We are America鈥檚 Space University. And we celebrate UCF Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what鈥檚 next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

Since UCF first held classes on Oct. 7, 1968, we have always been driven by an ambitious charge: 鈥淩each for the stars.鈥� The first moon landing followed in 1969. Decades later, UCF keeps reaching as that founding mission lives on in the Knights developing the talent, discoveries and technologies taking humanity deeper into space 鈥� and transforming life here on Earth.

Before UCF had a single classroom, we had a mission: provide the talent to help humanity reach the moon.

UCF, America鈥檚 Space University, was built for the Space Age. We have spent every decade since building what鈥檚 next.

This year鈥檚 Mission X Space Game celebrates that momentum during a year of milestones: the 10th anniversary of UCF鈥檚 Space Game, the 20th season of the university’s on-campus football stadium, the 30th anniversary 色花堂 football鈥檚 rise to the highest division of collegiate athletics and the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Together, these milestones offer a chance to reflect on how far UCF has come 鈥� and look toward where Knights are headed next.

Across six decades, every breakthrough has built on what came before. The goalposts have moved from reaching the moon to sustaining life beyond it. New fields have joined the mission. Once-distant ideas have become experiments, breakthroughs and careers powered by Knights.

The moments that follow trace those threads across generations: then, the bold moves that launched UCF鈥檚 space legacy; now, the people and possibilities building on that foundation to push exploration even further.

1960s | Building the Space Workforce

1963: Florida Technological University, now UCF, is founded to provide talent for the growing space industry as the United States is challenged with landing a man on the moon before 1970.

Today: UCF is the No. 1 supplier of graduates to the nation鈥檚 aerospace and defense industries by Aviation Week. That impact is especially visible along Florida鈥檚 Space Coast, where 29% of Kennedy Space Center employees are UCF graduates.

1968: Classes begin across UCF鈥檚 original five colleges, with aerospace sciences among the university鈥檚 earliest degree programs.

Today: Space at UCF extends far beyond a single discipline. Students can choose from more than 35 space-related programs spanning business, engineering, hospitality, medicine, planetary science, optics and policy 鈥� preparing them for in-demand careers across the space sector.

1968: UCF receives its first research grant 鈥� $12,500 from NASA 鈥� establishing an early connection between the university and the agency.

Today: UCF has received $204 million in NASA awards since 1991, supporting work that advances planetary exploration, propulsion, space medicine, technologies and more. This underscores the strong decades-long collaboration between the university and the agency.

1970s | Connecting Education to Industry

1971: NASA employs 18 students through UCF鈥檚 Co-Operative Education initiative, which leverages the university鈥檚 metropolitan location to let students alternate quarters of study with off-campus work in their academic fields.

Today: UCF students are conducting hands-on research alongside Johnson Space Center astronauts and testing technology on the world鈥檚 largest simulated lunar surface.

These experiences strengthen students鈥� resumes while giving them workforce-ready skills and professional connections to step directly into the fast-growing space industry 鈥� and start contributing immediately.

1980s | Developing the Foundation of Space Medicine

1985: As rockets soared off Florida’s Space Coast for NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, UCF students were already exploring spaceflight’s impact on people. A group 色花堂 health sciences graduate students, including respiratory health alum Charles Gutierrez ’82 ’85MS, conducted experiments in labs on campus and on a field used as a makeshift launch site to understand how rockets impact heart and lung health. The research, published in The Physiologist,听reflects UCF’s spirit of turning curiosity into action.

Today: Reaching farther into space requires an understanding of how humans will live, work and stay healthy there. As the closest medical school to NASA鈥檚 Kennedy Space Center, UCF established the Led by Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair of aerospace medicine and associate professor of medicine, the center brings together UCF experts across disciplines to lead research and develop technologies that will help humans prepare for longer missions to the moon, Mars and beyond. Urquieta also leads .

1990s | Creating a Place for Space

1990: UCF establishes the Space Education and Research Center, which later becomes the . The institute is a hub for space research, education and technology development connected to Florida鈥檚 space industry.

Today: FSI research ranges from studying the Earth鈥檚 upper atmosphere to the origin of the planets to propulsion technologies for aerospace vehicles. Through research, operations oversight and educational programs, the institute continues to position Florida as a global leader in the space industry and contributes to the state鈥檚 economic development.

Among its facilities is the , home to the world鈥檚 largest simulated lunar surface. Filled with 240,000 pounds of simulated lunar soil, the lab鈥檚 Lunar Highland Regolith Test Bin lets researchers, students and space organizations test how rovers, tools and other technologies perform on a moonlike surface.

1996: Robinson Observatory opens on UCF鈥檚 main campus, providing students and faculty a place to study planetary systems, asteroids and more. By 2004, it housed what the Orlando Sentinel described as the largest telescope in the Southeast open to the public.

Today: UCF researchers use observations from some of the world鈥檚 most powerful telescopes, including NASA鈥檚 James Webb Space Telescope and the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii, to investigate comets, asteroids, and the origins and evolution of our solar system.

2000s | Entering the Space Renaissance

2009: Engineering alum Nicole Stott 鈥�92MS launches aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, becoming the first UCF graduate to fly aboard a NASA shuttle and live on the International Space Station.

Today: UCF is preparing students not only to travel to space, but also to build the industries, policies and experiences surrounding it.

Through the Barry S. Miller College of Business, students can earn the nation鈥檚 first fully online MBA in space commercialization. A Space Policy and Management course in the College of Community Innovation and Education examines the decisions and administrative mechanisms that help power the space industry. Students can help imagine the future of dining and hospitality in spaceports, shuttles and orbital hotels at the , a global leader in hospitality and tourism education.

2010s | Return to Liftoff

2017: Invigorated by a new uniform line and excitement around the hiring of Scott Frost as head coach in 2016, UCF Athletics decides to debut the Space Game 鈥� an idea conceptualized three years prior by UCF Athletics鈥� brand experience department.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a unique part of the UCF story that it was too good of an opportunity not to use the athletics platform to amplify,鈥� Jimmy Skiles 鈥�06 said in a 2022 article about the origin of the Space Game.

Today: The annual Space Game 鈥� which has crossed over into UCF鈥檚 other sports 鈥� has grown into a spectacular, fan favorite event that promotes our talented people, the revolutionary work done here and has laid the groundwork for what has become UCF Space Week.

2019: UCF sends five research projects into space with SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic flights after launch activity resumes in full force following the conclusion of the Space Shuttle program in 2011.

Today:听UCF has worked with NASA on almost 600 projects since the 1990s, including the Lunar-VISE mission led by Associate Professor Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Department of Physics Chair Adrienne Dove. The $35 million project听will land a spacecraft on a part of the moon never visited before: the Gruithuisen Domes.

2020s and Beyond

The next era of space exploration is already taking shape 鈥� and UCF is helping lead it.

NASA is targeting 2028 for the first crewed Artemis lunar landing. At the same time, commercial launches are accelerating 鈥� with the White House aiming to enable over 1,000 launches and reentries on American soil annually by 2030 鈥� new markets are emerging, and the demand for space-ready talent and technology continues to grow. Our future on Earth will be shaped by our future advancements in space, and UCF will be an influential driver of that progress.

As the next phase of space exploration, launched in October 2024 as a first-of-its-kind partnership with the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, providing a centralized, physical space to advance hypersonic technology.

In May 2027, Knights from Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics aim to launch a rocket from sea through a partnership with Seagate. The ambitious effort aims to be to first sea-based launch by university students in the nation 鈥� an example of how we continue to forge a path forward for space exploration.

UCF is also helping connect Florida鈥檚 universities, NASA and industry through the Florida University Space Research Consortium. The partnership creates new paths for shared space research, technology development and workforce preparation tied to Kennedy Space Center 鈥� strengthening Florida鈥檚 ability to lead the United States鈥� future space efforts.

Six decades in, UCF鈥檚 space legacy is still being written 鈥� in classrooms, labs and places we are determined to reach.

Questions asked at UCF rarely stay put.

The answers travel 鈥� making highways safer, informing disaster planning, shaping conversations about life-changing technologies and more. Behind that reach are brilliant minds, including eight faculty members whose research and scholarship are being celebrated at the 2026 Luminary Awards. Their achievements demonstrate how UCF expertise reaches beyond campus to address challenges facing Florida and the world.

Now in its 10th year, the annual awards honor faculty whose work brings UCF national and international recognition while elevating the university鈥檚 influence across disciplines and communities.

Selected from nominations submitted by deans, directors and department chairs across UCF, the 2026 awardees will be celebrated Oct. 20. Joining the ceremony will be President Cartwright; John Buckwalter, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs; Winston Schoenfeld, vice president for research and innovation; and Kelly Ferris Lester, vice provost for faculty excellence.

Meet this year鈥檚 luminaries.

Haitham Al-Deek

Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Haitham Al-Deek is helping stop wrong-way drivers before a dangerous turn becomes a devastating crash.

Working with the Central Florida Expressway Authority, he helped create and implement North America鈥檚 first highly accurate wrong-way driving detection and deterrence system. Since its introduction in 2015, thousands of drivers have corrected course before heading in the wrong direction, helping prevent potentially fatal or debilitating crashes.

His algorithm for cost-effectively addressing the highway exits most at risk for wrong-way driving has been widely adopted in Florida and Idaho. Al-Deek鈥檚 broader expertise includes freeway operations, intelligent transportation systems and traffic safety. His work has influenced public policy and advanced transportation planning, freight transportation, and the deployment of life-saving technologies on high-speed toll roads and freeways.

Since joining UCF in 1992, Al-Deek has secured more than $10 million in research funding and developed innovations that have resulted in multiple patents for the university while preparing the next generation of transportation engineers to make an impact on society. His honors include awards from the U.S. National Research Council鈥檚 Transportation Research Board.

Kevin Mackie, Al-Deek鈥檚 department chair, says his extensive efforts to improve highway safety and transportation 鈥渁re contributions that touch the lives of all of us.鈥�

Andrea Blanco-Redondo

Florida Photonics Center of Excellence Endowed Professor, College of Optics and Photonics

Andrea Blanco-Redondo is harnessing light to push the boundaries of quantum technology.

Her research develops scalable ways to generate and control quantum states of light 鈥� advances that could unlock new possibilities in computing, communications and information processing. She鈥檚 internationally known for discovering a new class of optical pulses that behave like a particle and can help researchers and industry shape what鈥檚 next. In three years at UCF, her scholarship has informed roughly two dozen conferences and produced papers in prestigious journals, including Science, Nature Materials, Nature Communications and Nature Photonics.

An Optica (Optical Society of America) Fellow, Blanco-Redondo also serves as chair of the SPIE OPTO Symposium at Photonics West, a premier annual conference of the international society for optics and photonics. Alongside her research and professional leadership, she mentors future scientists and helps expand opportunities in engineering and optics.

鈥淭hrough internationally recognized scholarship, sustained external engagement and demonstrable impact, Dr. Blanco-Redondo exemplifies the UCF Luminary ideal through globally impactful work that both broadens understanding and inspires future scientists,鈥� UCF College of Optics and Photonics Dean David Hagan says.

William Crampton

Professor, Department of Biology, College of Sciences

William Crampton鈥檚 research on electric fish is revealing extraordinary capabilities 鈥� and has even earned a world record.

A leading global authority in his field, Crampton recorded an 860-volt eel in the Amazon Basin, the highest voltage ever documented from a living organism, according to Guinness World Records. His work advances species discovery, documentation, and conservation while revealing principles of biological sensing relevant to radar, sonar, and autonomous sensing technologies.

In a recent study, Crampton and other UCF researchers uncovered how eels and knifefish strategically suppress their electric signals to avoid detection, balancing the need to sense their surroundings with the need to remain concealed. His open-source tools are also expanding how scientists study behavior in natural systems. Crampton鈥檚 discoveries have also reached audiences worldwide through major media outlets, including National Geographic.

鈥淗is recent work combines innovative discovery, international recognition and exceptional public visibility, producing scholarship that advances knowledge while capturing the imagination of both the scientific community and the public,鈥� UCF Department of Biology Chair Eric Hoffman says.

Alan Fyall

Visit Orlando Endowed Chair of Tourism Marketing,

Alan Fyall is helping destinations worldwide rethink how tourism can better serve the people who visit and the communities that call them home.

His research addresses destination planning, travel accessibility, resilience, sustainability and tourism鈥檚 impact on communities. His appointment to the United Nations Pool of Experts for Global Reporting on the State of the Marine Environment brings UCF expertise into international ocean governance.

An elected fellow and leader with the International Academy for the Study of Tourism, Fyall has advised organizations and governments across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and the United States. His scholarship includes eight books, 105 peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 100 conference papers and editorials. The New York Times, USA Today and Forbes have featured his expertise.

鈥淒r. Fyall鈥檚 work connects local relevancy to global impact,鈥� says Rosen College of Hospitality Management Dean Cynthia Mejia. 鈥淗is research on accessible tourism through mega-events, the well-being impacts of tourism on residents and the vulnerability of coastal destinations to climate disruption is improving how communities around the world plan for and benefit from tourism.鈥�

Ivan Garibay

Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Ivan Garibay is advancing artificial intelligence (AI) to confront challenges ranging from social media misinformation to disease.

He uses AI to model and predict complex human behavior and develops data-driven strategies to counter misinformation and propaganda. This year, he co-founded a biotechnology research company to commercialize AI research aimed at accelerating the search for cures for diseases 鈥� an effort supported by a patent filing.

Since joining UCF in 2016, Garibay has secured more than $36 million in research funding and testified before Congress about AI鈥檚 challenges and opportunities. The master鈥檚 program in data analytics he founded has produced 240 UCF graduates for the workforce.

His work has attracted media attention on four continents, including on NBC鈥檚 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. His honors include election as an associate member of the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida.

鈥淸Garibay] exemplifies the externally recognized, world-changing scholarship the Luminary Award celebrates,鈥� says Waldemar Karwowski, chair of the UCF Department of Industrial Engineering and Management.

Claire Connolly Knox

Professor, School of Public Administration, College of Community Innovation and Education

Claire Connolly Knox is strengthening how communities prepare for and mitigate disasters, respond when they strike and recover in their aftermath.

Her nationally recognized research connects coastal resilience, emergency management, environmental vulnerability and equitable delivery of public services. Supported by millions of dollars in grant funding, her work informs federal policy, disaster response, emergency management capacity and strategies for building more resilient communities.

As founder and director of UCF鈥檚 Master of Emergency and Crisis Management program, Knox also helps prepare future leaders in the field. Her contributions have helped advance UCF鈥檚 homeland security and emergency management graduate programs, which U.S. News & World Report ranks No. 1 nationally.

Knox was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration in 2024 鈥� one of the field鈥檚 highest honors 鈥� and received the International Association of Emergency Managers鈥� 2025 Emergency Management Educator of the Year Award.

鈥淗er sustained scholarly productivity, national prominence, public engagement and commitment to addressing complex societal challenges have enhanced UCF鈥檚 reputation while advancing more equitable and resilient communities,鈥� says Bradley Heim, director of the UCF School of Public Administration.

Abdul-Akeem Sadiq

Professor, School of Public Administration, College of Community Innovation and Education

Abdul-Akeem Sadiq helps governments and communities prepare for complex threats while equipping the next generation of researchers to take them on.

His interdisciplinary research spans floods, infrastructure failures, human trafficking and other emerging crises. By examining disaster preparedness, emergency communication systems, organizational mitigation strategies and equitable disaster response, he generates insights that inform public policy and professional practice.

Sadiq also leads a U.S. National Science Foundation initiative to develop future hazards and disaster researchers. He recently brought scholars from across the nation to UCF to strengthen collaboration and workforce development in disaster science. His honors include election as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, one of the field鈥檚 highest distinctions.

鈥淒r. Sadiq has established himself as a nationally and internationally recognized scholar whose research, leadership and public engagement have significantly advanced the fields of emergency management and public administration while elevating UCF鈥檚 visibility as a leader in disaster resilience and public service scholarship,鈥� Heim says.

Mel Stanfill

Professor, Texts and Technology Program and Department of English, College of Arts and Humanities

Mel Stanfill brings critical insight to the technologies and online communities reshaping digital culture.

In examining how technology, identity, law and economics influence cultural participation, Stanfill explores fandoms, music, AI, digital games, social media governance, parasocial relationships and more.

Stanfill鈥檚 book Fandom Is Ugly: Networked Harassment in Participatory Culture earned the National Communication Association鈥檚 2025 Diamond Anniversary Book Award for its analysis of politics, online communities and harassment.

Stanfill鈥檚 expertise has reached the public through commentary for NPR, The Guardian, National Geographic, Forbes, NBC News and Teen Vogue, bringing scholarly insight to contemporary conversations about technology and popular culture.

鈥淒r. Stanfill has made UCF a national player in the discussion of the cultural effects of technology,鈥� UCF Department of English Chair James Campbell says. 鈥淯CF needs to be a place not just where new technology is conceived, but where it is questioned, critiqued, and has its cultural meanings and effects made clear, and Dr. Stanfill is making that happen.鈥�

It鈥檚 an enormous operation, but for De Salvia, hospitality has never been simply about delivering excellence at scale.

His approach is grounded in empathy and care. He understands the power of that kind of service because long before he was responsible for hospitality on a global level, he experienced it himself as a UCF student.

It began when De Salvia became a Knight in 1999, pursuing his bachelor鈥檚 in marketing and discovering a natural connection to consumer behavior and marketing intelligence. While his UCF journey deepened his academic understanding of hospitality, it would ultimately contribute toward the formation of his belief that true service occurs when life hits hardest.

Humanity, Hard Work and Honor

De Salvia arrived at UCF ready to begin a new chapter. But just weeks before starting his first year at UCF, he lost his best friend to an asthma attack.

“He was the one that always pushed me to continue pursuing my academics,” he recalls. “He always told me I was so much smarter than I thought, and that I had to keep going.”

Inspired by his friend鈥檚 belief in him, De Salvia forged on with his bachelor鈥檚 until he was rocked by another loss a month later: his brother George, an Orlando police officer, was killed in the line of duty at only 29 years old.

Suddenly, De Salvia’s degree hinged on two things: his will to succeed, and the support from UCF faculty and administration who rallied around him.

“I’ll never forget that,” he recalls fondly. 鈥淭hey kept me on track. I didn’t have to drop classes or change things. They were there for me every step of the way.鈥�

Together, they transformed a trying and challenging semester into a successful journey that forever tethered De Salvia鈥檚 heart to UCF.

鈥淚 decided not to let my brother and best friend down; to work hard, outpace and outperform everyone to honor their memory,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 express how big a part UCF played in my life, ensuring I could make them proud.鈥�

De Salvia stood by his decision by earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree and, in 2004, establishing the at UCF. True to his promise to excel, he returned in 2009 to earn his .

New Knowledge, New Horizons

鈥淚 call my master’s in management the awakening of my professional career,鈥� De Salvia says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the best money I’ve ever spent investing in myself.鈥�

The program challenged him to recognize his capabilities and reconsider his professional direction. Empowered by an expanded mindset and greater self-awareness, he resolved to take his knowledge to an organization where he could implement it.

鈥淚 call my master’s in management the awakening of my professional career. It鈥檚 the best money I’ve ever spent investing in myself.鈥�

That meant acknowledging he was unhappy and unfulfilled in the job he held at the time. In a bold move, he resigned two days after graduating.

There was no plan b.

He credits that step with granting him the life he has today, and UCF with giving him the personal insight to take it.

His newfound freedom led to an eight-year career with Disney overseeing their Vacation Club sales and marketing, ultimately propelling him to his current position with Hilton Grand Vacations.

De Salvia largely measures the value of his success by how much he gives back, especially to UCF.

In addition to the scholarship honoring his brother, he sits on both the Entrepreneurial Leadership Board and the management board at the Barry S. Miller College of Business, mentors students, supports the and speaks at

Through Hilton Grand Vacations, he鈥檚 also working to establish the Hilton Grand Vacations Scholarship Fund to help reduce financial barriers for hospitality students and bring Knights into the Hilton Grand Vacations family.

It’s a level of support that gives UCF students greater access to the industry while deepening the partnerships that are central to their experience at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

鈥淭he scholarship reflects Hilton Grand Vacations鈥� commitment to developing the next generation of hospitality leaders,鈥� says Kyle Trager, director of development for Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

“Derek recognizes the long-term impact an endowed scholarship can have on attracting, supporting and retaining exceptional hospitality students,” he continues. “His leadership has been instrumental in advancing both the scholarship and broader partnership opportunities between HGV and Rosen College.”

Life, Lessons and Leading the Next Generation of Knights

De Salvia says he strongly believes UCF alumni share a responsibility to return and pay their knowledge forward. One of his key lessons is encouraging students to enter the world with their eyes wide open.

鈥淒on’t look at just one path you feel you need to be on,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hatever feels like an opportunity you want to pursue with passion, go for it. The thing people can never take from you is passion.鈥�

And De Salvia鈥檚 devotion to his alma mater won鈥檛 be waning. He wants to pursue his doctoral degree at UCF and when he retires, he’d be happy to teach here and share what he’s learned to help students get a better start.

Are you interested in matching De Salvia’s spirit of service and helping UCF succeed in our next great mission? Learn more about the that鈥檚 elevating student success and building a future the world has only begun to imagine.

In April 2023, a few days after senior prom, Gabby Murison 鈥�26 and her family drove 650 miles from New Orleans to Orlando. They鈥檇 vacationed in previous years to the area鈥檚 theme parks, but this time they had just one destination on the itinerary: UCF. The university interested Murison for its strong film program through the . She also knew UCF offered a variety of pathways in case she discovered a new interest.

鈥淚鈥檒l never forget stepping onto Memory Mall,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y thoughts about college changed. I got caught up in this environment of 鈥榳e support each other because we鈥檙e all Knights鈥� and I was ready to move.鈥�

“… I discovered something bigger outside the classroom. I built my world here.”

Moving was nothing new to Murison. Her dad serves in the U.S. Army, so she鈥檇 already lived in eight cities across six states.

鈥淏ut I鈥檇 never been anywhere like UCF,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 had big goals: to develop my creative side and learn about social media and film. But I discovered something bigger outside the classroom. I built my world here.鈥�

The Curious Freshman Looking for Community

At the beginning, Murison was like most first-year students: a bit uncertain, searching for a connection.

鈥淚 realized quickly that the 670 clubs and organizations at UCF need people,鈥� says Murison, who minored in event management. 鈥淎s soon as I got involved, the student population of 70,000 got smaller. It ignited passions I didn鈥檛 know existed.鈥�

“My perspective grew by talking with people … and observing how mentors 鈥� guided others.”

Her first connection came through an academic and community engagement initiative, which she saw as an opportunity to get out of her dorm and become involved in service, which runs in her family of military veterans, educators and nurses. On day one, she asked a fellow member, civil engineering major Luisa Cordova, to go for a walk. Murison learned about life in Venezuela on that walk. She also found a best friend and roommate.

鈥淢y perspective grew by talking with people like Luisa and observing how mentors 鈥� guided others,鈥� Murison says.

A mentor gently persuaded Murison to apply her communication skills to the campus community. Still in her first semester and despite a full plate, Murison volunteered for Spirit Splash during Homecoming Week.

鈥淚t was supposed to be a simple way to pitch in,鈥� Murison says, 鈥渂ut as I guarded the pool, I was struck by the impact students were making by running this big event.鈥�

By her sophomore year, Murison had been named to the executive board for Homecoming.

鈥淢y involvement grew to the point where I鈥檇 see students wearing merchandise I helped design,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y confidence and connections to UCF kept expanding.鈥�

A Full-Circle Moment

At the beginning of Murison鈥檚 junior year, Malaret suggested that Murison transition from LEAD to the President鈥檚 Leadership Council (PLC). Murison found PLC to be another way to inspire UCF students to make the most of their entire college experience, just as she鈥檇 been doing herself. Around the same time, she discovered an ideal outlet to share her knowledge and growing love for UCF: as an Undergraduate Admissions Ambassador.

鈥淲hen I was a little girl, I wanted to be Hannah Montana,鈥� she says. 鈥淏eing a tour guide is as close as I鈥檝e come to that dream. Talking about UCF to groups became like a performance, except everything I say is true.鈥�

“My advice to students is to funnel your energy into organizations you care about. Make a difference. Grow your work ethic. Have fun.”

During at least 100 tours, Murison spoke with more than 1,000 prospective students and VIP guests. She walked them along Memory Mall, through the 鈥渨e鈥檙e all Knights鈥� environment that changed her view of college, and described firsthand the transformative power of campus involvement.

鈥淢y advice to students is to funnel your energy into organizations you care about,鈥� she says. 鈥淢ake a difference. Grow your work ethic. Have fun. And don鈥檛 be involved for the sake of a resume.鈥�

On one tour in 2025, she met a girl from her high school in Louisiana, an 18-year-old version of herself, with one foot at prom and the other reaching toward the next phase of life.

鈥淚 must have given a decent tour because she just finished her freshman year at UCF,鈥� Murison says. 鈥淪he鈥檚 [involved on campus] and serves on the Homecoming committee. Isn鈥檛 that amazing? It鈥檚 gratifying to have made an impact, but even better to know that she鈥檚 creating her own path, and a personal story to share with others.鈥�

Murison’s experience reflects the vibrant community and opportunities available across UCF 鈥� where getting involved can lead to lifelong friendships, new skills and a growing sense of belonging. It’s an experience reflected in UCF’s Grade A overall rating and its No. 19 ranking for Best Student Life in America and No. 21 for Best College Campuses in America by .

The Accomplished Graduate Ready for the World

In April, UCF and Universal Destinations & Experiences launched a Pegasus Partnership to strengthen three decades of collaboration with aligning education with real-world experience, creating career pathways and developing themed innovations.

In April, three years after her first step onto campus, Murison was awarded the Order of Pegasus, UCF’s most prestigious student award. She was notified that she had received the honor while on a retreat with admission tour guides, with whom she became friends.

鈥淭he honor meant more because they were there to celebrate with me,鈥� she says.

A few weeks later, Murison graduated and finished an event management internship at Universal Orlando Resort, where she further strengthened her ability to prioritize responsibilities and find balance. She now has job offers from several companies in Orlando, though she could envision a move to California to pursue filmmaking or scriptwriting. There will be plenty of time to decide.

鈥淚鈥檓 the kid who watched with awe when the credits rolled at the end of Disney movies,鈥� Murison says. 鈥淏uilding something big from scratch always fascinated me, especially when it involves a team. That鈥檚 what my UCF experience has been like. For now, though, I鈥檒l just 鈥� exhale. I want to spend time being 22 for a little while.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a perfect day to bounce in Orange County, Florida.鈥�

The Roth Tower project, made possible by a $90 million commitment of Tourist Development Tax revenues from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, represents a pivotal addition to the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village that strengthens Orange County as a premier destination for sports tourism and community engagement.

When the investment was greenlit in 2023, university and athletics administration knew they wanted to add to the stadium鈥檚 art collection, which already features several installations around the concourse that include Knightro, wings of Pegasus (the university鈥檚 official seal), UCF鈥檚 Big 12 ties and Orlando.

UCF commissioned Harry Foreman 鈥�18 to deliver two murals that pay homage to the UCF story and the university鈥檚 relationship to Orlando and Orange County. To execute the installation in the week leading up to the tower鈥檚 unveiling, Foreman utilized virtual reality technology as part of his process and enlisted the help of fellow alumni: Nicole Lind 鈥�11, a Burnett Honors Scholar who graduated with a degree in an elementary education, and Paulaiden Minerva 鈥�15, who earned his bachelor’s in marketing through the program.

Foreman studied graphic design and emerging media management and previously completed murals for the UCF Downtown and the Rosen College of Hospitality Management campuses.

鈥淲hen I was a student I always had so much fun on games days,鈥� Foreman says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 magic being back here.鈥�

The Florida native, who now splits his time between Orlando and Denver, has been an active contributor to the Central Florida鈥檚 arts scene for years. He recently was selected to be part of the City of Orlando鈥檚 Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge, Art Pollination 鈥� a prestigious opportunity as Orlando was one of eight cities selected for the $1 million grant out of more than 150 submissions from around the country.

Acrisure Bounce House is his third football stadium mural project. He previously completed installations for the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars.

鈥淚 always knew I wanted to paint big,鈥� he says.

Here he shares more about his latest creation.

What excited you about this project?

The campus personnel were so willing and excited about my ideas and style that I brought into this that it was almost a perfect match. I led with fun first and then presented some safer ideas. And they said, 鈥淣ope. We want the fun.鈥�

I鈥檓 grateful and appreciative that I鈥檓 creating in a way that is so well received by so many people. Especially with the way we鈥檙e doing these murals with minimal color and a gold approach, I think it鈥檚 a style that has an elevated look while also having this fun, bubbly, childlike feeling, which is perfect for a football stadium on game day.

Where did you pull inspiration from for the two murals?

A staple in a lot of my mural work is my 鈥渙range blossom gang.鈥� They are fun, smiling orange characters that I will sprinkle in throughout a lot of my murals. They act almost as the glue that keeps other imagery and assets like together. They appear in both murals.

For the UCF-themed mural, we have my signature doodle collage style. We鈥檙e in the Bounce House, baby. So I tried to have this flowy, bubbly movement with the clouds. I wanted it to feel like it was light and airy.

With regards to Easter eggs, when I was a student, I did artwork around Orlando and I would do this little emanating whoopsie daisy flower. I snuck it into a postcard stamp. The manatee celebrates Central Florida鈥檚 natural springs, which is in my opinion, one of the most magical parts about the entire state. I also snuck in a variation of the rubber duck for Spirit Splash.

For the Orange County mural, it is centered in an Art Deco theme and is an ode to how the university is entwined with Orlando. From the downtown corridor to our relationship with the hospitality sector around I-Drive to space and UCF鈥檚 engineering and technology roots. And we wanted to include a message to what helped make this possible: 鈥淚n appreciation of Orange County, Florida, whose continued belief, support and investment will welcome millions through these gates to bounce.鈥�

How do you apply virtual reality technology in your process?

I first started using the VR headset to project my artwork on walls last year. There are many different ways to get your art on your walls through grid systems, sketching freehand, projectors and now through headsets. In this circumstance, I have another mural next week. I鈥檝e got to get in and out. I didn’t want to wait till the nighttime to use a projector. What鈥檚 great about the headset is no matter the time of day, you are able to work and operate, and forecast your artwork on a wall.

It鈥檚 a really weird, immersive and amazing technology. If you got vertigo like I do, tread lightly. As I鈥檓 wearing it, I’m constantly thinking, 鈥榃e are in the future.鈥� 鈥�

How did your UCF experience help you hone your craft?

鈥淏eing at UCF pushed me to be great.鈥� 鈥� Harry Foreman 鈥�18, muralist

My UCF experience was not just a four-year degree. I used nearly every offering UCF had 鈥� I was in different clubs, at the gym all the time. I was in the engineering lab using the laser cutter for a lot of my school projects. My experience was almost competitive nurture in a sense, learning in a school setting with so many talented creatives around me. Being at UCF pushed me to be great and taught me how to be a shape shifter.

I already was running a business while in school. I immediately graduated and went right into freelancing, and the Orlando community and UCF network at large welcomed me right when I needed it. I booked amazing jobs right out of school. The UCF Downtown project, I would say, is still some of my most impactful work that gets me jobs to this day.

I never in a million years thought murals would allow me to be traveling all over the nation. I鈥檓 about to buy my wife a house. It鈥檚 a great time to be a muralist. It鈥檚 the best job in the world.

What does it mean to you to be able to give back to your alma mater and Orlando in this way?

It鈥檚 so special. As a student, and even as an artist, there鈥檚 no textbook for success, no single game plan for how to do things. The fact that I get to paint and create in spaces like this, I hope it can inspire the next student. I hope they see this and they say, 鈥淭hat is so cool. I want to do that,鈥� because whenever I saw someone doing it, that was my first response.

If you鈥檙e a student that is worried about the creative world that we鈥檙e entering into, as long as you鈥檙e pushing yourself to make great work, everything you could ever want is already there waiting for you. Orlando as a canvas is the best place to blossom. It was for me.

A child clutches a wand before stepping into Hogsmeade for the first time. Nearby, a father smiles, remembering his own first visit years earlier. Grandparents pause for a photo. Teenagers race toward their favorite coaster. Doug Akers 鈥�07 notices all of it.

As senior vice president of operations for Universal Destinations & Experiences, the UCF hospitality management alumnus helps oversee the intricate systems that make those moments possible. But after more than 20 years in the themed entertainment industry, he鈥檚 learned that operations isn’t really about attractions, transportation or crowd flow.

It’s about protecting something surprisingly fragile: wonder.

Finding the Right Path

Akers’ love of theme parks began early. He found himself happily spending hours designing his own theme parks inside video games and paying far more attention to the operational details than anyone else his age thought necessary. While friends obsessed over bigger roller coasters and taller drop towers, he wondered where deliveries arrived, where maintenance crews parked and what made the fantasy feel believable.

“I had my own little fan website,” he says. “People think I’m obsessive, but I’d ask myself, ‘Where’s my service road? Where’s my warehouse? The park doesn’t look real. It needs the support buildings.'”

As a child, Akers helped his parents with the annual school carnival, arriving before the crowds to watch an empty schoolyard transform into something magical.

Looking back, though, the curiosity started even earlier. As a child, Akers helped his parents with the annual carnival at his elementary school, arriving before the crowds to watch vendors transform an empty schoolyard into something magical.

“I think that’s really where I got my roots,” he says, reflecting on early mornings spent watching adults solve problems, adapt to surprises and somehow make it all look effortless.

By high school, that curiosity had become impossible to ignore. He enrolled in Honors Physics after hearing about a key design project that challenged students to apply scientific principles to something they cared about. He knew immediately that he wanted to create a theme park.

色花堂, he discovered that operations offered the same intellectual challenge that first drew him to engineering.

The project quickly grew beyond a classroom assignment.听 Along with crafting miniature toothpick landscapes and designing attractions, Akers wrote fictional press releases announcing the park’s grand opening and carefully mapped out how every element fit together. He wasn鈥檛 just building rides 鈥� he was creating an experience.

Engineering seemed like an obvious choice when Akers began college. He had always been fascinated by how systems worked and how their pieces fit together. 色花堂, he discovered that operations offered the same intellectual challenge that first drew him to engineering, while adding a dimension he hadn’t expected: human behavior.

How do thousands of moving parts and people come together so seamlessly that guests never stop to think about them? How do all those unseen details shape what people remember long after they return home?

Those questions ultimately led him to , where he discovered an academic environment that blended entertainment, finance, guest service, leadership, operations and strategic thinking.

Learning to See the Invisible

A college job at Universal Orlando Resort became something much bigger 鈥� a cauldron of knowledge, more wondrous than anything else he had known. Each new opportunity brought greater responsibility. Akers worked in transportation, attractions, food and beverage, entry operations and special events across multiple parks and international projects. By building a reputation for thoughtful leadership and a willingness to learn every corner of the business, he rose from a college employee to one of the company’s senior executives.

Along the way, he learned one lesson that has shaped his career: the most exceptional operations are often the least visible.

When every detail is executed seamlessly, guests never think about logistics, staffing or transportation. They鈥檙e focused on making memories with family and friends.

That鈥檚 when Akers realized operations were never the end goal. They were the foundations that made those meaningful experiences possible.

Wonder Doesn’t Have an Age Limit

Spend a day in the parks with Akers and one thing becomes clear: he spends as much time watching guests as he does monitoring attractions. A child experiences a beloved story for the first time. Parents revisit childhood memories. Grandparents watch a new generation imagine and dream.

For Akers, those moments are the true measure of success.

Wonder doesn鈥檛 disappear as people grow older. It simply takes on new meaning with every stage of life, creating memories and connections that span generations.

Creating and operating the spaces where those moments take place has quietly become the work of his career.

Leading Through Curiosity

Today, Akers oversees operations on a scale he never imagined as a college student. His career has taken him across the U.S. and around the world, including helping open Universal Studios Singapore and Universal Studios Beijing.

Those experiences also help shape the future of the industry. Through the first-of-its-kind housed within UCF’s Rosen College 鈥� created in partnership with Universal Destinations & Experiences 鈥� students will learn how storytelling, technology and operations work together while designing experiences that inspire wonder, with Universal helping craft the curriculum.

色花堂, professors and mentors challenged Akers to think differently and encouraged him to pursue opportunities he hadn’t considered. They helped him recognize that careers rarely follow a straight path and that curiosity is often a better guide than certainty.

It’s the same advice he shares with UCF students: Don’t become so attached to your original plan that you miss the opportunity in front of you. The best experiences are the ones held together by thousands of invisible details working in perfect harmony, Akers says.

Somewhere today, another child will step through Universal Orlando Resort鈥檚 gates carrying a wand almost as tall as they are. Years from now, they may return with children of their own.

Akers hopes they never think about the thousands of unseen details that made the day possible.

He hopes they remember only how they felt.

He hopes they remember the wonder.

is about more than reaching a destination. It鈥檚 about creating the conditions for bold ideas, transformative experiences and life-changing opportunities, similar to the ones that shaped Akers’ career. Join us in investing in students, strengthening our university and helping UCF continue to reach ever higher.

This guide is a resource to help you develop a sense of belonging, find community and build lifelong friendships while studying at UCF.

Marquee Events

Whether you鈥檙e studying at UCF Downtown, the , Rosen College of Hospitality Management or the main campus,听听you鈥檒l have plenty of opportunities to get involved.

Some signature events have become beloved UCF traditions听with not-to-be-missed programming:

• Pegasus Palooza, UCF鈥檚 annual welcome week, greets new and returning students to campus with a variety of events including notable headliners at Comedy Knight and Concert Knight.

• UCF Homecoming听Week,听蹿别补迟耻谤颈苍驳听Spirit Splash,听kicks听off听Monday,听Oct. 19,听and听concludes听with the UCF football team鈥檚 matchup against BYU on听Saturday,听Oct. 24.

• Space Game, a football game unlike any other in the nation, pays tribute to our UCF鈥檚 roots as America鈥檚 Space University. This year鈥檚 matchup against Baylor on Friday, Oct. 30, marks 10 years of the Space Game.

• , held each spring at听听Orlando鈥檚 Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, showcases the artistic talents 色花堂鈥檚 faculty and students in performances, exhibitions, presentations and interactive experiences.

• Gather Luncheon,听a听community-building event in the spring hosted by听Wellness & Health Promotion Services and Dining Services,听听brings hundreds of students听together听听for听a free, three-course meal.

Recreation, Intramurals and Sports Clubs

In addition to its fitness and recreation facilities, the Recreation and Wellness Center has longstanding intramural and sports club programs that allow students to form friendships and win championships, sometimes on the brightest of stages.

The RWC鈥檚 intramural sports program welcomes all UCF students, especially those who are new to Orlando and haven鈥檛 met enough peers to form their own team. Thanks to its free agency feature, individuals ca听be matched up with others or be paired with an established team.

The sports club includes 45 different sports, encompassing everything from judo to lacrosse to wakeboarding and have produced some 色花堂鈥檚 most notable alumni. Gold medalist Phil Dalhausser 鈥�02, who played club volleyball while pursuing his business degree, and bronze medalist Kristen Thomas 鈥�16, who began her rugby career听as a theatre studies major听at UCF,听both went on to听represent听Team USA听at听multiple Summer Olympic Games.

For more information, visit听.

Registered Student Organizations

UCF offers more than 650 registered student organizations spanning academic, professional, cultural and spiritual, social and recreational, and sports interests.

KnightConnect听is UCF鈥檚 official involvement platform where students can explore听these organizations or even create a new one.听Each organization has its own page with meeting times, contact information,听and ways to get involved.

Visit the听听to find the organization right for you.

Greek Life

The fraternity and sorority experience has long been a part of campus life. Since the 1970s, fraternities and sororities have been providing spaces of belonging for students to grow together during their collegiate years.

Currently our UCF Greek community is comprised of 47 organizations, which all share the values of scholarship, leadership, service and brotherhood/sisterhood.

For more information visit听.

UCF Athletics 鈥� Knightmare Society and Marching Knights

UCF is a member of one of the premiere conferences in the nation, the Big 12. From听Fear the Fronds听to听Zombie Nation, the student section鈥檚 energy is听an integral part of the game day atmosphere听and gives the Knights a distinct home field (and court) advantage.

All full-time UCF-enrolled students (except 色花堂) are eligible for free tickets to home sporting events. Please note: all seating is first-come, first-served and admission is not guaranteed. For more information, especially for football and men鈥檚 basketball student tickets, please visit .

罢丑别听 is an organization built and run by UCF students and supported by UCF Athletics. Joining the official group has its perks, including football tickets automatically loaded to members鈥� Ticketmaster accounts, a dedicated fast pass entrance at all UCF men鈥檚 basketball games, and first access to post-season student ticket claims.

Students can also contribute to game-day experiences by joining听, a more than 390-member marching band student organization that performs at pregame shows, halftime shows, pep rallies and听other听fan-fest听events. By creating the soundtrack for these dynamic events, the Marching Knights serve as one of the most vibrant and visible forces for school spirit.

Engage in听Research

Undergraduate research provides opportunities to build a learning community with faculty and fellow students听while engaging听in meaningful work that听develops听solutions听for听challenges facing our communities,听industries听and the world.

In addition to forging connections with peers and mentors, this听practical experience听allows students to听build their professional resumes听before听they graduate.

, UCF鈥檚 annual university-wide celebration of research and creative scholarship showcases graduate and undergraduate research. The week is scheduled for March 29 through April 2, 2027, featuring presentations, exhibitions and other events showcasing student research.

For more information on how to get involved with undergraduate research, visit听.

贰虫辫濒辞谤别听翱谤濒补苍诲辞

UCF students live in one of the most vibrant destinations in the world, Orlando.听Whatever your interest, Orlando听likely has听it:听theme parks,听elite听sporting events,听electric festivals,听Michelin-rated restaurants,听nearby听coastlines听and听natural springs.

Orlando is what you make it, and there are ways to experience it all on a student budget.

罢丑别听听offers听discounted听tickets to various attractions, including Walt Disney World, Universal听Orlando听and Kennedy Space Center.听Every spring semester, UCF students听enjoy听free, exclusive access to Universal Islands of Adventure as part of Universal Knights.

听gives Knights of all experience levels opportunities to go on hiking and camping trips at nearby springs, learn to surf, paddle through bioluminescent waters and more.

Several cultural museums in the area offer free entry,听including听the听 on the main campus,听Rollins Museum of Art听and Mead Garden in nearby Winter Park,听and the听Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Central Florida听in Maitland.听罢丑别听acclaimed听Orlando Museum of Art听offers free entry on the third Thursday of each month听as part of its Access for All initiative.

Held annually at the start of the fall semester, Visit Orlando鈥檚 Magical Dining offers a chance to sample some the area’s exceptional restaurants at a fraction of the normal cost. Savor three-course, prix-fixe dinners听 鈥� including at Aurora at the on-campus The Celeste Hotel 鈥� for just $40 or $60 per person from Aug. 14 鈥� Sept. 30, 2026.

When Alex Williams 鈥�09 says, 鈥渢hese are exciting times,鈥� just consider where he鈥檚 been and where he believes humanity is going.

Williams recently traveled between Virgin Galactic鈥檚 headquarters in Tustin, California, and its spaceship factory in Mesa, Arizona, 350 miles from Spaceport America near Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Today, fewer than 800 people have traveled to space. But Virgin Galactic projects that soon 750 or more people 鈥� 鈥渁stronauts鈥� 鈥� will ride its spaceships annually.

“My wheelhouse, [going] back to Disney and UCF, is designing experiences that are different, larger than ourselves.”

As the company鈥檚 senior manager of program design, Williams is among those responsible for producing a full 鈥渆xperience鈥� around each pinnacle moment.

鈥淢y wheelhouse, [going] back to Disney and UCF, is designing experiences that are different, larger than ourselves,鈥� Williams says. 鈥淗ere, I get to be part of opening space as the next layer of humanity.鈥�

While Virgin Galactic鈥檚 early flights made headlines for carrying company founder Sir Richard Branson and a few private astronauts, those brief trips had a bigger purpose.

鈥淲e believe deeply in making space accessible for all,鈥� Williams says. 鈥淓ach spaceflight brings everyone closer. The day is coming for everyday people who watched Apollo and Artemis missions with wonder. It鈥檚 coming for the person looking for perspective or the next adventure. They can be astronauts.鈥�

Inside and Outside a Flight to Space

The official term for a flight with Virgin Galactic is 鈥渟paceflight expedition.鈥� Passengers don鈥檛 board a rocket.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a spaceship,鈥� Williams says.

Part of the experience, then, is knowing your way into a spacesuit and into your seat aboard the spaceship. It鈥檚 bonding with crewmates and being prepared for Mach 3 speed. Preparation is critical, but it鈥檚 designed to be much less intense than fortifying oneself for a Mount Everest expedition.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e in New Mexico for less than a week,鈥� Williams says. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want it to be physically taxing because we want you fully immersed in this monumental experience.鈥�

The spaceflight expedition is approximately 90 minutes from boarding to landing, including several minutes of weightlessness.

鈥淪afety is paramount, so we use an air launch system where a launch vehicle carries our spaceship to a release point of 45,000 feet,鈥� Williams says. 鈥淭hen the rocket motor kicks in, and the spaceship accelerates to Mach 3. The astronauts are sent back into their seats comfortably. When the motor shuts off, you coast to your highest point. And then the spaceship glides back to Spaceport for a graceful runway landing.鈥�

The immersion surrounds those 90 minutes. It includes hospitality, food and beverage, and bringing astronauts and their families into the culture of the Las Cruces area.

鈥淲e test everything,鈥� Williams says. 鈥淚鈥檝e learned, for example, that I like hatch chiles.鈥�

They are now part of the carefully designed experience.

Stretching His Own Mind

After four years at Virgin Galactic, Williams has explained the experience so many times that he feels as if he鈥檚 taken flight himself.

Even so, he still occasionally struggles to find the words.

鈥淚t鈥檚 indescribable,鈥� he says.

The technology of safe spaceflight is mostly beyond his understanding, which only adds to the fascination for a kid at heart who grew up in Citrus County, just 90 minutes from Orlando鈥檚 theme parks, where he first began stretching his imagination.

鈥淒isney had this unbridled positivity for what the future could be,鈥� Williams says. 鈥淚 wanted to be a part of something like that, helping push humanity forward, but I wasn鈥檛 sure how.鈥�

He began to discover how at UCF, where he majored in art and says he had the freedom to 鈥淔rankenstein my educational program together.鈥� The first day he walked into the Student Union, he happened to be walking into auditions for Universal Orlando Resort鈥檚 Halloween Horror Nights.

鈥淭hat experience became a piece to the puzzle,鈥� he says.

A themed attraction class, where he helped design a ride, added another piece. So did operations courses through his hospitality management minor at .

He used all these lessons during his 16 years with Disney, including Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and D23.

鈥淎nd then my ears perked up when I heard about the direction of Virgin Galactic,鈥� Williams says. 鈥淚 saw it like my own story 鈥� in a constant state of becoming.鈥�

“This is a rare experience that can connect us to each other, to our planet and to possibilities to do something good.”

His mindset also parallels Virgin Galactic鈥檚 ultimate intent for spaceflight.

鈥淚t comes down to optimism,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is a rare experience that can connect us to each other, to our planet and to possibilities to do something good. You don鈥檛 go up on our spaceship to look out at space 鈥� you go up to look back at Earth. As more people do that, we can鈥檛 begin to imagine how much good can result from those few minutes.鈥�

Worth noting among this graduating class:

• Roughly 30% of the undergraduate students receiving their degrees are the first in their families to earn their diploma.
• More than 25% of this term’s degrees are tied to STEM majors.
• About 30% of the undergraduate graduating class are Pell Grant recipients.

UCF is the leading producer of talent among Florida鈥檚 universities, awarding roughly 19,000 degrees annually to Knights who go on to work in high-demand industries. About 85% of our alumni stay in Florida because of the ample opportunity to thrive as part of our state鈥檚 workforce.

Graduates will hear from听three听esteemed speakers听鈥� all UCF graduates 鈥斕齱hose leadership and impact听have听benefited听our region:

• Psychology alum听Allen Johnson听鈥�81,听chief听venue听officer for听City听for听Orlando Venues
• Journalism alum Tanya (Easterling) Hill 鈥�97, market president for Central Florida for Florida Blue
• 颁谤颈尘颈苍补濒听箩耻蝉迟颈肠别听补濒耻尘听Fred Kittinger 鈥�80, UCF鈥檚 former听senior associate vice president for government and community relations

Commencement Festivities

Held in the Addition Financial Arena, summer commencement will take place over three ceremonies spanning Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1.

All guests, including children and infants,鈥痭eed a ticket for admission. All graduates who have filed an intent to graduate will receive five commencement ceremony tickets when they pick up their regalia packet.

Guests who do not have tickets may watch the鈥痩ive ceremony via a simulcast viewing鈥痠n the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center and the Student Union. Ceremonies will also be .

Commencement Photo-ops Across UCF

Graduating Knights are unable to take photos at the Acrisure Bounce House football stadium this semester due to ongoing construction.

Grad Walk

On Thursday,听July听30,听4:30-7 p.m. (doors close at 6 p.m.),听summer听graduates are invited to a photo-op 鈥� Grad Walk 鈥� within the Addition Financial Arena. This will be a first-come, first-served occasion for graduates and up to 10 of their well-wishers to take photos and videos on the ceremony stage.鈥疓raduates听are required to听register at听.

Commencement Schedule

Graduates and guests can review the below commencement ceremony schedule, listing colleges, ceremony听dates听and streaming links:

贵谤颈诲补测,听闯耻濒测听31

6听辫.尘.

College of Arts and Humanities

College of Community Innovation and Education

College of Graduate Studies

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Saturday,听Aug. 1

9 a.m.

Barry S. Miller听College of Business

College of Health Professions and Sciences

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

2:30听辫.尘.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

College of Optics and Photonics

College of Sciences

For more details and FAQs about听Summer听2026 commencement celebrations, visit听ucf.edu/graduation.

Commencement Speakers

Allen Johnson 鈥�81

Chief Venues Officer, City of Orlando Venues

Allen Johnson 鈥�81 has served as chief venues officer of Orlando Venues since 2004, overseeing the City of Orlando’s diverse portfolio of Kia Center, Camping World Stadium, Tinker Field, Leu Gardens and the Mennello Museum of American Art.

Johnson brings decades of venue management experience from leadership roles across Florida. Under Johnson’s leadership, Orlando Venues has evolved into a premier, globally recognized destination for sports, entertainment and culture, welcoming millions of guests each year while strengthening Central Florida’s reputation as a world-class destination.

A proud UCF graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, he has earned numerous honors, including the 2025 International Association of Venue Managers Foundation Legacy Award, the SPORTYS Executive of the Year Award and the Downtowner of the Year Award.

He remains active in the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), serving as past chairman and trustee of the foundation board, while also contributing to organizations that include the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, Florida Citrus Sports, Victim Service Center and the .

Tanya (Easterling) Hill 鈥�97

Market President for Central Florida, Florida Blue

Tanya Hill 鈥�97听is Florida Blue鈥檚 market president for Central Florida,听responsible for听regional business and community engagement in a 9-county region.

Throughout her more than 25-year career, she has worked with reputable brands including Chick-fil-A, Target and Walt Disney World to drive business results through strategic partnerships.

Hill is passionate about investing time in the community and has been involved with听numerous听community and civic organizations. She currently serves on the board of directors for the听African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, 4Roots Foundation, Orlando Economic听Partnership听and the Winter Park Health Foundation.

Hill holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in journalism from UCF.

Fred Kittinger 鈥�80

Former Senior Associate Vice President for Government and Community Relations, UCF

A native of central Florida, Fred Kittinger 鈥�80 recently retired as senior associate vice president for government and community relations at UCF, where he served for more than 22 years.

He worked alongside local and state leaders to help foster some 色花堂’s most transformative achievements, including the approval 色花堂鈥檚 College of Medicine, the creation of the world-class Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, the development 色花堂 Downtown, the expansion of the UCF Business Incubation Program and investments that enhanced the student experience and advanced regional impact.

Prior to his career at UCF, Kittinger served as chief of staff to Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood and previously as vice president of government relations for the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce. He began his career as a legislative aide to state Senator George Stuart of Orlando.

Reflecting his commitment to the community, Kittinger currently serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Central Florida (past chair), Central Florida Council for Scouting America and Legacy Pointe at UCF.

Kittinger graduated from UCF鈥檚 criminal justice program and earned his master’s degree in public administration from Florida State University.

The native Floridian听dreamed of working听in听one someday听and knew UCF 鈥斕齦ocated听next door to some of the world鈥檚 premiere theme parks with a solid pipeline to the industry 鈥� was her ticket to get there.

Never听mind that at the time of her enrollment to the听听in 2020, a global pandemic听had quite听literally closed the doors on the industry.

Nothing could derail her from her goal.

Today,听the听hospitality management alum is a senior technical coordinator at听听in Orlando, the division of听听that听designs, develops听and produces听immersive theme park attractions,听resorts听and experiences worldwide.

Making a听Bold Move

As a听junior in听high school,听Cortier got her first real glimpse of career options in hospitality when she听attended an industry-focused听summer camp that听Rosen College听hosted at听the听time.听As a senior,听she听focused her听AP听capstone project听on hydroponics in听the theme park industry. She听knew听the project听would听help her听make听connections, because听it听required听a professional mentor.

Cortier took the initiative to听reach out to听,听dean of听Rosen College, who at that time was听interim听chair听of the听college鈥檚听Department of Foodservice and Lodging Management.

Mejia appreciated Cortier鈥檚 interest in the industry and her courage in reaching out. She invited her for a campus tour and connected her to a local hydroponics expert. Cortier鈥檚 bold plan had worked.

鈥淚t is so rare to get a cold call from a high school student who, at such听a young age, was so certain she wanted to build a career in hospitality leadership. You just do not see that kind of passion every day,鈥� says Mejia, who continued to mentor Cortier throughout her time at UCF. 鈥淏ella continuously challenges and pushes herself past her comfort zone, which is why she is so successful and a model for the students who come after her. I am so proud of her.鈥�

Turning the Unexpected听Into听a听Winning Situation

Cortier鈥痗ontinued to demonstrate that dedication and initiative once she was a full-time student. She was part of a core group who鈥痑ttended鈥痭early every virtual鈥痬eet-and-greet鈥痺ith鈥痜aculty and staff that the Rosen College organized.

鈥淲hen the faculty and staff saw that I was showing up, and they understood the passion that I had to be there, they started inviting me to take part in different events,鈥� says Cortier, who was invited to be a student representative on the Dean鈥檚 Advisory Council, provide college tours for industry leaders and be part of a project team to enhance the student experience post-pandemic.

Meanwhile听she also听joined the Rosen College Leadership Council, became a tour guide with听UCF听Undergraduate听Admissions听and听joined the听student听chapter of the Future Theme Park Leaders Association.听Cortier听also joined听the听听as a member of听the drum line,听and听that鈥檚听where she met her fianc茅,听Erik听Solberg 鈥�24.

Forging a Path and Finding Her Place

When her marching band responsibilities ended in fall 2020, Cortier landed her first part-time job in a local theme park, SeaWorld Orlando. She discovered her love of working in rides and attractions and parlayed that into two summer internships focused on hospitality leadership development at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania and another job at Universal Orlando Resort.

鈥淚听loved听Universal听right away, and I knew听I wanted to ultimately end up there,鈥� Cortier says.

During her last semester of school, Cortier became an intern on the Universal Orlando Resort Operations Safety & Compliance team, and she has been with the company ever since.

In 2023, she made the move from a front-line job to a backstage role with Universal Creative after attending an internal career fair to explore opportunities.

鈥淚 always loved attractions so much,听and听I听didn鈥檛 think I鈥檇 ever want to leave,听but I made the jump to explore something new, and I鈥檓 so glad I did,鈥� says Cortier, who听supports听the听engineering and safety听team听at听Universal听Creative, which听helps bring new听experiences听to life.

Moving Forward,听Giving Back

Cortier听still values听networking, and she has听developed听a passion for helping others find their way.听She听is听involved with听IAAPA, a global听association for the attractions industry,听and serves听on听its听North American Education Committee and听as听chair of听its听Young Professionals听Education听Task听Force.

鈥淩osen College gave me a foundation in hospitality, leadership, operations, teamwork and creating meaningful guest experiences.鈥�
鈥� Bella Cortier

鈥淩osen College听gave me a foundation in hospitality, leadership, operations, teamwork and creating meaningful guest experiences,鈥� Cortier says.听鈥淲hen I get calls听to come back and speak or be part of an event听at Rosen College, I always say yes.听I had people feed into me, and听that鈥檚听my way of giving back 鈥� sharing my experience and talking to students who听are finding听their path.鈥�

Cortier shared her story at the announcement听of听the鈥�, a first-of-its-kind addition to the No. 1 hospitality college in the nation, backed by a $10 million investment from Universal Destinations and Experiences.

This new Pegasus Partnership听is part 色花堂鈥檚听听campaign, a bold mission for the future of the university.