Two decades ago, UCF opened an on-campus stadium that embodied the ambition of a spirited university and the belief of its fanbase. Today, the opening of the new Roth Tower marks the next chapter in that story, celebrating the rise of Knight Nation, UCF鈥檚 trajectory as the youngest institution in a Power Four conference and the momentum still ahead.

The Roth Tower project, made possible by a $90 million commitment of Tourist Development Tax revenues from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, represents a pivotal addition to the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village that strengthens Orange County as a premier destination for sports tourism and community engagement.

鈥淭he new Roth Tower would not be possible without Orange County鈥檚 $90 million investment, and we are deeply grateful to Mayor Demings and the Board of County Commissioners for their belief in UCF,鈥� says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淭hat investment, together with the commitment of our donors, fans and community, helped make this next chapter of the Bounce House possible. Today, we are delivering a community asset designed to bring people here, bring them back and create lasting value for Orange County.鈥�

Born to Bounce

Since its opening in 2007, Acrisure Bounce House has allowed UCF to showcase the momentum and trajectory of one of the country鈥檚 fastest-growing universities.

For years the idea of an on-campus stadium at UCF was a dream that many had said could never come true. UCF President John C. Hitt and several prominent UCF supporters, including the tower鈥檚 namesake, Jerry and Susan Roth, saw the vision of what an on-campus stadium could be. They believed the football program and a stadium could help elevate the university and its brand.

In the last 20 years of the Bounce House, UCF has captivated audiences on nationally televised primetime broadcasts; welcomed premiere college football shows 贰厂笔狈鈥檚 College GameDay and 贵翱齿鈥檚 Big Noon Kickoff; hosted conference championships that catapulted the Knights to New Year鈥檚 Six bowl games; and has become a not-to-be-missed atmosphere in college sports.

The new Roth Tower represents another important investment in our continued rise.

A Tower With a Story to Tell

Thoughtful planning went into the design elements and functionality of the new tower.

The new space allows more opportunities beyond game day to welcome alumni, partners and visitors for corporate meetings and retreats, weddings and events, and even rocket launch viewing opportunities of nearby Kennedy Space Center, whose Launch Complex 39A aligns with the stadium鈥檚 50-yard line.

Stronger media and broadcast spaces will help showcase UCF nationally and open possibilities for hosting other premiere sporting events and concerts. The strategic layout and structure will make operations and logistics safer, smarter and more efficient.

The tower also serves as an extension of 糖心logo入口鈥檚 mission to equip our students with the knowledge, skills and aptitudes that align with the workforce of the future, offering paid opportunities to gain industry experience in areas including facility and event management, game day operations, broadcasting and production, brand management and strategic communications.

The details are uniquely UCF, with nods to the university鈥檚 roots as America鈥檚 Space University and its location in one of the most desirable tourist destinations globally.

A new concept in luxury seating, the open-air, semi-private Sky Suites on the north and south wings of the tower鈥� take advantage of Orlando鈥檚 average of 233 sunny days per year. Floor-to-ceiling windows serve as the east and west walls of the central suite space on the third floor for optimal views of the field and athletic village.

The stadium鈥檚 art collection is growing with two custom murals that pay homage to the UCF story and the university鈥檚 relationship to Orange County designed by artist Harry Foreman 鈥�18, a graphic design and emerging media management graduate. These complement several installations around the concourse already that include Knightro, wings of Pegasus (the university鈥檚 official seal), UCF鈥檚 Big 12 ties and Orlando.

Building What鈥檚 Next

Roth Tower will create memorable experiences for visitors and reinforces UCF as another reason people choose to come to Orange County and come back.

While the tower is a huge step forward for UCF Athletics, it is not the finish line, says UCF Director of Athletics and Vice President Terry Mohajir, who has worked to implement facility enhancements throughout the village since he arrived in 2021.

鈥淥ur fans gave this stadium its identity 鈥� and kept the faith as UCF climbed from one level of collegiate athletics to the next,鈥� Mohajir says. 鈥淥ur responsibility now is to keep matching that belief, by giving our student-athletes every opportunity to succeed, competing for championships, delivering a Power Four-caliber experience and continuing to build the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village into one of the greatest destinations in college sports.鈥�

The UCF football team opens the 2026 season against Bethune-Cookman on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. Ticket information can be found at .

Worth noting among this graduating class:

• Roughly 30% of the undergraduate students receiving their degrees are the first in their families to earn their diploma.
• More than 25% of this term’s degrees are tied to STEM majors.
• About 30% of the undergraduate graduating class are Pell Grant recipients.

UCF is the leading producer of talent among Florida鈥檚 universities, awarding roughly 19,000 degrees annually to Knights who go on to work in high-demand industries. About 85% of our alumni stay in Florida because of the ample opportunity to thrive as part of our state鈥檚 workforce.

Graduates will hear from听three听esteemed speakers听鈥� all UCF graduates 鈥斕齱hose leadership and impact听have听benefited听our region:

• Psychology alum听Allen Johnson听鈥�81,听chief听venue听officer for听City听for听Orlando Venues
• Journalism alum Tanya (Easterling) Hill 鈥�97, market president for Central Florida for Florida Blue
• 颁谤颈尘颈苍补濒听箩耻蝉迟颈肠别听补濒耻尘听Fred Kittinger 鈥�80, UCF鈥檚 former听senior associate vice president for government and community relations

Commencement Festivities

Held in the Addition Financial Arena, summer commencement will take place over three ceremonies spanning Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1.

All guests, including children and infants,鈥痭eed a ticket for admission. All graduates who have filed an intent to graduate will receive five commencement ceremony tickets when they pick up their regalia packet.

Guests who do not have tickets may watch the鈥痩ive ceremony via a simulcast viewing鈥痠n the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center and the Student Union. Ceremonies will also be .

Commencement Photo-ops Across UCF

Graduating Knights are unable to take photos at the Acrisure Bounce House football stadium this semester due to ongoing construction.

Grad Walk

On Thursday,听July听30,听4:30-7 p.m. (doors close at 6 p.m.),听summer听graduates are invited to a photo-op 鈥� Grad Walk 鈥� within the Addition Financial Arena. This will be a first-come, first-served occasion for graduates and up to 10 of their well-wishers to take photos and videos on the ceremony stage.鈥疓raduates听are required to听register at听.

Commencement Schedule

Graduates and guests can review the below commencement ceremony schedule, listing colleges, ceremony听dates听and streaming links:

贵谤颈诲补测,听闯耻濒测听31

6听辫.尘.

College of Arts and Humanities

College of Community Innovation and Education

College of Graduate Studies

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Saturday,听Aug. 1

9 a.m.

Barry S. Miller听College of Business

College of Health Professions and Sciences

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

2:30听辫.尘.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

College of Optics and Photonics

College of Sciences

For more details and FAQs about听Summer听2026 commencement celebrations, visit听ucf.edu/graduation.

Commencement Speakers

Allen Johnson 鈥�81

Chief Venues Officer, City of Orlando Venues

Allen Johnson 鈥�81 has served as chief venues officer of Orlando Venues since 2004, overseeing the City of Orlando’s diverse portfolio of Kia Center, Camping World Stadium, Tinker Field, Leu Gardens and the Mennello Museum of American Art.

Johnson brings decades of venue management experience from leadership roles across Florida. Under Johnson’s leadership, Orlando Venues has evolved into a premier, globally recognized destination for sports, entertainment and culture, welcoming millions of guests each year while strengthening Central Florida’s reputation as a world-class destination.

A proud UCF graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, he has earned numerous honors, including the 2025 International Association of Venue Managers Foundation Legacy Award, the SPORTYS Executive of the Year Award and the Downtowner of the Year Award.

He remains active in the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), serving as past chairman and trustee of the foundation board, while also contributing to organizations that include the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, Florida Citrus Sports, Victim Service Center and the .

Tanya (Easterling) Hill 鈥�97

Market President for Central Florida, Florida Blue

Tanya Hill 鈥�97听is Florida Blue鈥檚 market president for Central Florida,听responsible for听regional business and community engagement in a 9-county region.

Throughout her more than 25-year career, she has worked with reputable brands including Chick-fil-A, Target and Walt Disney World to drive business results through strategic partnerships.

Hill is passionate about investing time in the community and has been involved with听numerous听community and civic organizations. She currently serves on the board of directors for the听African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, 4Roots Foundation, Orlando Economic听Partnership听and the Winter Park Health Foundation.

Hill holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in journalism from UCF.

Fred Kittinger 鈥�80

Former Senior Associate Vice President for Government and Community Relations, UCF

A native of central Florida, Fred Kittinger 鈥�80 recently retired as senior associate vice president for government and community relations at UCF, where he served for more than 22 years.

He worked alongside local and state leaders to help foster some of 糖心logo入口’s most transformative achievements, including the approval of 糖心logo入口鈥檚 College of Medicine, the creation of the world-class Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, the development of 糖心logo入口 Downtown, the expansion of the UCF Business Incubation Program and investments that enhanced the student experience and advanced regional impact.

Prior to his career at UCF, Kittinger served as chief of staff to Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood and previously as vice president of government relations for the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce. He began his career as a legislative aide to state Senator George Stuart of Orlando.

Reflecting his commitment to the community, Kittinger currently serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Central Florida (past chair), Central Florida Council for Scouting America and Legacy Pointe at UCF.

Kittinger graduated from UCF鈥檚 criminal justice program and earned his master’s degree in public administration from Florida State University.

UCF researchers are known worldwide for their innovative studies, groundbreaking discoveries and contributions to patented technologies that have impacted society and influenced other leaders in the field.

Two College of Engineering and Computer Science professors and a three-time UCF alum-turned-courtesy faculty appointee are now being recognized for their achievements that have advanced the quality of life for the state of Florida and the nation.

Professors Reza Abdolvand and Ni-bin Chang and Lockheed Martin Fellow Clara Rivero Baleine 鈥�01 鈥�03MS 鈥�05PhD have been named 2026 inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame (FIHF). This initiative celebrates pioneering inventors and empowers future problem-solvers and changemakers.

This initiative celebrates pioneering inventors and empowers future problem-solvers and changemakers.

This year, 10 inventors from Florida will be inducted during a formal ceremony in Tampa on Nov. 6. Since FIHF was founded in 2013, five faculty inventors from UCF have been recognized with the distinction.

鈥淚nduction into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame represents the ultimate validation of a lifelong commitment to translating academic research into industry practice,鈥� Chang says. 鈥淏eing inducted into the Hall of Fame, which includes over 90 inventors in different fields is also a testament to the thriving Florida innovation ecosystem and the power of continuous, groundbreaking discovery.鈥�

A Career in Environmental Innovation

Chang was selected for induction based on his groundbreaking invention of green sorption media (GSM) and sustainable water treatment technologies that improve water quality.

GSM is a cost-effective and sustainable type of filtration media that uses recycled byproducts and natural minerals to treat stormwater runoff, wastewater effluent, groundwater flow and agricultural discharge.

There are a variety of patented GSM blends that can filter heavy metals, pathogens and contaminants from water systems. This process not only restores aquatic ecosystems but halts the transmission of waterborne diseases, and eliminates cyanotoxins and 鈥渇orever chemicals鈥� from water that can harm both humans and animals.

鈥淩emoving these diverse contaminants from water matrices provides profound, cascading benefits for both human health and aquatic ecosystems,鈥� Chang says. 鈥淏y eliminating the risk pathways associated with both acute exposure and chronic bioaccumulation, these GSM-based treatment technologies support fundamental ecological balance and public well-being.鈥�

GSM blends are already used at more than 300 water treatment sites across the U.S.

The Inventor of Advanced Electronics

Abdolvand, the chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was named an inductee for his contributions to the field of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) 鈥� incredibly small devices that have mighty power. Specifically, he is the inventor of a class of microelectronics called Thin-Film Piezoelectric-on-Substrate (TPoS) devices, which improve the reliability and efficiency of a wide range of electronics, including cell phones.

鈥淏y improving the efficiency and reliability of the components that make up these systems, the impact, while often invisible to the end user, is very real,鈥� Abdolvand says. 鈥淏etter performance, lower power consumption, and more reliable devices are the kinds of improvements that quietly make everyday technology work better for everyone.鈥�

Abdolvand鈥檚 interest in innovation stems from his natural sense of curiosity. He says his tendency to connect the dots between seemingly unrelated events or systems has served him well throughout his career in research and academia.

鈥淭he moment it all clicked was during my Ph.D., when I was first given the opportunity to work on genuinely hard technical problems,鈥� Abdolvand says. 鈥淚 realized I could come up with solutions that simply did not exist yet. That realization was a turning point.鈥�

As his career progresses, Abdolvand hopes to leave behind a legacy that is less about devices and innovation and more about people. His passion for educating, inspiring and creating opportunities for students means more than the impacts of his inventions.

鈥淲hat excites me most is seeing students take the seed ideas developed at the university and carry them forward into their own companies, their own inventions, their own contributions to society,鈥� Abdolvand says. 鈥淭hat chain of innovation 鈥� from a research lab to a startup to a product that improves people’s lives 鈥� is what I find truly meaningful. If I can play even a small role in setting that chain in motion for as many students as possible, that is the legacy I would be interested to leave behind.鈥�

On the Cutting Edge of听Infrared听Materials and Optics

Driven by a desire to protect people and advance technologies that matter, Rivero Baleine joined Lockheed Martin, a UCF Pegasus Partner, in 2005 after completing three degrees in six years at UCF.

Rivero Baleine now serves as a Lockheed Martin fellow, contributing to cutting鈥慹dge innovation in infrared materials and optics.

Rivero-Baleine鈥檚 gradient refractive index optical materials and metamaterial coatings transformed infrared sensing systems for defense and advanced photonics applications.

鈥淚 am profoundly proud and deeply humbled to be welcomed into such an extraordinary community of inventors and innovators,鈥� Rivero-Baleine says. 鈥淲hat inspires me most is knowing that these听innovations will听become part of systems that protect service members, strengthen national security and expand the capabilities of the platforms we rely on. That sense of purpose continues to听drive听my work every day.鈥�

Rivero Baleine continues to maintain strong ties with UCF through a courtesy faculty appointment at CREOL and serves on the CREOL Dean Advisory Board and the UCF Material Science Industrial Advisory board.

Rivero Baleine is a Burnett Honors Scholar and earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics, and a 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and a doctorate in optics.

UCF Professor Michal Masternak and his team have identified molecular changes in the liver that happen when space travelers experience radiation and microgravity. These changes 鈥� that resemble accelerated aging 鈥� provide new insight into how prolonged space missions may increase health risks for astronauts and reveal potential targets for therapies that could combat age-related diseases on Earth.

鈥淛ust 24 hours after radiation exposure, there are many genetic changes in the liver that are remarkably similar to what happens during aging.鈥� 鈥� Professor Michal Masternak

鈥淲e focused on the liver because it is one of the major metabolic organs in our body,鈥� says Masternak, leader of the College of Medicine鈥檚 aging and space medicine research efforts. 鈥淲hat we found was that just 24 hours after radiation exposure, there are many genetic changes in the liver that are remarkably similar to what happens during aging. We can assume that if someone were in space much longer, the damage could be much greater.鈥�

The findings were recently published in听GeroScience.

Navigating the Science

For their study, UCF researchers and scientists from the U.S. created a simulated deep space environment in the lab. The team exposed animal models to simulated microgravity for 14 days and galactic cosmic radiation and solar particle events at NASA Space Radiation Laboratory trying to mimic the dosage that astronauts would be exposed to during a trip to Mars.

The exposure triggered noticeable and potentially harmful changes in the liver, including increased cellular senescence (aging and decreased cell function), inflammation and fibrosis. Left untreated, these conditions can eventually lead to declining and even failing organ function.

The research team then compared their results with data collected from astronaut blood samples taken during the NASA Twins Study and Inspiration4 astronauts. They saw similar genetic changes in blood.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got this raw data from human studies, and they show that some of these changes are similar,鈥� Masternak says. 鈥淭hat tells us we鈥檙e identifying useful molecular targets that one day could help protect astronauts during long-duration space missions.鈥�

They听also听went a step further to see听whether the听changes could be treated. They听identified听a group of molecules known as antagomirs that alter several aging and inflammatory genetic pathways听by interacting with the body鈥檚听microRNA. This system could pinpoint promising听future听therapies for space travelers.

Understanding Aging in the Space Age

Masternak says听the nation鈥檚听growing space industry provides a unique opportunity to study aging at an accelerated pace.

鈥淰ery often when we study different aging processes, it takes time,鈥� he says. 鈥淓ven in humans, it鈥檚 almost impossible because it would take decades. But if we see some acceleration of aging in space, then we can translate it to human studies. We can observe processes happening much faster, understand them better and eventually use that knowledge to improve health for people here on Earth.鈥�

鈥淚f we see some acceleration of aging in space, then … we can observe processes happening much faster, understand them better and eventually use that knowledge to improve health for people here on Earth.鈥� 鈥� Masternak

Those discoveries could eventually lead to therapies that slow age-related diseases, preserve organ function and improve quality of life for everyone as they age.

鈥淥ur understanding of aging is very complex,鈥� Masternak says. 鈥淎ging isn’t simply wrinkles or cosmetic changes. It鈥檚 the gradual and cascading failure of multiple organs and biological systems that happen at the same time. By understanding what starts that process and where it happens, we have a better chance of preventing many diseases before they develop. That is one of the biggest outstanding questions.鈥�

Students Positioned at the Forefront of Space Medicine

College of Medicine students are also benefitting from space medicine research. Biomedical sciences Ph.D. student Md听Tanjim Alam听鈥�25MS听joined Masternak’s laboratory during his听biotechnology听master’s program after initially planning to study cancer in relation to aging biology. Then he was introduced to space medicine, including processing astronaut samples from commercial space travelers to study how extreme environments affect human biology. That research has inspired him.

鈥淚 want to keep exploring the unknown,鈥� Alam says. 鈥淚 really want to understand how space travel influences human health, particularly its effects on aging and cancer.鈥�

Biotechnology听graduate听student听Sarah听S.听Siddiqi听鈥�24听says the interdisciplinary nature of the research attracted her to the space medicine and aging lab.

鈥淲hen people think of aging, they think only about elderly populations,鈥� says Siddiqi, who earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree as a Burnett Honors Scholar in biomedical sciences. 鈥淏ut we study aging across different stages of life and different environments, including space. I’ll always be focused on improving quality of life. I want to better understand diseases that are increasingly prevalent and find ways to recognize them earlier, before they progress to later stages.鈥�

Funding and Disclosure:

Representing听UCF,听Natalie Hayslip听鈥�24听served as first author, while听Sarah Ashiqueali听鈥�21MS 鈥�24PhD, Xiang Zhu, Ridwan Hussein听鈥�22听and听Mishfak听Mansoor also contributed to the research.听Researchers from听Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine,听Universidade听Federal de Pelotas,听the听University of听Pittsburgh听and听the听University of North Carolina at Chapel听Hill听also听contributed.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Award Number (FAIN): 2317758(MMM), Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research Program of the听Florida Department of Health,听Public Health Research, Biomedical Research Program听24A12 (MMM), and the National Science Centre, Poland UMO-2023/51/B/NZ5/00498 (MMM).

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the awarding agencies.

Name:听John Sacher

Position(s):听Professor of history

Why are you interested in this research?
As I tell my first-year students, if you think history is boring, you just haven鈥檛 found the right teacher yet.

History is about understanding why things happened. Generally, people are all interested in some 鈥渨hy?鈥� question. Now, the 鈥渨hy鈥� questions each person might find fascinating are different, but there鈥檚 something for everyone. I might wonder, 鈥淲hy does the United States have a two-party system?鈥� or 鈥淗ow did the Confederacy manage to fight for four years in the Civil War?鈥� You might wonder, 鈥淲hy do we have 50 states?鈥� or 鈥淲hy do we have an interstate highway system?鈥� or 鈥淲hy is the Middle East so important?鈥� or even 鈥淲hy do brides traditionally wear white?鈥�

Regardless of your 鈥渨hy鈥� question, history can provide a lens to help you answer it.

Who inspires you to conduct your research?
My initial inspiration to study history came from my parents. They encouraged me to pursue a degree in whatever interested me, not necessarily one that led to a traditional occupation.

More recently, I think that my inspiration comes from my students. UCF students have great questions. They keep me on my toes. Every semester I鈥檓 asked something I鈥檝e never been asked before.听 Also, they are entering adulthood at a time when there are a lot of big unknowns out there 鈥� what鈥檚 going on with politics, with foreign policy, or with technological changes.听 While I can鈥檛 answer all of those questions, I can give them some tools to help them formulate their own answers and maybe some comfort to discover that they are not the first generation to face 鈥渂ig鈥� questions in their immediate future.

How does UCF empower you to do your research?
UCF鈥檚 Department of History (and the College of Arts and Humanities and UCF in general) certainly empower my research agenda. As a traditional historian, I don鈥檛 need fancy, expensive equipment to conduct my research. That said 鈥� teaching can be a different story. I was recently turned into a hologram to teach patrons of about the Constitution!

The most valuable commodity any historical researcher needs is time 鈥� time to research, time to think and time to write. I finished my most recent book thanks to a sabbatical which provided that time. The university has also repeatedly given me a teaching schedule that aligns with my research. So, I鈥檓 working with undergraduates and graduate students to help them understand the same issues that I grapple with in my research. That synchronicity keeps me on track and energized.

What major grants and honors have you earned to support your research?
I have received several major grants and honors in support of my research. My book A Perfect War of Politics: Parties, Politicians, and Democracy in Louisiana, 1824鈥�1861 (Louisiana State University Press, 2003) won the 2003 Kemper and Leila Williams Prize for the best book on Louisiana history.

Why is this research important?
Historians provide invaluable contributions to understanding today鈥檚 political world. We live in a world of a rigid and hostile partisan divide where people are reluctant to trust the media. Historians can fill a void by delivering context for often debated topics such as the electoral college, redistricting, foreign policy, the second amendment, etc. We don鈥檛 tell people how to vote, but we grant them the tools to come to their own informed conclusions.

The more one understands founding documents such as the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights, the better one can make their own assessment of 21^st century political issues and candidates.

“The new technology we can offer faculty members will continue to help them innovate in the classroom,鈥� says Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence Jana Jasinski. 鈥淭his is such a great opportunity for us to help our students excel and learn in new ways”

Major enhancements include new lightboard recording studios, an augmented and virtual reality studio, an audio and video editing booth with Wacom annotation monitors, and a podcast recording studio. In addition, the center now offers 3D printing, along with Oculus and Valve virtual reality systems and 360-degree cameras that can be borrowed to create and deliver course content. Collaboration spaces are improved, as well, to be more comfortable and capable for video conferencing and interactive workshops.

鈥淭he technology and facility upgrades in the Faculty Multimedia Center represent a significant step forward in UCF Digital Learning鈥檚 support of faculty innovation and teaching practices,鈥� says Vice Provost for Digital Learning Tom Cavanagh. 鈥淲e鈥檙e certain that our faculty partners will use these state-of-the-art tools to create even more effective content to fuel the success of our students.鈥�

The FMC鈥檚 lightboards are one of the most popular tools, and the center now offers three private recording studios. The devices translate the classroom experience of writing on a whiteboard to video with a transparent board that empowers users to explain material in a unique way.

For Christine Hanlon, senior lecturer at the Nicholson School of Communication and Media, learning to make lightboard videos improved how she teaches.

鈥淭he FMC has a winning combination of cutting-edge technical tools and experienced staff who can help faculty members to learn how to develop engaging course content,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey are constantly updating their tools and technologies, so I always learn something new when I stop by the FMC.鈥�

The FMC is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday for all UCF faculty, staff and graduate teaching assistants. Individual training, group workshops and headshot photography services are offered regularly and are available through the center鈥檚 . For more information, visit the or call 407-823-0519.

The project is funded by a $50,000 grant from national philanthropic foundation Research Corporation for Science Advancement and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The funding is part of an initiative called Scialog Mitigating Zoonotic Threats. Scialog is short for 鈥渟cience and dialog.鈥�

Zoonotic threats are those that originate from animals, such as mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus and dengue fever. The origin of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is still under debate, but its possible animal origin means more attention is being given to zoonotic diseases 听鈥� as well as to monitoring for ones that could emerge in the future.

In the first of what will be a three-year program, the initiative will focus on launching new research identification, diagnosis, mechanisms and inhibition of emerging zoonotic disease pathogenesis. The program has awarded 25 individuals from research teams across the country with $50,000 grants. The goal is to create an interdisciplinary community to catalyze research of zoonotic threats.

Laurene Tetard, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and researcher with the Nanoscience Technology Center, is one of the 25 awardees. Her group analyzes nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy. As part of the new initiative, they will be exploring replacement options for the current honey-bait card used to trap pathogens present in mosquitoes鈥� saliva.

During the recent Scialog meet held this fall, Tetard鈥檚 team was able to learn from various experts in the field.

鈥淭here is a huge gap between the state-of-the-art technology being developed in nanotechnology and the technology currently available for tracking potential threats from animals,鈥� Tetard says.

Currently, the process to evaluate threats from mosquitoes can be a cumbersome process that includes setting up massive traps, identifying the mosquitoes and carrying out molecular assays on them to determine potential pathogens they carry, Tetard says.

The researcher and her team, with the help from experts in nanomaterial designs and from the USDA, aim to produce an active material that will change color in the presence of pathogens. Such an innovation would significantly reduce the work involved in mosquito trapping and filter which samples will carry potential pathogens to analyze.

The grant will support her team in a project with real-life applications in the near future. Tetard says she is extremely grateful to be included in the initiative and hopes to share this opportunity with other researchers and interested students.

鈥淲e are really at the beginning of this idea,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e have to build everything. The opportunity to apply our expertise to a field of research that could benefit from smarter sensors, better fundamental understanding of the response of pathogens to their environments, or to new treatments is very exciting. I am very thankful to be part of the Scialog team on this topic, and I hope that this first step will lead to more ideas to prepare us for new unknown biological threats.鈥�

Tetard received her doctorate in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and joined UCF鈥檚 NanoScience Technology Center and Department of Physics, part of 糖心logo入口鈥檚 College of Sciences, in 2013. She also has been a recipient of the U.S. National Science Foundation鈥檚 CAREER grant, an award given to early career scientists and engineers with high promise of leading major advances in their respective fields and who will serve as academic role models.

The applicant pool includes a remarkable depth of academic scholarship and accomplishment, including candidates with membership in the prestigious National Academy of Medicine and National Academy of Engineering, and affiliation with institutions in the Association of American Universities, which represents the country’s leading research universities.

鈥淔rom a very strong pool of applicants I am pleased with our choices of academic scholars with impeccable records of achievement,” said Trustee William Self, an associate professor in the College of Medicine and a member of the Search Committee. “These candidates are world-renowned in their disciplines and also strong academic leaders that have led or are currently leading large and complex academic and health enterprises in higher education. I am confident that from this strong pool of candidates we will find our next President and that this leader will be a proud member of the faculty in their discipline.”

Candidates who will move forward in the process are:

• Barbara Boyan, Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of College of Engineering and Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University; and member, National Academy of Engineering
• David Brenner, Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences, and Distinguished Professor, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego; Adjunct Professor, Salk Institute for Biological Studies; and member, National Academy of Medicine
• Amr Elnashai, Vice President/Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Transfer, University of Houston
• Vistasp Karbhari, President, University of Texas at Arlington
• Richard Larson, Executive Vice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for Research, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
• Cato Laurencin, University Professor; Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Professor of Materials Science and Engineering; Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery; Chief Executive Officer, The Connecticut Convergence Institute for Translation in Regenerative Engineering, University of Connecticut; Director, The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical, Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences; member National Academy of Medicine and National Academy of Engineering
• Javier Reyes, Vice President for StartUp West Virginia; Milan Puskar Dean of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics, West Virginia University

Beverly Seay, who chairs the Search Committee and the UCF Board of Trustees, praised the quality of the candidates interested in leading UCF.

鈥淭his whole process has been very eye-opening, producing high-quality candidates who are equipped to build a future at UCF that addresses our opportunities and our challenges,鈥� Seay says. 鈥淚t will be a valuable exercise for us to bring these individuals to campus and to learn from them. I encourage our campus community to take advantage of the opportunity to hear from this group of leaders with very different backgrounds and perspectives.鈥�

Candidate interviews will be conducted in person during a meeting of the Search Committee, scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, March 5, in the Key West Ballroom of the Student Union. Livestreams for that meeting, available for viewing only as a live broadcast, will be as follows:

Morning session:

Afternoon session:

The schedule for the first-round interviews on Thursday is:

7:30am 鈥� 8:00am Committee Briefing

8:00am 鈥� 9:00am Barbara Boyan

9:15am 鈥� 10:15am David Brenner

10:30am 鈥� 11:30am Amr Elnashai

11:45am 鈥� 12:45pm Vistasp Karbhari

12:45pm 鈥� 1:30pm Lunch Break

1:30pm 鈥� 2:30pm Richard Larson

2:45pm 鈥� 3:45pm Javier Reyes

4:00pm 鈥� 5:00pm Cato Laurencin

5:15pm 鈥� 6:15pm Debrief

On Tuesday, Search Committee members also discussed the possibility of considering additional candidates who may apply later.

The Search Committee will recommend candidates to the Board of Trustees. Then, finalists will return to campus after spring break for open forums and campus visits. The campus community will have the opportunity to provide feedback on each of the finalists.

The Board of Trustees will vote on the selection of the president. Then, the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state’s public universities, will vote on whether to confirm the selected candidate.

The department also states that these areas represent 鈥渨here postsecondary institutions do not produce enough graduates to meet the needs of Florida鈥檚 K-12 student population.鈥� Lake County Schools, which serves more than 42,000 students at 59 elementary, middle and high schools, is no exception.

鈥淲e have a shortage of certified teachers,鈥� says Stephanie Luke, a math and science education instructor at UCF and chair of the Lake County School Board. 鈥淎s a school board member, I鈥檓 critically aware of that.鈥�

To address the problem, a growing partnership between the UCF College of Community Innovation and Education and Lake County Schools created a pathway for high school students with an interest in becoming teachers to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree and become certified to fill the county鈥檚 vacancies. The Tavares Teaching Academy, now in its second year at Tavares High School, is designed to not only introduce students to the profession with specialized courses and hands-on classroom experiences, but also provide impactful collaborations with UCF elementary education faculty and students. By cultivating teachers within the community, this grow-your-own program was conceived to deliver a self-sustaining supply of new educators.

鈥淭he vision of this program is to produce highly qualified graduates who are from Lake County and will come back to teach in Lake County,鈥� Luke says. 鈥淲e know that if they come through this program from high school to UCF, they will be ready to go 鈥� and we鈥檙e really excited about it.鈥�

Creating a Pathway

The partnership path leads Tavares Teaching Academy graduates to Lake-Sumter State College, where they will earn an associate鈥檚 degree that qualifies them for admission to UCF through the DirectConnect to UCF program. Upon achieving their bachelor鈥檚 degree and Florida state teacher certification, which they can complete at UCF鈥檚 elementary education program on site at the UCF Connect South Lake Center in Clermont, participants are guaranteed a job interview with Lake County Schools.

鈥淲e want to grow the teachers who know about the culture and community in Lake County,鈥� says Bonnie Watkins, the Tavares High School teacher who leads the academy. 鈥淥ur hope is that these experiences solidify [the students鈥橾 desire to become teachers and fulfill the needs in our classrooms.鈥�

For Marni Kay, UCF instructor of reading education, the value of the academy is to place qualified, passionate, purposeful teachers in classrooms.

鈥淭he critical teaching shortage is the reason the Tavares Teaching Academy was started to intentionally show high school students what college will look like for them,鈥� she says 鈥淲e鈥檙e working to grow our own right in Lake County so that they鈥檙e able to start in Lake County schools, do service-learning partnerships with kids in their own community, and then become teachers in the community.鈥�

According to Watkins, the strength of 糖心logo入口鈥檚 elementary education program and its presence in Lake County are key to the partnership.

鈥淥ur students receive the benefit of shared resources from UCF, as well as advice from a UCF instructor,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e work together to create valuable field experiences that are essential to the success of the Teaching Academy program.鈥�

Fueling Collaboration

Building a pathway for future teachers also involves bringing the high school and college students together for collaborative events and mentoring. The groups recently met at UCF Connect South Lake Center in Clermont to celebrate International Dot Day, a recognition of the works of children鈥檚 author Peter H. Reynolds. Thirty-five UCF students worked with 17 Teaching Academy students through six educational stations that reinforced the methods they鈥檒l use one day to teach children to read. It鈥檚 this type of hands-on, practical experience that will fuel their success when theory becomes reality in their own classrooms.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to connect the research into action,鈥� Kay says. 鈥淲e model for students what they can do in their own classrooms and help them develop successful teaching strategies.鈥�

It all adds up to Tavares Teaching Academy graduates who are better prepared to succeed in college 鈥� and in leading a classroom after they graduate from UCF and become certified by the state.

鈥淭hese students will have a head start because they will have already spent time in front of a class,鈥� Luke says. 鈥淚n fact, as college instructors, we鈥檒l need to step it up when we have this level of student coming in.鈥�

For the high school students, spending time with their college counterparts helps reinforce why they participate in the academy.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to work with students who have the same passion as me, but are also role models since they’re older,鈥� says Ashley Ellixson, a Tavares High School junior. 鈥淢eeting new people who are from different walks of life, but who also share the same interest, was an eye-opening experience.”

And there are benefits for the UCF teaching students, as well.

鈥淚 feel like a role model, trying to help the high schoolers understand what the expectations of being an elementary education student are at UCF,鈥� says junior Kira Dowling. 鈥淚t鈥檚 giving back to the community because these students are going to be in my position one day.鈥�

The connections the students will build during the program are valuable beyond what the coursework will produce, because, as the instructors explain, teaching is a team effort.

鈥淭eaching is not an isolated event,鈥� says Kay. 鈥淭eaching should be a community partnership, because in the end we鈥檙e all in it to serve students.鈥�

Led by Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Elizabeth A. Dooley, the strategic alignment results from months of planning by our academic leaders with input from faculty, staff and students. It also follows various reports and assessments over the years that encouraged UCF to take bold steps to enhance, reform and reimagine ways to better support students and their journey to achieving a degree.

The changes address priorities that include:

• strengthening advising, especially through the role of faculty and advising enabled by data analytics;
• defining a shared philosophy for student success; and
• aligning shared ownership, accountability and impact to deliver on our student success goals.

鈥淪tudent success is much more than just reaching target metrics. Our collective efforts must focus on creating a culture of student success that goes beyond the numbers and gets straight to why we are each here: to help students graduate and be successful, productive and global lifelong learners,鈥� Dooley says. 鈥淭o achieve this goal, an area we will strive to be recognized for is our distinctive commitment to student success.鈥�

The organizational adjustments underway seek to better align student success with academics and university support units. Here鈥檚 more on the changes:

Division of Teaching and Learning and the College of Undergraduate Studies: The Division of Teaching and Learning and the College of Undergraduate Studies will be renamed the division of Student Learning and Academic Success and College of Undergraduate Studies. As part of this alignment, the Office of Student Success, First Year Advising and Exploration, Transfer and Transition Services, Student Academic Resource Center, and the Registrar鈥檚 Office will transition from the division of Student Development and Enrollment Services to the Division of Student Learning and Academic Success. The changes will strengthen the links between academics and student success; enhance our retention, persistence and graduation rates; and increase our students鈥� achievements in post-graduation pursuits.

Analytics and Integrated Planning:听This new division in Academic Affairs includes the Institutional Knowledge Management unit. The new division is responsible for advancing the university鈥檚 analytics capabilities, sharing new success insights and enhancing data information use. The change will align institutional planning efforts and performance accountability.

Faculty Excellence: The Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (formerly under Teaching and Learning) will now report to the vice provost for Faculty Excellence. The change will help better support faculty development, student success and academic excellence.

Academic Affairs: The Operational Excellence and Assessment Support and Academic Planning units (formerly under Teaching and Learning), along with Academic Program Quality (formerly under Analytics and Integrated Planning), and the Center for Higher Education Innovation now report to the senior associate provost. The changes will help consolidate resources and improve collaboration.

This alignment does not impact the structure of the academic colleges and the budgetary impact is minimal. Rather, the changes focus on the structures of the organizational units that support the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs.

To support this initiative, Dooley has established implementation teams. They are charged with operationalizing a new student success model and structure that will ensure a student-centric approach throughout UCF鈥檚 operations. She asked the teams to complete their work by January 2020.

The alignment seeks to build on UCF鈥檚 major strides in boosting student retention and degree completion. Last fall, for the first time, UCF surpassed a 90 percent first-year student retention rate. This fall, the university has topped 91 percent.

In addition, over the past decade, UCF鈥檚 Hispanic and African American students have bucked national trends and significantly outperformed national averages for retention and completing a degree, particularly in addressing disparities with white majority counterparts.

As a result, UCF was recently named a finalist for the听prestigious 2019 Degree Completion Award听from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

UCF holds of the distinction of being the No. 1 producer of talent among public universities in the nation, with more than 16,000 degrees awarded last year. Also, UCF ranks second among all public and private institutions in bachelor鈥檚 degrees awarded to African American and Hispanic students.