Centric Fall 2012 by University of Central Florida

FALL 2012 VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 2

SYRIA’S PAIN HITS HOME As war rages, UCF’S Syrian students struggle to find peace

TO BE GAY AT CHICK-FIL-A FROM BATTLEFIELD TO FOOTBALL FIELD

Cover | Talia Moussly Photography | Kayla Cavanagh Back Cover Photography | Rebecca Males Contents: (20, Callie Wright, by Michael Massas) (12, Kelly Davison, by Rebecca Males) (8, Talia Moussly, by Kayla Cavanagh) (4, Bear, by Nicole Miller)

CONTENTS 3 | GAY AT CHICK-FIL-A 4 | MAN BEHIND THE SIGN 6 | MAJORING AS A MINOR 7 | THE ALUM WITH A ‘HEADCASE’

8 | REVOLUTION’S REACH 12 | CALL TO DUTY 15 | THE VOICE OF UCF 16 | TO HEAL A NATION

18 | KNIGHTS OF FAITH 19 | BLACK, GOLD & RED 20 | SEEING GREEN 23 | ALL IN THE FAMILY

Kelly Davison

For additional content and web exclusives, visit centric.cos.ucf.edu

FROM THE EDITOR

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Welcome to the fall issue of Centric. As the magazine’s editor and a member of the UCF community, I am always taken aback by the strength, kindness and wisdom of the people I share a campus with. This is a university with 60,000 inspiring stories. We’ve captured just a few of them in the pages of this issue. We’ll put you in the shoes of one of the most hated and misunderstood workers on campus – a parking patroller. You’ll meet a Marine who went from the front lines of Iraq to battling on the offensive line for UCF’s football team. We’ll introduce you to UCF’s youngest student – a bright, young computer engineering major who’s not old enough to drive. Finally, you’ll see the end result of Knights’ generosity as we track a pint of blood from the Big Red Bus to a cancer patient. The staff at Centric has worked hard to showcase the fascinating diversity within the UCF community. We are a campus of many faiths, backgrounds and dreams. But we’re all Knights. Our mission in this issue, as always, is to spotlight interesting, innovative and inspiring people who make UCF a great place to learn and work and who are making an impact on their part of the world.

2 | Centric

Ashley Annin Managing Editor

Ginny Benton, who is gay, remains a loyal Chick-fil-A employee, regardless of the company’s stance.

GAY AT CHICK-FIL-A BY | ALICIA DELGALLO PHOTOGRAPHY | NICOLE MILLER

n many ways, Virginia “Ginny” Emma Frankel Benton is more traditional than most. Her parents have been together for 30 years; they named her after their mothers. She lived in her hometown of Cape Coral before leaving for UCF, where she earned a bachelor’s in speech pathology last year. But the first-year graduate student, 24, is gay. Benten has two mothers, Doreen and Nanette Frankel, who conceived her through artificial insemination. Her parents legally married in New York this past summer. Benton’s first job was at a Chick-fil-A in Fort Myers, where she has worked the last 10 years. “I was there years before the announcement,” Benton said. The “announcement’’ came in July when Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer Dan Cathy sparked a firestorm of controversy when he confirmed the company only supports traditional families and donates millions of dollars to groups that oppose same-sex marriage. “That was awful,” Benton said. “There have been several gay employees and managers at my store, and there’s never been a problem.” Benton’s family knew of Chick-fil-A’s Christian values, but didn’t think it was so strongly against alternative lifestyles. “We thought he was very ignorant,” Doreen Frankel said. “Her boss spoke to her,

letting her know it wasn’t them, it was the corporation.” Jason Patt, location manager at the UCF Chick-fil-A, said there’s at least one gay student working there. He wouldn’t comment further, and referred questions about the restaurant’s policy to Chick-fil-A’s corporate website. Benton never told her bosses she was gay, but is confident it wouldn’t be a problem. They always expressed support for her parents. “I’m not fine with what the COO said, but them as my managers; I still love and respect them,” Benton said of why she continues to work for the company. The staff was like family, and she loved going to work – until Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day, Aug.1 — the day former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee asked supporters of the company’s policy to flock to the nearest restaurant. “I couldn’t even get into the parking lot,” Benton said. “I’d never seen anything like it.” The crowd of mostly older customers wrapped around the building; inside was standing room only. The restaurant doubled their previous sales record. “I don’t think it gets much worse than that day,” Benton said. She kept quiet during the 15-hour shift, even as the staff was applauded multiple times for “standing for what they believed in.”

“I don’t think it gets much worse than that day.” “I was sorry she had to work through it,” Doreen Frankel said. “But she’s good about putting things in perspective. She did her work and then came home and vented.” Working in an unsupportive environment isn’t uncommon, said Charles Negy, associate professor and Fulbright Scholar in UCF’s Department of Psychology. Negy’s research has focused on how sexual orientation, race, gender and social class influence attitudes and behaviors. “Sexual minorities are accustomed to living in a hostile environment,” Negy said. Other corporations are also anti-gay, but haven’t been as vocal about it as Chick-fil-A, he added. What would Benton say if she found herself face to face with Cathy? “I’ve been loyal to your company for 10 years and I support the fact that you support family values and everything – and I support family values too – but people have different kinds of families, and I would just ask him to keep an open mind about things because we’re not bad people.” Centric | 3

MAN BEHIND THE SIGN UCF’s most familiar sign-turner keeps smiling and twirling — rain or shine BY | SARAH ASLAM PHOTOGRAPHY | NICOLE MILLER

O “

h yeah, here we go,” said the man known simply as Bear. He stood on the corner of Alafaya Trail and University Boulevard, holding a 2-foot-by-4-foot Wing Zone sign. He wore a gray tank that showed his sun-bleached arms and shoulders, a green camo-print bandanna and faded black trousers. Bear hefted his sign high, and his right hand higher. He tucked his fingers into a “rock on” sign, and nodded his head to the beat of ’70s rock as a squealing SUV approached. “Get ’er done! I love ya,” Bear bellowed as the car whizzed south on Alafaya Trail. “Be careful!” he called out to a girl riding her bicycle through a “no crossing” signal. Bear leaned over. “That’s what I look out for,” he said. Bear, who chose not to disclose his name, said he’s been spinning signs ever since the economy tanked. It was a choice between that or panhandling, so Bear picked up a sign. He’s been doing it for six years now. While the people passing him on the roads eventually arrive home, under a roof, Bear goes home to a tent in the woods nearby. 4 | Centric

“I still love people. You see what I do out there.” Bear ambled back to his corner and shimmied his hips while he held out a peace sign. He got a honk of approval from a passing car. “Walk sign is on,” said the automated crosswalk signal. Two grinning girls waved delicately from the University Boulevard stoplight, waiting to make a right turn onto Alafaya Trail. “I love women,” Bear said as he waved and smiled back. “All kinds.” He nodded to a man in a car with a buzz-cut. The man nodded back. “Oh yeah, here they come boy,” Bear crowed as a fresh fleet of traffic bore down. “Get ’er out there!” He shimmied side-to-side. “I love showing off a bit. It’s a good day,” said Bear. A girl on a bicycle rode up, a tattoo of a distorted rabbit face

adorning her right calf. “Let me push that button for ya,” he said to the orange side of her otherwise brunette head. He complimented her on her tattoos. She thanked him, and then pedaled away when the light turned. Bear said he feels protective of UCF students. Even if they give him the middle finger when he grins, hoots and hollers encouragement, he said they’ll still be alive. “God I love this wind. Thank you, Lord!” said Bear as a cool breeze ruffled his sign. Another girl on a bike came by. Bear greeted her warmly. “Hola señor, gracias. How you been doing?” she asked. They chat for a bit longer, voices drowned in the roar of traffic. “How’s your twin sister?” asked Bear. “Good, she’s been busy,” the girl replied. The walk sign turns on. “Careful out there,” said Bear as she pedaled away. She reached the campus entrance and disappeared around the corner. Before a day of sign-spinning begins, Bear awakens to the sound of birdsong at 5:30 a.m. He finally got a new tent after his old one mildewed, drenched from rainstorms. A sergeant at the Army recruitment office helped him get it. He said it’s easier to breathe in the new one. To stay clean, Bear said he will take a military bath or use collected rainwater to take a shower. He keeps his soiled clothes in a military rucksack and does his laundry at the coin laundromat beside Wing Zone. Bear said he’s a straight person, regardless of the state of his hygiene. “I’m not a phony out there. I never proclaimed to be that, and I ain’t gonna be that. Never was all my life,” said Bear. Bear said he’s been a drifter since he was 16. His father, an old drunkard, tried to kill Bear when he was 7 years old. “I was into drugs and everything, I was all into that stuff. I don’t do that stuff no more. This was 30, 35 years ago. Long time ago,” he said. He said pastors, preachers and church members helped him get clean. He found many father figures who softened his heart and helped him love the Lord, and love people. “I still love people,” Bear said. “You see what I do out there.” Bear said while he’s making $5 an hour, some people making more than him are still unhappy. “There ain’t a human being on this world that would bother me,” Bear said. “I am not a material person; it ain’t all about the money. I’m content.” The one thing missing from his life, he said, is a beautiful woman to rest with at the end of the day. “I don’t want to be alone,” Bear said. “No one should be alone.” Until then, he has the birds, and the students. After spending two hours on the corner with Bear, this reporter bid farewell and turned to cross the street when the walk signal came on. Bear’s arm shot out, lightning-quick. He wrapped his fingers around my upper arm and held me in place as a car made an illegal turn through my right of way. “Careful out there,” he said.

“There ain’t a human being on this world that would bother me. I am not a material person; it ain’t all about the money. I’m content.”

Centric | 5

Adrian Gilliam, UCF’s youngest student, works with classmates in a physics for scientists and engineers course.

MAJORING AS A

MINOR

UCF’s youngest student will earn his master’s degree before he can vote

BY | ALICIA DELGALLO PHOTOGRAPHY | MICHAEL MASSAS

“It feels very natural being here ... most people don’t know about my age, and when they first hear it they don’t believe me.” 6 | Centric

drian Gilliam was 13 on his first day at UCF. He walked the sidewalks of campus before most children are allowed to date. He’s never had a girlfriend, doesn’t have a cellphone and can’t drive. “If I need to stay and study, my parents have to wait for me,” Gilliam said. The sophomore computer engineering major, now 15, is one of the youngest students ever to attend UCF. Gilliam is enrolled in the accelerated bachelor’s to master’s program. He will graduate with a bachelor of science at 17, and finish his master’s before his 18th birthday. Expectations were high from the start, as Gilliam’s father decided early on that his son would be home-schooled. “I felt that regular school’s pace was a waste of time,” said Michael Gilliam, a UCF alumnus with a master’s in business and a doctorate in industrial engineering. “It took too long to get through what they teach. He would’ve been 6 years old starting kindergarten,

because his birthday is after Sept. 1, and there was just no way.” So at age 4, Gilliam started Florida Virtual School, an online public school that allows students to learn at their own pace. He was taught year-round, and participated in classes at Stanford University’s Education Program for Gifted Youth and at Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. “If I was in high school I might’ve had a girlfriend, but I might still not have had one. So I don’t know if it’s purely because of being in college at a young age, or if it’s just me,” he said laughing as his face turned shades of red. It was the first time during the interview that he showed a lack of confidence. Gilliam talks with a precision that makes it seem like he converses with the computers he works on. At 5-foot-7-inches he blends in, but is expected to grow a few more inches. “He looked young, but so do a lot of them,” said Gilliam’s physics professor at UCF, Edward Mucciolo. “In class he’s as mature as all the other students.”

Outside of class, Gilliam joined two student organizations: the Asian Pacific American Coalition and the Korean Student Association. He also attends practices for UCF’s programming team. He is fluent in Mandarin and holds a seconddegree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. “I don’t feel like anyone else my age,” he said. Gilliam’s parents didn’t have many worries about letting their son loose on campus — aside from him procrastinating on schoolwork. “I’m not worried about him protecting himself any more than a 21-year-old in college who is 130 pounds and doesn’t know anything,” Gilliam’s father said. After graduating, Gilliam hopes to become a professor and participate in computer hardware and software research. As for dating, he hasn’t ruled it out. He liked one girl, but she didn’t like him back. “It was a first rejection,” he said. “You learn from your faliures.” He looks forward to graduate school when girls his age begin to show up on campus.

“ s v .. a v

m, est ks tes

THE ALUM WITH A

‘HEADCASE’ The energetic owner of Wackadoo’s is always starting something

e Dean Monaco proudly displays his HeadCase, a custom beer-opening iPhone case. BY | ALEX KENT PHOTOGRAPHER | KAYLA CAVANAGH

“I wouldn’t say I’m a visionary ... I have a lot of visions.”

ackadoo’s is the popular restaurant in the UCF Student Union with the signature Fat Ass Burger®. Yes, the name is federally trademarked. That trademark clues you in to the way the co-owner’s mind works — and why he has more than just Wackadoo’s to thank for his success. “I wouldn’t say I’m a visionary,” said Dean Monaco with a smile. “I have a lot of visions.” The UCF alumnus said he’s what people call a serial entrepreneur. Monaco has been the CEO or on the board of directors for more than 20 companies since opening Wackadoo’s in 1995. He’s currently the CEO of My InnoVenture – a business development agency that makes clients’ visions come to life. For being in his early 40s, he’s got a lot of experience under his belt. Oh, and he invented the iPhone case with an attached beer bottle opener — named HeadCase — and the corresponding beer-counting app. As Monaco is talking, he receives an email from a former NFL player. He’s never even met the guy. Impressed yet? While entrepreneurship is what Monaco does, it’s the community of Knights that makes him tick. He points to his UCF shirt as proof. Co-founder Scott Kaylor is Monaco’s good friend and fellow alumnus. Monaco majored in accounting; Kaylor studied hospitality management. Both

graduated in the early ’90s. The two only employ UCF students and alumni at Wackadoo’s, and said they love providing jobs to the college community. Nearly everyone that Monaco helps with business and marketing are UCF-affiliated. “I do it because it’s the right thing to do,” he said. “As an alum, it makes perfect sense because you can help companies that can change the world.” Monaco primarily helps his fellow Knights through the UCF Business Incubator. He currently sits on the advisory board for the Incubator, which is a partnership UCF has created with the community and surrounding businesses to help entrepreneurs find funds for their ideas. Monaco said he constantly encourages students and faculty to use the resources there to bring their ideas to life. Even though Monaco is successful, he’s down to earth. He’s been married to his wife, a UCF alumna, for 20 years. He coaches his 9-year-old son’s youth football and baseball teams, and has a 7-year-old daughter who he said seems to already be following in his footsteps. Monaco said he feels it’s essential to give back to UCF. He recalls his luck meeting his wife and Kaylor here, and also being able to start his career with Wackadoo’s. “I have a lot to give back now because of that.” Go to Centric.cos.ucf.edu to see Monaco’s tips for getting ahead. Centric | 7

COVER STORY Talia Moussly waits for the day she can be with her family in Syria once again.

REVOL

O LU T I O N’S REACH BY | EMON REISER PHOTOGRAPHY | KAYLA CAVANAGH

alia Moussly’s mother assured her that when the Arab Spring flooded Syria, the revolution wouldn’t last more than a

month.

The streets of Syria roar with chants, screams and gunshots as the country churns with unrest. Since 2011, the Syrian army has waged war against rebels who seek to oust President Bashar al-Assad. Caught in the crossfire are the young and innocent. At least 32,000 Syrians have died since the war began. Two UCF Syrian students share the pain and horror of what their families are going through.

Now, the images of the streets she strolled along with her cousins and friends in Homs, Syria, are flashing across TV news networks, which are reporting more violence and death. The personal horror stories are coming every day. A missile demolished a wall in Moussly’s great aunt’s kitchen. Her aunt had stood in that room just moments before. The people of Syria close their shutters built to deflect bullets and turn off their lights after dark. Gunshots crackling through the air and tanks rolling through the streets are a new way of life. Moussly’s family back in Syria has learned to live with it. “After 7 [p.m.] they know they’re not supposed to leave the house,” she said. “They adjust to it.” Moussly’s mom calls Homs every day. The word spreads quickly there. The Syrian military kidnapping a member of a wealthy family for ransom isn’t uncommon. “This is not a normal war anymore,” Moussly said. “They kill because they can. There’s no more rules.” It has been three summers since Moussly, a UCF

Photo credit: AP

psychology major, has made her yearly visit to her parents’ hometown, Homs. Continued > Centric | 9

Moussly remembers her annual visits vividly. The junior was born in Ormond Beach, and now lives in Lake Mary with her family. Her parents were born and raised in Syria. The last time Moussly visited Homs was in her freshman year at UCF. She spent two months visiting family and spending time with her Syrian friends from the States who she would only see on those summer trips. She hasn’t seen them since. Moussly’s mother made sure that she was always dressed nicely because an outing in Homs meant running into at least two people they knew. Moussly walked everywhere, which was the only reason she could think of for losing weight during her trips. “My grandma has the best cooking,” she said. Moussly would eat lunch at her grandmother’s home in Homs daily. She still loves traditional Arabic dishes like meat and rice wrapped in hot, thin grape leaves. After mosque on Fridays, the men of her family brought home roasted chicken. “Arabs love bread,” she said. There was always a lot of pita bread around. To Moussly, the Syrian people seemed happy before the Arab Spring arrived. “I hope I get to go back, but it’s not going to be the same,” she said. Moussly is one of nine Syrian students enrolled at UCF. Her fellow psychology major, Ahmed, also fears for his family’s safety. Ahmed’s uncle is being detained by the Syrian army in exchange for a ransom. Ahmed did not disclose his last name because of the threat it may pose to his family members still submersed in the conflict in his home country. “It’s a fact that he’s in real danger,” the senior said. The Syrian army has threatened to take his uncle’s life. Ahmed’s uncle has a wife and eight children in Syria. His family is still pulling money together for the ransom, which is equal to thousands of U.S. dollars. Ahmed said the army is out of control. “It’s a free-for-all,” he said. Even if they pay the ransom, there is no guarantee of his uncle’s safety. The Syrian army will simply tell Ahmed’s family where he is. The last time Ahmed returned to his home city of Damascus was in 2008. Constant contact with family back home brings more unfortunate news. Ahmed’s aunt saw people starve to death in the city. The kidnapping and slaughter continues. Ahmed was born in the city of Damascus and identifies himself as an American 10 | Centric

Ahmed, whose shirt says, “I’m with the Syrian people,” is proud of his county but not of its president. Ahmed says his family has been threatened by the Syrian army. Muslim, not a Muslim living in America. As an American, it’s hard for him to believe President Bashar al-Assad has no control over the atrocities happening in his country. Ahmed says Syrians all over the world have made a stronger connection to one another since the war started. “That’s your sister, you love that sister. That’s your brother, you love that brother,” Ahmed said. “Most are not proud of what [President Bashar al-Assad] is doing, but they are proud of their country.” Ahmed plans to move to Flint, Mich., after he graduates to become a religious leader like his father and grandfather before him. As a youth director he hopes to challenge young Muslims, just as he was challenged as a young adult, to answer what their faith

“That’s your sister, you love that sister. That’s your brother, you love that brother.”

really means to them in the wake of the Arab Spring. “Keep the people in your prayers and become more aware because this is directly affecting your neighbor, your colleague, your classmate,” he said. “It’s real.” To see photos and more accounts from Arab Spring go to centric.cos.ucf.edu.

Graduation Bucket List

We asked UCF students what they dream of doing before wearing a cap and gown

BY | EMILY BLACKWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY | TRAVIS RUMOHR

1| NICK BECERRA junior, physics

“I always wanted to go to Heidelberg. It’s a major student town and has the oldest university in Germany.” 2| ANDRES GONZALEZ junior, digital media

“I want to create a graphic novel. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and I love visual storytelling.” 3| AMY GIROUX sophomore, interdisciplinary studies

“I want to be more involved in research. I’m interested in a bunch of different fields and I want to be able to tie them together to what’s happening here at UCF.” 4| JOSEJUAN RODRIGUEZ junior, anthropology

“I’d like to do research in the field of cultural anthropology. I really want to focus on studying graffiti and the culture that surrounds it.” 5| ZAC COVERT sophomore, emerging art media

“I want to make a feature-length movie. I’m working on a couple concepts right now.” 6| TYLER LAW sophomore, studio art

“I want to win a national championship for women’s soccer. I’ve been playing soccer since I was 4.” 7| SAVANNAH SIEOS senior, fine art

“I want to go scuba diving. I just got certified, and I want to go to the Florida Keys to get a first-hand look at coral that I’ll be doing my art project on.” 8| JEAN LABOSSIERE junior, sports and exercise

“I want to go to Spirit Splash. I see it on TV all the time and it looks really cool.” 9| BREANNE SCHWARTZ freshman, communication sciences and disorders

“I want to be the person people throw in the air when we score a touchdown.” 10| KATIE TEDLIE freshman, science education pending

“I want to climb to the top of the rock wall!” Centric | 11

CALL TO DUTY BY | KYLE WARNKE PHOTOGRAPHY | REBECCA MALES

Kelly Davison goes from the frontlines of Iraq to the offensive line for UCF football

elly Davison can barely breathe. His brown hair shines with sweat as it falls across his forehead. He kneels, exhausted and beaten, muttering about throwing up — twice.

As the rest of his teammates file into the locker room after practice, Davison

rises and drags himself to a nearby bench, panting heavily with each step. Tattooed on his right arm are the words “every man dies, few ever really live.” He hangs his head as he sits down. For a few minutes, he can’t talk. He has been here before. Football has been a part of Davison’s life ever since he played in high school in his home state of Indiana. The physicality and camaraderie of the game, the 27-year-old said, elevated it above every other sport. But in 2004, when most of his teammates were heading to college after graduation, Davison was heading to boot camp, the first in his family to join the Marines. He was 19 then, and wouldn’t see the gridiron again for seven years. Marine boot camp was divided into three phases, each consisting of a grueling month of drill, exercises, classes and more drill. Davison breathes faster as the memories come back. “It’s all about breaking you down,” he said. He was up at dawn every morning for an hour-long jog at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. Study sessions followed, broken up by an obstacle course. He ended the day learning basic marching technique. “In essence, it was a lot like football training camp,” he said, squinting his eyes against the harsh sun. “But instead of going home every night at 9 o’clock, you were there all day, every day.” Davison’s classroom became the open field of simulated combat when he was subjected to “The Crucible” in the final phase at Camp Pendleton, a week-long test of marching and endurance, while surviving on minuscule food rations. Davison and his squad low-crawled through barbed wire during one nighttime exercise as rain and simulated mortars fell from the sky. The water level soon reached past the barbed wire, submerging them in the middle of the exercise. Continued > 12 | Centric

Kelly Davison on the gridiron after a loss to Missouri.

“You were basically holding your breath and swimming through the water, in full combat gear no less,” he recalled. “I remember that day. I’ve blocked out most of the rest.” In 2005 Davison was shipped off to Fallujah, Iraq, his first of three deployments. Sleep was scarce on his first tour. He often performed two or three missions a day. Davison served as convoy security and patrol, escorting vehicles carrying people and supplies throughout the city. Over eight months, the scorching August days were often tempered by the below-freezing nights in December. The job was not easy, especially in the war-torn city rife with violent attacks. “We protected [the convoys]. We were the ones that rode in front, looking for roadside bombs … and if we came under fire, we protected them.” His eyes glaze over for a moment; then, nodding with a smile, he’s ready to talk about something else. Davison returned to Fallujah in August 2007. The missions were reduced to one per day, sometimes less, as there wasn’t as much insurgent activity as his last visit. His final tour, in August 2008, wasn’t nearly as tense as his previous two. He was sent to the Japanese island, Okinawa, to train Japanese security guards in law enforcement and military tactics at an American base. According to Davison, their culture shock was more severe than his. He said it was bizarre “to watch them shoot a gun, when it’s not in their culture at all.” Davison returned home in 2009 as a lance corporal and enrolled in junior college in Vincennes, Ind., even though the school lacked a football team. Using GI Bill funds, he moved to Orlando and finished his associate’s degree at Valencia College. In the fall of 2011, he enrolled in his first semester at UCF, where he learned immediately that although he was one of the proud, he was definitely not one of a few. 14 | Centric

“In essence, [boot camp] was a lot like football training camp. But instead of going home every night at 9 o’clock, you were there all day every day.” “The first class I went to had 400 people in it. I wasn’t used to that at all. I was used to 20 or 30 people in my class, where you knew your professor, and they knew you,” he said. “Now, you’re just trying to learn what you can on your own. I’m from a small town in Indiana, that had 14,000 people in it, and here there’s what, like 60,000?” Davison didn’t just hit the books when he arrived at UCF. He immediately began exercising, conditioning and working with a personal trainer. He even joined the Rugby Club. After multiple visits to football Coach George O’Leary’s office, Davison stumbled into a meeting with O’Leary himself, who sent him to get a physical and told him to come back after spring break. Before he knew it, the 6-foot-5-inch, 290-pound Marine was a Division I offensive lineman. Davison plans to graduate next fall with an education degree and teach high school biology, a subject he’s always been passionate about. He doesn’t like to talk much about his past. In fact, that’s one of his favorite things about UCF: anonymity. “I grew up in a small town, went to small schools where everybody knows everybody. Here, you can be whoever you want to be. People don’t know who you are.” For more gameday photos, go to centric.cos.ucf.edu.

Erik Kohler’s Saturday office is a sixth-floor booth in Roth Tower at Bright House Networks Stadium.

THE VOICE OF UCF An inside-the-booth visit with the Knights’ sports announcer

“I had a feeling that football was really going to start taking off.”

rik Kohler leans forward, a smile on his face. His hand flips a switch and he speaks. “That’ll move the chains. That’s good enough for another UCF,” he pauses and 30,000 fans join him for “first down!” He leans back, surveys the field from the sixth floor of Roth Tower at Bright House Networks Stadium. Then as the whistle blows he leans forward and is at it again. One hand runs over a list of players, the other works his mic. Between his official calls he talks about the game. Kohler is well practiced at his job. He’s spent 12 years as the stadium announcer for UCF football and basketball, and 13 years for baseball. He’s seen wins, losses, and more importantly to him, big moments for UCF sports. The most memorable, he said — sounding like any other diehard college football fan — was in 2005. UCF’s football team entered the

season with a 17-game-losing streak, and had their first Conference USA game. To everyone’s surprise, the Golden Knights defeated Marshall’s Thundering Herd 23-13. “I sat back in my seat at the Citrus Bowl for 20 minutes,” said Kohler. “I had a feeling that football was really going to start taking off.” Kohler worked for WUCF until the station cut live sports broadcasts. And Kohler, who started working there while finishing his degree, was left without a gig. That is, until he was offered the public address position for UCF baseball. “At that time I didn’t know what a PA was,” said Kohler. “But when the opportunity came, I said yes.” Opportunity is something Kohler talks about a lot — and has taken advantage of. Now he works not only for UCF, but for the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals during spring training; for the Orlando Predators; hosts a radio and TV show;

BY | STEVEN BARNHART PHOTOGRAPHY | STEVEN BARHART

and has done play-by-plays for ESPN3 and Bright House Sports Networks. “You hear his voice and it rouses you up,” said UCF fan and senior Adam Roth. “It keeps people going.” And while Kohler hopes to expand to a larger stage, he said that UCF is his heart and passion. It shows in his work. Donnie Jones, head basketball coach, said Kohler’s one of the best he’s seen. Watching Kohler work, it is obvious he thrives off the fans. He keeps his windows open to hear them, and when he speaks it’s with the flow of the crowd. If UCF’s winning, he’s upbeat and excited. When they’re down, he focuses on the game, waiting for the play that will turn it around. “I’m doing everything I can to bring the energy and buzz of the atmosphere for our athletes and our fan base,” he said.

Centric | 15

TO HEAL A

NATION

A Saudi Arabian student hopes UCF will give him the skills to improve health care back home BY | SARAH ASLAM PHOTOGRAPHY | KAYLA CAVANAGH

bdullah AlShareef came to UCF because he wanted to make a difference. Abdullah, a hospital manager in his hometown of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, has seen what happens when 3 million people descend on one city for five days — sickness. Respiratory disease, gastrointestinal woes, heart attacks, flus and colds — It happens every year during the hajj pilgrimage, when Muslims from around the world travel to Saudi Arabia to retrace the footsteps of Prophet Abraham. Abdullah wants to revolutionize the way the Saudi government takes care of its pilgrims during the hajj, and he’s come to UCF to learn how to do just that. Abdullah envisions a digital medical history to accompany each pilgrim, in case a pilgrim becomes a patient. “If you know the history of the patient, you don’t have to make a lot of tests. You already know what happened to him. That also reduces the cost of the health care,” Abdullah said. He said it’s going to be a challenge. “We try now with our government to find a solution for this issue. It is not easy because you have a different culture, different people. Even if you try to make a system, people will not follow this system,” Abdullah said. Every year, the number of pilgrims goes up. Solving that problem is the main reason Abdullah came to UCF. “They have a public affairs program at the health college. I read about this program, that is what I need. It is focused on the community,” he said. Abdullah arrived in Orlando in January 2012. He remembers being stressed on the plane ride to Florida because school started Monday and he was late. “It was very hard for me, because I had no idea about this 16 | Centric

city, Orlando,” he said. Abdullah was worried about finding a place to live. He was worried about passing his exams. Most of all, he was worried about his family, who he had always taken care of. “Of course, I feel, like, unhappy because I leave all my family there. You know, my father pass away six years ago. I have two brothers and three sisters,” Abdullah said. He said it’s not easy to earn a Ph.D. in the United States. He was concerned because learning English was difficult for him. After reading and writing countless essays and articles, he said it became easier. “The first time, it was not very good. But after studying and communicating with some people here, I try to improve the language,” he said. It took some time for Abdullah to get used to making direct, prolonged eye contact with his professors. He said he had to explain to one professor that he wasn’t trying to be rude or shifty by avoiding meeting his eyes. He was avoiding his gaze as a sign of respect. “It is different, of course, because we have different cultures. But we respect the culture here,” he said. Abdullah said he prays more since he came to the U.S. He said he misses the adhaan, the Muslim call to prayer. “All the people [in Saudi Arabia] stop and go to the mosque. And here, we thank America we have mosque here, but it is not the same,” he said. Abdullah misses the food. Well, he misses the food a little less now. His wife, Alanood AlShereef, helps with that. Alanood pours cup after cup of tea with a smile, pleased to receive visitors in the couple’s apartment near campus. It’s impeccably clean, vacuum lines still in the carpet. A table-

Abdullah AlShareef plans to use his experience at UCF to revolutionize health care in Saudi Arabia.

“It was very hard for me because I had no idea about this city, Orlando.”

cloth with dishes set for two lies on the floor. The newlyweds haven’t found time to purchase a dining table yet. A notebook paper is taped to the wall with the sentence, “You are good husband” next to a smiley face. With a grin, Abdullah said if he behaves for a week, he gets the written praise. Alanood laughs, no translation needed. Abdullah said he feels upset when he hears stories about Muslims in the media. “I’m trying sometimes, I understand why they

ask this, the media here, they didn’t give the truth about our culture, our religion … they make it as if [violence] happens every time in our country. That is not true,” Abdullah said. We are the same as them, he said. He tries to keep things in perspective. “I need to meet my goal. That is why I’m here,” Abdullah said.

Centric | 17

Taranjeet Singh Bhatia’s Sikh faith gives him a sense of purpose in life.

KNIGHTS OF FAITH

BY | MEAGAN CAHUASQUI PHOTOGRAPHY | TRAVIS RUMOHR

Shruti Patel’s Hindu faith gives her a sense of community. aranjeet Singh Bhatia walked into the UCF Student Union wearing a T-shirt, jeans — and a turban. The 28-year-old computer science major explained that it’s required in Sikhism out of respect to God. Bhatia says that his religion reminds him of a sense of purpose. “Nobody’s lowly in this life; everyone has confidence of being king in this world,” he said. His middle name means “lion” and represents this belief. It is shared by all Sikh males. Bhatia said Sikhism teaches that everyone is equal in God’s eyes, and is based on a student-teacher relationship. “Followers are students of life,” he said. As a Sikh, his duty is to help his fellow Knights, he said. “In the summer, I arranged temporary

18 | Centric

UCF students turn to religion in many forms

accommodation and airport pickup for new Indian graduate students,” he said. He also teaches Hindi to UCF students. Bhatia said his faith offers a path for honest living and equal treatment for all people. “Being a Sikh, for me, is like a great fortune,” he said. “Everyone wants happiness in their life, and Sikhism taught everything related to happiness.” Deirdra Smith, 18, grew up in a Christian home, but said she recently accepted Jesus as her savior. “I am an imperfect human being,” said the nursing-pending major. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes.” Smith’s favorite aspect of Christianity is the belief God loves everyone, regardless of their faults. She found a UCF family within SHIFT, a Christian organization on campus. “We pray together, talk together … have fun all together,” she said of the organization. Smith added that she really connected with the club’s belief in turning one’s life around. Smith will join SHIFT’s upcoming trip to Passion, a Christian conference in Atlanta, meant to unite Christians worldwide. For students like Shruti Patel, religion provides a community connection. The 21-year-old communication sciences and disorders major practices Hinduism daily. It helps her feel closer to her family and Indian roots, she said. “We worship every day,” said Patel. “The days I have off I do two to three hours…

reciting hymns and songs and doing offerings.” On busier days, she tries to devote 1530 minutes to prayer. Patel has a room in her house for worship, which is common among Hindu families. Patel volunteers with an off-campus program called Vallabh Youth Organization. “I would really love to have VYO come to UCF,” she said, and hopes to see Hinduism prosper within the UCF community. Even though she does her worshipping at home, Patel always carries her religion. “Faith goes wherever you go,” she said. “My Krishna (God) resides in my heart, not just in a temple.” Deirdra Smith’s Christian faith has helped her to turn her life around.

M I’ g th ca d a fr re ty m m p d as M v fi st d 2 u p se U w a

C jo at

BLACK, GOLD & RED TRACKING A PINT OF BLOOD FROM THE BIG RED BUS AT UCF TO FLORIDA HOSPITAL BY | ALEX KEAY INFOGRAPHIC | RAQUEL REICHARD

The Screening Alex fills out a questionnaire about his medical and travel history.

The Donation The nurse draws blood. Although the entire process takes more than an hour, giving a pint of blood takes approximately 10 minutes.

A blood sample is taken to determine iron count.

BIG RED BUS PHOTOGRAPHY | REBECCA MALES

My name is Alex Keay. I’m a senior at UCF and give blood regularly when the Big Red Bus comes to campus. I wanted to document the journey a pint of blood takes — from my vein to the recipient’s. My blood type is 0-positive, which means that it can be matched to 85 percent of people in need of a donation. I’m not alone as a UCF blood donor. My fellow Knights are very generous. UCF ranks first among Florida’s 11 state universities in blood donated annually with 2,754 pints. Among all universities in Florida, public or private, UCF is second only to the University of Miami, which donates 2,800 pints a year. Check out a video of the journey Alex’s blood took at centric.cos.ucf.edu. SOURCE: OneBlood.org

The Separation Alex’s blood is stored in a cooler and shipped to OneBlood Inc. in Orlando. It’s placed in a centrifuge, where it is separated into red blood cells, platelets and plasma, and tested for viruses such as HIV, West Nile and Chagas.

RBCs

Platelets

The Components The separated components are removed from the centrifuge and put into an expresser, which allows for further separation.

Plasma

The Distribution SafeTrace, a transfusion management software, connects OneBlood Inc. to hospitals in need of Alex’s blood components.

The hospital services department at OneBlood Inc. packages and ships Alex’s separated blood to Florida Hospital.

The Recipient While blood donations are generally anonymous, it is common for red blood cells to be sent to an ER, platelets to cancer patients and plasma to burn victims.

A cancer patient undergoing surgery receives Alex’s blood. Centric | 19

SEEING

GREEN

A day in the life of the most hated workers on campus A day in the life of the most hated workers on campus

BY | SEAN BOWER PHOTOGRAPHY | MICHAEL MASSAS

After following a UCF parking patroller around for part of her shift, I’d say some UCF commuters are lucky Parking Services can’t give out citations for ignorance. Minutes into a ride-along with Callie Wright, senior patroller, it became obvious that the bad reputation the ticket-writers have is undeserved. Wright, who normally patrols on foot, was allowed a car to bring along senior patroller Miguel Guzman, Centric photographer Michael Massas and myself. After departing from the Garage D office, Wright drove slowly through lot H4, making sure that all vehicles were parked correctly, with a current decal and a valid license plate. Nearby, a red Mustang with a green decal pulled into a faculty and staff parking spot, where red or blue decals are required. Rather than wait for the students to leave and write a ticket, Wright drove up and asked them to move to a section of the lot designated for green permits. The passenger said he was unaware they had parked in a faculty spot, despite being just yards away from a sign that said so, and agreed to move. 20 | Centric

“We give people opportunities,” Guzman said. “We try to keep everything regulated in a positive way.” Fifteen minutes later, we returned to lot H4 to find the red Mustang in the same faculty spot. I couldn’t believe the obvious disrespect from the students who left the Mustang. I was irritated, and I wasn’t the one who politely asked them to move. In contrast, Wright showed no anger. She calmly wrote down the license plate number and vehicle description, took pictures of the vehicle, scanned the decal and left a wrong-lot ticket — a $25 fine. Students aimed disapproving looks our way as Wright wrote the citation. That’s because some people, like TV Production major Ryan Francis, have a negative outlook on patrollers and their work. “I’d like to think it’s for our safety, but it’s always nice to have a little revenue too,” he said. Rather than giving out tickets to build UCF revenue, the parking patrollers said they do so for a different reason. “They seem to think that we want to be mean,” Wright said. “But the main reason we give tickets is because there are people who pay

Callie Wright gives citations to protect students and faculty who pay for decals. for decals, and it’s unfair that someone tries to park on campus for free.” In lot C1, a truck with a green decal parked in the faculty and staff area. The driver got out and shouldered his backpack before he noticed Wright. He immediately got back in his truck to move it. It gave us a chuckle. Wright said these are common occurrences, and are nowhere near as outrageous as some attempts to fool patrollers. Some of the more clever efforts include changing the date on day passes or decals, moving cones to take a parking spot and sticking an old ticket on a vehicle’s windshield. However, the oddest attempt to obtain a parking spot came on the watch of Manuel Guerrero, the facility and events specialist. While Guerrero was patrolling he noticed a unique sight: three full-size cars taking up two parking spots. The middle car was at fault because it was straddling the line. The tiny amount of space between the vehicles perplexed Guerrero. “We don’t even know how he got out,” he said. Guerrero said he’s seen vehicles rack up massive amounts of tickets. “I’ve seen as many as 31 or 32 citations, and most of them were for the same reason,” he said.

While Wright didn’t give nearly that many citations during our three-hour ride along, she did give out more than I anticipated: • Two for parking in the wrong lot — $25 each. • Two for not having a decal — $30 each. • One for an expired license plate — $40. • One for parking in a service area — $35. • One for wrong direction parking in a one-way garage — $20. Giving tickets, which range from $20-$250, is not the only thing patrollers do. Parking services offers a plethora of services for UCF drivers at no cost: escorts, unlocking cars, tire changes, battery jumps and more, Guerrero said. In fairness, parking patrollers buy full-price decals just like everyone else. Even though patrollers encounter angry people yelling at them — to the point where one was punched years ago — they still empathize with those they give tickets to. I was surprised at how understanding Wright and others, like patroller Ashton Greene, are. “They have the right to get mad. It’s their money,” Greene said.

Continued >

Centric | 21

5 lame excuses violators give to the parking appeals board 1| “F” IS FOR FREE “Well, I know garage F is free parking, so I thought ‘F’was for ‘Free.’ Therefore, I thought garage ‘D’ meant ‘Don’t Pay.’” 2| DISABLED PARKING “I parked in the disabled space because I was dropping off my grandparent, who really wanted to see the campus.” (The grandparent/owner of disabled permit was deceased.) 3| DOUBLE PARKED “Your patroller issued me a ticket for being double parked, but I don’t know why. Here are some pictures to show you I was within the lines.” (The driver was unaware that patrollers take pictures of vehicles when double parked. The driver moved the vehicle after receiving the citation and then took pictures.)

T g D

4| NOT MY TICKET “That cannot be my ticket. I have never parked on this campus.” (Parking services had time-stamped photo evidence of the violation.) 5| EXPIRED “You never sent me a reminder that my permit expired.”

Citations given on one day* 151 121

49 18

Morning

Afternoon

Evening

TOTAL - 339 *Source: UCF Parking Services; citations distributed on Sept. 24, 2012.

After Hours

Top Photo: To counter attempts to get out of a ticket, Callie Wright photographs violators’ license plates. Bottom Photo: Callie Wright listens to hallway chatter before her shift.

The Berners tailgate for every UCF home game, (from left), Scott, Janet, Laura, Dennis and Michael.

ALL IN THE FAMILY L For these families, UCF is in their DNA BY | MEAGAN CAHUASQUI PHOTOGRAPHY | REBECCA MALES

Matt Duranceau (right) takes pride in continuing the tradition his father, Steven, started by attending UCF.

aura Berner comes from a family of Knights. She and her family share a love of accounting, and football. “My dad owns his own accounting firm,” said Laura, 21. “It’s been talked about that me and my brother might take over, but nothing set in stone.” Her father met his wife, Janet, while studying accounting. Janet said that he had a motorcycle helmet and a full beard back then. “I’ve been going to the UCF football games since I was like 4,” Laura said. Over the years, their football ritual has remained intact. “We especially like gathering with the Williams family,” said Janet. “The tradition among the two families is to see who makes the best jalapeño poppers.” Another alumnus returned to UCF as a professor after getting his environmental engineering doctorate.

Steven Duranceau says that regularly seeing his son, Matt, on campus is a great perk. Matt Duranceau, 20, said that he and his father attend some of the games together, but Steven added that he tends to leave that tradition to his son. “I remember my first game … our punter went to kick and it was windy, and [the football] went straight up and landed behind him,” Steven reminisced of his first game. According to Steven, the games he attended weren’t the grand events they are today. However, the original chant has remained. “I don’t remember it exactly. Something about ‘go, go, go,’” Steven said with a chuckle. The Duranceaus take pride in sharing an alma mater. “I always like a sense of tradition,” said Matt with a smile. “I like continuing the legacy.” Centric | 23

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