Wed Mar 3
Fueled by a release of pent-up economic demand, unemployment will decline and Americans will spend more money through 2021, says Sean Snaith, renowned economist and director of UCF’s Institute for Economic Forecasting. While consumer spending shrank by 3.9 percent in 2020 amid the recession, the institute’s first-quarter U.S. forecast predicts spending will accelerate to an…
Fri Feb 26
Atea company run by two brothers from UCF became the fan-favorite at a renowned entrepreneurship competition with international reach. Yaupon Brothers American Tea Company won the People’s Choice award and $5,000 at the Blackstone LaunchPad Pitch Competition on Feb. 23. “It is always great to advance to the final round of any pitch competition,” Kyle…
Thu Feb 25
Professor Khim Kelly recently added the title of KPMG Professor of Accounting to her achievements. Kelly, who joined the Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting in the College of Business in 2016, teaches courses in financial and managerial accounting. Her research focuses on the design of performance measurement, evaluation and compensation practices in organizations. Her…
Mon Feb 1
Adecade ago when Joey Nelson ’15 applied to UCF, he submitted a personal essay about the leadership style of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris. He once wrote poetry for a class assignment inspired by a play-by-play call from a Bucs game day radio broadcast. He spent his Sundays in college traveling to Tampa to…
Wed Jan 6
During our recent holiday break, my childhood friend Jeff Pecot gave me a cherished gift that we both grew up with, an Odyssey video game console. Jeff and I had a routine during our middle school days in the early 80s. After we raced to the crib on our Schwinn bicycles, we did our homework…
Wed Dec 16
Since Rafaela Frota won the UCF Joust New Venture Competition in 2019, her nutrition-assistance app Wawwe (We Are What We Eat), secured a major investment deal, earned a contract with the nation’s largest hospital network and recently completed the Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars Fellowship program. The fellowship gave Frota access to workshops, support and mentorship…
Thu Dec 10
’Tis the season to be grateful, even for your boss, according to a recent University of Central Florida study that suggests when supervisors feel appreciated, it gives them a boost of energy and optimism. In the end, that’s good for employees and the organization’s bottom line. “Based on theory, we knew feeling appreciated by another…
Thu Dec 3
Socrate Exantus ’00 is a successful entrepreneur, business owner, Amazon best-selling author and world traveler. Yet his passion for learning – and real estate – continues to grow. Already a licensed real estate broker and instructor, the energetic UCF alum is pursuing his Professional MSRE at UCF. Exantus is the CEO and owner, along with wife…
Tue Dec 1
It’s hard to imagine a virtual Tupperware party. Sales presentations are trickier with the move to increased online communication. Gone (for now) are the days of making small talk with prospective clients in the hallway and capturing their undivided attention face-to-face. Now that life has gone virtual, is it really possible for sales professionals to…
Wed Nov 25
Steffano Escudero, Laura Rivero and Emmanuel Ramos beat more than 150 competitors to win the top three spots in the inaugural competition. Three students in UCF’s Professional Selling Program triumphed over 150+ competitors to win the inaugural KPMG Sales Role Play Competition. Steffano Escudero, Emmanuel Ramos and Laura Rivero delivered the best sales recommendations and were awarded…
Tue Nov 24
A smart LED face mask, a device to prevent pump bottles from leaking, an app that reduces food waste and one that assists restaurant-goers with nutrition were among the winning proposals this week at the UCF LaunchPad’s BIG IDEA Competition presented by HighKey. The virtual entrepreneurship contest challenged students to describe an important problem and…
Mon Nov 23
Florida’s economy remains on track to a faster recovery — outpacing much of the nation in job and income growth — provided the Sunshine State can avoid more shutdowns, says Sean Snaith, nationally recognized economist and director of UCF’s Institute for Economic Forecasting. Released this week, the institute’s third-quarter report forecasts Florida’s economy, as measured by…
Wed Nov 11
Things have changed in the classroom since I became a professor more than 25 years ago. I love teaching, mentoring, interacting and watching students grow — from undergraduate to graduate to doctoral levels. I love the game. I do not assess today’s changes as better or worse, just different. Society changes, generations evolve, and higher…
Thu Nov 5
ORLANDO, Fla. – Up to 150 University of Central Florida business students are facing off in a Sales Role Play Competition featuring buyers and judges from leading global professional services firm KPMG LLP. As part of the virtual, tournament-style competition, which started Oct. 30 and runs through Nov. 17, students enrolled in select Professional Selling Program courses…
Thu Oct 29
As the country continues to reopen and Election Day looms, U.S. consumers are fueling the recovery, says Sean Snaith, national economist and director of UCF’s Institute for Economic Forecasting. “The self-inflicted economic shutdown has had a far-reaching impact,” Snaith says, “but as the pandemic fades, consumer confidence is rising and household balance sheets are recovering.” Lower…
Wed Oct 28
ORLANDO, Fla. – With a comprehensive plan to turn around a struggling coffee shop, five students won first place at the Integrated Business Competition on Friday, October 23. Students Jedrek Grogan, Brett Houck, June Pablo, Dominique Orr-Tulloch and Davor Scutt of “Team Smitty Werben Inc.” impressed the judging panel to receive top honors in the virtual…
Wed Oct 28
Each fall, the university recognizes faculty who have made a national and international impact through their research, teaching and service, by inducting new members into the Scroll and Quill Society. What started as two different prestigious faculty clubs in the 1980s is now a recognition program for faculty of all disciplines. “This society is a…
Mon Oct 26
As employees continue to work from home, leases are running out and corporate office space is in jeopardy. Managers around the world have to decide if it’s more efficient to keep their offices open, downsize, or go entirely remote. Seven months into this pandemic, the question remains… is working from home really going to stick?…
Tue Oct 20
Business and Engineering & Computer Science Colleges Team Up to Compete Eight UCF students earned a $5,000 scholarship with their award-winning plan to keep college students engaged in extracurricular activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. UCF College of Business students Armando Barrial, Tomas Daza, Maria Pacheco Naranjo, Karen Ortiz and UCF College of Engineering & Computer…
Wed Oct 7
As cardboard cutouts occupy the stands at stadiums across the country, sports leagues and teams are dealing with a massive blow to their bottom line. If fans are stuck watching the game from home, it begs the question… how long can sports really be financially viable? Can exclusive, virtual experiences fill the budgetary void left…