Harris Rosen Archives | University of Central Florida News Central Florida Research, Arts, Technology, Student Life and College News, Stories and More Mon, 22 Jun 2026 14:55:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 /wp-content/blogs.dir/20/files/2019/05/cropped-logo-150x150.png Harris Rosen Archives | University of Central Florida News 32 32 A Retirement Tribute to UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Online Learning Pioneer, Longest-Serving Faculty Member /news/a-retirement-tribute-to-ucfs-online-learning-pioneer-longest-serving-faculty-member/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:54:56 +0000 /news/?p=153827 After 56 years in the classroom, Pegasus Professor Chuck Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 impact is felt throughout campus and in the lives of his students.

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Chuck Dziuban came to UCF (then Florida Technological University) to teach statistics in 1970 at 29 years old, fresh off earning his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin. Over the course of 56 years, he wound up putting the university on the global map for a wide range of innovations.

At the threshold of retirement on June 30, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 first Pegasus Professor (honored in 2000) and original architect of online learning would rather talk about his ultimate inspiration.

麻豆精品 S淢y greatest reward is that so many of my former students stay in touch with me, 麻豆精品 S says Dziuban, an inaugural Online Learning Consortium (formerly Sloan Consortium) fellow.

麻豆精品 S淢y greatest reward is that so many of my former students stay in touch with me. 麻豆精品 S

Those students often showed up for Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 statistics and research design classes. Many of these students were daunted by the subjects only to find that the person teaching them listened intently, making himself, and the material, approachable.

This is Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 style 麻豆精品 S with students, colleagues, everyone. To effectively teach, he knows he must begin with the right questions. That curiosity-driven approach has guided UCF to be a leader in online education, including the UCF Online program which serves 9,000 students annually, for over 30 years 麻豆精品 S earning recognition among the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 best programs, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Here, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 longest serving faculty member is finally on the other side of the questions, sharing insightful reflection and parting wise words.

black and white photo of dark-haired mustached man with 1970s style classes, long sleeve button shirt, sitting at a desk surrounded by stacks of papers.
Chuck Dziuban in his early days at the university.

Humble Roots

麻豆精品 S淚 never set out to achieve any of this, 麻豆精品 S he says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut the smallest incidences can make significant impacts. 麻豆精品 S

Dziuban grew up near Utica, New York, where most boys graduated from high school and followed their fathers into the mills. Dziuban, avid about hunting and fishing, began to develop a routine that exists to this day: reading two books every week.

麻豆精品 S淭he truth is, I didn 麻豆精品 S檛 want to work in a mill, 麻豆精品 S he says. 麻豆精品 S淩eading led to college and college allowed me to reinvent myself. People had called me Charlie. I hated it. In college, I became Chuck. 麻豆精品 S

Chuck earned degrees, moved, taught, and discovered a connection with statistics and research. At the University of Wisconsin, a mentor, Chester Harris, changed his life.

麻豆精品 S淗e was terrifyingly smart, 麻豆精品 S Dziuban says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut he knew the importance of understanding students before expecting them to understand the subject. I still have a picture of Chester on my desk. It keeps me humble. 麻豆精品 S

Humility was among the factors that drew Dziuban to a new university in Orlando, where parking lots were dirt and a cardboard box housed the university 麻豆精品 S檚 entire computing output.

麻豆精品 S淚 saw FTU then, and UCF now, as a place where you had room to develop ideas. 麻豆精品 S

麻豆精品 S淚 saw FTU then, and UCF now, as a place where you had room to develop ideas, 麻豆精品 S he says. 麻豆精品 S淚t was like a Silicon Valley startup. You weren 麻豆精品 S檛 sure how it might go, but at least the vibe was positive. 麻豆精品 S

He developed one of his first ideas following a three-hour statistics lecture.

麻豆精品 S淢y students should have been in an emergency room after that lecture, 麻豆精品 S he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 realized they 麻豆精品 S檇 learn better by running data first and then coming back for an abbreviated lesson 麻豆精品 S similar to what we call a 麻豆精品 S榝lipped classroom. 麻豆精品 S Students said, 麻豆精品 S極h, I get it now. 麻豆精品 S 麻豆精品 S

Gray haired man in suit shakes hands with taller man with white hair on stage.
Former president John C. Hitt (left) charged Chuck Dziuban (right) to innovate and develop what is now UCF’s robust online learning programming.

Pioneering Digital Learning

Dziuban was called upon to use his expertise in and research design to develop a plethora of ideas that would attract international attention to UCF.

One of those early ideas led to a seismic shift that thousands of UCF and UCF Online students are still benefitting from today.

While developing what would become the Research Initiative for Teaching Effectiveness, Dziuban mentioned to the university 麻豆精品 S檚 fourth president, John C. Hitt, the concept of remote learning through the use of VHS tapes.

麻豆精品 S淗e told me to innovate, 麻豆精品 S Dziuban says, 麻豆精品 S渟o we used computers instead of tapes. Eventually, we had the most sophisticated online learning model in the country, and the walls of classrooms came down. 麻豆精品 S

This is why, the annual Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching, established in 2012, is bestowed to one UCF instructor who teaches an exemplary online or video course.

麻豆精品 S淟ike I said, I never planned any of this, 麻豆精品 S he says.

Two gray haired men in business suits stand shoulder to shoulder while shaking hands and smiling at camera
President Alexander N. Cartwright (left) congratulates Chuck Dziuban (right) at a faculty and staff celebration.

Staying True to 麻豆精品 S淒oing the Right Thing 麻豆精品 S

If you ever stepped near Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 office, you 麻豆精品 S檇 see a poster featuring a child with hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen 麻豆精品 S namesake of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management. Rosen used an adage that 麻豆精品 S檚 echoed in Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 mind since they began to break barriers to education in communities in need 31 years ago: 麻豆精品 S淒o the right thing. 麻豆精品 S

With this as his guide, Dziuban helped The Rosen Foundation institute a program to ensure free preschool and resources through high school. College and trade school would also be free. Instead of directing the program, they empowered people in Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 Tangelo Park and Parramore communities to lead it.

Gray haired man in turtleneck sweater poses with young girl in purple graduation cap and gown
Chuck Dziuban recognizes a pre-K graduate as part of his involvement with The Rosen Foundation.

They 麻豆精品 S檝e expanded that impact across Florida as well, and the results have been remarkable 麻豆精品 S including a recent $50,000 donation from the Harris Rosen Foundation to Gainesville for All in honor of Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 work transformative community initiatives.

麻豆精品 S淭he odds of earning a college education have gone from nine-to-one against to three-to-one in favor, 麻豆精品 S Dziuban says. 麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 immense talent in every community. We can 麻豆精品 S檛 let it go to waste. It 麻豆精品 S檚 why we start young and celebrate every success. 麻豆精品 S

At the end of this school year, he will be on stage for just such a celebration.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檒l have the honor of moving tassels from the right to the left on the graduation caps of pre-k students, 麻豆精品 S Dziuban says.

The man with six decades of achievements in higher education will stand back and enjoy a moment the 4- and 5-year-old kids can tell others about.

麻豆精品 S淚 can 麻豆精品 S檛 imagine anything more meaningful than that. 麻豆精品 S

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ucf-Charles_Dziuban-01- Chuck Dziuban in his early days at the university. ucf-chuck-dziuban-john-hitt Former president John C. Hitt (left) charged Chuck Dziuban (right) to innovate and develop what is now UCF's robust online learning programming. ucf-Chuck Dziuban-Alexander Cartwright President Alexander N. Cartwright (left) and Chuck Dziuban (right) ucf-Chuck Dziuban-prek grad Chuck Dziuban recognizes a Pre-K graduate.
Hotelier, Philanthropist Harris Rosen 麻豆精品 S楲eft an Incredible Mark 麻豆精品 S on UCF, Central Florida /news/hotelier-philanthropist-harris-rosen-left-an-incredible-mark-on-ucf-central-florida/ Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:30:24 +0000 /news/?p=144156 Rosen 麻豆精品 S who was in influential in Central Florida’s hospitality industry and whose generosity helped to create the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management 麻豆精品 S was known as one of the most generous, selfless and kind-hearted individuals in Florida.

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Harris Rosen, a leading hotelier and philanthropist who made an extraordinary impact giving back to UCF and Central Florida, died Monday morning.

In 2004, after Rosen donated time, resources and millions of dollars, the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management opened its doors, offering students an amazing opportunity to learn and work in the heart of the hospitality industry. The Rosen College, a strong pipeline of talent to the region 麻豆精品 S檚 and state 麻豆精品 S檚 tourism industry, is annually recognized as the best hospitality school in the nation.

Honored with multiple Lifetime Achievement awards 麻豆精品 S and an Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from UCF this summer 麻豆精品 S Rosen was known as one of the most generous, selfless, and kind-hearted individuals in Florida.

麻豆精品 S淗arris Rosen has been an outstanding friend to the University of Central Florida, and to Melinda and me, 麻豆精品 S says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. 麻豆精品 S淎nyone who spent time with Harris like we did got to witness his passion for doing the right thing and inspiring future generations to do this same.

“His generosity of spirit and extraordinary contributions to the hospitality and tourism management industry have left an incredible mark on our university, our region, and the thousands of students and alumni who have come through the Rosen College and are making their mark in the industry. 麻豆精品 S 麻豆精品 S Alexander N. Cartwright, UCF President

“Through his vision and dedication, Harris was instrumental in establishing the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, which became the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 leading hospitality program, while lifting countless lives through his philanthropy. As a charter member of the UCF Board of Trustees, he played a pivotal role in shaping our path as a leading metropolitan research university.

“His generosity of spirit and extraordinary contributions to the hospitality and tourism management industry have left an incredible mark on our university, our region, and the thousands of students and alumni who have come through the Rosen College and are making their mark in the industry. On behalf of all of us at UCF, we extend our deepest gratitude for his remarkable legacy. 麻豆精品 S

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 honorary degree, one of the highest honors the university can award, recognized Rosen’s lifetime of selflessness, achievement and dedication to giving back to the community.

In nominating Rosen, Rosen College Dean Cynthia Mejia acknowledged his extraordinary achievements in public service over the last 50 years.

麻豆精品 S淚 have learned from Mr. Rosen how modest beginnings can translate into hard work and how doing the right thing for his associates and company can transcend people 麻豆精品 S檚 lives, 麻豆精品 S she wrote in her nomination letter.

Rosen is known as one of Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 leading entrepreneurs. After developing the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Fort Wilderness resorts at Disney, Rosen purchased a 256-room Quality Inn on Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 International Drive. From that modest start, he grew Rosen Hotels & Resorts into one of the Southeast 麻豆精品 S檚 largest independent hotel chains, now celebrating its 50th anniversary with seven area hotels, multiple subsidiary businesses, and more than 4,000 employees. Today, the company boasts over 6,300 guest rooms and suites, more than 740,000 square feet of event space, and more than 30 unique dining options.

Rosen 麻豆精品 S檚 Tangelo Park Program, created in 1994, provides free preschool to children ages 2, 3, and 4 in this resource-limited community, in addition to full college scholarships once they graduate high school. As a result, the crime rate dropped, high school graduations soared to nearly 100%, and the program 麻豆精品 S檚 success led Rosen to start a similar program in another community in Orlando, Parramore. Together, more than 500 students have received college or vocational school scholarships to state schools, providing tuition, room and board and books.

After the passing of his youngest son, Adam, 26, to brain cancer in 2018, Rosen made a generous commitment to the University of Florida and the ReMission Alliance for an innovative laboratory center, now named the Adam Michael Rosen Neuro-Oncology Laboratories. This world-class collaborative facility creates an open environment in which doctors and experts can share equipment, labs and research results in hopes of ultimately providing better, faster patient care and someday finding a cure for cancer.

Mr. Rosen 麻豆精品 S檚 additional philanthropic efforts include founding the Jack and Lee Rosen Jewish Community Center in southwest Orlando; preventing the closure of what is now the Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center; and providing drinking water, housing, and other relief supplies to people in Haiti after multiple natural disasters.

麻豆精品 S淲hile I could write a book about his business success and how leaders all over Florida look to him as a beacon of light, it is the foundations, his generosity, and his selflessness which I would like to highlight, 麻豆精品 S Rosen Hotels & Resorts Vice President Frank Santos wrote in a letter supporting the honorary degree. 麻豆精品 S淨uite simply put, Mr. Rosen is a humble man who has positively impacted the lives of thousands of Floridians not for any other reason than, in his words, 麻豆精品 S榖ecause it is the right thing to do. 麻豆精品 S 麻豆精品 S

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14 Knights Named Among Orlando’s 50 Most Powerful People of 2021 /news/knights-named-among-orlandos-50-most-powerful-people-of-2021/ Wed, 06 Oct 2021 18:48:10 +0000 /news/?p=123398 Orlando Magazine’s list highlights prominent leaders in education, tourism, government, entertainment, sports, arts and business.

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Orlando Magazine selected 14 Knights to its 50 Most Powerful People of 2021 list announced Oct. 1.

Meet the alumni, leadership and faculty singled out in various industries.

Barbara Jenkins (left, courtesy of Robert Gonzalez, Orlando Magazine) and Alexander N. Cartwright (right).

Education

Barbara Jenkins 麻豆精品 S83 麻豆精品 S86MEd 麻豆精品 S96EdD
Superintendent, Orange County Public Schools

Degrees: Bachelor of Science in elementary education; Master of Educational Leadership; Doctorate of Educational Leadership

Alexander N. Cartwright

UCF president

Maria Triscari (left) and Harris Rosen (right)
Maria Triscari (left) and Harris Rosen (right, photos courtesy of Orlando Magazine)

Tourism and Transportation

President & COO, Rosen Hotels & Resorts

2019 UCF Honorary Alumni Award recipient, member of dean 麻豆精品 S檚 advisory board of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and a charter member of the UCF Board of Trustees

Maria Triscari 麻豆精品 S88

Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in journalism

Anna Eskamani and Carlos Guillermo Smith
Anna Eskamani (left) and Carlos Guillermo Smith (right; photos courtesy of Roberto Gonzalez, Orlando Magazine)

Politics and Government

Anna Eskamani 麻豆精品 S12 麻豆精品 S15MNM 麻豆精品 S15MPA
State Representative聽House District 47
Burnett Honors Scholar

Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies;听Master of Nonprofit Management; Master of Public Administration

Carlos Guillermo Smith 麻豆精品 S03
State Representative, House District 49

Degree: Bachelor of Science in marketing

Alex Martins and Jim Helsinger
Alex Martins (left) and Jim Helsinger (right, photo courtesy of Roberto Gonzalez, Orlando Magazine)

Entertainment, Sports and the Arts

CEO of the Orlando Magic
Chair of the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees

Degree: Master of Business Administration

Jim Helsinger
Artistic Director Orlando Shakes

UCF School of Performing Arts faculty

Terry Shaw 麻豆精品 S90MBA(upper left), Inez Long 麻豆精品 S98MBA (upper right), Pamela (Woodcock) Nabors 麻豆精品 S88 (bottom left) and Rasesh Thakkar 麻豆精品 S84 (bottom right; photos courtesy of Orlando Magazine)

Business

Terry Shaw 麻豆精品 S90MBA
President & CEO AdventHealth

Degree: Master of Business Administration

Rasesh Thakkar 麻豆精品 S84
Senior Managing Director Tavistock Group

Degree: Bachelor of Science in accounting

Inez Long 麻豆精品 S98MBA
President & CEO Black Business Investment Fund

Degree: Master of Business Administration

Pamela (Woodcock) Nabors 麻豆精品 S88
President & CEO, CareerSource Central Florida

Degree: Bachelor of Science in computer science

Jason and Sue Chin (left) and Eugenia Sefcik (right; photos courtesy of Orlando Magazine)

The Ones to Watch

Jason Chin 麻豆精品 S07 and Sue Chin
Good Salt Group (The Monroe, Seito Sushi, The Osprey, Reyes Mezcaleria)

Bachelor of Science in finance

Eugenia (Riddle) Sefcik 麻豆精品 S79
Orlando Land Trust trustee

Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice

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jenkins-cartwright Barbara Jenkins (left, courtesy of Robert Gonzalez, Orlando Magazine) and Alexander N. Cartwright (right). rosen-Triscari- Maria Triscari (left) and Harris Rosen (right, photos courtesy of Orlando Magazine) eskamani-gs Anna Eskamani (left) and Carlos Guillermo Smith (right; photos courtesy of Roberto Gonzalez, Orlando Magazine) martins-Helsinger Alex Martins (left) and Jim Helsinger (right, photo courtesy of Roberto Gonzalez, Orlando Magazine) ucf-business-leaders ucf-up-and-coming
New Award Recognizes Collective Excellence at Founders 麻豆精品 S Day /news/new-award-honors-collective-excellence-presented-founders-day/ Thu, 06 Apr 2017 14:42:40 +0000 /news/?p=76952 A new award honoring a UCF team that has strengthened the university 麻豆精品 S檚 impact was presented Wednesday to Chuck Dziuban and Marcella Bush from the Research Initiative of Teaching Effectiveness for their work with the Tangelo Park Project in Orlando.

Dziuban, director of the initiative, and Bush, editor/research associate, were presented the Collective Excellence Award and $15,000 to expand and increase their work. The inaugural presentation of the award was made during the university 麻豆精品 S檚 annual Founders 麻豆精品 S Day Honors Convocation in the Student Union. Dziuban accepted the award for the team during the ceremonies.

Tangelo Park is a community just southeast of the International Drive tourist area. In the 1980s and 1990s, the urban community experienced low socioeconomic demographic conditions: drug problems, poor school attendance, declining test scores and high school dropout rates.

With the financial backing of Harris Rosen of Rosen Hotels and Resorts, the program has addressed the area 麻豆精品 S檚 educational, social and economic concerns with the collaborative support of several Tangelo Park community organizations. The community has become a model that assures childcare programs, parent-effectiveness training, and post-secondary education or training opportunities at no cost to the community.

For nearly 20 years, Dziuban and Bush have volunteered for the Tangelo Park Project as UCF liaisons, consultants and advisory board members, said Dale Whittaker, UCF provost and executive vice president.

麻豆精品 S淭heir work monitoring student progress revealed a 17 percent increase in graduation rates and 31 percent increase in college attendance. And they discovered that for every dollar invested in the program, society receives a $7 benefit, from increased education and reduced crime, 麻豆精品 S he said. 麻豆精品 S(They) have publicized the program 麻豆精品 S檚 success and encouraged its replication in underserved communities across the country. This includes a similar effort underway in the Parramore area, which ties now to the new downtown campus. 麻豆精品 S

Whittaker said the new award will recognize a team each year whose work exemplifies one of seven categories: powering partnerships, creating access, dreaming big, unleashing potential, harnessing scale, amplifying impact or transforming lives.
Other awards announced at the ceremony were:

  • The University Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching: Ann Gleig, College of Arts & Humanities
  • The University Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching: Charles Kelliher, College of Business
  • The University Award for Excellence in Research: Mubarak Shah, College of Engineering & Computer Science
  • The University Award for Excellence in Professional Academic Advising: Jessica Simmons, College of Nursing
  • The University Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Faculty Academic Advising: Adele Richardson, College of Arts & Humanities
  • The Award for Excellence in Librarianship: Jeanne Piascik
  • Excellence in Professional Service Awards 麻豆精品 S Damla Turgut, College of Engineering & Computer Science, and Linda Walters, College of Sciences
  • Faculty Senate Service Awards 麻豆精品 S Dr. Ahmad Elshennawy, College of Engineering & Computer Science, and Linda Walters, College of Sciences
  • All of the recipients can be seen .

     

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    Rosen Foundation Scholarship Helps Graduate Overcome Odds /news/rosen-foundation-scholarship-helps-graduate-overcome-odds/ Thu, 05 May 2016 15:06:50 +0000 /news/?p=72415 Kamillia Crawford was beating the odds of Tangelo Park 麻豆精品 S檚 student statistics, the ones that once pointed to high dropout rates and poor chances of graduation in the historically low-income community south of Orlando.

    In high school, Crawford knew she wanted to study law. She had good grades. And she had a family pushing her towards choosing a university.

    But how she would pay for college? That question stumped her.

    麻豆精品 S淚 always knew I had to go to college, 麻豆精品 S she said. 麻豆精品 S淏ut I would have had to take out loans, take on debt. I could not burden my family. 麻豆精品 S

    Crawford found the solution through the Tangelo Park Program, which is funded by hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen and, among other things, provides full college scholarships to students living in the neighborhood.

    Crawford on Friday becomes the 18th Rosen Foundation Scholar to graduate from UCF, another success story from a community that has blossomed with Rosen 麻豆精品 S檚 support. The Tangelo Park Program, founded in 1993, is credited with elevating the community 麻豆精品 S檚 early childhood education programs, decreasing crime, and changing the lives of a generation of students who 麻豆精品 S檝e gone on to graduate from college with the financial help of the scholarships.

    麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 such a good thing for the community, 麻豆精品 S Crawford said. 麻豆精品 S淧eople talk about it. It 麻豆精品 S檚 a big help. 麻豆精品 S

    Crawford had set her path to law school early. She was drawn to the words of a lawyer at an elementary school career day.

    麻豆精品 S淗e said they provide justice to people who feel wronged, 麻豆精品 S she said. 麻豆精品 S淚 knew I wanted to do that. I had a sense of justice. I wanted to help those people. I would tell that to my family. They knew from a young age that I wanted to be a lawyer. 麻豆精品 S

    After her parents divorced, Crawford, her mother and siblings moved to Tangelo Park from Tampa when she was a high school sophomore to live with her grandmother. In Tangelo Park, she attended Cypress Creek High School.

    Although money was tight, Crawford said she had a lot of support: Both of her parents have college degrees and encouraged her to work hard and go to college. And her school talked up the Rosen Scholarship, so she applied her senior year. She was accepted to UF, FAMU and other state universities. But when she visited UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 campus one Sunday, she felt at home.

    麻豆精品 S淥nce I saw the campus, I knew I wanted to be here, 麻豆精品 S she said during a break from her job as a UCF resident assistant. 麻豆精品 S淚 liked knowing I 麻豆精品 S檇 be close to my family. 麻豆精品 S

    Crawford has been busy at UCF. Fiercely driven to succeed, she graduates as a legal studies major with three minors: business, aerospace and leadership studies. She 麻豆精品 S檚 a resident assistant at the Libra Community. She 麻豆精品 S檚 in the ROTC and already has been accepted at the University of Florida law school. She 麻豆精品 S檚 a member of the LEAD Scholars Academy, The Burnett Honors College and the President 麻豆精品 S檚 Leadership Council.

    Earlier this month, she was awarded UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 highest student honor: the Order of Pegasus award. The award is given to graduating seniors and graduate students who demonstrate exemplary university and community involvement, leadership, academic achievement and service.

    Her family was there, cheering her on.

    麻豆精品 S淔or me, the (Rosen) scholarship gave me the ability to work hard, and to be able to join educational and professional organizations that I would not have otherwise been able to join, 麻豆精品 S she said. 麻豆精品 S淲ithout it, I would have had to have a job. I didn 麻豆精品 S檛 have to worry about how I was going to pay, not just for school, but my car and insurance. 麻豆精品 S

    The Rosen Foundation Scholarship, started when Rosen adopted the community more than 22 years ago, covers tuition, housing and books. Students have to graduate from high school, apply for other federal grants and scholarships, and remain in good academic standing at their respective colleges or vocational schools, among other requirements. Pooled together, the scholarship and other aid can cover all the student 麻豆精品 S檚 college-related expenses, including housing and meal plans.

    Since then, Rosen has become one of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 most notable benefactors. He helped found the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and thus far has invested more than $12 million in the Tangelo Park project. He also previously served on UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Board of Trustees.

    His philanthropy has changed the community, one child at a time. While 22 years ago fewer than half of the high school students graduated, now almost all finish high school and of those who go on to college, 77 percent graduate, according to the program 麻豆精品 S檚 statistics. Crime has dropped dramatically, and the lifetime earning potential of students has risen dramatically.

    Crawford plans to go to law school, but it 麻豆精品 S檚 deferred for now. She will commission in the fall as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and serve four years as a personnel officer. After that, she 麻豆精品 S檒l pursue her law degree, and hopes to serve as a judge advocate general in the Air Force. Eventually, she wants to do estate planning as a way to help others.

    麻豆精品 S淢y time at UCF taught me that your past situation doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 define you, 麻豆精品 S she said.

    To other students she offers this advice: 麻豆精品 S淕et out of your comfort zone. Don 麻豆精品 S檛 get complacent. This is a great place and a great opportunity. Take advantage of it, and use it to achieve your goals and do what you 麻豆精品 S檙e passionate about. Then, pay it forward. 麻豆精品 S

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    Orlando Magazine’s 2015 Most-Powerful List Includes UCF Leaders, Alumni /news/orlando-magazines-2015-most-powerful-list-includes-ucf-leaders-alumni/ /news/orlando-magazines-2015-most-powerful-list-includes-ucf-leaders-alumni/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2015 16:01:55 +0000 /news/?p=66935 Several University of Central Florida leaders and successful alumni were named this week to the Orlando magazine 2015 list of the 50 most powerful people in the region.

    The 12th annual list is made up of leaders in politics, business, education, sports, health, philanthropy and other fields.

    UCF President John C. Hitt earned the No. 4 ranking, following Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer; attorney, businessman and philanthropist John Morgan; and Lars Houman, president and CEO of Florida Hospital and Florida Division Adventist Health System.

    Under Hitt, who has been president since 1992, UCF has become the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 second largest university with about 61,000 students. The magazine praised Hitt for leading the effort in October of breaking ground with industry and government partners on the Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center in Osceola County, a $270 million project to develop sensors for assorted electronic devices. Hitt also received the Historical Society of Central Florida’s 2015 John Young History Maker Award for lifetime achievements making a historic impact on the community.

    Others with UCF roles named to the list were:

  • No. 9 麻豆精品 S Harris Rosen, hotelier and philanthropist. The founder of Rosen Hotels & Resorts has seven hotels, and UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management was developed in part because he donated the initial $18 million in money and land for the campus that opened in 2004. Rosen is a former member of the UCF Board of Trustees.
  • No. 12 麻豆精品 S Alex Martins, CEO of the Orlando Magic. Martins sits on the UCF Board of Trustees and earned an MBA from UCF in 2001. He is a member of the College of Business Administration 麻豆精品 S檚 Hall of Fame and serves on the Dean 麻豆精品 S檚 Executive Council for the college.
  • No. 26 麻豆精品 S Marcos Marchena, managing shareholder, Marchena and Graham. Marchena, general counsel for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, is a member of the UCF Board of Trustees and chairman of the UCF Finance and Facilities Committee, working to maintain affordable tuition and fees for students. The university presented him with its 2013 Service to UCF Award.
  • No. 40 麻豆精品 S Dr. Deborah German, UCF vice president for medical affairs and founding dean of the College of Medicine. UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 medical school opened in Lake Nona in 2009 and enrollment has grown tenfold in the past six years. By 2016-17 it expects to be educating 480 physicians-in-training.
  • No. 43 麻豆精品 S Rich Maladecki, president/CEO, Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association. Maladecki is in his 18th year as head of the CFHLA, and is a UCF adjunct in business.
  • In addition to alumni Martins and Marchena (College of Sciences, UCF Class of 1982) several other UCF聽graduates are on the top-50 list:

  • No. 5 麻豆精品 S Barbara Jenkins, Education, 麻豆精品 S83,聽 麻豆精品 S86 and 麻豆精品 S96, Orange County School Superintendent.
  • No. 10 麻豆精品 S George A. Kalogridis, Sciences, 麻豆精品 S76, president of Walt Disney World Resort.
  • No. 15 麻豆精品 S Rasesh H. Thakkar, Business Administration, 麻豆精品 S84, senior managing director of Tavistock Group.
  • No. 44 麻豆精品 S Patty Sheehan, Art, 麻豆精品 S87, Orlando city commissioner.
  • No. 46 麻豆精品 S Dick J. Batchelor, Sciences, 麻豆精品 S71, business and political consultant, and advocate for children 麻豆精品 S檚 causes.
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    Magazine Names UCF Leaders, Alumni to Orlando’s Most-Powerful List /news/magazine-names-ucf-leaders-alumni-orlandos-powerful-list/ Fri, 27 Jun 2014 17:31:52 +0000 /news/?p=60062 Five University of Central Florida leaders and several alumni were named this week to Orlando magazine 麻豆精品 S檚 2014 list of the region 麻豆精品 S檚 50 most powerful people.

    The 11th annual list in the magazine 麻豆精品 S檚 July edition represents the region 麻豆精品 S檚 political leaders, educators, business owners, tourism officials and others who lead and inspire.

    UCF President John C. Hitt earned the No. 4 ranking. The top three names on the list are Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, attorney and businessman John Morgan, and Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.

    Hitt, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 president since 1992, leads the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 second-largest university with nearly 60,000 students. The magazine praised the development of high-tech and research areas at UCF, as well as the creation of the Blackstone LaunchPad to help students develop entrepreneurial ideas into successful businesses.

    Others with UCF roles who were named to the list are:

  • No. 6 麻豆精品 S Harris Rosen, hotelier and businessman. UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management was developed in large part because Rosen donated the initial $18 million in money and land to jump-start the campus that opened in 2004. Rosen also is a former member of the UCF Board of Trustees.
  • No. 7 麻豆精品 S Alex Martins, CEO of the Orlando Magic. Martins joined the UCF Board of Trustees in November. Martins earned an MBA from UCF in 2001. He is a member of the College of Business Administration 麻豆精品 S檚 Hall of Fame and serves on the Dean 麻豆精品 S檚 Executive Council for the college.
  • No. 25 麻豆精品 S Dr. Deborah German, UCF vice president for medical affairs and founding dean of the College of Medicine. UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 medical school opened in 2009 and graduated its second class this spring. Under German 麻豆精品 S檚 leadership, the college has begun a new internal medicine residency program in partnership with Orlando VA Medical Center and Osceola Regional Medical Center.
  • No. 30 麻豆精品 S Marcos Marchena, attorney, general counsel for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. Marchena is a member of the UCF Board of Trustees and the UCF Foundation, and the university awarded him with its 2013 Service to UCF Award.
  • No. 31 麻豆精品 S Jim Atchison, CEO and president of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Atchison also is a member of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Board of Trustees.
  • In addition to Martins, Marchena (College of Sciences, UCF Class of 1982) and Atchison (College of Business Administration, 麻豆精品 S92), there are five other UCF聽alumni on the top-50 list:

  • No. 8 麻豆精品 S George A. Kalogridis, Sciences, 麻豆精品 S76, president of Walt Disney World Resort.
  • No. 10 麻豆精品 S Barbara Jenkins, Education, 麻豆精品 S83,聽 ’86 and ’96, Orange County School Superintendent.
  • No. 20 麻豆精品 S Rasesh H. Thakkar, Business Administration, 麻豆精品 S84, senior managing director of Tavistock Group.
  • No. 43 麻豆精品 S Dick J. Batchelor, Sciences, 麻豆精品 S71, business and political consultant, and advocate for children 麻豆精品 S檚 causes.
  • No. 47 麻豆精品 S Patty Sheehan, Art, 麻豆精品 S87, Orlando city commissioner.
  • A聽separate list in the Orlando article includes 12 people to watch in the coming years, including these UCF graduates:

  • Chris Castro, Environmental Studies, 麻豆精品 S10, self-described 麻豆精品 S渆cowarrior 麻豆精品 S who also advises Orlando on improving energy efficiency.
  • Joe Kilsheimer, Communication and History, 麻豆精品 S79, longtime public relations consultant and new Apopka mayor.
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    Award-Winning Mentoring Program Celebrates Another Year of Success /news/award-winning-mentoring-program-celebrates-another-year-success/ Mon, 28 Apr 2014 18:05:05 +0000 /news/?p=58908 Rosen College’s Peer Outreach Mentoring Program (POMP) held its 2nd Annual Mentorship Ceremony on April 23 in partnership with the . This year’s mentors and mentees joined family and friends, Dean Abraham Pizam and hotelier Harris Rosen to recognize outstanding program participants and celebrate the past year’s accomplishments.

    Senior restaurant and foodservice management major Ryan Burke received the Mentee of the Year Award and senior Jacqueline Gonzales, a hospitality management and event management double major, received the Mentor of the Year Award. Gabrielle Mourino, ’11 was honored with the Alumni Mentor of the Year Award.

    麻豆精品 S淚 am extremely proud of this year 麻豆精品 S檚 POMPers as they continue to make more and more contributions to the program,” said Vanessa Cogswell, POMP director and Rosen College academic services coordinator. “For example, Leigh Andrzejewski and Mauricio Claros created our first poster, Chaz Tommasini and Katrina Godlewski helped develop our first brochure, and even the families of several POMP participants donated to the 2014 Mentorship Ceremony. The success of the program is attributed to their hard work and the investments they have each made to make it better. 麻豆精品 S

    The program,聽which helps at-risk, probationary and readmitted students improve their grades through peer mentorships, has earned high marks and garnered accolades for its success. It currently boasts a 96.72% overall success rate and a 98% overall retention rate.

    Rosen College would like to thank its partners for their generous contributions to POMP:

    • UCF Alumni Association
    • UCF Career Services
    • Adamson 麻豆精品 S檚 Orchids
    • Area 51 Graphics, LLC
    • Lydia Sedely, Chick-Fil-A
    • Rosen College Bookstore
    • Bradley Loomis
    • Julien Meyer
    • Jamie and Tammie Sykes
    • Barbara Thompson
    • Sheila Vargas
    • Katie Worthington
    • Jennifer Wright

    For more information about POMP, visit聽hospitality.ucf.edu/pomp. Students who wish to enroll in the program as a mentee or mentor should contact Vanessa.Cogswell@ucf.edu.

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    Orlando Sentinel 麻豆精品 S檚 Most-Powerful List Includes Several with UCF Ties /news/orlando-sentinels-powerful-list-includes-several-ucf-ties/ Fri, 03 Jan 2014 20:12:40 +0000 /news/?p=56460 UCF President John C. Hitt and several other community leaders with University of Central Florida connections were recognized this week in Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell 麻豆精品 S檚 list of the 25 most powerful people in Central Florida.

    Hitt placed No. 7 on Maxwell 麻豆精品 S檚 annual compilation, which includes names from government, business, health care, legal and other fields.

    Hitt has been president since 1992 and has built UCF into the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 second-largest university with nearly 60,000 students.聽

    麻豆精品 S淗e’s respected and visionary, 麻豆精品 S Maxwell said. 麻豆精品 S淩ight now, Hitt’s top challenges are keeping college affordable and dealing with a Legislature prone to cutting education. 麻豆精品 S

    Hitt also founded the Florida High-Tech Corridor Council and has been involved with numerous local and state organizations, including the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission Fundraising Campaign, Council of 100, Orange County Chairman’s Transportation Commission, and others. Former Gov. Jeb Bush once called Hitt and Walt Disney the two most transformative figures in Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 history.

    Others on the list with connections to the university are:

  • No. 3 麻豆精品 S Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, United States and France, and a former member of the UCF Board of Trustees. She moved to California last year.
  • No. 4 麻豆精品 S Alex Martins, president of the Orlando Magic and Crofton 麻豆精品 S檚 appointed replacement on the UCF Board of Trustees. Martins earned his MBA from UCF and is a member of the College of Business Administration’s Hall of Fame. Martins also served on the developmental board that formulated the DeVos Sport Business Management Program at UCF.
  • No. 6 麻豆精品 S Harris Rosen, president and chief operating officer of Rosen Hotels & Resorts. Rosen donated more than $18 million in cash, land and scholarships a decade ago to UCF to create the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, which has more than 3,000 students. He also is a former member of the UCF Board of Trustees
  • No. 19 麻豆精品 S Deborah German, UCF vice president for medical affairs and the founding dean of the College of Medicine.聽 Dr. German was appointed dean in 2006, oversaw construction of the 375,000-square-foot medical school, and has led the college to full accreditation. In addition, she oversees the medical education program and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences.
  • No. 20 麻豆精品 S Sherrie Sitarik, former CEO of Orlando Health, 聽holds a master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in Health Sciences from UCF and聽is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
  • To see the complete list, click .

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    UCF’s Rosen College to Offer Florida’s 1st Hospitality Management Ph.D. /news/ucfs-rosen-college-to-offer-floridas-1st-hospitality-management-ph-d/ Wed, 25 Jul 2012 16:55:42 +0000 /news/?p=39153 A new Ph.D. degree program in Hospitality Management will be offered at the University of Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management beginning this fall, becoming the first such program in Florida and one of just a handful in the nation.

    The new degree offered by the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 largest hospitality-management college will prepare students to teach, research and consult in the hospitality and tourism industry, and will replace the college 麻豆精品 S檚 previous doctoral track in Hospitality Education.

    麻豆精品 S淭his freestanding doctoral program strategically aligns with our purpose and objectives, and further solidifies UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College as a leader in hospitality management education, 麻豆精品 S said Abraham Pizam, dean of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College.

    The program will take an interdisciplinary approach to support research in hospitality and tourism. 麻豆精品 S淭he field of Hospitality Management is relatively new, and [Rosen College] is taking a unique leadership role in defining this emerging field at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, 麻豆精品 S according to the proposal to begin the program.

    The 58-hour curriculum will include 16 credit hours of core courses, 27 credit hours of specialization courses and 15 credit hours of dissertation.

    Paul Rompf, the college 麻豆精品 S檚 director of graduate studies, said the new curriculum will better align with other academic programs and have more variety in course selection. Students already enrolled in the Hospitality Education track have the option to continue with their existing curriculum or transfer into the new Hospitality Management program, he said. 聽Students will no longer be able to enroll in the Hospitality Education track.

    The University of Central Florida established its hospitality management program in 1983 within its College of Business. The program quickly experienced tremendous growth in enrollment, degrees and research to develop into one of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 12 colleges.

    Orlando hotelier Harris Rosen donated more than $18 million in cash, land, and scholarships to UCF to create the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, which opened its own satellite campus in 2004. The college has more than 3,000 students in its undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs.

    For more information about UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management and its degree programs, visit .

    About UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management

    Located in the heart of the tourism and hospitality industry, Orlando, the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida is dedicated to the values of professionalism, leadership and service. The mission of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College is to develop future generations of global hospitality and tourism leaders representing all industry segments in the hospitality capital of the world, through innovative academic programs, cutting edge research and strong industry and community partnerships.

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