麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 been a wild ride, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

Raised in Baltimore and educated in the Ivy League. Told in high school to settle rather than climb. Hired as associate vice president for enrollment services at a university he barely knew existed in 1999 and retiring from it 23 years later as the largest public university by student enrollment in the U.S. Chavis turns and proudly points out a football with a UCF logo on it.

麻豆精品 S淲ho would have thought? 麻豆精品 S� Chavis says. Then he answers his own question. 麻豆精品 S淓veryone needs someone in their life to believe in them. When that happens, it can inspire amazing results. 麻豆精品 S�

Former UCF President John C. Hitt and Vice President Tom Huddleston believed in Chavis when they hired him to manage the university 麻豆精品 S檚 enrollment, which in the late 1990s totaled 32,000 students. And Chavis believed in Hitt when he described his vision for a university that everyone in all 50 states would recognize, with a nationally ranked football program, a stadium on campus, a medical school, and twice as many students excelling in everything from hospitality to engineering to nursing.

But the believer who showed Chavis he could pursue anything he set his mind to was the person whose mere presence made him feel that he could accomplish anything: 麻豆精品 S淢y mom. 麻豆精品 S� Chavis starts a lot of thoughts with those two words. If it hadn 麻豆精品 S檛 been for the belief she had in her son at a most crucial time in high school, there 麻豆精品 S檚 no telling where the squiggly path of life would have taken him.

Chavis grew up as the oldest of four children in a close-knit family. His parents didn 麻豆精品 S檛 have the opportunity to attend college, but there was never any question that Gordon and his siblings would. Their futures became a nightly topic at the dinner table.

麻豆精品 S淏eing a first-generation college student wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 really a 麻豆精品 S榯hing 麻豆精品 S� back then, 麻豆精品 S� Chavis says. 麻豆精品 S淲e talked about going to college as if it were a foregone conclusion. I thought I might even go to medical school at some point. 麻豆精品 S�

In the fall of his senior year, Chavis went to meet his high-school counselor so they could discuss his plans after graduation. Chavis had done his research. He sat in the counselor 麻豆精品 S檚 office and said he planned to attend either Penn or Maryland. Then he awaited advice for his next steps.

麻豆精品 S淚 remember the counselor looked up at me and flat-out said, 麻豆精品 S榊ou won 麻豆精品 S檛 get into those schools. Be realistic. Look at local colleges. 麻豆精品 S� And that was it, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

Chavis left school that day with disappointment and embarrassment replacing the space that hours earlier had been occupied with confidence and self-worth. He avoided everyone except one person.

麻豆精品 S淢y mom, 麻豆精品 S� Chavis says, 麻豆精品 S渢old me there will always be people in life who will not be supportive of your goals. You need to move beyond those people and pursue what you want to do. 麻豆精品 S�

Chavis had an example in his own home. His dad, Gordon Chavis Sr., was one of the first five Black men to play on the Professional Golf Association (PGA) tour. There were far more doubters than believers in the early 1960s, but Gordon Sr. paid more attention to the latter 麻豆精品 S� most of whom were also Black golfers who had chosen a path known to be full of resistance.

麻豆精品 S淓veryone needs a motivator to help imagine what the future could hold, 麻豆精品 S� Chavis says. 麻豆精品 S淚 can point back to my experiences with the counselor and my mom as the reasons I got into enrollment management. I didn 麻豆精品 S檛 want anyone else to go through that. 麻豆精品 S�

With the lift from his parents, Chavis received acceptance letters from Penn and Maryland. He chose Penn. After graduating from there, he earned his J.D. from Georgetown. At both schools he worked in the admissions departments, learning about data and details, but mostly providing a source of encouragement as he traveled the country to meet high school counselors, students and their families.

Then, in 1999 he heard from a colleague that a position had opened at UCF. Chavis wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 exactly sure where UCF was located on the map.

麻豆精品 S淚 had no idea what the institution was all about, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淪o, I did some research and it looked as if they had some interesting strategies for growth. 麻豆精品 S�

He met with Hitt and Huddleston and liked what he heard about building a brand, earning a reputation for excellence, creating partnerships, and opening pathways into communities where high school students might simply need a glimpse of what could be possible.

麻豆精品 S淚 often say we had to be a scrappy institution. We aren 麻豆精品 S檛 tied to traditional ways of doing things, so we 麻豆精品 S檝e had the freedom to try new ideas and set high goals. Back in 1999 UCF was number four or five in the state pecking order for kids looking at colleges. We set out to be the number-one destination. I 麻豆精品 S檓 sure the people on our team were the only ones who believed it could happen. 麻豆精品 S�

For a gauge, the enrollment staff used the colleges chosen by high schoolers on their SAT and ACT tests. By 2007-08, UCF had already risen to number-one among Florida colleges and universities. Fall 2021 marked the one of the most accomplished incoming freshman classes in the university 麻豆精品 S檚 history with a class average GPA of 4.22 and SAT and ACT scores of 1323 and 28.6 respectively.聽Students of color made up 46% of Fall 2021 first-year students.

麻豆精品 S淚 had no idea we 麻豆精品 S檇 get there so quickly, 麻豆精品 S� Chavis says. 麻豆精品 S淎nd we 麻豆精品 S檙e still there, 14 years later. 麻豆精品 S�

The sheer numbers tell us that enrollment has more than doubled to more than 70,000 in Chavis 麻豆精品 S� 23 years at UCF. But more important is a culture among a student development and enrollment staff that 麻豆精品 S檚 now 690 strong to never lose sight of this: every prospective student needs to feel important.

麻豆精品 S淲e have an 80-20 rule, 麻豆精品 S� Chavis says. 麻豆精品 S淲hen a question comes up from a family that 麻豆精品 S檚 considering UCF, 80%of our response should be direct information. But the other 20% is knowing what the family is really trying to ask. If they ask about the student-faculty ratio, we provide the facts. But what they 麻豆精品 S檙e really asking is, 麻豆精品 S榃hat will my child 麻豆精品 S檚 experience be like with the professors? 麻豆精品 S� We need to provide the personal encouragement they need. 麻豆精品 S�

He’s never forgotten what it meant for 18-year-old Gordon Chavis.

In addition to mom 麻豆精品 S檚 words of support, Chavis laughs when he remembers another piece of advice she gave: 麻豆精品 S淒on 麻豆精品 S檛 overstay your welcome. 麻豆精品 S�

Chavis has not overstayed, but he wants to do some traveling. In June, he 麻豆精品 S檒l pack up the pennant, the baseball, and the football from the school he knew so little about 23 years ago, and he 麻豆精品 S檒l find special places for them at home. Wherever he goes, he 麻豆精品 S檒l hear reminders of the amazing ride.

麻豆精品 S淟ast year I was playing golf in a remote area of New Hampshire. A caddie saw on my bag that I 麻豆精品 S檓 from Florida. Out of nowhere, he says, 麻豆精品 S業 麻豆精品 S檇 like to go to UCF someday. 麻豆精品 S� Stories like that give me so much joy. They make me proud of how far we 麻豆精品 S檝e come just by believing in each other. 麻豆精品 S�

The $999,994 grant 麻豆精品 S� STEM TRansfer Students Opportunity for Nurtured Growth, or STRONG for short 麻豆精品 S� was awarded to the Office of Research & Commercialization to run from next month to February 2023.

More than half of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 new undergraduates are transfer students. The recipients of the new scholarships must demonstrate academic potential or ability, and demonstrate a financial need. Project STRONG will support about 30 scholarships per year in the disciplines of engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, statistics, chemistry and biology.

麻豆精品 S淪tudents entering the university in STEM programs will receive the support needed to feel at home in their fields of study, at a time when they are 90 percent more likely to leave STEM than at any other time, 麻豆精品 S� according to the program overview. 麻豆精品 S淭alented, low-income students, of whom one out of three would otherwise leave STEM within six years, will develop interest and proficiency in STEM disciplines through opportunities provided by the program. 麻豆精品 S�

UCF will provide one-on-one faculty-student mentoring, regular discipline-specific seminars, research lab internship opportunities, financial-literacy counseling and other services. The overview also says the project for STEM transfers will be conducted as 麻豆精品 S渁 model to be tested, improved, and ready for dissemination nationwide. 麻豆精品 S�

The interdisciplinary project will be under the direction of Mubarak Shah, Trustee Chair Professor of computer science; Brian Moore, associate professor of mathematics; Malcolm B. Butler, professor of secondary education; Nazanin Rahnavar, associate professor of electric and computer engineering; and Gordon Chavis, associate vice president for enrollment services.

Faculty members can choose from a variety of ways to verify whether students are actively engaged, including tests, assignments, or active participation in an online discussion. Students are responsible for completing any academic activity that the instructor has developed for the course.聽 If students do not see an activity to complete then they should make sure to attend class because that instructor has likely chosen physical attendance as the form to verify that students are engaged in class.

Students who do not engage in the manner set by their professors will be at risk of losing their financial aid for that course.

This new process is the result of a federal policy that holds universities accountable for determining that students are engaged in their classes. Under the policy, universities are in jeopardy of losing federal financial aid, which they disburse to students who have failed to prove they are engaged.

麻豆精品 S淚n order to succeed in college, students have to show up and engage, 麻豆精品 S� said Gordon Chavis, associate vice president for enrollment services. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 common sense. It goes hand in hand with planning, studying and being successful academically. Now we have a process in place to make sure we 麻豆精品 S檙e tracking engagement and reaching students before they get penalized academically and financially. 麻豆精品 S�

Students who have questions about the required form of academic engagement for a particular course should ask their professors. 聽Students who have general questions about their financial aid should call the Office of Student Financial Assistance at 407-823-2827.

The new initiative, Top 10 Knights, was developed to recognize academic achievement in high school. Top 10 Knights also protects against budget uncertainty and potential legislative changes by providing Florida residents with guaranteed access to an affordable, quality college education.

The first class of Top 10 Knights will start at UCF in summer 2014.

麻豆精品 S淭his effort, among the few of its kind in the nation, rewards academic success, streamlines the university selection process and promises to attract more of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 best and brightest students to UCF, 麻豆精品 S� said UCF President John C. Hitt. 麻豆精品 S淭op 10 Knights is a winner for high-achieving students, for their families and for UCF. 麻豆精品 S�

Top 10 Knights will have an impact upon Florida high schoolers like Rosa Elena Alcantar, who ranks second out of 430 seniors in her class at Evans High School in Orange County. Alcantar, a would-be first-generation college student, is a native of Mexico who grew up in Orlando and hopes to one day go on to UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Medicine.

麻豆精品 S淢ost people say that what you do in high school doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 have the same rigor as college, 麻豆精品 S� said Alcantar. 麻豆精品 S淲hen I heard about Top 10 Knights, it shows that everything I 麻豆精品 S檝e done so far means something. I 麻豆精品 S檓 happy there 麻豆精品 S檚 an opportunity to be recognized for what I 麻豆精品 S檝e done in high school. 麻豆精品 S�

To become a Top 10 Knight, students must first apply for admission into UCF. To qualify for the program, applications must be completed by Dec. 31 of students 麻豆精品 S� senior years.

Students also must meet criteria such as a top 10 percent ranking in their high school class or a GPA of 3.9 or above if the high school does not rank; the completion of high-level math courses; and a minimum of 1010 (1500-3 score) on the SAT or 21 on the ACT.

UCF Undergraduate Admissions will determine which students qualify as Top 10 Knights, and students who meet the criteria will be notified by Feb. 15.

麻豆精品 S淎s admission into Florida universities becomes more competitive, we 麻豆精品 S檙e responding to the students and families seeking a quality education by making admission to UCF certain for the state 麻豆精品 S檚 top students, 麻豆精品 S� said Gordon Chavis, associate vice president for Undergraduate Admissions. 麻豆精品 S淭he Top 10 Knights are among the best students at UCF, and we 麻豆精品 S檙e excited to see what they will contribute here. 麻豆精品 S�

Top 10 Knights is UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 latest effort to expand college access and opportunity. More than 31,000 students have been admitted to UCF since 2006 through the DirectConnect partnership with regional state colleges, which helps students smoothly transition to UCF to complete their bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degrees.

California and Texas offer similar initiatives to their highest-achieving high schoolers, but Top 10 Knights is among the first of its kind in Florida.

UCF hopes to announce scholarship opportunities for Top 10 Knights in the near future. Earlier this semester, representatives from Undergraduate Admissions met with high school counselors from across the state to explain Top 10 Knights and provide guidance on acceptance into UCF.

The first is that our modern, beautiful campus 麻豆精品 S渁lready feels like home. 麻豆精品 S� The second is that UCF offers a personal touch to students more commonly found in much smaller institutions 麻豆精品 S� even though we are the second-largest university in the nation.

The third topic that students and families talk about is the cost of a college education. When addressing cost, my answer is simple: Consider cost, but also focus on value.

When you focus on value, the benefits of a college degree are clear: A college degree continues to be the most important investment you can make for a successful career and a brighter future.

From 2007 to 2012, during very tough employment times, people with baccalaureate degrees as a group experienced no net loss of jobs. Those who did not attend college, as a group, experienced a 10 percent decline in employment.

And a UCF degree, in particular, is an excellent investment that is affordable and valuable. For example, The Princeton Review, one of America 麻豆精品 S檚 best-known education services and test-preparation companies, has joined Kiplinger magazine in ranking a UCF education as one of the best academic buys in the nation.

Being a 麻豆精品 S渂est buy 麻豆精品 S� has helped 49 percent of our students graduate without any UCF educational debt. Nationally, just 33 percent of students graduate debt-free.

And despite recent tuition increases across the state, Florida universities still have some of the least expensive tuition costs in the nation. The cost of an education at a Florida state university ranks 45th in the nation.聽 This means students have an opportunity to receive an outstanding education at one of the most affordable prices in the country.

Students and their families, however, know there is more to college costs than just tuition. Student fees fund important projects such as computer labs, academic services, recreational facilities and more.

These are services that students expect and also add value to their overall educational experiences. Further, UCF students play a key role in approving fees. Committees equally divided between students and employees annually review most fees, and students hold the tie-breaking vote in most committees.

At an affordable campus that 麻豆精品 S渁lready feels like home, 麻豆精品 S� UCF students learn to succeed in their studies, the workforce and in the community.

Dr. Gordon D. Chavis is the University of Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 associate vice president for Undergraduate Admissions, Student Financial Assistance and Student Outreach programs.

Dr. Gordon Chavis with UCF Admissions and Dr. Raymond Wang with Rosen College, presented information about the Hospitality Management and Restaurant & Foodservice Management degrees, and how educators could better inform student populations of these opportunities.聽 In addition to an overview of the educational component, the visit included a campus and apartment tour.

Rosen College was proud to share UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 degree opportunities with the LMP delegation in order to prepare students for academic success in the hospitality industry.