Why I’ll Always Be a Knight
Summer 2018 | By John C. Hitt
On my first visit to UCF, I knew this was a special place.
There 麻豆精品 S檚 something about the particular combination of being in聽Central Florida, the kind of students we attract and the people who choose to work here. There 麻豆精品 S檚 something, too, about the qualities we share that make us Knights.
When I think about our mascot,聽I think about how it could have gone another way. Sure, people talk about Vinnie the Vulture and the Citronaut, but those were never real contenders. Former president Charlie Millican assured me of that. But there was a fairly serious discussion early in my presidency about changing our mascot from the Knights to the Sharks.
You see the Knights everywhere now, but you didn 麻豆精品 S檛 back then. And if the idea of becoming the Sharks had attracted enough attention, we might have made the switch.
But we didn 麻豆精品 S檛. We are not Sharks. We are Knights. And I 麻豆精品 S檝e done a lot聽of thinking over the years about what that means, and why I 麻豆精品 S檓 proud to call myself one.
Knights look for opportunities to serve.
Our students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters are some of the most remarkable people you 麻豆精品 S檒l ever meet. From teaching to research to community service, Knights are changing lives here at home 麻豆精品 S� and around the world.
I think of Pulse and Hurricane聽Irma as examples of this. Knights聽were there helping in the immediate aftermath of the shooting at Pulse 麻豆精品 S� from our own police department to nurses and doctors 麻豆精品 S� and continued聽to help victims heal in the months that followed. After Hurricane Irma, so members could easily reach people who needed assistance. Knights were also emergency staff on call, they were neighbors helping neighbors, friends helping friends. I 麻豆精品 S檓 continually impressed by the UCF community, but never more so than when you 麻豆精品 S檙e willing to help during a moment of need.
Knights are hardworking.
Throughout our work, it 麻豆精品 S檚 as if each of us is asking, 麻豆精品 S淲hat is the right thing to do? And what do I need to do so that the next person can succeed in his or her job? 麻豆精品 S� There 麻豆精品 S檚 something about the qualities we all have in common 麻豆精品 S� working together to do what 麻豆精品 S檚 right 麻豆精品 S� that make us Knights.
Knights are courageous.
Courage means doing the right thing even when you 麻豆精品 S檙e scared. I remember attending a Board of Regents meeting many years ago, and Martha commented about how I had spoken out. She asked me, 麻豆精品 S淗ow was it you weren 麻豆精品 S檛 afraid to speak up in a tough situation? 麻豆精品 S� And I said, 麻豆精品 S淲hat do you mean, wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 afraid? I was scared to death! But I had to say it. 麻豆精品 S�
That 麻豆精品 S檚 the modern-day version of a knight: You do what has to be done, and you try to do what 麻豆精品 S檚 best for all.
I 麻豆精品 S檓 proud to have always tried to do the right thing for UCF, and as I move on from the presidency, I 麻豆精品 S檒l remain a part of the university. I 麻豆精品 S檒l have an office in Research Park and will be working to successfully close out our $500 million IGNITE聽campaign. My focus will be on raising funding for more faculty positions and support聽for our faculty members. Faculty are the lifeblood of great universities, and that 麻豆精品 S檚 especially true for UCF. With them, we increase our excellence in teaching, research and reputation.
When I arrived in Orlando, UCF聽was a place full of potential. It still聽is 麻豆精品 S� because our students, faculty,聽staff and alumni are full of potential. We turn big dreams into reality. We challenge what has been by pioneering what 麻豆精品 S檚 next. We know that if we put our minds to it, anything is possible.
And that 麻豆精品 S檚 why I will always be a Knight. No matter what.
Charge on!