beneficial for students and staff. Students get hands-on learning experiences outside the classroom, and in turn, Facilities and Safety has a stream of fresh, innovative ideas, said Yarazeth Watson Colon, coordinator of UCF Sustainability Initiatives. Even though Hollinger will graduate in May, the student committee will live on.

“We want to continue having students come out of the classroom and into the field to help prepare them for the workforce that’s growing and changing,” Colon said.

Hollinger first became passionate about environmental issues in her AP Environmental Studies class in high school where she learned the importance of the field and that its job demand was growing. With a Pegasus Scholarship in hand and a growing passion due to the “climate-change uproar” at the time, as she calls it, Hollinger came to UCF in 2013 to pursue an environmental studies degree and a career in urban planning or public administration.

“I found other people that care – sometimes I feel like even more than I do – and that’s been really encouraging to me,” she said. “Plus, there are so many clubs on campus with an environmental aspect. I don’t think I would’ve gotten that level of exposure had I not come to UCF.”

As Hollinger’s time at UCF winds down, she can rest easy knowing her original mission of social outreach for sustainability initiatives at UCF has been successful.

“People have emailed me often asking about the opportunity with the SSAC,” she said. “It’s now something other people want to be part of.”

Rawlins is stopping by UCF on March 30, to share how his determination, passion and leadership has made almost everyone in the city of Orlando excited about soccer. Rawlins is responsible for all aspects of the Club’s operation, performance and service. Rawlins who comes from the high tech industry, has also fifteen years in sports management as a previous owner and director of his hometown English Premier League team, Stoke City FC.

Rawlins was voted Orlando’s Downtowner of the Year in 2013 for his work in helping develop downtown and he was honored by MBA Orlando as Community Champion. In 2014 he was also voted CEO of the Year by Orlando Business Journal and Entrepreneur of the Year by I-4 Business magazine. Rawlins was recently inducted into the United Soccer League’s Hall of Fame.

Rawlins is the closing presenter for the College of Graduate Studies Interdisciplinary Studies Speaker Series 15-year anniversary of graduate interdisciplinary programs at UCF. Rawlins represents the Globalization and International Relations concentration in the and will be speaking to the UCF Community on March 31, 2016, from 3:30pm – 4:30pm in Morgridge International Reading Center. The Speaker Series events are free and open to the public. For more information visit the Speaker Series  or engage with other attendees on social media through the .

As the newspaper’s first fitness and water reporter, Mulak-Cheatham is a trailblazer, figuring out things as she goes.

“Every day is a new adventure,” she says. “I’m all over the place — surfing one day, mountain biking the next, and then learning how to ballroom dance on the next day. There’s a lot of variety in my day-to-day life, and it rocks!”

Before landing her dream position with the Space Coast’s daily news source, Mulak-Cheatham kept busy — first, as a gymnastics teacher, then as head of the kids’ fitness program for Health First, then as an adaptive and mainstream physical education and reading enrichment teacher at an elementary school, and, most recently, as the owner and CEO of Ohana, her own surfing, art and leadership program for kids.

“Come to think of it, this is the first time that I’ve worked with grown-ups in about a dozen years!” she says.

And, her newest job is the perfect fit for her active lifestyle. In fact, it was her love of surfing that drew her to Brevard County, where she now lives and regularly hangs 10 with her two sons, ages 13 and 9, and the love of her life, Steve. It was a move she made the day after she graduated from Boone High School in Orlando.

“From a young age, I have loved to move and challenge myself,” she explains. “I never, ever, ever stayed still … Being an athlete has always been a no-brainer. It makes me feel strong and powerful and capable.”

SURFIN’ Q&A

Q. Most memorable experience on the job?

A. The first time my picture was on the front page of the Sunday paper and someone recognized me. They told me that they loved my writing and couldn’t wait to read more of it. That was like high-fiving the whole universe.

Q. What did you want to be when you grew up?

A. A teacher and a writer and a gymnast and an artist and mom and a mermaid

Q. How has your UCF degree helped you in your career?

A. Endlessly. The whole experience of interdisciplinary education is very real-world. It gave me a fair amount of knowledge in several areas, which helps you to feel confident in a variety of situations. The career prep was top-notch. Throughout my time at UCF, I really began to master the art of concise and charismatic communication. That’s a skill set that transcends any career path. It gave me a mega advantage. Taking classes in person is so important. It teaches you how to socialize as an adult with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations. It also gives you a reason to practice speaking up and presenting publicly.

Q. What has been your favorite surfing spot so far?

A. Southern Nicaragua is pretty fantastic. Costa Rica is so beautiful — it will take your breath away. Then again, I love the waves in front of my house. Wherever there are fun waves, that’s my favorite place at that moment.

Q. How do you channel your artistic inclination?

A. Paint. Draw. Doodle. Write. Dance. Sing. Make jewelry.

Q. Why are you such a music lover?

A. It speaks to me. It wakes me up and quiets me down. It connects me to the moment.

Q. Favorite band/artist?

A. There are too many. Right now, I’m loving Lake Street Dive, the Foo Fighters, anything with a fun ska sound. The answer to that really depends on my mood.

Q. First concert you ever attended?

A. The Gin Blossoms at Albright College in Pennsylvania. I was maybe 11 or 12.

Q. Do you play an instrument?

A. Piano

Q. Besides surfing/working out, what’s your favorite thing to do while you travel?

A. Walk around and explore. Hike. Find a beautiful place to lie down and read, or just absorb the new space. Find the best place for a craft beer and a local meal.

Q. What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?

A. Deciding to take a step back from Ohana and move in a new direction

Q. What advice would you give to those who hate exercise but want to get fit?

A. Try new things. You will find something eventually that doesn’t feel like exercise. For me, that thing is dancing or surfing. Once you find the thing you enjoy, do it as often as you can. If you really hate exercise and won’t commit to doing it, you will never be fit. End of story. You can diet your way to thin, but you can’t diet your way to strong.

Q. Any other fitness/health advice you can share?

A. Don’t take your ability to move for granted. You never know when that ability might be taken away from you.

To read more stories about alumni, visit ucfalumnitoday.com.Ìę

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See a  of Michelle in action at FLORIDATODAY.com.

“Those impromptu games became late-night traditions throughout the remainder of our college years, and afterward,” says Boyd, who earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering technology.

The guys would eventually become the best of friends, even as their careers later took them more than half a country apart.

Based in Newton, Mass., Boyd serves as the senior sales manager for Desalitech, a $20-million organization that manufactures high-efficiency water treatment and wastewater reuse products.

About six years ago, the company started in Israel, a country built on the outskirts of a desert, with limited access to available water resources, which is why it has become one of the leading water treatment hubs on the planet.

“Between 1930 and 2000, the world population tripled from 2 billion to 6 billion, and by 2050, it will reach 9 billion,” Boyd explains. “Increased production of food and energy, along with rising economies and industrialization, are all increasing the demand for water. Yet, water resources are overwhelmed, and many are already depleted from over utilization, which leaves desalination and water reuse as the only available new sources of water.”

He says industry is responsible for nearly 60 percent of fresh water withdrawals in the U.S. and in other developed countries, with agriculture accounting for an additional 30 percent. He adds that while reverse osmosis is widely applied for water purification, traditional RO systems can create excess brine waste, do not use water supplies efficiently and consume too much energy.

In contrast, Desalitech’s ReFlex RO systems, featuring Closed Circuit Desalination technology, reduce brine waste by up to 75 percent and energy consumption by up to 35 percent, compared to traditional RO designs. (SEE PHOTO ILLUSTRATION.)

Based in Denver, Co., Williamson is the plant manager for Kind Love, a medical marijuana dispensary, which also includes an 80,000-square-foot hydroponic cultivation center.

Williamson, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis his freshman year of college.

“[The MS] caused me to be temporarily paralyzed from the waist down,” Williamson explains. “With the uncertainty of my future personal health, I changed my major to interdisciplinary studies with a focus on digital media. My thought process at the time was, if I was going to be in a wheelchair from time to time, or permanently, I wanted to make sure I could work, earn, create and contribute to an organization. Digital media gave me the ability to be able to work on a computer from anywhere.”

After many lackluster visits to medical dispensaries as a patient, he and his partners were inspired to create Kind Love in 2009. He says they saw much room for improvement and recognized an opportunity to help the underserved market of women and seniors.

“The cannabis plant is made up of chemical compounds called cannabinoids,” he explains. “Though scientists aren’t exactly sure, it’s estimated that there are at least 85 cannabinoids that make up the cannabis plant. The most well-known and popular cannabinoid is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Though THC has medicinal benefits, particularly with gastrointestinal issues and inflammation, it’s most commonly characterized by a psychoactive effect, which is described as a relaxing and cerebral high.

“Currently, most Colorado analytical labs have standards and are testing for four to 12 of the 85 cannabinoids. Thanks to legal access to these analytical labs, the medical community started to notice rare strains of cannabis that were extremely low in THC and elevated in cannabidiol, or CBD. Through selective breeding techniques, cannabis breeders have managed to create new varieties with high levels of CBD and little to no THC.

“After my first high-CBD discovery at our research and development cultivation facility, we started hunting for more high-CBD genetics through breeding and acquisitions with other medicinal breeders. Unlike THC, CBD has no high or mind-altering effects. It’s a non-psychoactive and has a huge range of medicinal benefits and properties, such as antiemetic, anticonvulsant, antipsychotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-cancer and antidepressant.”

In fact, Kind Love holds the record for the highest CBD ever recorded, and is helping to treat patients with cancer and MS, as well as children with seizures, and many more. Williamson is working with CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta on many of these high-CBD projects, which should produce results later this year.

While he respects soil growing, Williamson says Kind Love grows its plants hydroponically because it offers more environmental control and sterilization for large-scale cannabis agriculture.

“People forget that organic soil is organic — meaning it’s full of beneficial and non-beneficial bacterias, molds, fungi, and various insects, which can cause serious damage to cannabis crops if not controlled appropriately,” he says.

When the company was in the process of building its new cultivation facility last year, Williamson researched reverse osmosis machines. The best one he could find on the market was recovering 75 percent good water, with 25 percent going to waste. His previous cultivation facilities were operating at 33 percent good water, with 67 percent waste.

Realizing he was looking at the wrong technology, he looked at Desalitech’s ReFlex reverse osmosis system with CCD technology, which would give him 93 percent good water recovery, with only 7 percent wastewater.

Williamson says his friend was originally doing him a favor, since Boyd thought Kind Love’s operation was probably too small to utilize his company’s system, but he flew to Denver anyway to calculate the numbers. To their delight, Kind Love’s new cultivation facility qualified for Desalitech’s smallest full-scale system, which is commonly used as a pilot for large power plants.

“Michael [Boyd] and I both demand the absolute best of the best when it comes to our projects, and where and with whom we invest our time and money,” Williamson says. “Of course, it was very cool to do business with a dear friend and colleague, but, more importantly, I knew that I had one of the best systems that money could buy, because I knew he wouldn’t associate with or be a part of anything less. I am very grateful for his friendship, his strong communication skills and ability to execute. His general demeanor and hard work ethic continue to inspire me every day to work harder, smarter and faster.”

More Info

Meet Kind Love medical marijuana dispensary’s plant manager, Michael Williamson, as he explains his decision to partner with best friend Michael Boyd’s water treatment company, Desalitech: 

Two peer-reviewed articles about students’ research needs written by UCF students were published in the journal, which targets faculty and administrators interested in undergraduate research. The quarterly’s editor said the articles were selected for publication because of their interdisciplinary nature.

“Five Effective Strategies for Mentoring Undergraduates: Students’ Perspectives” by biomedical sciences major Mario Pita; chemistry major Christopher Ramirez; biology major Nathanaelle Joacin; psychology major Sarah Prentice; and early childhood development major Christy Clarke provides the students’ insights on how faculty mentors can engage undergraduate researchers and help them to generate their best work.

“Five Essential Skills for Every Undergraduate Researcher” by biomedical sciences major Adrienne Showman; interdisciplinary studies major Linh Anh Cat; psychology major Jacquelyn Cook; art history and anthropology double-major Natalie Holloway; and biology major Tyler Wittman focuses on the qualities necessary for successful undergraduate researchers.

To read the publication, visit http://www.cur.org/publications/curquarterly/.

Edorsson, a senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies, a degree she will use to start a real estate business in Miami or Fort Lauderdale. For now, she works as a timeshare sales representative and has her sights set on more reality television.

“I was fine before Survivor, I didn’t plan to try out for reality TV but I was looking for something new. 
 This [Survivor] was the best thing I could do to change my life around,” Edorsson said. “I love sports and fitness and love to be around people. Survivor is the biggest challenge you could manage, so I did it.”

In its 24th season, Survivor had contestants competing in Upolu, Samoa, for a chance to win $1 million. Survivor, a game known for being brutal to its contestants and entertaining to its audience, gave Edorsson an opportunity to prove her abilities and discover her comedic side.

“Apparently, people think I’m funny. I became known as ‘the clown,’” Edorsson said. “Re-watching myself on TV, I was even laughing.”

Being voted off was no laughing matter. The tribal council kept her on after a close call in the second show, but Edorsson’s game came to an end after she was blindsided in the 12th episode. She was originally planning to blindside tribemate Sabrina Thompson and was surprised to see the tribe turn against her instead.

“I definitely think I played a great game, but the choices I made weren’t as great,” Edorsson said. “Not entertaining Troy’s idea when I should have wasn’t a good thing, and not talking to Sabrina didn’t help.”

Although she was voted off, she still says she feels like a winner.

“I went out as a threat, not a weak player,” she said. “I feel like I had a great attitude. I wish I could do better, but I feel like I did good.

“
 I went out there hoping I’d change the person I am, and [in] every episode, you see me change. The last thing you saw in tribal council is you saw how much I learned and changed. I matured a lot and am very thankful.”

Life on campus hasn’t changed much for Edorsson, although she says many students stare at her wondering if she’s “that girl from Survivor.”

“Yes, it’s me, and I want people to come talk and tell me how they feel [about the show],” Edorsson said. “I really hope Orlando is proud of how I played the game and that I represented UCF well.”

After her experience on the show, Edorsson says she would love to play Survivor again.

“I might have plans to audition for other things,” Edorsson said. “I’d love to do Dancing with the Stars, mind you you’d have to actually be a star and I’m not really a star, but still.”

With no set plans but high hopes of being part of shows like Big Brother or Amazing Race, Edorsson says we should be on the lookout for her again.

“This is definitely not the last time you’ll see me on national TV,” Edorsson said. “I’m there for the challenge and for the game, and apparently people think I’m funny, so why not.”

Students in “Gaming Literacy and Culture” are asked to think critically about something they might not ordinarily think twice about. It’s an approach common throughout UCF’s Burnett Honors College, which teaches students to think about traditional subjects creatively as a way to help solve new challenges they may face in the 21st Century.

“This semester, we’re spending time looking at games as texts to be critiqued,” said Assistant Professor Rudy McDaniel. “This means identifying the various cultural and literary themes found in games and studying how players interact with games as ‘readers.’”

The gaming class is just one option. Topics vary from fairy tales and baseball to medicine and music. They look for each theme’s impact on culture and social norms.

The goal of these unique academic offerings is to get students to embrace other points of view, a skill that will benefit them when faced with future challenges both inside and outside of the workplace. To achieve that, seminars are often taught by two faculty members from different disciplines so that students can experience a different type of learning.

“By offering interdisciplinary seminars we expose our students to innovative, cutting-edge ideas and challenge them to think about their own discipline from the perspective of others,” said Alvin Wang, the dean of the Burnett Honors College.

That’s why each semester, students can choose from nearly 20 different honors seminars, such as “Religion and Medicine” and “How Music Affects the Brain.” Honors students are required to take at least one interdisciplinary seminar to graduate.

Since seminars are limited to about 20 seats per class, they give students from a variety of majors the opportunity to interact with and learn from one another.

“A lot of these students might have never spoken to each other if it wasn’t for this class,” said Lecturer Sybil St. Claire, who teaches “Theatre for Social Change,” a course that challenges students to explore social themes and use them to generate thought-provoking stories.

“American Indian Literature and Culture in Florida” explores the history of Florida’s natives through archival research, film and guest presentations. Earlier this semester, students in the course took a field trip to Wekiva Springs to learn about the land and traditions of the Timucua Indians.

Other classes are meant to expose students to history, politics and foreign cultures as good background for their own analysis of today’s challenges.

“It takes a multi-faceted approach combined with interdisciplinary thinking to come up with answers to the complex issues that confront our society,” Wang said.

To learn more about the Burnett Honors College, go to .