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.

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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.

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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 鲍颁贵 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�

UCF is the only institution in the state of Florida selected to address the U.S. Department of Education 麻豆精品 S檚 civil discourse priority as part of its Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education initiative.

The department from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). Following a record number of applicants, UCF was among the honorees with a four-year $3.4 million grant for our proposal 麻豆精品 S� Civil Interactions and Viewpoints for Interpersonal Competence (CIVIC): A Campuswide Model 麻豆精品 S� which seeks to protect and promote civil discourse on campuses.

麻豆精品 S淭he future demands graduates who can collaborate effectively, navigate complex conversations and lead with integrity within varied professional environments, even when they don 麻豆精品 S檛 always agree. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Andrea Guzm谩n, UCF vice president for access and community engagement

麻豆精品 S淭he future demands graduates who can collaborate effectively, navigate complex conversations and lead with integrity within varied professional environments, even when they don 麻豆精品 S檛 always agree, 麻豆精品 S� says Andrea Guzm谩n, UCF vice president for access and community engagement and CIVIC principal investigator. 麻豆精品 S淭his grant allows us to prepare students not just academically, but to be thoughtful citizens and professionals. By integrating civil discourse skills throughout curricular and co-curricular experiences, we are helping students develop the communication and critical thinking skills that employers, communities and our democracy depend on. 麻豆精品 S�

What is the Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)?

FIPSE is a discretionary grant initiative that supports innovative projects to address urgent national needs in postsecondary education. The funds awarded from this specific program competition empower institutions to develop and scale solutions that improve educational outcomes, strengthen institutional capacity and align education with workforce demands.

In November, the Department of Education announced four FY 2025 competition priorities focused on expanding innovative teaching and student success initiatives, promoting civil discourse on campuses, advancing accreditation reform, and building capacity for high 麻豆精品 S憅uality, workforce 麻豆精品 S慳ligned short 麻豆精品 S憈erm academic programs eligible for Workforce Pell Grants.

While UCF was Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 lone representative selected for the civil discourse priority, the state saw Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic University, and its Commission for Public Higher Education, Inc. earn grants in accreditation. Hillsborough Community College earned funding for AI.

What is civil discourse?

鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 defines civil discourse as constructive conversation or dialogue which intends to enhance understanding, be productive and requires taking responsibility for truly listening and talking about important local, national and global topics/issues.

麻豆精品 S淐ivil discourse is about understanding the other person 麻豆精品 S檚 viewpoint so you can come together to make thoughtful decisions in spite of having different viewpoints, 麻豆精品 S� Guzm谩n says.

Guzm谩n says she often hears students today are hesitant to share their own perspectives. She hopes that through this intentional framework, students will begin to feel more confident engaging civilly with those around them.

麻豆精品 S淲hether students are in the classroom or just having a conversation with a peer, we want them to have the skillset and emotional intelligence needed for constructive conversations, 麻豆精品 S� Guzm谩n says. 麻豆精品 S淭hey should still be able to walk away and respectfully say, 麻豆精品 S業 still don 麻豆精品 S檛 agree with you, but let 麻豆精品 S檚 go get a burger and fries afterward. 麻豆精品 S� Too often, we 麻豆精品 S檝e seen relationships fracture because the skill of civil discourse has been lost. 麻豆精品 S�

How will UCF use these funds?

鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 priority with this $3.4 million grant is to intentionally embed civil discourse and constructive communication skills into the everyday experience at the university through four main strategies.

Strategy 1: Faculty Learning Communities

The first strategy is geared toward . UCF Director of Civil Discourse and Engagement Haley Winston 麻豆精品 S�17贰诲顿 and a faculty fellow, yet to be named, will partner to create a curriculum to offer paid learning experiences via faculty learning communities each semester and a track at the Summer Faculty Development Institute. This curriculum will inform faculty on strategies and methodologies for building civil discourse opportunities into their classes. There are also plans to develop and implement civil discourse modules in new faculty orientation.

Eventually, 鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 course catalogue will recognize classes 麻豆精品 S� much like it does now with service-learning courses 麻豆精品 S� with a civil discourse designation.

Strategies 2 and 3: Student Orientation and Training

Two additional strategies are student-focused. One will collaborate with 鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 to include civil discourse modules at orientation.

麻豆精品 S淔rom the very start of a student 麻豆精品 S檚 journey at UCF, we set the expectation that we are an institution where people can express their views freely and constructively, in a respectful way, 麻豆精品 S� Guzm谩n says.

The other will partner with to offer civil discourse training for both student employee onboarding training as well as a supervisor-specific training via its , preparing students to carry on these skills into the workforce after graduation.

Strategy 4: Mini-grants for Learning Opportunities

The fourth strategy is geared toward expanding co-curricular opportunities through the UCF Ginsburg Center 麻豆精品 S� Office of Civil Discourse and Engagement. Mini-grants will be offered to units and colleges who want to offer learning opportunities within their department or classrooms.

麻豆精品 S淭his grant builds on work already underway at UCF and allows us to scale it intentionally. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S� Andrea Guzm谩n

麻豆精品 S淭his grant builds on work already underway at UCF and allows us to scale it intentionally. It also enables the development of a pilot program designed to be replicated across the state university system, 麻豆精品 S� Guzm谩n says. 麻豆精品 S淭he reason we are choosing to bolster programs like orientation and faculty learning communities are because these are existing infrastructures that almost every institution will have and can seamlessly incorporate. 麻豆精品 S�

What happens next?

The funding takes effect immediately. UCF will invite faculty applications for the faculty fellow position during the Spring 2026 semester, with the appointment beginning in August.

鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 will also organize an internal implementation team to confirm year-one priorities, which includes aligning timelines, refining deliverables and establishing the infrastructure needed to support the work.

麻豆精品 S淲ith every project we implement, we think about scale and long-term impact. The goal is always for meaningful, transformative work to live on beyond the grant, 麻豆精品 S� says Cyndia Morales Mu帽iz 麻豆精品 S�13EdD, senior director of grant initiatives and partnerships, and CIVIC project director.

In addition to Mu帽iz, Guzm谩n and Winston, the project includes activity coordinators Joel Cramer, interim vice provost for Faculty Excellence; Chanda Torres 麻豆精品 S�98 麻豆精品 S�00MA 麻豆精品 S�08EdD, assistant vice president of the Dixon Career Development Center; and Ryan Goodwin, assistant vice president for Strategic Initiatives.

In years three and four of the grant, UCF will develop and host two symposiums for Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 State University System institutions and state colleges to share implementation strategies and lessons learned, providing a model that can be replicated at their own campuses.

麻豆精品 S淭his is yet another example of UCF leading the way to best serve our students and faculty and we look forward to getting started, 麻豆精品 S� Mu帽iz says.

Note: 100% of 鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 Civil Interactions and Viewpoints for Interpersonal Competence (CIVIC): A Campuswide Model is being financed with this federal funding and 0% of the program is being financed with non-federal funding.

But thanks to loving friends and some adult role models, she came to learn that she is in charge of her future.

Life didn 麻豆精品 S檛 start easy for Murphy-Allison, who was born to a 16-year-old mom who had to overcome many struggles of her own. Her mother tried to break away from Murphy-Allison 麻豆精品 S檚 abusive stepfather when she was 8. Her mom was packing up the kids and her belongings when her stepfather unexpectedly returned home.

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Murphy-Allison 麻豆精品 S� the eldest child 麻豆精品 S� and her siblings were taken in by their maternal grandparents in Illinois. But less than two years after their adoption, Murphy-Allison 麻豆精品 S檚 grandfather died from lung cancer.

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Things began to turn around for Murphy-Allison with that conversation and when her grandmother announced that she and her grandchildren were moving to Florida to live together with family. It was a move that set Murphy-Allison on the path to success.

She also connected with a social worker whose therapy and compassion helped to turn her life around.

麻豆精品 S淐olleen [the social worker] would take my sister and me out for ice cream and just to see how things were going with us, 麻豆精品 S� Murphy-Allison said. 麻豆精品 S淪he made a very big impact on me and my siblings 麻豆精品 S� lives. 麻豆精品 S�

With a new school, new environment and, best of all, new friends, Murphy-Allison became more extroverted. 麻豆精品 S淧eople gravitated toward me, 麻豆精品 S� she says.

Her new friends inspired friendly competition: Who could get the best grades was a popular game.

She discovered dual-enrollment 麻豆精品 S� a free program where Murphy-Allison was able to earn college credit hours while completing her high school education. She became involved with student council and sports, and graduated from her Tampa-area high school with a weighted 5.8 GPA.

Murphy-Allison was accepted by all 12 colleges to which she applied, but it was not hard to decide on UCF, she says. She was invited to attend at the end of her senior high school year, for a six-week academic, on-campus intensive program for students like Murphy-Allison who show exceptional promise and ability, and who can also benefit from the opportunities that the Access program provides, such as mentoring and additional academic preparation before attending university classes in the fall.

In her time at UCF, Murphy-Allison has continued to focus on her academics; a current goal is keeping her GPA at a level that will qualify her for the Master 麻豆精品 S檚 in Social Work advanced standing program. That program allows successful students to obtain their master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in social work in just one year.

In August, she was surprised to learn she was selected as the first recipient of a new scholarship created by College of Health Professions and Sciences Dean Christopher Ingersoll.

She is also involved in 鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 John T. Washington Honor Society, an organization that focuses on scholarship, community service, networking and raising the standard of education for African American students.

In addition, Murphy-Allison works in .

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e had the pleasure of working with Amiyah since she started in our office as a first-year student, 麻豆精品 S� says Megan Case, nutrition and outreach coordinator. 麻豆精品 S淥f course, we are all impressed with her leadership skills, but she is also incredibly fun to work with and has a gift for putting people at ease. I 麻豆精品 S檓 not sure she realizes the positive impact she has on those around her. I feel fortunate to be one of those people. 麻豆精品 S�

She decided to major in social work to be a positive influence in other 麻豆精品 S檚 lives at times when they need it most. She wants to help them realize their destiny can be greater than what 麻豆精品 S檚 been laid out before them.

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