This semester’s expected graduates will have earned more than 3,200 bachelor’s degrees, 600 master’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 visit .

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 the Foot & Ankle Sports Medicine Institute in 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. In 2010, he founded the UCF Surgical Internship Program and 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 the chief sports medicine faculty advisor for 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 ±«°äąóĚýąó´ˇ±ő¸é°Â±ő±·¶Ůł§ĚýAlumni 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 master’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 on .

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 the and the . Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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

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 at ucfalumni.com/gradcapcontest.

You can also submit a request to the official  — the perfect soundtrack for celebrating.

Yerianne Roldan and Zuleyka Avila were seniors at Ramey School and şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą Gardens High School, respectively, in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria hit in late September. Yerianne and her family relocated to Orlando for her mother’s job, and Zuleyka fled the island to live with her grandfather and siblings in Orlando. Both girls, 17 years old, enrolled at Colonial High School to finish their senior years and left behind plans they already had in place to attend college in Puerto Rico. Neither of them know at this point if they can or will return to the island. 

In an effort to help the students still pursue a higher education, Linda Neal, dean of communication from Valencia College’s East Campus, and Adrienne Frame, associate vice president and dean of students at UCF, joined Jesus Jara, deputy superintendent of Orange County Public Schools, and Jose Martinez, Colonial High School principal, to surprise the girls and their families with commitments to help them financially should they choose to attend Valencia and then transfer to UCF through DirectConnect to UCF to complete their bachelor’s degrees.

The surprise happened at Colonial’s Media Center and left both the girls and their families in tears.

“I’m just so happy to now have some help,” Zuleyka said. Her mother is in Puerto Rico trying to sell whatever she can before permanently relocating to Orlando.

“Family is still in Puerto Rico and communication is really hard. They try to seem happy and ask me how things are going here. I’m so lucky for the situation I’m in. I wish everyone had the same,” Yerianne said. 

Over the past few days, Yerianne and her family had been discussing what options are available for her to attend college and what scholarships she could pursue. The financial assistance offered to her today took a heavy weight off her shoulders, she said.

Jara praised the girls for their rigorous class schedules at Colonial, as both are enrolled in numerous Advanced Placement courses. Yerianne aspires to study graphic design or advertising, and Zuleyka aspires to be a pediatrician. 

Martinez also applauded the strong partnership between the school district, Valencia and UCF that has helped impact the lives of these students for the better.

“At UCF, we believe in harnessing the power of scale to transform the lives and livelihoods of our students and their families through the pursuit of higher education,” said Frame. “We are so happy to join our partners to help these students.”

UCF is offering in-state tuition next semester to Puerto Rican students impacted by Hurricane Maria. More than 800 students from Puerto Rico since have applied to UCF, said Frame. 

For more on what help is available at ±«°äąóĚýfor students impacted by the hurricane, .

Architects for the new Orange County school were touring public “community schools” in New York that had a track record of helping children in poverty succeed and thrive with support from community partners such as the Children’s Aid Society. The community schools offered health care, enrichment programs and other services for students.

The architects were looking for design ideas for a school to be opened in Parramore and were excited by what they saw, said Nancy Ellis, director of the Center for Community Partnerships and a graduate of the doctoral program in public affairs at the şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą. “By lunch they were making sketches on what was handy in one of the school’s cafeteria.”

Ellis and colleagues at the College of Health and Public Affairs, Children’s Home Society of Florida and True Health had already partnered with Orange County Public Schools to develop a community school at Evans High School in Pine Hills that began in 2010.

The high school was seeing a steady increase in its graduation rate and the future seemed promising, so Orange County School Superintendent Barbara Jenkins wanted the new school in Parramore to be a community school too, said Ellis.

Ellis coordinated the 2015 trip for the principal architects from Baker Barrios, the Orlando-based architecture firm hired by the school district, and representatives from the school district, UCF and Children’s Home Society of Florida.

The following year she coordinated a similar trip for three new community partners now involved in the Parramore school project — Orange Blossom Family Health, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, and the Rosen Foundation. Andrew Rollins, the newly hired principal, went as well.

Both trips and ongoing conversations among the partners have helped the school district reach its milestone today of launching the new OCPS Academic Center for Excellence as a community school for some 1,200 students and their families and community.

The school will serve not only Parramore but also the Callahan and Holden Heights neighborhoods, said school board District 5 representative Kate Gordon at an Aug. 9 sneak peek of the school.

“The parents are excited. The students are excited. We’re going to do great things this year,” said Rollins, who earned two degrees in education at UCF.

OCPS ACE is formally known as a Community Partnership School, the name coined by UCF and Children’s Home Society of Florida for the school model developed at Evans High.

All community schools foster strong partnerships to support the well-being of students and their families and communities, but the programs and services vary depending on the needs, said Amy Ellis, assistant director of the Center for Community Schools at UCF.

In the case of Community Partnership Schools, four types of community partners are always involved — a school district, a university or college, a nonprofit and a health care provider. Other types of community partners participate, too, and can play a major role.

For OCPS ACE the partnerships are among Orange County Public Schools, UCF, Valencia College, Children’s Home Society of Florida, Orange Blossom Family Health, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, and the Rosen Foundation.

The partnerships mean OCPS ACE can offer tutoring and mentoring programs; professional development for teachers; before- and after-school services; a resource center for parents; onsite medical, dental and behavioral health services; athletic, arts and summer programs; and a high-quality preschool program.

“Community Partnership Schools are among the most comprehensive community schools in the world,” said Amy Ellis, a former community school administrator at Evans who has visited community schools in England and is studying them as a doctoral student in education leadership at UCF.

The Community Partnership Schools model is now recognized as a national community school model by the Coalition for Community Schools in Washington.

The Florida Legislature appropriated more than $4 million dollars during the past four years for the development of Community Partnership Schools across the state.

Currently, eight public schools in Florida have become Community Partnership Schools with state support, including Evans and OCPS ACE in Orlando and schools in Pensacola, Jacksonville, Tampa, Holiday and Cocoa. Five others are implementing the Community Partnership Schools model with support from their local community, and another four are in the emerging phase, said Amy Ellis.

Early-outcomes data is impressive. Evans’s graduation rate has increased from 64 percent in 2011 to 88 percent in 2017. C.A. Weis Elementary School in Pensacola began offering behavioral health services when it became a Community Partnership School in 2015. Since then more than 100 children have been referred to behavioral health care and 81 new cases have been opened, according to school director John Sherman. Student referrals dropped 43 percent and suspensions dropped 50 percent in the first year.

Sherman’s position as director is one of four staff positions found at all Community Partnership Schools – a director, an after-school coordinator, a health programs’ coordinator and a parent resource coordinator. The positions are partially supported with legislative funding.

Shannon Currie has been on board as the Community Partnership School director at OCPS ACE since last year. She is an employee of Children’s Home Society of Florida, works closely with the school principal, and receives training and technical support from the Center for Community Schools at UCF.

“It’s an amazing experience to be a partner and to understand what it takes to support a school holistically,” Currie said. “I’m doing what I love to do – to serve people. What I want them to know is that they have access to support. If they know that, then we’re doing our job.”

The officers started their field training in February and were sworn into the UCFPD family Monday by Chief Richard Beary.

“The thing we cherish here is the ability to help the public but also to come up with new ideas and creative ideas to save lives and provide the service that we do,” Chief Beary said.

After completing their classroom and field training, the new officers will be paired with a patrol officer to get hands-on experience on the road. Once they’ve completed that training, they will be assigned to patrol.

The new officers are:

Click to watch a Facebook live video of the swearing-in ceremony.

She said her immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic – her mom a high school graduate and her dad, who completed third grade – “never helped me with my homework assignments or seemed to enjoy reading or learning themselves.”

But during her high school years, she said, a program that encourages low-income children to attend college ignited an educational spark in her. That is when she decided she wanted to become the first in her family to go to college and learn about social work so she could combat social injustices in today’s world.

“Being in the Upward Bound program in high school, I met people who were struggling with problems I knew existed in other people’s lives, but I did not expect to be happening to my peers,” said the 22-year-old şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą senior who has lived in Orlando since she was 5.

“This really opened my eyes and it made me realize that I’d like to help people have their needs met. These past couple of years, there have been a lot of social-justice movements and issues that have been getting time in the spotlight and I love seeing people get together to advocate for a cause. It has also made me more aware of the micro aggressions, discrimination and limitations placed on minorities.”

Soon after Tejada told her college plans to her parents – a public school “cafeteria lady” and a restaurant cook in south Orlando – the news seemed to also ignite an educational spark in them, too.

“My mother would take me to as many Upward Bound events and workshops as she could,” she said. “Once I started going to college, my father would brag to his coworkers and friends about how his first-born is studying hard and would graduate with a college degree.”

At first she said she had no examples or knowledge about college.

“I didn’t know what a college campus looked like, what college life was like, how to apply for college, what a scholarship, grant and loan were, and so many other things about college,” she said. But the Upward Bound workshops and out-of-state conferences opened her eyes to what would be possible at UCF.

Tejada next earned her AA at Valencia College and used the DirectConnect to UCF program to transition to the university. The program guarantees admission to UCF with an associate degree from one of the university’s partner state colleges.

She said she chose UCF because she wanted to stay close to home and help her family. She lives with her mother and two sisters, one of whom is a high-functioning autistic 20-year-old with ADHD.

“My mother works two jobs, so there’s really no time for her to relax and take care of things in the household or my youngest sister,” Tejada said.

She also works as a student assistant in the campus TRiO office, which helps prepare low-income/potential first-generation college students for successful entry and retention in post-secondary education. One of her responsibilities is providing campus tours for TRiO programs that visit from other colleges and universities.

“She does a fantastic job shepherding the groups across campus,” said Rebekah McCloud, director of the TRiO programs in Student Development and Enrollment Services. ”She deftly intersperses her story as a first-generation college student into the narrative about UCF. She generously shares what she didn’t know about going to college, what she learned and what she wished she had known.”

Working in the office, Tejada said, has helped build her confidence to talk to people and gain skills in time management, social engagement, business, networking, public speaking and presentation.

Also during her time on campus she has become a LEAD scholar, UCF Cares ambassador, a member of the Bachelors of Social Work Student Association, and has participated in Volunteer UCF opportunities and events.

In addition to all her on-campus activities, she is interning with the Orlando Youth Advocate Program Inc., which provides children the opportunity to develop and be of value to their community. The program connects youths with caring adults and provides opportunities for them to assume leadership roles and learn healthy behaviors.

“We hold activities for children in the program that help them understand that there are other ways we can react to a stressful situations and how to be able to avoid conflict,” she said.

Despite all her many activities, she said she’s “not as involved as I would have liked to be, but I feel that I have done the most that I could with the time and energy that I had.”

She now plans to graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in social work.

After graduation she plans to work in the social-work field for three to five years to gain experience and then pursue a master’s degree once she knows what specialization she would like to focus on.

“She has blossomed into a very capable young woman,” said McCloud in the TRiO office. “She is always a helper, always a listener, and now she is ready to step into a career as a social worker. She is bound to make a difference in the world.”

The students are the third class of Johnson Scholars, named in recognition of the scholarship program initiated by the Johnson Scholarship Foundation and geared toward DirectConnect to UCF students.

“Knowing someone is willing to invest in my academic career because they strongly believe that I will be successful one day is truly inspiring and motivational,” said recipient Daniel Salas, a UCF student who received the scholarship while attending Valencia College. “The Johnson Scholarship has assisted me greatly through a significant portion of my undergraduate career as I continue to prepare myself for medical school.”

The Johnson Scholarship Foundation is a national, private foundation with a mission to assist deserving people in achieving higher education and a belief in education as a means to help people succeed in life.

The approval signals the board’s confidence in a plan that promises to bring greater academic and professional opportunities to students and serve as a catalyst for development in downtown Orlando.

“Twenty-four years ago yesterday, I became UCF’s president. In all the years since, few moments have been as important as today,” UCF President John C. Hitt said. “Today, we can plant a seed in downtown Orlando that will benefit our students, community and state for decades to come.”

UCF has earned $16 million in community support to help fund construction of a new academic building that will be the centerpiece of the downtown campus, which will serve about 7,700 UCF and Valencia College students. UCF intends to raise $20 million in community support to go along with $20 million from the state and $20 million in UCF resources.

The Board of Governors, which oversees Florida’s 12 public universities, approved the proposed campus during a meeting on UCF’s main campus. The board’s vote paves the way for the Legislature’s approval of the state’s $20 million share. Pending approvals, the campus will open in fall 2018.

“UCF has put forward a persuasive proposal, making the case that this project will create a pathway to success for our students and good return on investment for our state,” said Board of Governors Chair Tom Kuntz. “Our Board has asked good questions and done its due diligence, and UCF has responded to our concerns by making the project stronger.”

UCF Board of Trustees Chairman Marcos Marchena praised the campus’ impact on the quality of education through students’ proximity to internships and field-related work downtown, which he said gives them a “leg up” on job opportunities after graduation. He also lauded how the campus will bring higher education closer to students in a traditionally underserved area.

“I grow more convinced as I get older that education is one of the few real ways to change the life of an individual, of a family, and in fact of an entire community,” he said. “I believe this campus has the potential for creating that kind of change.”

Students will be able to take classes at Valencia College and UCF on the same campus, which can save them thousands of dollars compared with the cost of enrolling only at a state university.

“For me and many of my peers, every dollar matters – and this model is an exciting way to become a UCF Knight even more affordably, in a professionally focused environment. It’s a win-win,” said Student Government Association President Cait Zona, who also noted that many students already live, work and volunteer in downtown Orlando.

UCF Downtown will be built on a portion of the Creative Village, a 68-acre parcel in the Parramore community that was cleared for redevelopment when Orlando’s old NBA arena was torn down.

UCF Downtown will offer students an innovative learning environment within walking distance of a wide array of internship and job opportunities in fields such as digital media, communication, public service and health-related programs.

“This project best aligns academic offerings with industry needs and neighborhood synergies,” said UCF Provost and Executive Vice President Dale Whittaker. “And it provides our students with hands-on, high-impact learning experiences in a way that is just not possible on our main campus.”

During the past two months, several community partners have contributed to UCF Downtown.

On Tuesday, Dr. Phillips Charities announced a $3 million donation. The Orlando Magic, CFE Federal Credit Union and Florida Hospital each pledged $1.5 million. şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą leaders and board members have made personal contributions totaling more than $1 million. Orange County commissioners voted unanimously to contribute $3 million, and Valencia College will contribute $2 million.

Other contributors to the campus include Creative Village Development, Orlando philanthropist Alan Ginsburg, Orlando City Soccer Club, CNL Financial Group, Universal Orlando Foundation and Universal Orlando Resort, Dr. Bruce Douglas of Winter Park, and Coca-Cola.

Additionally, the value of in-kind contributions of land and infrastructure by the City of Orlando and the developers of Creative Village is approximately $75 million.

UCF will share the campus with Valencia College, which will offer programs in digital media, health information technology and culinary and hospitality, including workforce training and other certificates to increase access to education in the immediate downtown area.

“We believe we have the most powerful partnership in higher education here in Orlando,” Valencia President Sandy Shugart said of the relationship between UCF and Valencia. “This project is the next step in realizing that vision fully.”

The new academic building at UCF Downtown will complement a renovated Center for Emerging Media building where UCF’s nationally ranked graduate video gaming school, the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, is located.

The gift will help fund construction of a new academic building that will be the centerpiece of the UCF Downtown campus serving about 7,700 UCF and Valencia College students.

Dr. Phillips’ gift comes just one day before university leaders will present plans for the campus Wednesday at UCF to the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the State şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą System.

Dr. Phillips’ $3 million contribution also brings the total community support for UCF Downtown to $16 million.

“When our Board first heard about UCF Downtown and the compelling vision of President Hitt and his team, we knew we wanted to help make this campus a reality,” said Dr. Phillips’ President and CEO Kenneth D. Robinson. “Our mission as an organization is to help transform lives, and in doing so, lift our entire community. We believe this gift to downtown is an investment in our children’s future.”

Dr. Phillips Charities have a long-standing partnership with UCF, contributing toward the College of Medicine, College of Business Administration and the Dr. P. Phillips School of Real Estate.

“These gifts have produced life-changing opportunities for so many of our students,” said UCF President John C. Hitt. “We are so grateful for Dr. Phillips Charities’ support of the UCF Downtown campus and the lasting impact it will have on our community.”

One-third of the new $60 million downtown academic building will be funded through community support. The university also is contributing $20 million from its resources and asking the state for an additional $20 million.

The Orlando Magic, CFE Federal Credit Union and Florida Hospital each pledged $1.5 million toward the construction of the new academic building that UCF would share with Valencia College. şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą leaders and board members have made personal contributions totaling more than $1 million. Orange County commissioners voted unanimously to contribute $3 million, and Valencia College will contribute $2 million.

Other contributors to the campus include Creative Village Development, Orlando philanthropist Alan Ginsburg, Orlando City Soccer Club, CNL Financial Group, Universal Orlando Foundation and Universal Orlando Resort, Dr. Bruce Douglas of Winter Park, and Coca-Cola.

Additionally, the value of in-kind contributions of land and infrastructure by the City of Orlando and the developers of Creative Village is approximately $75 million.

Pending approvals, the campus will open in fall 2018. UCF Downtown will offer students an innovative learning environment within walking distance of a wide array of internship and job opportunities in fields such as digital media, communication, public service and health-related programs.

UCF will share the campus with Valencia College, which will offer programs in digital media, health information technology and culinary and hospitality, including workforce training and other certificates to increase access to education in the immediate downtown area.

The new academic building at UCF Downtown will complement a renovated Center for Emerging Media building where UCF’s nationally ranked graduate video gaming school, the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, is located.

S.E.E.– which stands for Successful Early Exploration– was designed for prospective transfer students from Valencia College who are in their first year.

The program focuses on assisting students to decide on which UCF major is the best fit and the importance of early transfer preparation. Additionally, the program provides a VIP look at key resources that UCF provides during the transition, including Career Services, the Office of Student Involvement, and Housing and Residence Life.

Leonard Bass, dean of learning support at Valencia, was invited to present about S.E.E. UCF at the 49th Annual Student Development Commission Conference in May.