{"id":152928,"date":"2026-05-05T10:02:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T14:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//?p=152928"},"modified":"2026-06-05T13:20:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T17:20:26","slug":"how-one-student-turned-tragedy-and-self-doubt-into-success-at-ucf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//how-one-student-turned-tragedy-and-self-doubt-into-success-at-ucf/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//","title":{"rendered":"How One Student Turned Tragedy and Self-Doubt into Success at UCF"},"content":{"rendered":"<hr>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>As Preston Strenth prepares to<a href=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//one-stage-thousands-of-beginnings-how-ucf-graduates-power-floridas-workforce/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"> cross the stage at commencement</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//a>, he finds himself flashing back to the moment his journey to this milestone started in 2023 with the South Carolina National Guard.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>Strenth was on deployment in Kuwait with his unit. Among his fellow infantrymen was 20-year-old Jayson Haven. Haven had been accepted to his dream school, the 海角直播 of Michigan, and was fulfilling the final two months of his year-long assignment before shipping off to college. He was tragically killed in a non-combat vehicle rollover accident.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cI think all of us who were on that deployment understood you/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019re here and somebody else isn/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019t. What are you going to do with your life?/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d Strenth says.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<blockquote><p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cI think all of us who were on that deployment understood you/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019re here and somebody else isn/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019t. What are you going to do with your life?/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p></news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blockquote>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>Seven months later, Strenth envisioned that life and voiced his goals to his wife, Kriselle. He proposed a two-year timeline to earn a college degree in <a href=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//degree/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//computer-science-bs/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/">computer science</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//a> and start a new career path.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cI feel like everything in my life now is all clicking together,/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d says Strenth, who landed three job offers before graduating and is in the process of purchasing his first home. /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cI have achieved the American dream in a sense./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<figure id=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"attachment_152931/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" style=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"max-width: 1200px;/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" class=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"figure mx-auto d-block/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"><noscript><img decoding=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"async/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" width=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"1200/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" height=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"800/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" class=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"figure-img size-full wp-image-152931 img-fluid/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" src=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//wp-content/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blogs.dir/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//20/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//files/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//2026/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//05/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//Preston-Stenth-office-military-veteran-student-success-ucf.jpg/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" alt=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"College male with sandy brown hair wearing blue jacket, white dress shirt and black and gold stole with UCF logo stands in front of military flags and wall with UCF -American flag logo /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" 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https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//wp-content/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blogs.dir/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//20/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//files/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//2026/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//05/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//Preston-Stenth-office-military-veteran-student-success-ucf-360x240.jpg 360w/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" sizes=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"></news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//noscript><img decoding=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"async/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" width=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"1200/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" height=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"800/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" class=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"figure-img size-full wp-image-152931 img-fluid lazyload/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" src=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"data:image/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201200%20800%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" alt=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"College male with sandy brown hair wearing blue jacket, white dress shirt and black and gold stole with UCF logo stands in front of military flags and wall with UCF -American flag logo /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" srcset=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"data:image/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201200%20800%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1200w/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" sizes=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" data-srcset=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//wp-content/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blogs.dir/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//20/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//files/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//2026/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//05/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//Preston-Stenth-office-military-veteran-student-success-ucf.jpg 1200w, https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//wp-content/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blogs.dir/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//20/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//files/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//2026/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//05/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//Preston-Stenth-office-military-veteran-student-success-ucf-300x200.jpg 300w, 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https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//wp-content/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blogs.dir/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//20/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//files/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//2026/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//05/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//Preston-Stenth-office-military-veteran-student-success-ucf-360x240.jpg 360w/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" data-src=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//wp-content/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blogs.dir/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//20/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//files/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//2026/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//05/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//Preston-Stenth-office-military-veteran-student-success-ucf.jpg/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"><figcaption class=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"figure-caption/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/">As a member of the South Carolina National Guard, Preston Strenth connected with the Office of Military and Veteran Students Services at UCF and accessed their resources to land an internship with BNY, which he turned into a full-time job. (Photo by Daniel Schipper)</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//figcaption></news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//figure>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<h2>The Right Place</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//h2>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>A Central Florida native, Strenth moved to South Carolina at 17 and joined the National Guard two years later. He extended his contract twice /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2014 his current contract ends in 2027 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2014 as he pursued a degree in criminal justice from the 海角直播 of South Carolina.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>He took advantage of the educational benefits the U.S. Army offers and obtained a certification in computer programming, which introduced him to coding software.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>After that fateful deployment in Kuwait, he and his wife set their sights on Orlando and UCF, where Strenth knew of the university/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019s reputation as <a href=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//ucf-earns-2026-27-gold-award-for-support-of-military-veteran-students/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/">one of the nation/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019s top military friendly schools</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//a>, its strength in computer science and our many <a href=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//partnerships/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/">industry partnerships</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//a>.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<blockquote><p>Learn more about Preston Stenth&#8217;s journey from his <a href=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.fox35orlando.com/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//video/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//fmc-wgzu9nth89f00jyj/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/">interview with <em>Good Day Orlando</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//em></news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//a>.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p></news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blockquote>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cWithout a doubt, coming to UCF is the best thing I ever did,/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d he says.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>His credits from the 海角直播 of South Carolina transferred over to help keep him on track for his two-year timeline. He thrived, in part, because of his willingness to take advantage of the many resources offered through the <a href=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//access.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//military/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/">Office of Military and Veteran Student Success</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//a>.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>His experience here also tested him in ways that led to great growth and confidence.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>In his second semester, while taking <em>Computer Science I</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//em>, he was stuck on his first programming assignment. Every time he willed the coding to work, he was met with the same result: fail.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>His frustration turned to tears as he voiced his doubts to his wife. What if he just screwed up his life? What if he couldn/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019t do this?</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>She encouraged him while leveling with him at the same time /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2014 he wasn/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019t the first to attempt this class or this degree. If he wanted to be here, he was going to figure it out.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>She was right.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cI think that is kind of the point /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2014 they will make you go to that line and ask yourself, /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2018Do you want to be here?/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d Strenth says. /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cBecause it/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019s a program that can lead you to a financially stable future. I have offers that no one in my family has ever had in front of them before. But you/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019ve got to work for them./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<figure id=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"attachment_152929/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" style=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"max-width: 1200px;/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" class=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"figure mx-auto d-block/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"><noscript><img decoding=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"async/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" width=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"1200/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" height=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"800/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" class=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"figure-img size-full wp-image-152929 img-fluid/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" src=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//wp-content/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blogs.dir/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//20/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//files/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//2026/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//05/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//Preston-Strenth-first-day-BNY-internship.jpg/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" alt=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"College male with sandy brown hair wearing dark suit jacket, white dress shirt and khaki pants stands in front of BNY media backdrop with large BNY light up mylar letters and balloons next to him./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" 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https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//wp-content/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blogs.dir/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//20/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//files/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//2026/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//05/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//Preston-Strenth-first-day-BNY-internship-360x240.jpg 360w/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" data-src=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//wp-content/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blogs.dir/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//20/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//files/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//2026/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//05/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//Preston-Strenth-first-day-BNY-internship.jpg/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"><figcaption class=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"figure-caption/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/">Preston Strenth on his first day of a summer internship with BNY in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Preston Strenth)</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//figcaption></news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//figure>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<h2>Opportunity Calls with BNY</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//h2>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>He applied that same grindstone mentality to maximizing opportunities outside of the classroom /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2014 all the while driving to South Carolina once a month to fulfill his National Guard duties.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<blockquote><p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cI have offers that no one in my family has ever had in front of them before./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p></news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//blockquote>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>In Spring 2024, he attended a lunch and learn with BNY, which was organized by the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success. The leading global financial services company announced <a href=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//bny-and-ucf-announce-5m-pegasus-partnership-and-co-location-forging-a-new-model-for-industry-academia-collaboration/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/">a formal partnership with UCF</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//a> that establishes a co-located educational innovation hub on UCF/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019s main campus /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2014 the first-of-its-kind in Florida.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>Strenth turned the connection he made with the BNY recruiter into a summer internship as a software engineer and vowed to himself to secure a job offer.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>He wasn/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019t deterred by the fact that many of his fellow interns had started programming as middle-schoolers while he, at 24, had just learned the basics a year prior.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>He committed to being the first one in the door and one of the last to leave. He reached out to fellow veterans he found in an interdepartmental staff directory to seek advice about integrating into the company. He emailed a weekly recap to his supervisor that listed how his accomplishments that week aligned with BNY/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019s core values.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cI was trying to showcase that I wanted to be here, and I wanted this job offer more than anything,/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d Strenth says.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>When the internship ended, he stayed connected, even as he lined up another software engineering internship with Hatalom Corporation, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>Strenth had three job offers lined up before graduation day with BNY, Hatalom and Northrop Grumman. BNY/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019s career growth potential, military leave policy and proximity to his home were too good to pass up.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cBNY has a future leaders program that I/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019ve already expressed interest in even though I/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019m not eligible for another two years. But I/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019m already telling them, /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2018This is something I want to do. How can I?/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d he says.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>He draws upon that memory of his conversation with his wife from years ago /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2014 in his story, he refers to it as /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cthe gamble/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2014 as he sits here today, once again, betting on himself.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cNow two years later, I/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019m like, /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2018We won. We did it,/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u2019 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d he says. /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201cCelebrating this moment at graduation is a testament to the sacrifices that my wife has made, my family has made, and the countless other people who have supported me to get to this point./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/u201d</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two years ago, Preston Strenth bet on himself and enrolled in UCF&#8217;s computer science program. Now he&#8217;s graduating with a lucrative job offer from one of the world&#8217;s leading financial services companies.</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//p>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n","protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":152930,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[5,27],"tags":[18104,23992,54844,973,1004,1045,54103,54293,54711],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-152928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colleges","category-student-life","tag-academic-excellence","tag-access","tag-bny","tag-college-of-engineering-and-computer-science","tag-commencement","tag-computer-science","tag-office-of-military-and-veteran-student-success","tag-partnership","tag-pegasus-partnerships"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.3 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//yoast.com/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//product/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//yoast-seo-premium-wordpress/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928// -->/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<title>How One Student Turned Tragedy and Self-Doubt into Success at UCF</news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928//title>/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/n<meta name=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"description/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/" content=/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/152928/"Two years ago, Preston Strenth bet on himself and enrolled in UCF&#039;s computer science program. 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