How President Hitt Built a Legacy
Summer 2018 | By Nicole Dudenhoefer 麻豆精品 S�17 and Gene Kruckemyer 麻豆精品 S�73
March 1, 1992
John C. Hitt becomes the fourth president of UCF.
Enrollment: 20,302
1993
The National Center for Simulation forms with headquarters in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Research Park.
Today: It is a $6 billion modeling and simulation hub.
1995
UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 favorite tradition, Spirit Splash, happens by accident when student body president Miguel Torregrosa 麻豆精品 S�94 is thrown into the Reflecting Pond.
Today: Considered one of the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 best campus traditions
麻豆精品 S淪imply stated, I believe Walt Disney and John Hitt have done more to transform Central Florida into a vibrant, dynamic place than any [other] two people. 麻豆精品 S�Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida
1996
The football team joins Division I-A.
Today: In January, the Knights defeated Auburn to win the Peach Bowl and end with a perfect 13-0 national championship season.
1998
On behalf of UCF, Hitt accepts the John Young Spotlight Award for outstanding achievement in bringing positive national and international attention to the community.
麻豆精品 S淚 can truly say that I don 麻豆精品 S檛 think there are too many university presidents in this country that have had as much effect on their university and their community as Dr. Hitt has in the past 26 years. 麻豆精品 S�Buddy Dyer, mayor of Orlando
2004
The Rosen College of Hospitality Management opens its doors.
Today: No. 2 hospitality and hotel management program in the world (CEOWORLD Magazine)
2005
y holds its first classes at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Center for Emerging Media in downtown Orlando.
Today: No. 3 video game graduate school in the world (The Princeton Review and PC Gamer)
2005
For the first time, UCF receives $100 million in research funding.
Today: UCF has received more than $1 billion in research funding in the past decade.
“I think that what you all have there in Central Florida is the emergence of a fantastic world-class university that is very different from UF and FSU. John was the person that was able to pull that off. In a sense, he 麻豆精品 S檚 building the modern 21st-century model. 麻豆精品 S�Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University
2006
launches. It becomes a national model of guaranteed admission to a four-year university after earning an associate degree from a partner college.
Today: More than 45,000 students have graduated with a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree from UCF as a result.
2006
The College of Medicine is established.
Today: 98 percent residency match rate for graduates, which is higher than the national average of 94 percent
2006 & 2007
Orlando magazine names Hitt as No. 1 on its list of 麻豆精品 S�50 Most Powerful People 麻豆精品 S� in Central Florida. He has made the list every year since.
麻豆精品 S淒r. Hitt 麻豆精品 S檚 pride and happiness at that 10th anniversary celebration for the National Entrepreneur Center really sums up what he has devoted his UCF presidency to 麻豆精品 S� the creation of strategic partnerships, investment in innovation and the launch of a national model for excellence. 麻豆精品 S�Teresa Jacobs, mayor of Orange County
2007
Bright House Networks Stadium (now Spectrum Stadium) and the CFE Arena open in the same month.
2008
The White House presents Hitt with the President 麻豆精品 S檚 Volunteer Service Award for his outstanding service to the community.
2009
The charter class of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 medical school receives four-year scholarships that cover tuition and living expenses 麻豆精品 S� the first award of its kind in the nation.
2013
UCF joins the American Athletic Conference.
Today: Student-athletes graduate at a higher rate than at any other public NCAA Division I school.
麻豆精品 S淥ur colleges and universities need to be bigger and better. UCF has been a pioneer in showing how that can be done. I hope other colleges and universities will learn from its success. 麻豆精品 S�Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft
2015
Washington Monthly names Hitt one of America 麻豆精品 S檚 10 Most Innovative College Presidents.
2015
U.S. News & World Report includes UCF among its list of Most Innovative Schools, along with Harvard, MIT and Stanford.
2016
The UCF Downtown campus, in partnership with Valencia College, is approved by the Florida Board of Governors.
It is scheduled to open in 2019.
2017
The UCF Lake Nona Medical Center is approved by the Florida Board of Governors.
June 30, 2018
Hitt will retire from the presidency.
Enrollment: 66,183
麻豆精品 S淥ne of his great contributions is that he 麻豆精品 S檚 lived his entire career looking for ways to have more impact on the people and the communities UCF serves. His model of impactful leadership has been really powerful. 麻豆精品 S�Sandy Shugart, president of Valencia College
