Worth noting among this graduating class:

• Roughly 30% of the undergraduate students receiving their degrees are the first in their families to earn their diploma.
• More than 25% of this term’s degrees are tied to STEM majors.
• About 30% of the undergraduate graduating class are Pell Grant recipients.

UCF is the leading producer of talent among Florida’s universities, awarding roughly 19,000 degrees annually to Knights who go on to work in high-demand industries. About 85% of our alumni stay in Florida because of the ample opportunity to thrive as part of our state’s workforce.

Graduates will hear fromĚýthreeĚýesteemed speakersĚý— all UCF graduates —Ěýwhose leadership and impactĚýhaveĚýbenefitedĚýour region:

• Psychology alumĚýAllen JohnsonĚý’81,ĚýchiefĚývenueĚýofficer forĚýCityĚýforĚýOrlando Venues
• Journalism alum Tanya (Easterling) Hill ’97, market president for Central Florida for Florida Blue
• °ä°ůľ±łľľ±˛Ô˛ą±ôĚýÂáłÜ˛őłŮľ±ł¦±đĚý˛ą±ôłÜłľĚýFred Kittinger ’80, UCF’s formerĚýsenior associate vice president for government and community relations

Commencement Festivities

Held in the Addition Financial Arena, summer commencement will take place over three ceremonies spanning Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1.

All guests, including children and infants, need a ticket for admission. All graduates who have filed an intent to graduate will receive five commencement ceremony tickets when they pick up their regalia packet.

Guests who do not have tickets may watch the live ceremony via a simulcast viewing in the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center and the Student Union. Ceremonies will also be .

Commencement Photo-ops Across UCF

Graduating Knights are unable to take photos at the Acrisure Bounce House football stadium this semester due to ongoing construction.

Grad Walk

On Thursday,ĚýJulyĚý30,Ěý4:30-7 p.m. (doors close at 6 p.m.),ĚýsummerĚýgraduates are invited to a photo-op — Grad Walk — within the Addition Financial Arena. This will be a first-come, first-served occasion for graduates and up to 10 of their well-wishers to take photos and videos on the ceremony stage. GraduatesĚýare required toĚýregister atĚý.

Commencement Schedule

Graduates and guests can review the below commencement ceremony schedule, listing colleges, ceremonyĚýdatesĚýand streaming links:

ąó°ůľ±»ĺ˛ą˛â,Ěý´łłÜ±ô˛âĚý31

6Ěý±č.łľ.

College of Arts and Humanities

College of Community Innovation and Education

College of Graduate Studies

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Saturday,ĚýAug. 1

9 a.m.

Barry S. MillerĚýCollege of Business

College of Health Professions and Sciences

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

2:30Ěý±č.łľ.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

College of Optics and Photonics

College of Sciences

For more details and FAQs aboutĚýSummerĚý2026 commencement celebrations, visitĚýucf.edu/graduation.

Commencement Speakers

Allen Johnson ’81

Chief Venues Officer, City of Orlando Venues

Allen Johnson ’81 has served as chief venues officer of Orlando Venues since 2004, overseeing the City of Orlando’s diverse portfolio of Kia Center, Camping World Stadium, Tinker Field, Leu Gardens and the Mennello Museum of American Art.

Johnson brings decades of venue management experience from leadership roles across Florida. Under Johnson’s leadership, Orlando Venues has evolved into a premier, globally recognized destination for sports, entertainment and culture, welcoming millions of guests each year while strengthening Central Florida’s reputation as a world-class destination.

A proud UCF graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, he has earned numerous honors, including the 2025 International Association of Venue Managers Foundation Legacy Award, the SPORTYS Executive of the Year Award and the Downtowner of the Year Award.

He remains active in the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), serving as past chairman and trustee of the foundation board, while also contributing to organizations that include the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, Florida Citrus Sports, Victim Service Center and the .

Tanya (Easterling) Hill ’97

Market President for Central Florida, Florida Blue

Tanya Hill ’97Ěýis Florida Blue’s market president for Central Florida,Ěýresponsible forĚýregional business and community engagement in a 9-county region.

Throughout her more than 25-year career, she has worked with reputable brands including Chick-fil-A, Target and Walt Disney World to drive business results through strategic partnerships.

Hill is passionate about investing time in the community and has been involved withĚýnumerousĚýcommunity and civic organizations. She currently serves on the board of directors for theĚýAfrican American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, 4Roots Foundation, Orlando EconomicĚýPartnershipĚýand the Winter Park Health Foundation.

Hill holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from UCF.

Fred Kittinger ’80

Former Senior Associate Vice President for Government and Community Relations, UCF

A native of central Florida, Fred Kittinger ’80 recently retired as senior associate vice president for government and community relations at UCF, where he served for more than 22 years.

He worked alongside local and state leaders to help foster some of UCF’s most transformative achievements, including the approval of UCF’s College of Medicine, the creation of the world-class Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, the development of UCF Downtown, the expansion of the UCF Business Incubation Program and investments that enhanced the student experience and advanced regional impact.

Prior to his career at UCF, Kittinger served as chief of staff to Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood and previously as vice president of government relations for the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce. He began his career as a legislative aide to state Senator George Stuart of Orlando.

Reflecting his commitment to the community, Kittinger currently serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Central Florida (past chair), Central Florida Council for Scouting America and Legacy Pointe at UCF.

Kittinger graduated from UCF’s criminal justice program and earned his master’s degree in public administration from Florida State şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą.

UCF researchers are known worldwide for their innovative studies, groundbreaking discoveries and contributions to patented technologies that have impacted society and influenced other leaders in the field.

Two College of Engineering and Computer Science professors and a three-time UCF alum-turned-courtesy faculty appointee are now being recognized for their achievements that have advanced the quality of life for the state of Florida and the nation.

Professors Reza Abdolvand and Ni-bin Chang and Lockheed Martin Fellow Clara Rivero Baleine ’01 ’03MS ’05PhD have been named 2026 inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame (FIHF). This initiative celebrates pioneering inventors and empowers future problem-solvers and changemakers.

This initiative celebrates pioneering inventors and empowers future problem-solvers and changemakers.

This year, 10 inventors from Florida will be inducted during a formal ceremony in Tampa on Nov. 6. Since FIHF was founded in 2013, five faculty inventors from UCF have been recognized with the distinction.

“Induction into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame represents the ultimate validation of a lifelong commitment to translating academic research into industry practice,” Chang says. “Being inducted into the Hall of Fame, which includes over 90 inventors in different fields is also a testament to the thriving Florida innovation ecosystem and the power of continuous, groundbreaking discovery.”

A Career in Environmental Innovation

Chang was selected for induction based on his groundbreaking invention of green sorption media (GSM) and sustainable water treatment technologies that improve water quality.

GSM is a cost-effective and sustainable type of filtration media that uses recycled byproducts and natural minerals to treat stormwater runoff, wastewater effluent, groundwater flow and agricultural discharge.

There are a variety of patented GSM blends that can filter heavy metals, pathogens and contaminants from water systems. This process not only restores aquatic ecosystems but halts the transmission of waterborne diseases, and eliminates cyanotoxins and “forever chemicals” from water that can harm both humans and animals.

“Removing these diverse contaminants from water matrices provides profound, cascading benefits for both human health and aquatic ecosystems,” Chang says. “By eliminating the risk pathways associated with both acute exposure and chronic bioaccumulation, these GSM-based treatment technologies support fundamental ecological balance and public well-being.”

GSM blends are already used at more than 300 water treatment sites across the U.S.

The Inventor of Advanced Electronics

Abdolvand, the chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was named an inductee for his contributions to the field of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) — incredibly small devices that have mighty power. Specifically, he is the inventor of a class of microelectronics called Thin-Film Piezoelectric-on-Substrate (TPoS) devices, which improve the reliability and efficiency of a wide range of electronics, including cell phones.

“By improving the efficiency and reliability of the components that make up these systems, the impact, while often invisible to the end user, is very real,” Abdolvand says. “Better performance, lower power consumption, and more reliable devices are the kinds of improvements that quietly make everyday technology work better for everyone.”

Abdolvand’s interest in innovation stems from his natural sense of curiosity. He says his tendency to connect the dots between seemingly unrelated events or systems has served him well throughout his career in research and academia.

“The moment it all clicked was during my Ph.D., when I was first given the opportunity to work on genuinely hard technical problems,” Abdolvand says. “I realized I could come up with solutions that simply did not exist yet. That realization was a turning point.”

As his career progresses, Abdolvand hopes to leave behind a legacy that is less about devices and innovation and more about people. His passion for educating, inspiring and creating opportunities for students means more than the impacts of his inventions.

“What excites me most is seeing students take the seed ideas developed at the university and carry them forward into their own companies, their own inventions, their own contributions to society,” Abdolvand says. “That chain of innovation — from a research lab to a startup to a product that improves people’s lives — is what I find truly meaningful. If I can play even a small role in setting that chain in motion for as many students as possible, that is the legacy I would be interested to leave behind.”

On the Cutting Edge ofĚýInfraredĚýMaterials and Optics

Driven by a desire to protect people and advance technologies that matter, Rivero Baleine joined Lockheed Martin, a UCF Pegasus Partner, in 2005 after completing three degrees in six years at UCF.

Rivero Baleine now serves as a Lockheed Martin fellow, contributing to cutting‑edge innovation in infrared materials and optics.

Rivero-Baleine’s gradient refractive index optical materials and metamaterial coatings transformed infrared sensing systems for defense and advanced photonics applications.

“I am profoundly proud and deeply humbled to be welcomed into such an extraordinary community of inventors and innovators,” Rivero-Baleine says. “What inspires me most is knowing that theseĚýinnovations willĚýbecome part of systems that protect service members, strengthen national security and expand the capabilities of the platforms we rely on. That sense of purpose continues toĚýdriveĚýmy work every day.”

Rivero Baleine continues to maintain strong ties with UCF through a courtesy faculty appointment at CREOL and serves on the CREOL Dean Advisory Board and the UCF Material Science Industrial Advisory board.

Rivero Baleine is a Burnett Honors Scholar and earned a bachelor’s degree in physics, and a łľ˛ą˛őłŮ±đ°ů’s and a doctorate in optics.

UCF Professor Michal Masternak and his team have identified molecular changes in the liver that happen when space travelers experience radiation and microgravity. These changes – that resemble accelerated aging – provide new insight into how prolonged space missions may increase health risks for astronauts and reveal potential targets for therapies that could combat age-related diseases on Earth.

“Just 24 hours after radiation exposure, there are many genetic changes in the liver that are remarkably similar to what happens during aging.” — Professor Michal Masternak

“We focused on the liver because it is one of the major metabolic organs in our body,” says Masternak, leader of the College of Medicine’s aging and space medicine research efforts. “What we found was that just 24 hours after radiation exposure, there are many genetic changes in the liver that are remarkably similar to what happens during aging. We can assume that if someone were in space much longer, the damage could be much greater.”

The findings were recently published inĚýGeroScience.

Navigating the Science

For their study, UCF researchers and scientists from the U.S. created a simulated deep space environment in the lab. The team exposed animal models to simulated microgravity for 14 days and galactic cosmic radiation and solar particle events at NASA Space Radiation Laboratory trying to mimic the dosage that astronauts would be exposed to during a trip to Mars.

The exposure triggered noticeable and potentially harmful changes in the liver, including increased cellular senescence (aging and decreased cell function), inflammation and fibrosis. Left untreated, these conditions can eventually lead to declining and even failing organ function.

The research team then compared their results with data collected from astronaut blood samples taken during the NASA Twins Study and Inspiration4 astronauts. They saw similar genetic changes in blood.

“We’ve got this raw data from human studies, and they show that some of these changes are similar,” Masternak says. “That tells us we’re identifying useful molecular targets that one day could help protect astronauts during long-duration space missions.”

TheyĚýalsoĚýwent a step further to seeĚýwhether theĚýchanges could be treated. TheyĚýidentifiedĚýa group of molecules known as antagomirs that alter several aging and inflammatory genetic pathwaysĚýby interacting with the body’sĚýmicroRNA. This system could pinpoint promisingĚýfutureĚýtherapies for space travelers.

Understanding Aging in the Space Age

Masternak saysĚýthe nation’sĚýgrowing space industry provides a unique opportunity to study aging at an accelerated pace.

“Very often when we study different aging processes, it takes time,” he says. “Even in humans, it’s almost impossible because it would take decades. But if we see some acceleration of aging in space, then we can translate it to human studies. We can observe processes happening much faster, understand them better and eventually use that knowledge to improve health for people here on Earth.”

“If we see some acceleration of aging in space, then … we can observe processes happening much faster, understand them better and eventually use that knowledge to improve health for people here on Earth.” — Masternak

Those discoveries could eventually lead to therapies that slow age-related diseases, preserve organ function and improve quality of life for everyone as they age.

“Our understanding of aging is very complex,” Masternak says. “Aging isn’t simply wrinkles or cosmetic changes. It’s the gradual and cascading failure of multiple organs and biological systems that happen at the same time. By understanding what starts that process and where it happens, we have a better chance of preventing many diseases before they develop. That is one of the biggest outstanding questions.”

Students Positioned at the Forefront of Space Medicine

College of Medicine students are also benefitting from space medicine research. Biomedical sciences Ph.D. student MdĚýTanjim AlamĚý’25MSĚýjoined Masternak’s laboratory during hisĚýbiotechnologyĚýmaster’s program after initially planning to study cancer in relation to aging biology. Then he was introduced to space medicine, including processing astronaut samples from commercial space travelers to study how extreme environments affect human biology. That research has inspired him.

“I want to keep exploring the unknown,” Alam says. “I really want to understand how space travel influences human health, particularly its effects on aging and cancer.”

BiotechnologyĚýgraduateĚýstudentĚýSarahĚýS.ĚýSiddiqiĚý’24Ěýsays the interdisciplinary nature of the research attracted her to the space medicine and aging lab.

“When people think of aging, they think only about elderly populations,” says Siddiqi, who earned her bachelor’s degree as a Burnett Honors Scholar in biomedical sciences. “But we study aging across different stages of life and different environments, including space. I’ll always be focused on improving quality of life. I want to better understand diseases that are increasingly prevalent and find ways to recognize them earlier, before they progress to later stages.”

Funding and Disclosure:

RepresentingĚýUCF,ĚýNatalie HayslipĚý’24Ěýserved as first author, whileĚýSarah AshiquealiĚý’21MS ’24PhD, Xiang Zhu, Ridwan HusseinĚý’22ĚýandĚýMishfakĚýMansoor also contributed to the research.ĚýResearchers fromĚýRensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine,ĚýUniversidadeĚýFederal de Pelotas,ĚýtheĚýşŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą ofĚýPittsburghĚýandĚýtheĚýşŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą of North Carolina at ChapelĚýHillĚýalsoĚýcontributed.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Award Number (FAIN): 2317758(MMM), Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program of theĚýFlorida Department of Health,ĚýPublic Health Research, Biomedical Research ProgramĚý24A12 (MMM), and the National Science Centre, Poland UMO-2023/51/B/NZ5/00498 (MMM).

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the awarding agencies.

Name:ĚýJohn Sacher

Position(s):ĚýProfessor of history

Why are you interested in this research?
As I tell my first-year students, if you think history is boring, you just haven’t found the right teacher yet.

History is about understanding why things happened. Generally, people are all interested in some “why?” question. Now, the “why” questions each person might find fascinating are different, but there’s something for everyone. I might wonder, “Why does the United States have a two-party system?” or “How did the Confederacy manage to fight for four years in the Civil War?” You might wonder, “Why do we have 50 states?” or “Why do we have an interstate highway system?” or “Why is the Middle East so important?” or even “Why do brides traditionally wear white?”

Regardless of your “why” question, history can provide a lens to help you answer it.

Who inspires you to conduct your research?
My initial inspiration to study history came from my parents. They encouraged me to pursue a degree in whatever interested me, not necessarily one that led to a traditional occupation.

More recently, I think that my inspiration comes from my students. UCF students have great questions. They keep me on my toes. Every semester I’m asked something I’ve never been asked before.Ěý Also, they are entering adulthood at a time when there are a lot of big unknowns out there — what’s going on with politics, with foreign policy, or with technological changes.Ěý While I can’t answer all of those questions, I can give them some tools to help them formulate their own answers and maybe some comfort to discover that they are not the first generation to face “big” questions in their immediate future.

How does UCF empower you to do your research?
UCF’s Department of History (and the College of Arts and Humanities and UCF in general) certainly empower my research agenda. As a traditional historian, I don’t need fancy, expensive equipment to conduct my research. That said — teaching can be a different story. I was recently turned into a hologram to teach patrons of about the Constitution!

The most valuable commodity any historical researcher needs is time — time to research, time to think and time to write. I finished my most recent book thanks to a sabbatical which provided that time. The university has also repeatedly given me a teaching schedule that aligns with my research. So, I’m working with undergraduates and graduate students to help them understand the same issues that I grapple with in my research. That synchronicity keeps me on track and energized.

What major grants and honors have you earned to support your research?
I have received several major grants and honors in support of my research. My book A Perfect War of Politics: Parties, Politicians, and Democracy in Louisiana, 1824–1861 (Louisiana State şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą Press, 2003) won the 2003 Kemper and Leila Williams Prize for the best book on Louisiana history.

Why is this research important?
Historians provide invaluable contributions to understanding today’s political world. We live in a world of a rigid and hostile partisan divide where people are reluctant to trust the media. Historians can fill a void by delivering context for often debated topics such as the electoral college, redistricting, foreign policy, the second amendment, etc. We don’t tell people how to vote, but we grant them the tools to come to their own informed conclusions.

The more one understands founding documents such as the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights, the better one can make their own assessment of 21^st century political issues and candidates.

“The new technology we can offer faculty members will continue to help them innovate in the classroom,” says Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence Jana Jasinski. “This is such a great opportunity for us to help our students excel and learn in new ways”

Major enhancements include new lightboard recording studios, an augmented and virtual reality studio, an audio and video editing booth with Wacom annotation monitors, and a podcast recording studio. In addition, the center now offers 3D printing, along with Oculus and Valve virtual reality systems and 360-degree cameras that can be borrowed to create and deliver course content. Collaboration spaces are improved, as well, to be more comfortable and capable for video conferencing and interactive workshops.

“The technology and facility upgrades in the Faculty Multimedia Center represent a significant step forward in UCF Digital Learning’s support of faculty innovation and teaching practices,” says Vice Provost for Digital Learning Tom Cavanagh. “We’re certain that our faculty partners will use these state-of-the-art tools to create even more effective content to fuel the success of our students.”

The FMC’s lightboards are one of the most popular tools, and the center now offers three private recording studios. The devices translate the classroom experience of writing on a whiteboard to video with a transparent board that empowers users to explain material in a unique way.

For Christine Hanlon, senior lecturer at the Nicholson School of Communication and Media, learning to make lightboard videos improved how she teaches.

“The FMC has a winning combination of cutting-edge technical tools and experienced staff who can help faculty members to learn how to develop engaging course content,” she says. “They are constantly updating their tools and technologies, so I always learn something new when I stop by the FMC.”

The FMC is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday for all UCF faculty, staff and graduate teaching assistants. Individual training, group workshops and headshot photography services are offered regularly and are available through the center’s . For more information, visit the or call 407-823-0519.

The project is funded by a $50,000 grant from national philanthropic foundation Research Corporation for Science Advancement and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The funding is part of an initiative called Scialog Mitigating Zoonotic Threats. Scialog is short for “science and dialog.”

Zoonotic threats are those that originate from animals, such as mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus and dengue fever. The origin of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is still under debate, but its possible animal origin means more attention is being given to zoonotic diseases Ěý— as well as to monitoring for ones that could emerge in the future.

In the first of what will be a three-year program, the initiative will focus on launching new research identification, diagnosis, mechanisms and inhibition of emerging zoonotic disease pathogenesis. The program has awarded 25 individuals from research teams across the country with $50,000 grants. The goal is to create an interdisciplinary community to catalyze research of zoonotic threats.

Laurene Tetard, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and researcher with the Nanoscience Technology Center, is one of the 25 awardees. Her group analyzes nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy. As part of the new initiative, they will be exploring replacement options for the current honey-bait card used to trap pathogens present in mosquitoes’ saliva.

During the recent Scialog meet held this fall, Tetard’s team was able to learn from various experts in the field.

“There is a huge gap between the state-of-the-art technology being developed in nanotechnology and the technology currently available for tracking potential threats from animals,” Tetard says.

Currently, the process to evaluate threats from mosquitoes can be a cumbersome process that includes setting up massive traps, identifying the mosquitoes and carrying out molecular assays on them to determine potential pathogens they carry, Tetard says.

The researcher and her team, with the help from experts in nanomaterial designs and from the USDA, aim to produce an active material that will change color in the presence of pathogens. Such an innovation would significantly reduce the work involved in mosquito trapping and filter which samples will carry potential pathogens to analyze.

The grant will support her team in a project with real-life applications in the near future. Tetard says she is extremely grateful to be included in the initiative and hopes to share this opportunity with other researchers and interested students.

“We are really at the beginning of this idea,” she says. “We have to build everything. The opportunity to apply our expertise to a field of research that could benefit from smarter sensors, better fundamental understanding of the response of pathogens to their environments, or to new treatments is very exciting. I am very thankful to be part of the Scialog team on this topic, and I hope that this first step will lead to more ideas to prepare us for new unknown biological threats.”

Tetard received her doctorate in physics from the şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą of Tennessee, Knoxville, and joined UCF’s NanoScience Technology Center and Department of Physics, part of UCF’s College of Sciences, in 2013. She also has been a recipient of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s CAREER grant, an award given to early career scientists and engineers with high promise of leading major advances in their respective fields and who will serve as academic role models.

The applicant pool includes a remarkable depth of academic scholarship and accomplishment, including candidates with membership in the prestigious National Academy of Medicine and National Academy of Engineering, and affiliation with institutions in the Association of American Universities, which represents the country’s leading research universities.

“From a very strong pool of applicants I am pleased with our choices of academic scholars with impeccable records of achievement,” said Trustee William Self, an associate professor in the College of Medicine and a member of the Search Committee. “These candidates are world-renowned in their disciplines and also strong academic leaders that have led or are currently leading large and complex academic and health enterprises in higher education. I am confident that from this strong pool of candidates we will find our next President and that this leader will be a proud member of the faculty in their discipline.”

Candidates who will move forward in the process are:

• Barbara Boyan, Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of College of Engineering and Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą; and member, National Academy of Engineering
• David Brenner, Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences, and Distinguished Professor, Department of Medicine, şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą of California San Diego; Adjunct Professor, Salk Institute for Biological Studies; and member, National Academy of Medicine
• Amr Elnashai, Vice President/Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Transfer, şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą of Houston
• Vistasp Karbhari, President, şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą of Texas at Arlington
• Richard Larson, Executive Vice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for Research, şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
• Cato Laurencin, şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą Professor; Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Professor of Materials Science and Engineering; Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery; Chief Executive Officer, The Connecticut Convergence Institute for Translation in Regenerative Engineering, şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą of Connecticut; Director, The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical, Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences; member National Academy of Medicine and National Academy of Engineering
• Javier Reyes, Vice President for StartUp West Virginia; Milan Puskar Dean of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics, West Virginia şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą

Beverly Seay, who chairs the Search Committee and the UCF Board of Trustees, praised the quality of the candidates interested in leading UCF.

“This whole process has been very eye-opening, producing high-quality candidates who are equipped to build a future at UCF that addresses our opportunities and our challenges,” Seay says. “It will be a valuable exercise for us to bring these individuals to campus and to learn from them. I encourage our campus community to take advantage of the opportunity to hear from this group of leaders with very different backgrounds and perspectives.”

Candidate interviews will be conducted in person during a meeting of the Search Committee, scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, March 5, in the Key West Ballroom of the Student Union. Livestreams for that meeting, available for viewing only as a live broadcast, will be as follows:

Morning session:

Afternoon session:

The schedule for the first-round interviews on Thursday is:

7:30am – 8:00am Committee Briefing

8:00am – 9:00am Barbara Boyan

9:15am – 10:15am David Brenner

10:30am – 11:30am Amr Elnashai

11:45am – 12:45pm Vistasp Karbhari

12:45pm – 1:30pm Lunch Break

1:30pm – 2:30pm Richard Larson

2:45pm – 3:45pm Javier Reyes

4:00pm – 5:00pm Cato Laurencin

5:15pm – 6:15pm Debrief

On Tuesday, Search Committee members also discussed the possibility of considering additional candidates who may apply later.

The Search Committee will recommend candidates to the Board of Trustees. Then, finalists will return to campus after spring break for open forums and campus visits. The campus community will have the opportunity to provide feedback on each of the finalists.

The Board of Trustees will vote on the selection of the president. Then, the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state’s public universities, will vote on whether to confirm the selected candidate.

The department also states that these areas represent “where postsecondary institutions do not produce enough graduates to meet the needs of Florida’s K-12 student population.” Lake County Schools, which serves more than 42,000 students at 59 elementary, middle and high schools, is no exception.

“We have a shortage of certified teachers,” says Stephanie Luke, a math and science education instructor at UCF and chair of the Lake County School Board. “As a school board member, I’m critically aware of that.”

To address the problem, a growing partnership between the UCF College of Community Innovation and Education and Lake County Schools created a pathway for high school students with an interest in becoming teachers to earn a bachelor’s degree and become certified to fill the county’s vacancies. The Tavares Teaching Academy, now in its second year at Tavares High School, is designed to not only introduce students to the profession with specialized courses and hands-on classroom experiences, but also provide impactful collaborations with UCF elementary education faculty and students. By cultivating teachers within the community, this grow-your-own program was conceived to deliver a self-sustaining supply of new educators.

“The vision of this program is to produce highly qualified graduates who are from Lake County and will come back to teach in Lake County,” Luke says. “We know that if they come through this program from high school to UCF, they will be ready to go — and we’re really excited about it.”

Creating a Pathway

The partnership path leads Tavares Teaching Academy graduates to Lake-Sumter State College, where they will earn an associate’s degree that qualifies them for admission to UCF through the DirectConnect to UCF program. Upon achieving their bachelor’s degree and Florida state teacher certification, which they can complete at UCF’s elementary education program on site at the UCF Connect South Lake Center in Clermont, participants are guaranteed a job interview with Lake County Schools.

“We want to grow the teachers who know about the culture and community in Lake County,” says Bonnie Watkins, the Tavares High School teacher who leads the academy. “Our hope is that these experiences solidify [the students’] desire to become teachers and fulfill the needs in our classrooms.”

For Marni Kay, UCF instructor of reading education, the value of the academy is to place qualified, passionate, purposeful teachers in classrooms.

“The critical teaching shortage is the reason the Tavares Teaching Academy was started to intentionally show high school students what college will look like for them,” she says “We’re working to grow our own right in Lake County so that they’re able to start in Lake County schools, do service-learning partnerships with kids in their own community, and then become teachers in the community.”

According to Watkins, the strength of UCF’s elementary education program and its presence in Lake County are key to the partnership.

“Our students receive the benefit of shared resources from UCF, as well as advice from a UCF instructor,” she says. “We work together to create valuable field experiences that are essential to the success of the Teaching Academy program.”

Fueling Collaboration

Building a pathway for future teachers also involves bringing the high school and college students together for collaborative events and mentoring. The groups recently met at UCF Connect South Lake Center in Clermont to celebrate International Dot Day, a recognition of the works of children’s author Peter H. Reynolds. Thirty-five UCF students worked with 17 Teaching Academy students through six educational stations that reinforced the methods they’ll use one day to teach children to read. It’s this type of hands-on, practical experience that will fuel their success when theory becomes reality in their own classrooms.

“It’s so important to connect the research into action,” Kay says. “We model for students what they can do in their own classrooms and help them develop successful teaching strategies.”

It all adds up to Tavares Teaching Academy graduates who are better prepared to succeed in college — and in leading a classroom after they graduate from UCF and become certified by the state.

“These students will have a head start because they will have already spent time in front of a class,” Luke says. “In fact, as college instructors, we’ll need to step it up when we have this level of student coming in.”

For the high school students, spending time with their college counterparts helps reinforce why they participate in the academy.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to work with students who have the same passion as me, but are also role models since they’re older,” says Ashley Ellixson, a Tavares High School junior. “Meeting new people who are from different walks of life, but who also share the same interest, was an eye-opening experience.”

And there are benefits for the UCF teaching students, as well.

“I feel like a role model, trying to help the high schoolers understand what the expectations of being an elementary education student are at UCF,” says junior Kira Dowling. “It’s giving back to the community because these students are going to be in my position one day.”

The connections the students will build during the program are valuable beyond what the coursework will produce, because, as the instructors explain, teaching is a team effort.

“Teaching is not an isolated event,” says Kay. “Teaching should be a community partnership, because in the end we’re all in it to serve students.”

Led by Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Elizabeth A. Dooley, the strategic alignment results from months of planning by our academic leaders with input from faculty, staff and students. It also follows various reports and assessments over the years that encouraged UCF to take bold steps to enhance, reform and reimagine ways to better support students and their journey to achieving a degree.

The changes address priorities that include:

• strengthening advising, especially through the role of faculty and advising enabled by data analytics;
• defining a shared philosophy for student success; and
• aligning shared ownership, accountability and impact to deliver on our student success goals.

“Student success is much more than just reaching target metrics. Our collective efforts must focus on creating a culture of student success that goes beyond the numbers and gets straight to why we are each here: to help students graduate and be successful, productive and global lifelong learners,” Dooley says. “To achieve this goal, an area we will strive to be recognized for is our distinctive commitment to student success.”

The organizational adjustments underway seek to better align student success with academics and university support units. Here’s more on the changes:

Division of Teaching and Learning and the College of Undergraduate Studies: The Division of Teaching and Learning and the College of Undergraduate Studies will be renamed the division of Student Learning and Academic Success and College of Undergraduate Studies. As part of this alignment, the Office of Student Success, First Year Advising and Exploration, Transfer and Transition Services, Student Academic Resource Center, and the Registrar’s Office will transition from the division of Student Development and Enrollment Services to the Division of Student Learning and Academic Success. The changes will strengthen the links between academics and student success; enhance our retention, persistence and graduation rates; and increase our students’ achievements in post-graduation pursuits.

Analytics and Integrated Planning:ĚýThis new division in Academic Affairs includes the Institutional Knowledge Management unit. The new division is responsible for advancing the university’s analytics capabilities, sharing new success insights and enhancing data information use. The change will align institutional planning efforts and performance accountability.

Faculty Excellence: The Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (formerly under Teaching and Learning) will now report to the vice provost for Faculty Excellence. The change will help better support faculty development, student success and academic excellence.

Academic Affairs: The Operational Excellence and Assessment Support and Academic Planning units (formerly under Teaching and Learning), along with Academic Program Quality (formerly under Analytics and Integrated Planning), and the Center for Higher Education Innovation now report to the senior associate provost. The changes will help consolidate resources and improve collaboration.

This alignment does not impact the structure of the academic colleges and the budgetary impact is minimal. Rather, the changes focus on the structures of the organizational units that support the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs.

To support this initiative, Dooley has established implementation teams. They are charged with operationalizing a new student success model and structure that will ensure a student-centric approach throughout UCF’s operations. She asked the teams to complete their work by January 2020.

The alignment seeks to build on UCF’s major strides in boosting student retention and degree completion. Last fall, for the first time, UCF surpassed a 90 percent first-year student retention rate. This fall, the university has topped 91 percent.

In addition, over the past decade, UCF’s Hispanic and African American students have bucked national trends and significantly outperformed national averages for retention and completing a degree, particularly in addressing disparities with white majority counterparts.

As a result, UCF was recently named a finalist for theĚýprestigious 2019 Degree Completion AwardĚýfrom the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

UCF holds of the distinction of being the No. 1 producer of talent among public universities in the nation, with more than 16,000 degrees awarded last year. Also, UCF ranks second among all public and private institutions in bachelor’s degrees awarded to African American and Hispanic students.

This semester’s expected graduates will have earned more than 3,200 bachelor’s degrees, 600 łľ˛ą˛őłŮ±đ°ů’s degrees and 150 doctorates. The university has awarded 340,962 degrees since classes began in 1968.

This graduation guide provides information on ceremony schedules, tickets, arena-entry policies, live streams, parking, campus road closures, ceremony speakers, accessibility information and social media opportunities.

UCF Ceremony Speakers

Doors to Addition Financial Arena will open 90 minutes prior to each ceremony. Graduates should arrive at this time and should expect to begin lining up 60 minutes prior to the ceremony’s start. For more detailed information about the ceremonies, please visitĚý.

Dan Ward ’92

President of Curley & Pynn Public Relations and chair of the UCF Alumni Board

9 a.m. Ceremony — College of Business, College of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Medicine, College of Optics and Photonics, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Ward has practiced public relations in Florida for more than two decades and served as vice president and partner with Curley & Pynn for 10 years prior to becoming president. The Florida Public Relations Association named him the 2013 PR Professional of the Year, and he served as president of the Public Relations Society of America’s Orlando regional chapter in 2004.

He was elected as chair of the UCF Alumni Board in July 2018, was was inducted into the Nicholson School of Media and Communications’ Hall of Fame in 2011 and serves on the school’s advisory board.

Ward earned his degree in journalism with cum laude honors.

Falecia D. Williams ’06EdD

Valencia College West Campus and Downtown Campus President

2 p.m. Ceremony — College of Arts and Humanities, College of Graduate Studies, College of Nursing, College of Sciences and College of Undergraduate Studies

As a first-generation college student, Williams went on to earn her doctorate from UCF and has enjoyed an extensive career in post-secondary education that has focused on student success, program development, community partnerships and leadership systems.

During her tenure at Valencia College, she has worked her way up from a part-time professor to the leader of two campuses and was most recently tapped to guide Valencia’s collaborative efforts with UCF that garnered state approval for the joint downtown campus, set to open in August.

In 2018, she was selected by the Aspen Institute as an Aspen Presidential Fellow for Community College Excellence.

Williams earned her Bachelor of Arts at Rollins College, Master of Arts at Stetson şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą, and Doctor of Education at UCF.

Gideon Lewis ’00

Sports medicine physician

7 p.m. Ceremony — College of Community Innovation and Education, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Following in his grandfather’s and father’s footsteps, Lewis carried on the family tradition of a career in medicine as a board-certified reconstructive foot and ankle surgeon. He is also a decorated UCF alumnus, College of Medicine faculty member and UCF Foundation Board member.

After more than a decade of practicing medicine, in 2017 Lewis established theĚýFoot & Ankle Sports Medicine InstituteĚýin Winter Park, where he routinely treats Olympic and professional athletes from the NBA and NFL.

Lewis has maintained an relationship with his alma mater since graduating with his bachelor’s degree from UCF in molecular microbiology.ĚýIn 2010, he founded theĚýUCF Surgical Internship ProgramĚýand currently serves as the director. He is an assistant professor with the UCF College of Medicine, an interviewer for the college’s admissions committee and serves as theĚýchief sports medicine faculty advisorĚýfor the college’s orthopedic and sports medicine interest group.

In 2010 he received the College of Medicine’s inaugural Rising Star Award and in 2018 received the college’s Dean’s Award, which is the highest honor awarded to a faculty member in the college.

Lewis earned his doctoral degree at the California College of Podiatric Medicine. He served as a commencement speaker in Spring 2014.

Cap and Gown Distribution

Students who have filed their intent to graduate and ordered their regalia through Herff Jones can pick up their cap and gown at the UCFĚýFAIRWINDSĚýAlumni Center from July 22-26 at the following times:

• Monday-Wednesday: 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
• Thursday-Friday: 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Students who did not pre-order their cap and gown can order their regalia at the Alumni Center July 24-26.

All rental regalia, specifically gowns, hoods, and tams, must be returned immediately following your commencement ceremony at the Barnes & Noble at UCF near Addition Financial Arena. Bachelor’s and łľ˛ą˛őłŮ±đ°ů’s graduates are allowed to keep the cap and tassel only. The book store will observe extended business hours Aug. 3 in order for graduates to return their regalia. Credit cards will be charged full price for any regalia not returned by 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 3.

Tickets, Arena Policies and Live Stream

Tickets
Graduating students will receive up to five tickets for their guests when they pick up their cap and gowns. Each guest, including children and infants, entering the arena must have a ticket for the ceremony. In other words, all humans need a ticket to enter Addition Financial Arena.

Students can enter the extra ticket lottery online. Log onto my.ucf.edu and follow this navigation: Student Self Service > Student Center > My şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą (drop down menu) “Other academic…,” choose “Commencement Ticket Lottery” and click on the >> button. Follow the instructions to apply for up to five extra commencement tickets. Extra tickets are not guaranteed.

Arena Policies
Addition Financial Arena does not allow backpacks of any kind or bags larger than 12x6x12 inside the arena. Guests who bring backpacks or large bags will be asked to return them to their car before entering the building.

A security check will be conducted for all guests and graduates entering the arena, and guests should anticipate long lines and wait times, so plan to arrive 90 minutes prior to the ceremony. Guests interested in sitting together should arrive together. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Review the full list of prohibited items onĚý.

Live Stream
Guests who do not have tickets for Addition Financial Arena seating will have the opportunity to view a live telecast of the ceremony at theĚýand theĚý. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

A live stream of each ceremony, which is closed caption, is also available onĚý.

Traffic and Parking

Please anticipate road closures and traffic delays on campus Aug. 3. Doors will open 90 minutes before the start of each ceremony.

Gemini Boulevard in front of Addition Financial Arena between East and West Plaza Drives will be closed for most of the day.

Traffic flow patterns will be interrupted and access to areas around Addition Financial Arena will be limited during the traffic exit after each event. These exit changes are made for the safety of graduates, faculty and staff members, and commencement ceremony guests.

Graduates and guests with mobility impairments should park in Garage D. Free parking for all guests is available in the garages surrounding Addition Financial Arena.

Accessibility Information

Those with state disability parking permits may park in Garage D.

Graduates who use a wheelchair, motorized scooter, service animal, walking cane, white cane, sign language interpreter, or assistive listening devices, have hearing or visual impairments, or need special accommodations should contact Student Accessibility Services at 407-823-2371 in advance to make special arrangements.

Guests with mobility impairments should use the main entrance of Addition Financial Arena. An elevator is located on the west side, to the left upon entering the main door of the lobby, to access seating areas. However, wheelchairs are not provided at Addition Financial Arena; guests must bring their own.

An American Sign Language interpreter and reserved seating will be provided at UCF commencement ceremonies. Closed captioning is also provided on large screens near the stage. Assistive listening system receivers are available at Guest Relations, located on the main concourse level at the arena. Contact Student Accessibility Services at 407.823.2371 to arrange reserved seating.

Social Media

When sharing their milestone and big day with the world, graduates are encouraged to tag their social media photos and videos with #UCFgrad.

Remember to be courteous and conscious about your photo opportunities around campus. Please clean up any props you may use for your photos, and under no circumstances should glitter be used on campus, especially in the Reflecting Pond.

Students who decorate their caps can enter a contest sponsored by UCF Alumni to win some UCF swag. Grads can even decorate their caps with free supplies at the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center after picking up their regalia. The deadline to enter is July 31 at 11:59 p.m. Learn more about the contest entry requirements atĚýucfalumni.com/gradcapcontest.

You can alsoĚýsubmit a requestĚýto the officialĚýĚý— the perfect soundtrack for celebrating.