Rachel Griffin
Titles:
Director, New Student and Family Programs
Years at UCF:
4
What she does for UCF:
Rachel oversees New Student and Family Programs, which serves as UCF’s central hub for:
- Orientation, Family Weekend, and transition programming for new students, both first-time-in-college and transfer
- Family and supporter engagement opportunities
- Resources designed to help students thrive beyond their first year
Rachel describes her role simply: removing obstacles so her team can focus on helping students succeed.
1. What made you want to call UCF home?
At my previous institution, I worked only with transfer student orientation. While this taught me a ton, I was ready to take on a new challenge on a different scale and at a place that felt somewhat familiar (I grew up in Orlando!). The chance to support students and families at an institution with UCF’s energy, scope, and commitment to students’ success and well-being and innovation was something I couldn’t pass up.
2. What’s one small thing about UCF that still makes you smile?
The everyday interactions with students, hearing about what they’re into and what makes them excited, bring joy to my work daily. Seeing how students put their “mark” on UCF really makes me chuckle too. For example, a few years ago, students put unofficial signs outside of the Mathematical Sciences Building (MSB) to mark a human-made path across a grassy area, labelling it “the MSB Hike” with “start here” and “end here” indicators. The path was no longer than 10 feet though – hilarious!
3. What’s one thing you wish more people would know about the work you do?
I wish more people knew how much planning, collaboration, and care happens behind the scenes to create a positive student and supporter experience across all programs we help plan and execute. The programs and events students attend may only last a few hours, but they represent months of preparation by dedicated professionals and very talented student staff. Orientation, Family Weekend, and Campus Locators all involve quite literally ALL of campus’ support – we couldn’t do what we do without our partners and collaborators!
4. Every summer you help welcome thousands of new students and their families to UCF. What do you hope every student feels after attending orientation, and why is that first experience so important?
While it might be our tenth Orientation session, it’s a student and supporter’s one and only Orientation experience. That really matters to our team and guides the way we lead and support new Knights. That first experience helps set the tone for their UCF journey and reassures them that they belong here and have a community ready to support their success. We hope every student leaves orientation feeling confident, connected, and excited about their future at UCF.
5. Your role is vital in helping students navigate one of the biggest transitions in their lives. What’s one piece of advice you find yourself giving new Knights consistently about their transition to college?
Give yourself time and grace as you adjust – take it one day at a time! College is a major transition, and it’s okay not to have everything figured out right away. Often, new students and their supporters want to tackle all to-do lists and solve any concerns in a short period of time. These are solid goals, but part of navigating a transition is giving yourself (and the people helping you) grace in figuring things out.
