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Community Engagement

See how UCF academics and leaders intersect and collaborate with the community and others in making the world a better place.

Explore Prestigious Internal Faculty Awards

Faculty Excellence offers a robust array of prestigious internal awards. Eligible faculty members are encouraged to explore these awards that recognize outstanding achievements in teaching, research, and service. Below is a snapshot of UCF’s internal awards with opening and closing dates for submissions. The Faculty Internal Awards webpage explains eligibility and criteria. I sincerely hope that you…

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VIDEO: UCF’s 2023 Year In Review

This year we not only celebrated our 60th anniversary but also the accomplishments and contributions of Knights to Central Florida and beyond — including more than 18,000 students who earned their degrees and are positively impacting the world.

Orlando Ranks No. 9 for Fasting-growing Tech Hubs Nationally

There are plenty of reasons to live in Orlando, but for those working in the tech industry, The City Beautiful is one of the best places to be. Orlando ranks ninth for fastest-growing tech hubs by job growth in the U.S., according to Best Colleges. Orlando’s tech industry job growth is projected to be 26.8%…

UCF is Exploring the Intersection of Art and Artificial Intelligence

When photography was invented in 1822, some painters believed it was the end of art. But in fact, photography became its own medium that helped launch the modern art movement. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) — the simulation of human intelligence processes by computer systems — is transforming the art world, among several other industries, as we…

Terry Mohajir on UCF’s Journey to the Big 12

As UCF approaches its inaugural season as the youngest member of a Power 5 conference, the athletics department is taking a look back to commemorate this special moment in history. The following feature is a part of UCF’s 12 for XII series — 12 stories that define UCF and the meteoric rise of the Knights…

My Roots Run Deep: UCF Alumna Pays Homage to Her Caribbean Heritage

UCF is celebrating the rich and diverse cultures of the Caribbean within our university, local community and around the world in recognition of National Caribbean American Heritage Month — a month founded by Claire Nelson, founder and president of the Institute of Caribbean Studies, and officially declared by President George W. Bush in 2006. Many…

UCF Partners with AdventHealth and Orlando Health to Address Nursing Shortage

Two of Florida’s leading healthcare systems and Florida’s leading producer of nursing talent are uniting to address the state’s nursing shortage. Fueled by $10 million in combined commitments from AdventHealth and Orlando Health, the UCF College of Nursing has moved a major step closer to a new building at Lake Nona that will enable the college to graduate…

Celebrating 60 Years of UCF: A Legacy of Excellence, A Future of Possibilities

The University of Central Florida was founded in 1963 to fuel the talent and technology needs of America’s growing space program at the Space Coast. From the beginning, UCF’s purpose has been to help people and organizations “Reach for the Stars,” which is the university’s official motto. As you look across the constellation of industry,…

How UCF’s Aphasia House Helps Patients Like Kyle Burke

It’s a Thursday morning in late April and the sound of excited voices and laughter are emanating from the large kitchen at the Aphasia House. Gathered inside are a small army of graduate students, clad in matching black polos embroidered with the name of their program: Communication Sciences and Disorders. They are all studying to…

$250K Gift to Help Establish Endowed Chair for The India Center at UCF

$250,000 gift from Port Orange, Florida, residents Ramesh Chopra and Neena Chopra will bring UCF another step closer to its goal of establishing the Indian Community Endowed Chair for The India Center. Establishing an endowed chair highlights the importance of studying India at UCF. In Fall 2022, over 3,000 students from 149 countries enrolled at UCF. Students…

UCF College of Medicine Joins Partnership to Study Health Impacts of Space Travel

As space travel becomes more accessible, the UCF College of Medicine is helping to answer questions about how time spent in space affects the body. The College of Medicine has partnered with the NASA-funded Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) to collect data and biospecimens from commercial spaceflight participants to better understand how space flight impacts…

Why is UCF a Leading Producer of Aviation Talent in the U.S.?

The next time you see a plane flying overhead — any plane — consider this: There’s a strong possibility that a graduate or researcher from UCF had something to do with that plane being in the air. It could be an engineer who designed the propulsion system, a pilot who trained on a simulator, or…

UCF to Host, Compete in 2023 ICPC North American Championship

Computer programming continues to grow exponentially in complexity. Our world relies on programming for so many things: scientific research, government services, eCommerce, business operations, artificial intelligence and strong cybersecurity to defend against online attacks. As programming becomes more sophisticated, it’s vital that America’s programmers keep pace. This year, UCF will host and compete in the ICPC…

PHOTOS: Reflecting on UCF Celebrates the Arts 2023

UCF Celebrates the Arts returned for its ninth year at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts to showcasethe creativity, innovation and collaboration of students, faculty, and staff. With more events than ever before, the festival had something for everyone — from inclusive concerts, lectures and discussions to interactive visual arts displays and kid-friendly events.…

UCF Celebrates the Arts Wins Golden Brick Award for Impact on Downtown Orlando

UCF Celebrates the Arts, UCF’s annual festival showcasing creativity, artistic innovation and partnerships, was awarded a 2022 Golden Brick award from the Downtown Orlando Partnership (DOP). Award recipients in 15 categories were recognized at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts’ Steinmetz Hall on May 2 for positively impacting downtown Orlando. UCF Celebrates the Arts…

From Outer Space to Garden Space

Literally speaking, the moon is 238,000 miles from every schoolyard in the United States. Mars is an average of 140 million miles away. Figuratively, however, slices of the moon and Mars are landing in classrooms across the country. They arrive inside an 11-inch by  8-inch box. When students open the box, they pull out ph…