UCF Trustee Chair and Pegasus Professor Deborah Beidel, who serves as executive director of UCF RESTORES, has been named a finalist for the Orlando Sentinel‘s 2026 Central Floridian of the Year award, an honor recognizing those whose leadership and community impact shape the region.

The award recognizes Beidel — representing the entire UCF RESTORES team — for building a national model for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment. Since its founding in 2011, UCF RESTORES has treated more than 2,150 individuals, including nearly 600 military members and more than 1,350 first responders. All treatment is provided at no charge, supported by state funding, federal grants and private donations.

“When we founded UCF RESTORES, we set out to prove that PTSD treatment could be faster, more effective and accessible to everyone who needs it,” Beidel says. “Over the past 15 years, that mission has grown into something larger: a comprehensive system of treatment, training, and crisis response that meets people wherever they are in their journey toward healing. This recognition reflects the clinicians, researchers and staff who have made that vision a reality.”

The center’s intensive outpatient program produces outcomes that exceed national standards – 76% of participants no longer meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD following treatment, and the program boasts a relapse rate of less than 1%.

Several states are now establishing similar programs, sending clinicians and researchers to Orlando to study UCF RESTORES’ approach.

What began as a research-focused treatment program has expanded into a comprehensive ecosystem of care encompassing clinical treatment, peer support training, crisis response and family resources.

, UCF RESTORES clinicians:

• Delivered more than 2,100 hours of evidence-based care;
• Trained more than 450 first responders through the center’s REACT peer support program;
• Unveiled a first-of-its-kind mobile Resiliency Command Center to deliver psychological support at disaster scenes; and,
• Integrated the UCF RESTORES 2nd Alarm Project, extending capacity-building and behavioral health navigation services to agencies across Florida’s Panhandle.

UCF RESTORES has also responded to large-scale tragedies including the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting and the 2021 Champlain Towers South condominium collapse in Surfside, FL, providing on-site mental health support to survivors, families, and emergency personnel. All treatment is provided at no charge, supported by state funding, federal grants and private donations.

“Dr. Beidel’s work reflects the very best of UCF. She combines compassion, research and innovation to address one of the most complex challenges facing our local communities,” says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “Through UCF RESTORES, she has redefined how PTSD is treated, turning breakthrough ideas into real solutions for those who need them most. Because of her work, first responders, trauma survivors, and so many others across Central Florida, and beyond, are finding a path forward.”

The Central Floridian of the Year finalist recognition follows Beidel’s selection as the Big 12 Conference’s 2025 Faculty of the Year for UCF. Now in its second year, the award showcases the academic excellence, research breakthroughs and educational opportunities available to students at Big 12 institutions.

Arielle Patterson and Jemual Shaylor ’21, members of UCF’s M.D. Class of 2026, matched at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Naval Medical Center San Diego, respectively.

Both are recipients of the military’s Health Professions Scholarship, which covers tuition and living expenses for medical students who agree to serve their country for one year for each year of scholarship.

Walter Reed-Bound

Patterson is focused on improving health through physical activity, specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

“As a doctor who is really passionate about fitness and physical medicine and rehabilitation, I want to really inspire the next generation of younger people to live healthier lives, earlier,” she says.

She also wants to expand access to healthcare and encourage more students from medically under resourced communities to enter the field of medicine. Research shows that patients have better outcomes when they feel they can connect to their physician’s personal background.

“There’s a lot of times in medical school where we feel alone, or like the only ones who have gone through this, but so many people have done this before,” she says. “Hopefully I can help bring us a little bit more together.”

Patterson has already begun working toward that goal, serving as director for Region IV of the Student National Medical Association, a student organization committed to improving access to the medical field and building culturally competent and clinically excellent physicians. She helped organize SNMA’s annual regional conference that will be in Orlando, February 20-22, bringing together physicians and medical students from across the southeast United States.

Patterson completed her bachelor’s degree in cellular and molecular biology at Hampton ����ֱ�� before joining UCF’s M.D. Class of 2026. She says she chose the UCF medical school for its youth and innovative, team-oriented culture.

Inspired to Serve

Shaylor was inspired to enter military service by former Assistant Professor Jose Borrero, who was a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon during Vietnam before becoming a founding faculty member at UCF. Now retired, Borrero continues to serve as a mentor to UCF medical students.

During medical school, military students have the opportunity to undergo active-duty and officer leadership training at military centers around the country. In April, Shaylor will follow in Borrero’s footsteps to attend flight surgeon training in Norfolk, Virginia.

Specializing in general surgery, Shaylor hopes to eventually become a hand surgeon.

“A hand surgeon is almost a working man’s surgeon. You need your hands to do your job, or almost anything so when you’re able to restore function to any level, it has a major impact on a person’s life,” Shaylor says. “If I can do that, especially in the military where hand injuries are quite common, that would be a calling I would love.”

Shaylor earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in bioengineering from UCF.

The Match Process

Before practicing medicine on their own, M.D. graduates must undergo residency training in their chosen specialty. This graduate medical education training takes three to seven years, depending on the specialty.

During their fourth year, medical students interview with residency programs across the country before ranking their top choices. Residency programs do the same before the National Residency Matching Service analyzes the rankings and matches graduates to GME programs. Most results are revealed on National Match Day, which is March 20 this year. Military programs and some specialties match early.

FIEA has helped alums land careers are more than 400 companies, including big names like EA Sports, Nintendo, 2K and Roblox. And now with the rising demand for immersive learning and gamified training in other “more serious” fields, FIEA graduates are answering the call there, too.

Three alums, each with a unique story of why they chose this side of “serious gaming,” where winning truly is the only option.

Brenda Raza ’97 ’19MS

From Magazine Fashion to Military Function

Before Brenda Raza ’97 ’19MS became a leading 3D artist at Carley Corporation creating interactive training simulations for soldiers, her classmates in FIEA only knew the LinkedIn version of her: A UCF BFA graduate from 20 years earlier who once lived in New York designing fashion catalogs and magazines.

When that career didn’t fulfill her the way she thought it would, she dared to consider starting over on another path.

During her undergraduate days, she wouldn’t have considered herself a gamer, though she did dabble in Mortal Kombat on occasion. Few people knew that during her first time through UCF, Raza had joined the U.S. Army Reserve.

Two decades later, the feeling of contributing to something meaningful was still in her DNA and would ultimately guide her to her job today.

“When my professors found out I’d been an Army Reservist, they encouraged me to dig further into that side of 3-D modeling and simulation.” — Brenda Raza ’97 ’19MS

In FIEA, the mother of two found a connection between her calling (military support) and her talent (creative design).

“When my professors found out I’d been an Army Reservist, they encouraged me to dig further into that side of 3-D modeling and simulation,” she says. “They taught me principles that I’m using in my work — for example, to simulate maintenance on helicopters and ships.”

The simulations Raza helps create replaces traditional manuals held together by three-ring binders that the Army uses for training.

“It’s rewarding to know that what I’m doing can help a soldier,” she says. “It took a while to get here, but I’ve definitely found my niche.”

Katie (Wollam) Ferguson ’08 ’09MS

From PlayStation to National Defense

The U.S. Department of Defense has come around to see the formidable value of college graduates who know their way around PlayStation, XBox and Steam consoles. The attraction is mutual for FIEA graduates like Katie (Wollam) Ferguson ’08 ‘09MS.

As a project engineering associate manager at Lockheed Martin, her team creates interactive applications intuitive enough for indulging — and that’s exactly why they’re so effective in familiarizing military personnel with aircraft and missile systems, or when they need to understand the environment of a ship before actually boarding it.

“If there’s a failure code, they need to be able to locate the component quickly and replace it, anywhere in the world,” Ferguson says. “That’s why the software has to be as realistic as possible.”

Ferguson’s father worked in the simulation industry while she grew up in Central Florida, the nation’s top modeling, simulation and training region. When UCF launched FIEA during her freshman year, she saw an opportunity to apply her growing interest to a growing need.

“The professors come from the gaming industry, so they’re able to show students how to work in teams and deliver usable products within tight deadlines,” she says.

During her FIEA training, Ferguson’s initial idea of working at an animation studio shifted to the idea of working on serious gaming applications. “

It’s motivating to know our training tools can positively affect our military personnel and help achieve the ultimate goal: to keep them safe and ensure they come home.”

Mike Harris ’23 ’24MS

From Active Duty to a Sense of Duty

When Raza and Ferguson mention military personnel as the focus of their work, fellow UCF alum Mike Harris ’23 ’24MS is the kind of person they’re talking about.

Harris, who is a designer at BreakAway Games, served in the U.S. Marines before enrolling at UCF. The company is one of the largest developers of serious games, having developed several high-profile serious games for the U.S. military and the U.S. Department of Justice.

“What I’m doing as a designer falls in line with the ethos of the Marine Corps. ‘Never quit. Our mission is bigger than ourselves,’ ” he says. ““[My BreakAway colleagues] are pioneers, coming from places like AOL and EA to be part of serious game development. The fact they want to create training software for medical, military and first responders … it says a lot about their character.”

During his first year at FIEA, instructor Erik Sand asked him to judge the Serious Games Showcase and Challenge because who better to determine simulation accuracy than someone who has actually served in the military field?

During the event, Harris met a BreakAway Games executive. She saw in Harris an optimum package of integrity and FIEA training.

“I’m working on a team to develop software to improve the real-world operation tempo for the military.” — Mike Harris ’23 ’24MS

“I’ve found something special again,” Harris says. “I’m working on a team to develop software to improve the real-world operation tempo for the military.”

He can’t say more about the specifics, but he does make this perfectly clear: “It’s important to be my best for the betterment of the world. I was blessed to serve my country, and now I’m blessed to use my work as an asset for the well-being of others who are serving.”

Dedicated resources, personal guidance and a shared sense of purpose help illuminate their path to success. That commitment is reflected in national recognition, with UCF earning a Silver Award on the 2025-26 Military Friendly Schools List — placing Knight Nation in the top 20% of all participating schools — and ranking among the top five colleges in Florida (No. 51 overall) on Military Times’ 2025 Best for Vets Colleges List.

More than 3,300 student-veterans attend UCF, where they’re supported by the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success. This is a dedicated unit that creates an enriching and welcoming environment for military students to achieve educational and career goals through academic success and community partnerships.

Pursuing a degree online is a convenient and affordable path for military and veteran students who balance work and personal responsibilities. As a leader in online education for nearly 30 years, UCF is recognized among the best institutions that offer online programs for service members and their families.

UCF is also a 2025 Best Military-Friendly Online College, according to OnlineU, an organization that reviews and ranks top online colleges with the best value and return on investment. In January, UCF was ranked No. 8 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans by U.S. News & World Report. Best Colleges has also ranked UCF No. 3 for Best Online Military-Friendly Colleges of 2025.

Opening More Doors for Military and Veteran Students

To enhance support for military and veteran students, UCF has formed partnerships to extend academic offerings to this community, including its selection as one of 12 universities nationwide — and the only one in Florida and the southeast — to join the new Service to Service initiative.

The national pilot program is a collaboration between two nonprofit organizations: The Volcker Alliance, which supports public service education, and We the Veterans, which aims to empower service members and their relatives. Service to Service is dedicated to connecting veterans and their families with graduate educational pathways in public service and helping them find impactful long-term careers in public leadership.

At UCF, students who join the initiative, known as Service to Service Fellows, can further their education through the university’s graduate programs in public administration, emergency and crisis management, nonprofit management, public policy, and regional and urban planning. Fellows also benefit from mentorship, community building, professional development opportunities and job placement support.

This is just one of many examples of how UCF opens doors to new purpose after military service — and part of the reason why Trevor Chandrapaul chose to become a Knight after retiring from the U.S. Navy.

“I always knew I wanted to go back to school,” says Chandrapaul, a third-year student who was drawn to UCF for its strong military community and proximity to major defense companies. “I saw how many military veterans actually attended [UCF]. I reached out to someone at the Veterans Academic Resource Center, and they took the time to talk to me and offer reassurance.”

Trevor Chandrapaul: From the Engine Room to Emerging Tech

After completing prerequisite courses at Valencia College with plans to become a physical therapist, Chandrapaul took an unexpected five-year detour in the U.S. Navy. As a gas turbine systems technician working in the engine room, he was introduced to systems and engineering fundamentals — a turning point that sparked his interest in computer science.

“[UCF] is surrounded by so many defense companies, and I felt like it was a good place for me to continue my studies.”

Although he never intended to build a long-term military career, his service shaped his direction. At 26, Chandrapaul says he was feeling slightly out of place as an older student and transferred to UCF.

“Coming from the military, I wanted to continue to serve after my service,” he says. “[UCF] is surrounded by so many defense companies, and I felt like it was a good place for me to continue my studies.”

Through [the Military Veteran and Success Center (MVSC), formerly VARC], he quickly found community among other veterans. The initial intimidation of being older than his peers faded as he connected with other student-veterans.

In his first semester, he landed a job at the MVSC and now serves as a program specialist with the Peer Success Coaches. In this role, he helps military-connected students navigate the transition to UCF — from connecting them with campus resources to encouraging involvement in student clubs and supporting their academic success.

“Through that job, I was able to help host and participate in so many different events and meet organizations like the Student Veteran Association,” he says.

He’s also strengthening his skills in computer science through Knight Hacks, UCF’s largest and only hackathon and software development student organization, while continuing to challenge himself academically. In Spring 2025, he enrolled in Entrepreneurship for Defense — a course he initially picked as a fun elective, but one that quickly became a launchpad.

Assigned to a team developing a maritime awareness system, Chandrapaul worked alongside students from across engineering disciplines. They conducted market research, interviewed high-ranking military officials and industry experts, and presented weekly updates to professors and government sponsors — all of which sharpened his public speaking and technical communication skills.

The experience led to his selection for the Defense Innovation Unit’s summer Maritime Domain Awareness System fellowship.

As a fellow, Chandrapaul is helping improve the safety of maritime environments by developing sensors capable of detecting threats like drug smugglers and illegal fishing activity.

“We recently did a demo on the rooftop of a coastal condo in West Palm Beach, Florida. We got to see a bunch of boats that our radar picked up. We did demos with the U.S. Navy, too. I had the opportunity to visit the Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, which was a base I had pulled into during my time in the service.”

Now, Chandrapaul is focused on solving real-world challenges through technology. With experience in software development, rapid prototyping and mission-driven problem-solving, he aims to work at the intersection of national security and emerging technology.

And he’s not ruling out entrepreneurship.

“Since [taking the Entrepreneurship for Defense] course, we might actually make it into a real business, which now might be in my future plans,” he says. It’s a lot of fun making a project that has a real-world impact. And I have to thank UCF for even presenting me with this opportunity.”

To honor their legacy and ensure their stories aren’t forgotten, the (FFSS) project, through UCF’s , recognizes the Floridians who fought and died in Europe during World War II and are now buried in the American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries in France.

The project, which intends to memorialize Gold Star Floridians from World War II, also teaches history students how to conduct research and construct a historical narrative. This year 10 new biographies are being published through the project in honor of VE Day on May 8 and Memorial Day on May 26.

“The young men whom our UCF students learn about died [around] the age [they] are when they research these stories. [Students] learn valuable research and writing skills, as well as about an individual who paid the ultimate price during World War II,” says Amelia Lyons, leader of the FFSS project and an associate professor in the UCF history department.

“[FFSS] is bringing back all these men who died in service,” says history graduate student Marie Oury. “Today they teach students how to be better historians. Without their willingness to serve again, we couldn’t do the project. It’s a bridge between Florida and France, where local histories in two places become one.”

FFSS graduate students verify all sources, edit biographies written by undergraduates and manage the FFSS website. In the process, they develop a range of professional skills they can carry into their careers after graduation.

Michael Richardson ’22, a U.S. Navy veteran and history graduate student, recently edited the biography of Steward’s Mate Second Class Charles Stripling. Stripling is the FFSS’s first biography from the Normandy American Cemetery and one of the African American sailors to pay the ultimate price during the Allied invasion in June 1944.

“Charles is FFSS’s first U.S. Navy biography, and to tell my brother’s story means a lot,” Richardson says. “[He] served at the front of the ship, right where the sea mine hit his Landing Ship Tank on June 11, 1944. The fact that he was reported missing and never recovered really hits home. It lets students share the veteran’s perspective.”

This summer, Oury and Lyons will travel to Alsace in eastern France to meet with U.S. Consulate representatives, officials from France’s Ministry of Culture, and regional officials and WWII museums that have expressed interest in featuring UCF student-authored stories of American soldiers in their exhibits.

“Marie and I are excited to meet with so many people in Alsace who care about the Floridians who liberated their hometowns. In addition to local interest, WWII museums along the Rhine River get many American tourists who want to know more about the American experience in WWII,” Lyons says. “Our project provides these personal narratives through our rigorously researched biographies. This summer Marie and I will be working where this project started in 2015, with the first biographies our students wrote about Floridians buried in the Epinal American Cemetery.”

This project is deeply personal for Richardson, past president of UCF’s Student Veterans of America chapter.

“It gives me a mission in peacetime. It allows me to serve my community by ensuring that these stories are told professionally and with respect for the men whose stories we tell,” Richardson says. “A lot of our students have not even been in the same room as a veteran, and this project helps history and veterans’ experiences come to life.”

As we pay tribute to our nation’s fallen on Memorial Day, we invite you to read some of the newly published biographies by the Florida France Soldier Stories project. Many of these men never had the chance to start families, and those who did often didn’t live to see them grow up. Memorial Day is a time to reflect and honor those who are no longer with us, but whose sacrifice allows us to celebrate this holiday weekend.

New Florida France Soldier Stories

*Cities in parentheses indicate where the veterans are buried.

• (Rhone)
• (Lorraine)
• (Rhone)
• (Epinal)
• (Lorraine)
• (Lorraine)
• (Normandy)
• (Epinal)
• (Lorraine)
• (Epinal)

Founded in 2003, Military Friendly is an organization that measures organizations’ commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefit for the military community. Military Friendly Schools strive toward and succeed in the areas that matter most in helping veterans make the transition from the military to school and, ultimately, satisfying careers in the civilian world. Earning the designation shows a school meets the minimum criteria.

Military Friendly’s final ratings for its Schools list were determined by combining each institution’s survey responses, government/agency public data sources, and measurements across retention, graduation, job placement, repayment, persistence, and loan default rates for all students and specifically, for student-veterans.

There are about 1,400 current student-veterans at UCF, and there are a range of services, including the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success, offered to support them.

In September 2021,��U.S. News & World Report��ranked UCF the 86^th��best college for veterans. In January, U.S. News & World Report��ranked UCF 8^th for online bachelor’s programs for veterans.

UCF is also home to , a nonprofit clinical research center and treatment clinic established to change the way post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related concerns are understood, diagnosed, and treated. The organization’s unique approach to treatment — combining exposure therapy, emerging technology, as well as individual and group therapy sessions — has resulted in 66% of participants with combat-related trauma and 76% of first responders no longer meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD following three weeks of intensive treatment.

The 11-member team will now face other ROTC teams, military academies and NATO allies in the International Sandhurst Competition held at the United States Military Academy West Point.

The Ranger Challenge — a grueling 18-hour, 25-mile competition — included physical exercises, shooting rifles and pistols, an obstacle course, a hand grenade assault course, artillery training, tactical combat casualty care and more. The cadets marched between locations while carrying rucksacks weighing nearly 50 pounds, including 10 miles on a land navigation course. Cadets also had to react to a downed pilot scenario by providing care to simulated casualty and carrying the soldier two miles on a litter.

Lt. Col. Keith Williams, a professor of military science, was proud of his cadets’ teamwork and camaraderie.

“They worked so hard throughout the year, and it definitely paid off,” says Williams. “I have no doubt that the UCF Ranger Challenge team will continue to dominate against universities throughout the country.”

The 11 cadets who competed — nine men and two women — were team captain Cameron Geigler, Falencia Aulibrice, Timothy Dziena, Matthew Dunbar, Peter Gaffney, Ashley Garcia, Paul Hayes, Zhiwei Lin, Gavin McMillan, Nicholas Plasse and Joseph Power. The cadets trained for months leading up to the Ranger Challenge, and the team’s success at the Fort Benning competition makes them one of only 16 ROTC programs out of 273 universities in the nation that will compete in West Point, New York.

“Our team has shown hard work, perseverance, sacrifice and most of all training and working toward a goal as a united front,” Cadet Dunbar says. “This team has developed a deep trust and understanding of what it takes to see the mission through. Our group’s determination and personal sacrifice is what ultimately led to our success and soon our victory in New York.”

UCF has a long history of supporting both active-duty military personnel and student veterans, as well as partnering with all branches of the military and the defense industry.

The UCF campus is home to two ROTC programs that train students to become commissioned officers in the U.S. Armed Forces. Roughly 170 cadets are currently enrolled in the officer commissioning program, led by nine active-duty cadre members. And this year, UCF Air Force ROTC Detachment 159 marked 50 years of partnership with UCF. An estimated 1,500 UCF graduates have become lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force and Space Force through this Air Force-UCF program.

The university has been ranked No. 7�� for Best Online Bachelor’s Program for Veterans by��U.S. News & World Report; one of the Best Colleges for Veterans by��College Factual; and��“Military Friendly” by��Military Friendly Schools.

Since 2011, the����has been serving a growing student veteran population – including roughly 1,400 who are currently enrolled. The resource center offers support and a sense of community to students, faculty and staff veterans on campus. Students use the space for studying and homework, and it’s also where they receive guidance on the use and benefits of the GI Bill.

UCF has a long history of welcoming and supporting student veterans — including more than 1,400 who are currently enrolled — and partnering with all branches of the military as well as the defense industry.

The The Office of Military and Veteran Student Success’s ��goal is always to make veterans’ transition to civilian and academic life as smooth as possible.

The has been serving a growing student veteran population since 2011.��The resource center offers support and a sense of community to students, faculty and staff veterans on campus. Students use the space for studying and homework, and it’s also where they receive guidance on the use and benefits of the GI Bill.��

UCF has received the Purple Heart ����ֱ�� designation from the Military Order of the Purple Heart. The designation reflects a commitment to help student veterans succeed from enrollment to employment, recognition of student veterans on campus, efforts to preserve the stories of military veterans and the innovative aid rendered to veterans through .

UCF has also been recognized as a top 10 best online bachelor’s program for veterans by U.S. News & World Report; one of the Best Colleges for Veterans by College Factual; and “Military Friendly” by Military Friendly Schools.

Fueling the Talent Pipeline

Students looking to pursue careers in defense will find an ideal home at UCF. They learn from world-class faculty members and benefit from UCF’s strong connections with industry partners as well as our location in Orlando, which is a hub for leading employers in modeling, simulation and training; optics and photonics; and engineering.

For nearly a decade, Aviation Week Network has ranked UCF as the top supplier of graduates to the aerospace and defense industries. UCF also ranks as the industry’s second-most preferred supplier, behind Georgia Tech.

Nationwide, Lockheed Martin employs more UCF graduates than alumni of any other university.

Locally, 27% of Lockheed Martin employees in Orlando are UCF graduates, as are 20% of Siemens employees.

This year, UCF signed a partnership agreement with the new U.S. Space Force to help the agency develop technology and an agile workforce. UCF also partners with the National Security Innovation Network to give students real-world experiences solving problems related to U.S. national security challenges.

With its strong computer science and engineering programs, UCF fields many of the best student cyber defense teams in the nation, with frequent victories in collegiate competitions sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the National Security Agency and others. Last month, teams from UCF took first and second place in the CyberForce Competition, led by the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory.

Strengthening National Security

In Central Florida Research Park adjacent to campus, UCF scientists are collaborating with researchers from the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force and Marine Corps to protect and prepare military personnel and to help them work effectively in teams.

The U.S. Department of Defense awarded UCF $21.55 million in 2021-22 for research projects, the second-highest funding source after the U.S. National Science Foundation.

The largest portions of that involve and engineering and computer science.

also has worked with military partners on developing simulation platforms for nearly 30 years. Some of the research projects designed to help keep military personnel well trained and ready focus on strengthening technology, while others are related to helping teams work more effectively together. Partners include the Army, Navy, Air Force and Defense Health Agency, among many others.

Innovative Treatments Help Those with PTSD Regain Their Lives

Over the past decade, has provided treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to active-duty military, first responders and other survivors of trauma, helping to change the way PTSD is understood, diagnosed and treated. The American Psychiatric Association estimates that one in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime.

UCF RESTORES has helped more than 1,400 veterans and active-duty military personnel, first responders, survivors of mass casualty events and sexual assault, and others regain their lives with innovative treatments.

UCF RESTORES’ unique approach to treatment — combining exposure therapy, emerging technology, as well as individual and group therapy sessions — has resulted in 76% of participants no longer meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD following three weeks of intensive treatment. The program’s virtual reality treatments include scenarios designed to look like foreign war zones, and they also include realistic smells such as gasoline and gunfire.

Funding for UCF RESTORES has included $19 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Defense and support provided by the Florida Legislature. Most of the services provided at UCF to veterans and military personnel are free to participants, including hotel rooms for those traveling from out of town.

UCF RESTORES also treats active-duty military personnel at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in Virginia, and Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia.

Caring for Veterans

— an experience they say helps them better understand and appreciate the sacrifices of our nation’s heroes.

During their third-year clerkships and fourth-year electives, medical students receive training in specialties including surgery, internal medicine, neurology and psychiatry at the Orlando VA Medical Center next door to the College of Medicine in Lake Nona and Bay Pines VA Healthcare system in St. Petersburg, Florida.

“It was a really humbling experience serving men and women vets with such interesting stories, and to be able to give back to those who have done so much for our country,” says Gary Saloman, a third-year UCF medical student.

The Orlando VA Medical Center opened in 2015 and is one of the nation’s largest VA hospitals, serving the region’s 400,000 veterans.

It also houses the VA’s state-of-the-art SimLEARN National Simulation Center, where physicians can train using simulated robotic patients.

Students say they are particularly struck by how willing veterans are to share their medical and life experiences to help the learners become better physicians. Andrew Taitano, a surgeon at the Orlando VA and associate professor of surgery at the , says he isn’t surprised.

“It speaks to the character of the veterans,” Taitano says. “They are happy to be getting care and want to help students learn to help others in the future.”

Collecting Veterans’ Stories

Launched in the fall of 2010, the honors American war veterans by giving them the opportunity to share their stories so that future generations will better understand the realities of conflict. The project, which is ran by , collects, preserves and makes to the public the experiences of Central Florida’s veterans before they are forgotten.

The project, which is comprised of students majoring in history and student veterans, is a collaborative endeavor led by Barbara Gannon, an associate professor of history, who is a veteran herself. She has trained and worked with students to conduct interviews with veterans for more than a decade. More than 700 veterans have been interviewed to date, with some now housed in the Library of Congress.

If you are a veteran living in Central Florida and would like to be interviewed about your time in the military, call 407-823-0242 or .

Preparing the Next Generation of Military Leaders

The UCF campus is home to two Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs that train students to become commissioned officers in the U.S. Armed Forces.

This year, marked 50 years of partnership with UCF.

Roughly 170 cadets are currently enrolled in the officer commissioning program, led by nine active-duty cadre members. An estimated 1,500 UCF graduates have become lieutenants in the Air Force and Space Force through this Air Force-UCF program.

The was established on the university campus in 1986. There are 160 cadets currently enrolled, and roughly 850 officers have been commissioned since the program’s inception.

“Veterans Month at UCF honors Americans … and their contribution to the nation during their service and afterward,” says Barbara Gannon, associate professor of history and the driving force of Veterans Month at UCF for over a decade. “I think it is particularly important to honor veterans because they remind us that Americans can do great things when they work together and set aside their differences. Veterans did this, and so can we.”

Throughout the month, UCF Knights will have the opportunity to learn veteran stories, connect with other veteran students and alumni, and celebrate new veterans’ projects at the university. Below is the list of Veterans Month events coordinated by the and the in partnership with units across the university.

Sunday, Nov. 6 – Thursday, Nov. 10: UCF Student Veterans Flag Week

The Military and Veteran Student Success Center, with the assistance of Army and Air Force ROTC, will plant over 1,400 American Flags in Memory Mall throughout the week of Nov. 7. The flags represent the number of student veterans attending UCF for the Fall 2022 semester. Students can to help plant flags in Memory Mall throughout the week.

Wednesday, Nov. 9: Veterans Salute & Purple Heart Proclamation, Honors Veterans Wounded in Battle

At Memory Mall between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., the Veterans History Project (VHP) in collaboration with the Air Force and Army ROTC and the will host a salute to veterans in honor of Veterans Day.

The event will include the raising of the American flag, playing of taps and Purple Heart Proclamation with commentary about UCF’s designation as a Purple Heart ����ֱ��. The designation signifies the university’s recognition and honor of veterans wounded in combat while serving their country who are now pursuing higher education and careers at UCF.

Tuesday, Nov. 15: Veterans History Project Story Day – Emergency Service Veterans

The UCF Community Veterans History Project (VHP) collects, preserves and makes accessible to the public the experiences of Central Florida’s veterans. The histories collected by the VHP are archived and made digitally available through the UCF Libraries. The project also contributes selected veterans’ histories to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.

Throughout the month of November, the VHP will host two “Story Days.” During each story day VHP team members will meet with veterans to collect, preserve and honor the stories of Florida’s veterans. The second story day will happen via Zoom and focus on collecting stories from veterans currently working in emergency services. Students can email history@ucf.edu for more information.

Gannon, a veteran herself, is the principal investigator of the VHP. For over a decade, Gannon has worked with students to preserve these oral histories.

“The VHP records veterans’ stories all year. We believe every day is Veterans Day,” Gannon says.

Wednesday, Nov. 16: Florida France Soldiers Stories

The John C. Hitt Library, room 402 will host a panel discussion and workshop from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. with panelists Amelia Lyons, Elizabeth Klements, Marie Oury, Diana Dizon and Evan Murray, along with UCF research librarians Richard Harrison and Rich Gause.

The seeks to tell the stories of the Florida soldiers buried in the American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries in France. The goal of the project is to honor and commemorate the brave individuals who gave their lives supporting the Allied forces, liberating France and defeating Germany in the Second World War. The project also teaches students participating in this research project about the history of France and Florida during World War II, the history of individual servicemen and how to implement historical research methods in their work.

Wednesday, Nov. 30: Veteran Knights’ Roundtable – Conversation with UCF Alumni Veterans

The history department will be sponsoring a conversation between alumni veterans at 6 p.m. via . They’ll discuss transitioning from military personnel to student veteran, their experiences at UCF, and how a UCF education and their military experience got them to where they are now.

Jim Stoddard ’14 ’20MA is a current doctoral student and moderator of the event. A veteran himself, he’s experienced firsthand the support UCF gives to its veteran students.

“We have a large student veteran population on campus,” Stoddard says. “I think that comes with being among the largest student population campuses in the country, but I don’t think that’s the only reason we have a lot of vets on campus. In my experience, and people with similar backgrounds to myself, the faculty are very helpful and considerate.”

While these events are held in recognition of , UCF supports its nearly 1,400 student veterans year-round.

Recently, the UCF Veterans Legacy Program (VLP), a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration (NCA), received a new grant this year to help Florida schools teach students about veteran histories.

Building on work from 2017 through 2019, UCF’s new VLP grant will work with teachers at Florida K-12 schools to create veteran-focused classroom projects at a 10-day workshop held at the headquarters for the Florida National Guard, located in the historic St. Francis Barracks and the adjacent St. Augustine National Cemetery.

“We are so pleased to partner with the Florida National Guard to be able to connect younger students around the state with veterans’ stories through their local NCA cemetery,” says Associate Professor of History Amelia Lyons, principal investigator for the project.

Researchers and community partners who developed the project will celebrate and launch the new grant at an event with guests from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration (NCA).

Earlier this year, UCF earned a Silver Award on the 2022-23 Military Friendly Schools list, an organization that measures commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefits for the military population. UCF also offers a range of scholarships and resources available for veteran students, including the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success and UCF RESTORES, a nonprofit clinical research center and treatment clinic.

“Celebrating Veterans Month activities at UCF is another aspect of creating [an environment] of innovation and [belonging],” says Mike Kepner, army veteran and director of the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success.

This year marks 80 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor, making it more important than ever to document the stories and experiences of Pearl Harbor survivors and World War II veterans. The (VHP), housed in the Department of History, is harnessing the power of digital preservation to do just that.

Since 2015, students taking military history courses have worked to preserve the history of one such veteran, the late Capt. Richard S. Roberts, through oral history interviews. Roberts served in the U.S. Navy for 24 years, earning a reputation as a legendary pilot and leader in peace and war. Previously stationed at Pearl Harbor, he was on duty in Cavite, Philippines, during the attack and flew patrol missions in its immediate aftermath.

“That was all-day flying,” Roberts said in one of his oral history interviews. “We took off before daylight and landed after dark.”

Brandon Kirk, a senior history student, completed a total of six oral history interviews with Roberts.

“After my second interview, he told me — a 22-year-old college student — that the interview was like talking with his old Navy buddies,” Kirk says. “While this perhaps shows the power of preparation, what it really revealed was how distinctly important it is for us to speak with veterans and how a willingness to communicate with others can create a wealth of information and add scope to our lives.”

Roberts died peacefully on Aug. 13, 2021 at the age of 107. But thanks to the hard work of history students and the VHP, his legacy will live on through digital preservation, which launched in October of this year. Using the information gained from these oral history interviews, was created to further preserve Roberts’ memories of service. Diana Dizon, a history student and research assistant for the VHP, was instrumental in creating this digital StoryMap documenting his life.

“It has been a pleasure bringing his story to life,” Dizon says. “I hope that everyone will have the chance to know Roberts through our interactive story map, which tells of his accomplishments and grand career with the United States Navy.”

During his time in the military, Roberts earned nine campaign ribbons and the bronze star with “V” for valor in combat. Following World War II, he became an accomplished helicopter pilot and helped develop engineering and safety doctrine, much of which is still in use today.

Over the course of his oral history interviews, Roberts recalled his time aboard the USS San Jacinto in the South Pacific during World War II. He reflected on the ever-changing responsibilities that came with serving aboard a ship, and even shared a story of the fleet experiencing a typhoon off the coast of Taiwan that nearly resulted in the ship capsizing.

“Captain Roberts was a true icon; I do not take the time I had with him lightly,” says Kirk. “Interviewing him was the first time history books really came to life for me. It is veteran testimonies such as [Captain Roberts’] that define the purpose of what it means to speak with veterans,” Kirk says. “They are underrepresented, yet they represent the best of us.”

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