Legal Studies Lecturer Offers Students a Life-Changing Spring Break
Wed Mar 1
What started as an immersive spring break experience in 2020 has turned into an award-winning docuseries and annual experience for one UCF professor and some dedicated legal studies students. Irene Pons ’00, senior lecturer in the Department of Legal Studies, will highlight the next group of Knights heading to the Texas-Mexico border this summer through the…
Rising Together
Wed Mar 1
Darryl Gordon has carved one hour out of his wall-to-wall schedule to take this phone call. He doesn’t sound hurried or tired. He sounds ⦠enthused when he says, “This isn’t a job to me. I love pouring into the lives of others. It’s my passion.” He has two full-time passions then: Advisor and coordinator in the College…
2022 UCF Public Safety Awards Ceremony Recognizes Several Outstanding Department Members
Wed Mar 1
UCF Public Safety celebrated the achievements of officers, staff members and community partners at their annual awards ceremony hosted by News 6’s “Trooper” Steve Montiero. Each year, the department recognizes winners of their Chief’s Award and Of the Year award — who are featured more in depth below. Winners of commendations, community partnership awards, physical…
Theatre Alum Strengthens Outreach at Barter Theatre
Wed Mar 1
Theatre alum Terrance Jackson ’13 is helping Barter Theatre in Virginia strengthen its relationship with communities of color as Barter’s Outreach and Black Stories Black Voices leader. Like most theaters in America, Barter Theatre began as a predominantly white institution. In recent years, Barter has made efforts to employ more people of color and give…
Remembering UCF Alumnus, Spectrum News Reporter Dylan Lyons
Wed Mar 1
An up-and-coming journalist and graduate from the Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM) was killed Wednesday while reporting on the scene of a fatal shooting. Dylan Lyons ’19 was 24. Lyons’ journalism professors remember him as a “confident and talented go-getter who was always up for a challenge and never turned down a story,” says NSCM…
Reinventing Everything: Learning the Business of Hip-hop
Wed Mar 1
Students in the Business of HipHop Innovation & Creative Industries certificate at UCF are keeping in the spirit of the genre: breaking new ground. The first-of-its kind certificate lets students work hand-in-hand with industry professionals, such as Fat Joe, DJ Khaled, Jordan Brand’s Reggie Saunders and Def Jam founding Director of Publicity Bill Adler. Assignments include everything from writing educational raps to…
UCF Graduate Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship Drives Excellence, Provides Aid
Wed Mar 1
As the cost of living has risen dramatically over the past several years, financial assistance has become a vital component of student success. There is no doubt that completing a dissertation is a challenging task, but the financial demands of obtaining a doctoral degree should not stand in the way. UCF aids students in completing…
BFA theatre students sweep regional competition, two move on to nationals
Wed Mar 1
As an Afro-Latina who grew up in New York, Leyandra Cardoza contributed more than just fabric and sketches while designing the costumes for the “Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine” play. Her attention to detail and properly portraying the characters’ backgrounds as minorities in New York contributed towards her first-place win in costume design for Region…
UCF Army ROTC Takes 2nd Place in âRanger Challenge’
Tue Feb 28
A team from UCF’s Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) took second place in a Ranger Challenge competition last month, competing against 39 universities across the nation at Fort Benning, Georgia. 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…
Young inventor founds startup company while at UCF
Tue Feb 28
Kelly Shea is a junior elementary education major who turned her passion for inventing into founding her own company. Shea said she founded her startup company DripLock while a student at UCF. The first of these products shipped out in July 2022, in between her sophomore and junior year, according to her updates on Kickstarter. DripLock is…
Health Sciences Student Carina McClean Pursues Excellence Through Mentorship
Tue Feb 28
Health Sciences student Carina McClean helped establish the UCF chapter of the National Society of Black Women in Medicine (NSBWM) as treasurer in her sophomore year to support Black women on campus who are pursuing careers in healthcare and other scientific disciplines. The UCF chapter is one of 10 collegiate sections around the nation that promote advancement through…
U.S. Representatives advise students on future purchases for clean energy
Tue Feb 28
U.S. Rep. Darren Soto told students on Wednesday that even if they can’t afford a clean energy purchase now, they most likely will be making those choices in the future. Soto was one of three members of the U.S. House of Representatives part of the Future Forum Caucus to visit UCF to explain the benefits…
Turkish students host bake sale after earthquakes hit Turkey
Tue Feb 28
For Can Aydin, the news that his home country of Turkey had been hit by two earthquakes was shocking. “I was checking the news and saw that a 7.8 earthquake hit Turkey, and I really couldn’t believe it at first,” Aydin said. “I didn’t think it was real because that’s such a large number.” Aydin,…
UCF Announces 2023’s 30 Under 30 Alumni Award Recipients
Tue Feb 28
UCF Alumni is pleased to announce its 30 Under 30 Alumni Award Recipients for the Class of 2023. The stellar group of alumni comprises scientists, attorneys, teachers, financial analysts, entrepreneurs, nurses, UCF employees, graduate students and others who have launched from UCF and landed in successful careers of their dreams. Yet, despite their distance from…
UCF Researchers Receive Patent for COVID-Killing Nano-Coating
Tue Feb 28
A team of UCF researchers, led by Materials Science and Engineering Professor Sudipta Seal, have been awarded a patent for their nanomaterial-based disinfectant that can kill several viruses, including COVID-19. This is the 85th patent that Seal has been awarded through the UCF Office of Technology Transfer. The Pegasus Professor and chair of the Department of…
UCF Researcher Studies Bird Wings to Improve Stability in Aerial Vehicles
Tue Feb 28
Many airplane passengers grit their teeth, white-knuckle their armrests and say a silent prayer for their flight to go smoothly. They know that any sudden disturbance in airflow can cause turbulence — and in turn, a severe case of anxiety. But in smaller aircraft, such as unmanned aerial vehicles or micro air vehicles, turbulence is…
UCF’s John C. Hitt Leaves Legacy of Partnerships and Transforming Lives
Wed Feb 22
President Emeritus John C. Hitt believed education transformed lives. The first in his family to attend college, he greatly expanded opportunities for students to earn UCF degrees while also leading the university through exceptional growth in academic quality and forming partnerships that remain critical to the region’s economic vitality. Hitt, who became UCF’s fourth president…
An Unexpected Ring Has Been Discovered Around Quaoar, a Dwarf Planet Candidate
Fri Feb 17
A University of Central Florida researcher has helped identify a ring around a trans-Neptunian object 4 billion miles away that defies the current understanding of the physics behind ring formation. The trans-Neptunian object, Quaoar, is a large enough candidate to be a dwarf planet. Researchers have found that its ring exceeds the Roche limit, or…
UCF Celebrates the Arts 2023 Has Something for Everyone
Fri Feb 17
Each spring, UCF showcases its creative side in a large-scale event at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. This year, UCF Celebrates the Arts will offer 39 events plus exhibits featuring students, faculty and alumni in dance, concerts, cabaret, lectures and discussions, film, chamber music, family-friendly events, visual arts, and more. UCF is committed…
Innovative VR Therapy Helps Patients Overcome PTSD Caused by Hospital Stays
Fri Feb 17
Exceptional medical care from first responders, nurses and doctors routinely saves the lives of patients with critical illnesses. But many of those patients will suffer from anxiety, depression and PTSD after they return home. A team of UCF researchers is confident that exposure therapy featuring virtual reality with real sounds and smells, all mimicking the…
