As a graduate researcher at UCF, Viviana Rivera 鶹Ʒ S23 鶹Ʒ S24ѳ helped create bionic arms for children needing prostheses, and she still remembers how patients lit up when they received their customized limbs.
鶹Ʒ SI watched my first patient evolve before my eyes from a shy girl to an outspoken, charismatic and funny individual, 鶹Ʒ S she says. 鶹Ʒ SThat was always who she was, but the prosthesis gave her more confidence to speak up and make her voice heard. It is something that I will cherish forever. 鶹Ʒ S
Rivera 鶹Ʒ Ss journey at UCF, marked by interdisciplinary research and partnerships, allowed her to expand her education beyond the classroom. On Aug. 4, she began her third UCF degree, donning a doctor 鶹Ʒ Ss white coat as part of the White Coat ceremony.
A 鶹Ʒ Sdouble Knight 鶹Ʒ S is a term used amongst those at UCF to describe students or alumni who have earned two degrees. The level of 鶹Ʒ Sknighthood 鶹Ʒ S increases as the student earns more degrees, and in Rivera 鶹Ʒ Ss case, she is working her way toward becoming a triple Knight.
Rivera earned her bachelor 鶹Ʒ Ss degree followed by her master 鶹Ʒ Ss in biomedical sciences while helping to design prosthetic arms through Limbitless Solutions, a UCF-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people through accessible technologies.
鶹Ʒ SWe 鶹Ʒ Sre so proud of all of Viviana 鶹Ʒ Ss successes and it 鶹Ʒ Ss been a real privilege to be part of her journey, 鶹Ʒ S says Limbitless Solutions Executive Director and Co-Founder Albert Manero 鶹Ʒ S12 鶹Ʒ S14MS 鶹Ʒ S16PhD, who honored Rivera 鶹Ʒ Ss milestone by sponsoring her white coat. 鶹Ʒ SToday we 鶹Ʒ Sre proud to stand with her as she prepares to take her next steps and is on her way to becoming a really incredible doctor. 鶹Ʒ S

As she becomes part of the 121 students in the Class of 2029, Rivera says her time with Limbitless 鶹Ʒ Swas life changing in every sense. 鶹Ʒ S She authored numerous publications, analyzed data from clinical trials and used airbrushes to customize arms for children.
鶹Ʒ SI am a strong believer that students can take charge in every academic institution to extract the most out of it and UCF has made that easy, 鶹Ʒ S Rivera says. 鶹Ʒ SUCF gave me the tools early on in my academic career to set me up with multiple connections that have made me a stronger applicant and person alike. 鶹Ʒ S
Manero says about 500 students have participated in Limbitless since the partnership began 11 years ago. Rivera is only the second to go on to medical school at UCF.
Manero says students who work at the organization develop empathy through their intimate and sensitive patient interactions.
鶹Ʒ SDemonstrating that care and compassion in every single instance is something that we really prioritize for all our team and seeing her take ownership of that as a graduate student and as staff has really helped move the whole program forward, 鶹Ʒ S he says. 鶹Ʒ SWe can see the huge impact it has had on our bionic families. 鶹Ʒ S
As she begins medical school, Rivera says she 鶹Ʒ Ss looking forward to continuing to accumulate knowledge, grow her compassion for others and practice gratitude for all those who have helped her on her journey.
鶹Ʒ SIn some ways, the white coat is not mine alone, 鶹Ʒ S she says. 鶹Ʒ SI never would have even believed that I could become a medical student without the massive support I 鶹Ʒ Sve had from everyone. Every time I put on the white coat, I will be reminded that it stands for something bigger than just me. 鶹Ʒ S