UCF School of Visual Arts and Design students earned all four scholarships awarded at Creative South, a testament to the university 麻豆精品 S檚 growing reputation as a hub for emerging creative talent.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檝e built such a strong community that when one person succeeds, we all do, 麻豆精品 S� says Vanessa Mor谩n, a senior graphic design student and treasurer of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Graphic Design Student Association. 麻豆精品 S淭hat’s something Associate Professor Victor Davila 麻豆精品 S�97 麻豆精品 S�07MFA has always instilled in us. 麻豆精品 S�

For Brianna Rodriguez, a junior graphic design student who received a $1,000 grant, the scholarship is validation for where she 麻豆精品 S檚 heading.

麻豆精品 S淚t felt like a message that my work has potential, and that I need to start seeing it that way, 麻豆精品 S� she says.

Building Industry Connections

The students 麻豆精品 S� takeaways from Creative South went well beyond scholarship awards. Known for its welcoming environment, the conference gave students direct access to industry professionals, hands-on feedback, and real-world insight.

The access stood out to AJ Sibul, a senior graphic design student, who says Creative South made the industry feel more human.

麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 no separation between attendees and speakers, 麻豆精品 S� Sibul says. 麻豆精品 S淭hey emphasize people first, titles second. 麻豆精品 S�

From portfolio reviews to keynote presentations to late-night networking events, students built meaningful connections with working creatives, leading to mentorship, internships, and future job opportunities.

UCF emerging media alumnus Josh Alonso 麻豆精品 S�25 understands that firsthand. Alonso first attended Creative South as a student, where he earned a scholarship from Heyo, a design and development agency, which included a yearlong mentorship with a professional from the company.

That experience led to his current full-time role, demonstrating how connections made at Creative South can translate directly into opportunities.

麻豆精品 S淭hat mentorship really grew into a friendship, which led to a job offer later down the road, 麻豆精品 S� Alonso says. 麻豆精品 S淭hey helped me understand the importance of being someone people wanted to work with, rather than just having the best-looking portfolio. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淢y career essentially got its 麻豆精品 S榡umpstart 麻豆精品 S� from the people I met at Creative South. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Josh Alonso 麻豆精品 S�25

Alonso 麻豆精品 S檚 journey reflects what many UCF students are beginning to experience: real pathways into creative careers.

麻豆精品 S淢y career essentially got its 麻豆精品 S榡umpstart 麻豆精品 S� from the people I met at Creative South, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

As UCF continues to invest in the next generation of creatives, experiences like Creative South equip students with the connections and confidence needed to succeed in the industry after graduation.

UCF has made a name for itself globally in programming and cybersecurity thanks to student-run clubs that deliver championships year after year. They now have company in another area of technology 麻豆精品 S� robotics.

The Robotics Club of Central Florida (RCCF) witnessed two teams, Knightmare and Daydream, dominate with an impressive number of wins over this past academic year. The teams won a total of 83 head-to-head matches against more than 40 universities, and ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for individual robotic skills at the VEX University Robotics Competition (VURC) 2025-26, besting teams from Georgia Tech, Purdue and Texas A&M.

Kushal Patel, an aerospace engineering major and a member of the Knightmare team, says the secret to the teams 麻豆精品 S� success this year has been their experience and passion for competitive robotics.

麻豆精品 S淐ombined, the team has over 50 years of VEX robotics experience, with our most senior member competing since third grade, 麻豆精品 S� Patel says. 麻豆精品 S淲e don 麻豆精品 S檛 just participate in this project for bullet points on our resumes 麻豆精品 S� our team competes for the love of competition. 麻豆精品 S�

The team structure intentionally empowers all students to gain valuable experience during these robotics competitions. Daydream is a beginner friendly team focused on students without prior experience while Knightmare is suitable for more advanced students.

麻豆精品 S淯nlike other design teams, where new members typically participate in internal competitions, those who join Daydream are able to hit the ground running and compete against other schools right away, 麻豆精品 S� says Kapri O 麻豆精品 S橞rien, a mechanical engineering major and the project lead for RCCF. 麻豆精品 S淭his structure allowed for both project teams to naturally grow and strengthen, and created the unique opportunity for us to compete against each other for awards at times this season, leading to the fantastic achievement of both Knightmare and Daydream qualifying for this year 麻豆精品 S檚 world championship. 麻豆精品 S�

Both teams also participate in outreach events, volunteering at VEX competitions around the country. They also recently hosted the VEX IQ challenge for middle school and high school students on the UCF campus to great success. Patel also works for the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation, which logistically and operationally runs the VEX robotics competitions.

With Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 reputation as a leader in dynamic, high-tech fields, they envision the next phase of success and growth for their program in industry partnerships. UCF is known as one of the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 most innovative universities and is responsible for one out of every four of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 engineering and computer science graduates.

麻豆精品 S淥ur team provides a space for engineers to grow the skills you need outside of the classroom to be a skillful engineer in industry, 麻豆精品 S� O 麻豆精品 S橞rien says. 麻豆精品 S淪upport, whether it 麻豆精品 S檚 through financial or material donations, allows that space to survive. We regularly prototype with computer vision and machine learning algorithms, gaining hands-on experience with the technology that will power our future. 麻豆精品 S�

Industry partners or students who are interested in learning more about RCCF and its competition teams can email outreach@rccf.club.

As Preston Strenth prepares to cross the stage at commencement, he finds himself flashing back to the moment his journey to this milestone started in 2023 with the South Carolina National Guard.

Strenth was on deployment in Kuwait with his unit. Among his fellow infantrymen was 20-year-old Jayson Haven. Haven had been accepted to his dream school, the University of Michigan, and was fulfilling the final two months of his year-long assignment before shipping off to college. He was tragically killed in a non-combat vehicle rollover accident.

麻豆精品 S淚 think all of us who were on that deployment understood you 麻豆精品 S檙e here and somebody else isn 麻豆精品 S檛. What are you going to do with your life? 麻豆精品 S� Strenth says.

麻豆精品 S淚 think all of us who were on that deployment understood you 麻豆精品 S檙e here and somebody else isn 麻豆精品 S檛. What are you going to do with your life? 麻豆精品 S�

Seven months later, Strenth envisioned that life and voiced his goals to his wife, Kriselle. He proposed a two-year timeline to earn a college degree in computer science and start a new career path.

麻豆精品 S淚 feel like everything in my life now is all clicking together, 麻豆精品 S� says Strenth, who landed three job offers before graduating and is in the process of purchasing his first home. 麻豆精品 S淚 have achieved the American dream in a sense. 麻豆精品 S�

The Right Place

A Central Florida native, Strenth moved to South Carolina at 17 and joined the National Guard two years later. He extended his contract twice 麻豆精品 S� his current contract ends in 2027 麻豆精品 S� as he pursued a degree in criminal justice from the University of South Carolina.

He took advantage of the educational benefits the U.S. Army offers and obtained a certification in computer programming, which introduced him to coding software.

After that fateful deployment in Kuwait, he and his wife set their sights on Orlando and UCF, where Strenth knew of the university 麻豆精品 S檚 reputation as one of the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 top military friendly schools, its strength in computer science and our many industry partnerships.

麻豆精品 S淲ithout a doubt, coming to UCF is the best thing I ever did, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

His credits from the University of South Carolina transferred over to help keep him on track for his two-year timeline. He thrived, in part, because of his willingness to take advantage of the many resources offered through the .

His experience here also tested him in ways that led to great growth and confidence.

In his second semester, while taking Computer Science I, he was stuck on his first programming assignment. Every time he willed the coding to work, he was met with the same result: fail.

His frustration turned to tears as he voiced his doubts to his wife. What if he just screwed up his life? What if he couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 do this?

She encouraged him while leveling with him at the same time 麻豆精品 S� he wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 the first to attempt this class or this degree. If he wanted to be here, he was going to figure it out.

She was right.

麻豆精品 S淚 think that is kind of the point 麻豆精品 S� they will make you go to that line and ask yourself, 麻豆精品 S楧o you want to be here? 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Strenth says. 麻豆精品 S淏ecause it 麻豆精品 S檚 a program that can lead you to a financially stable future. I have offers that no one in my family has ever had in front of them before. But you 麻豆精品 S檝e got to work for them. 麻豆精品 S�

Opportunity Calls with BNY

He applied that same grindstone mentality to maximizing opportunities outside of the classroom 麻豆精品 S� all the while driving to South Carolina once a month to fulfill his National Guard duties.

麻豆精品 S淚 have offers that no one in my family has ever had in front of them before. 麻豆精品 S�

In Spring 2024, he attended a lunch and learn with BNY, which was organized by the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success. The leading global financial services company announced a formal partnership with UCF that establishes a co-located educational innovation hub on UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 main campus 麻豆精品 S� the first-of-its-kind in Florida.

Strenth turned the connection he made with the BNY recruiter into a summer internship as a software engineer and vowed to himself to secure a job offer.

He wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 deterred by the fact that many of his fellow interns had started programming as middle-schoolers while he, at 24, had just learned the basics a year prior.

He committed to being the first one in the door and one of the last to leave. He reached out to fellow veterans he found in an interdepartmental staff directory to seek advice about integrating into the company. He emailed a weekly recap to his supervisor that listed how his accomplishments that week aligned with BNY 麻豆精品 S檚 core values.

麻豆精品 S淚 was trying to showcase that I wanted to be here, and I wanted this job offer more than anything, 麻豆精品 S� Strenth says.

When the internship ended, he stayed connected, even as he lined up another software engineering internship with Hatalom Corporation, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business.

Strenth had three job offers lined up before graduation day with BNY, Hatalom and Northrop Grumman. BNY 麻豆精品 S檚 career growth potential, military leave policy and proximity to his home were too good to pass up.

麻豆精品 S淏NY has a future leaders program that I 麻豆精品 S檝e already expressed interest in even though I 麻豆精品 S檓 not eligible for another two years. But I 麻豆精品 S檓 already telling them, 麻豆精品 S楾his is something I want to do. How can I? 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� he says.

He draws upon that memory of his conversation with his wife from years ago 麻豆精品 S� in his story, he refers to it as 麻豆精品 S渢he gamble 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� as he sits here today, once again, betting on himself.

麻豆精品 S淣ow two years later, I 麻豆精品 S檓 like, 麻豆精品 S榃e won. We did it, 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淐elebrating this moment at graduation is a testament to the sacrifices that my wife has made, my family has made, and the countless other people who have supported me to get to this point. 麻豆精品 S�

A future nurse adjusts their cap, preparing to enter a hospital where the need for care continues to grow.

An engineer looks out into the crowd, knowing the next step leads into an industry building what 麻豆精品 S檚 next.

At UCF, these moments don 麻豆精品 S檛 happen one by one. They happen all at once 麻豆精品 S� thousands of stories, each with a different starting point, moving forward together.

Opportunity, Provided at Scale

At UCF, scale has always meant more than size.

It means access. It means opportunity. It means students who arrive with ambition and leave with proof.

More than 10,000 Knights make up the Spring Class of 2026.

Additionally, about 37% of bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree recipients are eligible for Pell Grants, and about 22% are the first in their families to earn a college degree 聽 麻豆精品 S� reflecting a university built to open doors and help students move through them.

This is scale with purpose.

Where Talent Meets Demand

UCF graduates move directly into high-demand fields 麻豆精品 S� from hospitals and schools to tech firms, startups and public agencies.

This is a workforce built not just in classrooms, but for real-world impact.

Each year, the university awards nearly 19,000 degrees 麻豆精品 S� more than any other institution in Florida 麻豆精品 S� including leading the state in bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degrees in engineering and nursing. These two fields are essential to sustaining Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 economic growth and meeting the needs of an expanding population.

Turning Studies Into Real Skills

Before they graduate, Knights are already building career-ready experience.

That same hands-on approach extends into high-impact research across fields from computer vision to biotechnology to pediatric prosthetics.

Career Prep From the Start

Support starts early, and it 麻豆精品 S檚 designed to carry students all the way through.

From day one, students connect with career counselors who help them build resumes, practice interviewing, find internships and connect with employers.

And when it 麻豆精品 S檚 time to take the next step, campus-wide career fairs open the door. They 麻豆精品 S檙e a gateway for students to explore a wide range of career paths, get real insight from industry professionals and stay ahead in a fast-moving job market.

Retaining Talent Across Florida

The impact of a UCF education doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 leave with its graduates. In many cases, it stays 麻豆精品 S� and grows.

But where graduates go next tells an even bigger story.In and around聽Orlando聽 麻豆精品 S� the No. 2 Best City to Start a Career in America (WalletHub) and one of the fastest-growing hubs for innovation 麻豆精品 S� that talent doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 just fill jobs.

It builds industries. It strengthens economies. It accelerates growth.

More Than a Milestone

Commencement is what everyone sees.

The walk. The tassel. The celebration.

But at UCF, it 麻豆精品 S檚 also something more.

Before students cross the stage, they 麻豆精品 S檝e already built experience. By the time they graduate, they 麻豆精品 S檙e aligned with real-world demand. After they leave, they power the industries shaping Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 future and beyond.

Each commencement adds thousands more to that momentum. Each graduate strengthens the pipeline.

And across the state 麻豆精品 S� and far beyond it 麻豆精品 S� you can already see what they 麻豆精品 S檙e building.

Under a high-stakes, simulated cyberattack and mounting pressure, the UCF Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition (C3) team proved it can defend, adapt and outperform 麻豆精品 S� earning first place at the 2026 Southeast Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC).

The team rose above nine competitors, including Tennessee Tech University, Clemson University, the University of South Florida and the University of Florida. With the win, UCF advances to the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, which will be held virtually next month.

Twelve students make up this year 麻豆精品 S檚 C3 team: sophomore information technology (IT) majors Gabriel Edwards and Maksim Shostak; junior IT majors Logan Autry, Anthony Donnelly, Joseph Durand, Adam Raczynski and Jonathan Styles; senior IT major Ardian Peach; sophomore computer science major Tyler Waddell; junior computer science major Benjamin Williams; cyber security and privacy master 麻豆精品 S檚 student Andy Pompura 麻豆精品 S�23; and senior prelaw major Noah Magill, who serves as team captain.

UCF’s Legacy of Cybersecurity Success

Their stellar performance marks UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 ninth first-place finish at the Southeast CCDC regional since 2013. UCF earned runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2025, along with first-place titles in special at-large CCDC regionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

“UCF has historically maintained high service availability levels while under attack by the red team.” 麻豆精品 S� Tom Nedorost 麻豆精品 S�02MS, senior instructor and C3 team coach

The team not only clinched the top spot but also swept all three categories, winning Best in Uptime Service, Best in Business and Best in Defense.

麻豆精品 S淯CF has historically maintained high service availability levels while under attack by the red team, 麻豆精品 S� says Tom Nedorost 麻豆精品 S�02MS, C3 team coach and senior instructor of computer science and IT. 麻豆精品 S淲e lived up to that expectation again this year, which resulted in winning the Best in Uptime Service award. 麻豆精品 S�

Nedorost adds that the team strengthened its ability to complete technical service requests while hardening systems against vulnerabilities to protect their network, key improvements that led to the two additional category wins.

Putting Cyber Defense Skills into Practice

At each competition, teams are tasked with defending a fictional company 麻豆精品 S檚 network against cyberattacks launched by red team members attempting to infiltrate it. All the while, competitors must maintain business operations and respond to customer service requests.

Each obstacle mimics real-world scenarios cybersecurity professionals face, allowing competitors to demonstrate their technical skills, business acumen and ability to collaborate.

It’s fun to go up against people [who, collectively,] would be a force to reckon with in the cyber world . 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Noah Magill, prelaw major and C3 team captain

Magill says the Southeast CCDC is among the most competitive, with red team members from leading companies such as Amazon Web Services and Cisco.

麻豆精品 S淎ll of them put together make up one of the scariest real-world life adversaries, 麻豆精品 S� Magill says. 麻豆精品 S淚t’s fun to go up against people [who, collectively,] would be a force to reckon with in the cyber world 麻豆精品 S� and a lot of [them] are [UCF] alumni. 麻豆精品 S�

Next Up: Nationals

As the team sets its sights on the national competition, the work is far from over. Magill says a few more 100-hour weeks are likely ahead.

麻豆精品 S淓veryone on the team is incredibly adept at what they do and world-class [in] their specialty, 麻豆精品 S� Magill says. 麻豆精品 S淟eading this team [and relying] on such amazing teammates with such a diverse amount of skills has been really awesome. 麻豆精品 S�

UCF civil engineering students sailed to the top of the Concrete Canoe Competition at this year 麻豆精品 S檚 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Southeast Student Symposium. UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 ASCE student chapter clinched first place, defeating a field of 13 teams that included Georgia Tech and the University of Florida, which has placed first for 13 of the past 14 years.

The victory qualifies UCF to compete at the ASCE Civil Engineering Student Championships in June in West Virginia where nearly 20 teams from North America will compete for the top crown.

麻豆精品 S淢any of the other schools were chanting 麻豆精品 S楿-C-F 麻豆精品 S� with us when we won because of how significant the moment was. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Edward Collazo Borges, UCF ASCE chapter president

麻豆精品 S淲inning first place in the Concrete Canoe Competition was exciting, but doing it in such a competitive region and against a program like UF 麻豆精品 S� which has such a strong history in the event 麻豆精品 S� made it even more meaningful, 麻豆精品 S� says Edward Collazo Borges, the president of the UCF ASCE chapter. 麻豆精品 S淔rom the outside, it may not seem like a lot, but this was huge 麻豆精品 S� not just for UCF, but for every school in our region. During the awards ceremony, many of the other schools were chanting 麻豆精品 S楿-C-F 麻豆精品 S� with us when we won because of how significant the moment was. 麻豆精品 S�

History of the Competition

ASCE is recognized as America 麻豆精品 S檚 oldest national engineering society and sponsors student chapters in all 50 states and internationally. UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 chapter was established in 1972 and is the largest engineering organization on campus.

ASCE 麻豆精品 S檚 Concrete Canoe Competition was first officially held in 1988, but the history of Concrete Canoe goes back to the 1960s, when a small number of ASCE Student Chapters began holding intramural concrete canoe races.

This elite competition 麻豆精品 S� known as The America 麻豆精品 S檚 Cup of Civil Engineering 麻豆精品 S� combines engineering excellence, hydrodynamic design and racing technique as students are tasked with building a canoe from concrete and racing it against their competitors. Students are judged on the final product, race performance, technical design paper and oral presentation.

A Breakthrough Year

Jacob Quinones, the UCF ASCE vice president and project manager for the Concrete Canoe Competition, says the team 麻豆精品 S檚 performance at this year 麻豆精品 S檚 Southeast competition was a result of steady progress from lessons learned during previous races.

麻豆精品 S淓xtra time was poured into every aspect of the project to maximize quality and performance, 麻豆精品 S� Quinones says. 麻豆精品 S淭his would not have been possible without the entire team 麻豆精品 S檚 passion and dedication. It was apparent that everyone involved wanted to be there and contribute their absolute best. 麻豆精品 S�

UCF ASCE took home a total of 12 awards from the symposium, including two additional first-place wins in the Concrete Cornhole and Temporary Traffic Control competitions. The group says they last won the concrete canoe competition in 1995.

In addition to the competitions, the symposium offers professional and personal development opportunities and networking.

麻豆精品 S淚 learned just how much it takes to manage a project through the different ways that it tests you and pushes you past your limits, 麻豆精品 S� Quinones says. 麻豆精品 S淚 feel that I grew as a leader and gained so much respect for those in similar positions across the entire industry. 麻豆精品 S�

For Borges, this victory represents a historic win for the university and sets an example for other ASCE student chapters.

麻豆精品 S淵ou always have the opportunity to achieve something great, 麻豆精品 S� Borges says. 麻豆精品 S淚 think this experience shows if you keep pushing, keep learning and keep striving to improve, you can surprise yourself with what is possible. 麻豆精品 S�

Our students are groundbreaking national and global scholarship winners, researchers, athletes, teaching assistants, residence assistants and leaders in campus organizations, including Student Government, LEAD Scholars and the President 麻豆精品 S檚 Leadership Council. The honorees include transfer students, those from first-generation and international backgrounds and members of the Burnett Honors College.

Aside from focusing on academics and campus causes, many of the student honorees volunteered at hospitals, schools, parks, food banks, shelters, clinics, youth clubs and with many community service organizations 麻豆精品 S� at times as organizers and coordinators for support drives and campaigns.

麻豆精品 S淲hen you look at this group, you see trajectory. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� John Buckwalter, UCF’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs

麻豆精品 S淭he students we recognize at our Founders 麻豆精品 S� Day Student Honors Celebration are extraordinary not just for what they 麻豆精品 S檝e achieved, but for how they 麻豆精品 S檝e shaped their time at UCF. They 麻豆精品 S檝e pursued opportunities, challenged themselves and lifted others along the way, 麻豆精品 S� says John Buckwalter, UCF’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. 麻豆精品 S淲hen you look at this group, you see trajectory 麻豆精品 S� students whose experiences here are opening doors in meaningful ways and changing the direction of their futures, the trajectories of their families and the communities they inhabit. 麻豆精品 S�

Student award categories highlight new inductees of the Order of Pegasus, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 highest student honor; graduate awards for outstanding master 麻豆精品 S檚 thesis and outstanding dissertation; undergraduate awards for honors thesis; and individual college awardees as chosen by the respective college deans. All honorees earned financial awards.

This year 麻豆精品 S檚 37 inductees into the Order of Pegasus mark the 25^th anniversary class of top-achieving Knights. The average GPA of the 2026 class is 3.912.

The campus community is invited to attend the Student Honors Celebration on Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Student Union 麻豆精品 S檚 Pegasus Ballroom. A brief reception will follow.

Here are the students to be recognized.

Order of Pegasus Inductees

• Fatima Alziyad, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Andy Ayup, College of Sciences
• Megan Bailey, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Stacie Becker 麻豆精品 S�23, College of Arts and Humanities
• Akash Hari Bharath 麻豆精品 S�25MS, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Swati Bhargava 麻豆精品 S�25MS, College of Optics and Photonics
• Sanjana Bhatt, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Griffon Binkowski 麻豆精品 S�24, College of Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Ossyris Bury, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Nico Chen, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Kyle Coutray, College of Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Allyson Crighton, College of Nursing and Burnett Honors College
• Nyauni Crowelle-Feggins, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Cameron Cummins, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Andrew 麻豆精品 S淒rew 麻豆精品 S� Hansen 麻豆精品 S�25, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Andrea Hernandez Gomez, College of Sciences
• Lindsey Hildebrand, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Ariana Johnson, College of Medicine
• Sanjan Kumar 麻豆精品 S�23, College of Medicine
• Kworweinski Lafontant, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Meera Lakshmanan, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Abrianna Lalle, College of Nursing
• Ilana Logvinov, College of Nursing
• Hannah Lovejoy, College of Business
• Taiel Lucile, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Robin Marquez, College of Sciences
• Shanel Moya Aguero, College of Community Innovation and Education and Burnett Honors College
• Gabrielle 麻豆精品 S淕abby 麻豆精品 S� Murison, College of Sciences
• Varun Nannuri, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Natalie Otero, College of Business and Burnett Honors College
• Om Pathak, College of Medicine, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Pritha Sarkar 麻豆精品 S�24, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Jacob Vierling, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Janapriya Vijayakumar, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Ornella Vintimilla, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Om Vishanagra, College of Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College

Undergraduate Student Awards

College Founders 麻豆精品 S� Award

• Liam Pivnichny, Burnett Honors College
• Antonella Bisbal Hernandez, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jordan Nell, College of Business
• Jude Hagan, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Ossyris Bury, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Timothy Horanic, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Sun Latt, College of Medicine
• Abrianna Lalle, College of Nursing
• Jacob Silver, College of Optics and Photonics
• Emily Willis, College of Sciences
• Fabian Rodriguez Gomez, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis

• Edwin Garcia 麻豆精品 S�25, College of Arts and Humanities, Outstanding Honors Thesis in Arts, Humanities and Creative Inquiry
• Eric Haseman 麻豆精品 S�25, College of Sciences, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Social Sciences
• Shreya Pawar 麻豆精品 S�25, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Natural Sciences
• Andrea Molero Perez 麻豆精品 S�25, College of Medicine, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Health Sciences
• Nicholas Rose 麻豆精品 S�25, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Outstanding Honors Thesis in Engineering and Technology

Graduate Student Awards

Outstanding Dissertation

• Jessica Moon 麻豆精品 S�25PhD, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Michael Pierro 麻豆精品 S�20 麻豆精品 S�23MS 麻豆精品 S�25PhD, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Following a competitive national search and rigorous interview process, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs John Buckwalter selected Colwell on March 13, citing his steady leadership during his nine-month tenure as interim dean.

麻豆精品 S淯nder his leadership, the college fostered an environment where students, faculty and staff can thrive, while strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding research and community impact, 麻豆精品 S� Buckwalter says.

As interim dean, and now as dean, Colwell oversees the university 麻豆精品 S檚 largest college, serving more than 16,000 students across a wide range of disciplines, including the physical, biological, social, behavioral and computational sciences. The College of Sciences plays a central role in advancing UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 research enterprise and preparing graduates to address complex global challenges through scientific discovery and innovation.

Colwell 麻豆精品 S檚 bold vision for the College of Sciences builds on UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 reputation as Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Technological University.

麻豆精品 S淲e have cutting-edge research ranging from human-machine communication and interaction to new materials for clean energy, as well as the societal and political aspects of space exploration, 麻豆精品 S� Colwell says. 麻豆精品 S淲e are uniquely positioned to prepare students for a rapidly evolving technological landscape and the economy of the 21st century. 麻豆精品 S�

Among his key focuses are improving student preparedness after graduation, ensuring students have the knowledge and skills to thrive in an increasingly competitive job market shaped by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a top priority to make sure our researchers understand the rapidly changing technological landscape so they can carry out transformative work. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Joshua Colwell, COS dean

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a top priority to make sure our researchers understand the rapidly changing technological landscape so they can carry out transformative work, 麻豆精品 S� Colwell says. 麻豆精品 S淲e also want to ensure our faculty have the support needed to deliver a world-class education. 麻豆精品 S�

Colwell emphasizes the importance of keeping key stakeholders informed and including them in decision-making when appropriate.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e found that transparency and strong communication among all parties go a long way toward building trust and commitment to a shared vision, 麻豆精品 S� Colwell says. 麻豆精品 S淚 want to make sure my team and I are available and actively engaging with faculty, students, staff and the community to discuss challenges, opportunities, and how to navigate them. 麻豆精品 S�

Colwell joined UCF as an assistant professor in the Department of Physics in 2006. He later served as chair of the Department of Physics and associate dean for research for the college. In these roles, he was instrumental in advancing academic planning, supporting research growth and leading initiatives that strengthen student success. His leadership contributed to expanding faculty capacity, modernizing instructional laboratories and enhancing research opportunities across the college 麻豆精品 S� experience that has shaped his approach as a leader.

麻豆精品 S淭he breadth of those experiences has given me valuable insight into the challenges our faculty and staff face and how administration at the college level can support their work, 麻豆精品 S� Colwell says. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e also taught both large and small classes and supervised undergraduate and graduate students, so I feel very connected to the UCF student experience. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e also taught both large and small classes and supervised undergraduate and graduate students, so I feel very connected to the UCF student experience. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Joshua Colwell, COS dean

Colwell says the multidisciplinary nature of the college 麻豆精品 S檚 work, which touches every part of the human experience, makes it an exciting place to be.

麻豆精品 S淔rom transforming energy production and human-computer interaction to shaping entertainment, managing information, and coexisting with our environment, our work is exciting, impactful, and innovative, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淎bove all, we are preparing our students to thrive and make a positive impact in the world. 麻豆精品 S�

Colwell earned his doctoral degree in astrophysical, planetary and atmospheric sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder and his bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in physics from Stetson University. In 2019, he was named a Pegasus Professor, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 highest faculty honor. His research on planetary rings, comets and the evolution of planetary systems has supported experiments flown on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. He also served as a co-investigator on Cassini 麻豆精品 S揌uygens and has worked closely with students on spaceflight experiments in collaboration with commercial partners such as Blue Origin.

Computer science students Brian Barak 麻豆精品 S�25, Thomas Meeks and Benjamin Prins competed as UCF Triangulate, one of the 52 university teams at the NAC who earned the chance to compete for a spot internationally from an original field of about 1,000 from the U.S. and Canada. UCF placed No. 5, earning the opportunity to head to Dubai in November to compete at the 50th annual ICPC World Finals.

The trio placed ahead of the Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Florida, the other two schools in the contest 麻豆精品 S檚 southeast region. They also beat Ivy League universities and colleges with notable computer science programs, including California Institute of Technology, Harvard University and Carnegie Mellon University.

麻豆精品 S淭he contest has grown from a few hundred students to almost 100,000 students. It 麻豆精品 S檚 getting harder and more challenging each year to outperform others, 麻豆精品 S� says UCF programming team faculty advisor Ali Orooji.聽 麻豆精品 S淲e are very proud of our students and coaches who put in the time and effort to do well in the contest. 麻豆精品 S�

ICPC student programmers are among the best in the world. At UCF, competitors are often recruited for their contest experience by companies such as Google and Microsoft, attracted by contestants 麻豆精品 S� proven ability to collaborate under pressure on advanced algorithms.

麻豆精品 S淭he training offered by [our computer programming teams’] coaches is exceptional, and our competitors 麻豆精品 S� commendable work ethic and skills continue to draw the attention of the tech industry to our college. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Michael Georgiopoulos, CECS dean

麻豆精品 S淥ur programming team continues to make us proud with their latest accomplishment, 麻豆精品 S� says College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean Michael Georgiopoulos. 麻豆精品 S淭hey are establishing a legacy of excellence in programming for UCF. The training offered by their coaches is exceptional, and our competitors 麻豆精品 S� commendable work ethic and skills continue to draw the attention of the tech industry to our college. 麻豆精品 S�

During the contest, the competitors have five hours to answer a series of logic problems that require developing algorithms to solve. The problems are based on real-world scenarios such as modeling air traffic flow, optimizing security for an art gallery, and tracking animals in a wildlife preserve. Teams of three collaborate on one computer to solve the most problems in the least amount of time.

Barak, Meeks and Prins solved nine out of the 13 problems, and were the first to solve problem K.

麻豆精品 S淚 think we had several advantages over other North America teams going into the contest that played a part in our team 麻豆精品 S檚 performance: a phenomenal support structure with the dedicated coaches, especially our team’s coach Glenn Martin 麻豆精品 S�92 麻豆精品 S�95MS 麻豆精品 S�12PhD; access to the programming team lab; and support from the rest of the team, 麻豆精品 S� Meeks says.

He adds that frequent and consistent twice-weekly practice and training on challenging problems from ICPC training camp sets and the Universal Cup, a nonprofit organization that provides resources for competitive programmers, also contributed to their success.

麻豆精品 S淪everal years of being on a team together helped us form a strong and efficient team dynamic, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

Hosted by UCF for the past six years, the NAC attracts a number of sponsors who recognize the contest as an opportunity to meet the next generation of talented programmers. This year 麻豆精品 S檚 contest sponsors included Jane Street, OpenAI, JetBrains, Jump Trading, Citadel, the National Security Agency, Hudson River Trading and Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honor Society.

UCF is the first medical school in Florida offering Spanish language certification through the national Physician Oral Language Observation 麻豆精品 S疢atrix exam.

The exam establishes the physician has demonstrated comprehension, vocabulary and pronunciation skills in Spanish to provide care to patients without an interpreter.

Three students have passed the exam already, four are awaiting results and 11 more are on the path to complete it. Two of the certified students recently found out on Match Day they are staying in Florida for their medical residency programs.

麻豆精品 S淭he exam represents a meaningful milestone because it validates that a student can provide safe, language-concordant care in clinical settings, 麻豆精品 S� says Analia Castiglioni, assistant dean and director of the Spanish language program.

Elevated Care for Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Patients

Data shows that communications problems are the most frequent root cause of serious patient safety events such as mismanagement of medications. Patients with limited English language proficiency face higher levels of such risk.

The College of Medicine offers Spanish as its language focus to meet the state 麻豆精品 S檚 healthcare needs. Florida ranks as one of the top four states in the country for in Spanish speakers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 22% of Floridians report speaking Spanish at home.

麻豆精品 S淲hen the care team and the patient share a common language, something important happens, 麻豆精品 S� Castiglioni says. 麻豆精品 S淭rust develops more quickly, patients share more complete information, and care becomes safer and more compassionate. 麻豆精品 S�

Not Your Average Spanish

Fourth-year medical student Rodolfo Rodriguez came to Florida from South America when he was young and spoke Spanish and English at home.聽While he is bilingual, he needed to learn medical Spanish to be a more effective physician.

麻豆精品 S淗ousehold Spanish is much more casual and you 麻豆精品 S檙e not using terms that are prevalent in the medical field, 麻豆精品 S� Rodriguez says. 麻豆精品 S淭here are also words that don 麻豆精品 S檛 directly translate the same, like 麻豆精品 S榮troke. 麻豆精品 S� In Spanish, you wouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 say 麻豆精品 S榮troke 麻豆精品 S� you 麻豆精品 S檇 say 麻豆精品 S榓ccidente cerebrovascular 麻豆精品 S� which literally means 麻豆精品 S榗erebrovascular accident. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S�

He wanted to specialize in rehabilitative medicine after聽witnessing聽his father recover from a motorcycle accident. Last week, he聽matched into聽the University of Miami 麻豆精品 S檚 physical medicine and rehabilitation program.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 overjoyed, and I know my dad is too, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淢any people here in Florida don’t speak English as a first language, so being able to use my medical Spanish to help these patients feel comfortable through the rehab process is something I know will make a difference. 麻豆精品 S�

The training is equally as valuable to non-native speakers like fourth-year M.D. candidate 麻豆精品 S疎lizabeth 麻豆精品 S疍urkin. She 麻豆精品 S痵ays 麻豆精品 S疷CF 麻豆精品 S檚 structured program helped strengthen the Spanish 麻豆精品 S痵kills she studied throughout her education, 麻豆精品 S痑nd she wants to continue 麻豆精品 S痓uilding her proficiency. She passed the national 麻豆精品 S痗ertification, 麻豆精品 S痑nd this summer will begin her 麻豆精品 S痭eurology 麻豆精品 S痳esidency in neurology at 麻豆精品 S疕ealthONE 麻豆精品 S痠n 麻豆精品 S疎nglewood, 麻豆精品 S疌O.

麻豆精品 S淏eing able to speak directly with 麻豆精品 S痭on-English speaking patients has 麻豆精品 S痓een a goal of mine for a long time, 麻豆精品 S� says Durkin, who used to translate doctor 麻豆精品 S檚 visits for her Russian-speaking grandparents. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檇 like to say I did this to honor my family and my grandparents. 麻豆精品 S�

Certification聽Program Details

Students聽are eligible to聽take the Medical Spanish electives in the summer before their second year of medical school, before they go into clerkships at hospitals and clinics, and/or in their fourth year.

In addition to formal Spanish language education, they practice obtaining patient histories and provide treatment plans in Spanish with standardized patients in the College of Medicine 麻豆精品 S檚 Clinical Skills and Simulation Center. Every patient encounter is taped and evaluated by Brenda Perez, who is a Certified Healthcare Interpreter in Spanish, the medical curriculum program manager at the College of Medicine and a casual Spanish interpreter at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Lake Nona.

The college hopes to expand the program to continue meeting the community 麻豆精品 S檚 needs.

麻豆精品 S淢y vision is for the program to continue growing, 麻豆精品 S� Castiglioni says. 麻豆精品 S淭hat means building strong partnerships with clinical sites that serve Spanish-speaking communities and creating opportunities for our students to rotate in those settings, where their language skills can directly enhance patient care. 麻豆精品 S�

College of Medicine students interested in learning more about the medical Spanish program may email commedspanish@ucf.edu.