Wed Sep 15
The University of Central Florida has many outstanding faculty members, and to continue to recruit and retain faculty who have world renown accomplishments, the UCF Trustee Chair Professorship exists. Created by former UCF President John C. Hitt in 2003, the Trustee Chair title is a prestigious one, and only held by a handful of faculty.…
Fri Sep 10
This summer, three aspiring screenwriters studying creative writing in the UCF Department of English had an opportunity to dive into the entertainment industry thanks to an innovative internship launched by department lecturer Jason Gregory ‘19MFA. Gregory partnered with Roadmap Writers, a platform that connects aspiring screenwriters with education, tools and training. In creating the internships, he aimed to provide his students with hands-on experience in the screenwriting industry to bolster their future careers. “My goal for this program is…
Fri Sep 3
This year on Sept. 7, Jewish people around the world will observe Rosh Hashanah. Also known as the Jewish New Year, it is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days — a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that takes place at the start of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, which falls…
Wed Sep 1
English Rebecca Fox, Visiting LecturerRebecca Fox earned her MFA in Creative Writing from UCF where she was also an MFA Provost Fellow. Before arriving in Orlando, she earned her bachelor’s in English from Wheaton College in the Chicago suburbs and later worked in Central Iowa. She writes and studies fiction with a particular interest in…
Wed Sep 1
Limbitless Solutions (LSI) and Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children are launching a national study to evaluate the effectiveness of video game-based training aimed at helping children learn how to use prosthetic arms. For the past seven years, LSI has 3D-printed prosthetics for children and uses video games created by University of Central Florida faculty…
Wed Sep 1
Thanks to a collaboration between the UCF Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs initiated by assistant professor Haidar Khezri, students have a unique opportunity to pursue a high-demand language not offered to many. UCF is now one of only two universities in the nation to regularly…
Tue Aug 31
It’s a given that most students will be affected by what they choose to study in college. But when it comes to Chris Hixon ‘15 ‘21M.A., that impact went both ways. Ask around in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric, and you’ll find that he made just as much of an impact onthe program as it made on him. Hixon knew he wanted to study rhetoric ever since…
Tue Aug 31
Associate professor of studio art Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz was featured in a story from The Washington Post about “Reclamation: Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals”, an online exhibition by the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The exhibition “examines food as a creative medium for visual art and a connective tool for exploring intergenerational and intercultural experiences.”…
Tue Aug 31
Peter Larson, chair of the Department of History since 2016, has been reappointed. The decision follows an assessment of Larson and the department under his leadership. The process included feedback from faculty and staff from inside and outside the department. The committee that oversaw Larson’s five-year assessment found him to be a fair and even-handed leader…
Tue Aug 31
Geri Smith, chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures since 2016, has been reappointed. The decision follows an assessment of Smith and the department under her leadership. The process included feedback from faculty and staff from inside and outside the department. Jeff Moore, dean of the UCF College of Arts and Humanities, said: “The Department of Modern Languages and…
Tue Aug 31
Applications for the 2021 Pabst Steinmetz Foundation Arts and Wellness Innovation Awards are now being accepted. The two $25,000 awards, which seek to build sustainable models for arts and wellness innovation across the Central Florida community and UCF campus, are given annually to projects that are focused on interdisciplinary collaboration in the area of arts and wellness. Applications for 2021 are open through December 3. This year’s…
Fri Aug 27
The Department of English welcomes James Campbell as department chair. Campbell has been on the faculty of the English department since 1996 and previously served as the department’s director of graduate programs. In this role, he oversaw the MA tracks in Technical Communication and Literary, Cultural and Textual Studies, as well as the MFA in Creative Writing. He also served as interim chair…
Tue Aug 24
From blockbusters directed by James Cameron to some of Disney’s biggest hits, chances are that you’ve seen Theatre UCF alumni on the big screen before — and you may not have even known it! Our alumni spend years perfecting their craft, performing at the university and with local productions during their time as students. Over the years, many have gone on to careers in television and film. Meet a few of the Theatre UCF…
Sat Aug 21
Rudy McDaniel ’99,’01MA,’03,’04PhD, director of the School of Visual Arts and Design for five years, has been reappointed. The decision follows an assessment of McDaniel and the school under his leadership. The process included feedback from faculty and staff from inside and outside the school. The committee that oversaw McDaniel’s five-year assessment found him to be a steadfast leader and an academic role model, noting that…
Thu Aug 5
Vanessa Ziccardi ’15DPT is the 2021 recipient of the Emerging Leader Award from the Florida Physical Therapy Association. The honor recognizes physical therapists in Florida who demonstrate extraordinary service early in their career. After graduating from UCF, Ziccardi began her career in Palm Beach in the outpatient neurology setting and transitioned to her own business…
Thu Aug 5
The UCF Art Gallery serves as a catalyst for visual arts experiences and education, culture and community engagement by providing a framework for intellectual and creative inquiry. In the 2020-2021 academic year, the gallery hosted exhibitions and programming both in person and online that examined cultural and social contexts while supporting contemporary art practices. Learn…
Mon Aug 2
Seher “Sissi” Tas learned to find her voice at UCF. As a future filmmaker, she has decided to dedicate the next chapter of her life to lifting the voices of others. Tas grew up in Turkey’s capital city, Ankara, as the daughter of a Chinese mother and Turkish father. She says her Chinese name, Xīxī…
Sat Jul 17
In recent days, Cuba has seen unprecedented protests and demonstrations in response to shortages of food and medicine, as well as the government’s handling of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. History professors James C. Clark and Luis Martínez-Fernández have provided background and insight into the recent Cuban protests to a number of news outlets. WKMG-Channel 6 featured…
Wed Jul 14
The origin story of the next big superhero franchise is taking place at UCF thanks to the combined efforts of Limbitless Solutions, the School of Visual Arts and Design (SVAD) and 12-year-old Zachary Pamboukas. Two years after creating the first issue of The Bionic Kid comic book series, Bionic Kid Zachary and his older brother, Christo, return…
Tue Jul 13
When you think of composing music, what comes to mind? You might picture orchestras of strings and woodwinds, or performances at black-tie events in concert halls. This classic interpretation is accurate in some cases — but music composition encompasses more than many realize. “In reality, there have never been more people from different backgrounds writing music,” says Alex Burtzos, an assistant professor of composition in the UCF School of Performing Arts.…