IMPACT, Fall 2022

IMPACT THE MAGAZINE OF THE UCF FOUNDATION

UNLEASHING POTENTIAL HOW PHILANTHROPY FUELS EXCELLENCE

INSIDE:

College of Arts & Humanities Dean Jeff Moore on the power of philanthropy (and music).

IMPACT FALL 2022 I

22 FALL

“Accessible green spaces make our communities more vibrant and livable. We are proud to work with UCF to support the UCF Arboretum and its programming.”

—Nick Miceli, regional president for Florida Metro at TD Bank, and board chair, TD Charitable Foundation.

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FLASH POINTS

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NEW NURSING BUILDING R E C E I V E S A P P R O VA L Fundraising launches for new permanent home at Lake Nona

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TEN MINUTES WITH...

College of Arts and Humanities Dean, Jeff Moore

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MEANINGFUL MEMORIES Amy Fluman Rettig ’89

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S U CC E S S F U L D I AG N O S I S Kelli Lipscomb ’11 ’16MS ’21PhD

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FULL CIRCLE Sean Farrell ’22MNM

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DECADES OF SERVICE Dr. Frank and Etta Jean ’89 Juge

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FUTURE FOCUSED Barry ’95 and Rosie ’95 Miller

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M OV I N G T H R O U G H T H E WO R L D Inclusive Education Services

IMPACT is published three times a year by UCF Advancement for alumni, friends and partners of the university who have made philanthropic commitments.

INTERIM VP FOR ADVANCEMENT AND INTERIM CEO, UCF FOUNDATION Ron Piccolo, PhD MANAGING EDITOR Susan Watkins

CONTRIBUTING WRITER Danielle Hendrix ’15

STAFF WRITERS David Dadurka ’12MA Camille Dolan ’98 Char Eberly

DESIGNER Aileen Solá

Correspondence and address updates to: foundation@ucf.edu or Impact Editor, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 250, Orlando, FL 32826.

Living Laboratory TD Charitable Foundation recently gave $10,000 to allow the UCF Arboretum to increase its outreach and build stronger ties to the community through family-friendly free Community Day events. The events offer a more structured way for visitors to get to know the wonders of the Arboretum, an 82-acre green space on campus and academic and research gem that provides hands-on opportunities for students and visitors to explore and learn about the native plant, animal and insect life of our Central Florida environment.

Community Days include a rotating schedule of learning stations, guided trail walks and seasonal themed handson projects and have been a resounding success. “We know green spaces provide countless social, health and economic benefits, which is why expanding access is so critical to making our communities more vibrant and livable,” says Nick Miceli, regional president for Florida Metro at TD Bank and board chair of the TD Charitable Foundation. “We are proud to support UCF and work with them to increase access to and engagement with our unique and beautiful green spaces for residents of East Orlando.”

READ IMPACT ONLINE FOR ENHANCED CONTENT AND VIDEOS AT WWW.UCFFOUNDATION.ORG/IMPACT

HELLO! We’ve made some changes to IMPACT this issue, and we hope you love them. We’ve also enhanced the online magazine experience with more in-depth features and video content. You can find IMPACT online at ucffoundation.org/impact. As always, we welcome your feedback — and if you’ve got a great UCF story, please let us know!

Thank you for your support.

Susan Watkins, Managing Editor, UCF Advancement Communications susan.watkins@ucf.edu

FLASH POINTS

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry but . . . it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” ­— Maya Angelou

$1 MILLION GIFT SUPPORTS PROGRAMS AMPLIFYING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION The idea that international experience opens us to intercultural understanding is a driving force behind Jonathan and Nancy Wolf’s establishment of a $1 million endowment — the Jonathan & Nancy Wolf Fund for Global Dialog — to support UCF’s Global Perspectives and International Initiatives (GPII). GPII connects the UCF campus and the Central Florida community to global cultures, ideas and information and acts as a think tank supporting UCF’s international programs, global partnerships, collaborative research with faculty and more.

The Wolfs are committed to supporting philanthropic efforts locally and globally. In 2018, they created a partnership between UCF and the American University of Cairo, where Jonathan Wolf studied and now serves on the board of trustees. The partnership paved the way for a reciprocal study-abroad agreement, the Nancy and Jonathan Wolf Global Academic Initiative. In addition to the student exchange component, the Wolfs also support other areas of cooperation, including faculty visits, exchanges and development programs.

“The Wolfs’ endowment will help foster greater intercultural understanding, support innovative international education and create more engaged citizens of the world,” says David Dumke, executive director, UCF GPII. “We’re grateful to the Wolfs for their ongoing support that has enabled GPII to grow as a hub for advancing UCF’s international profile and engagement.”

MICHAEL D. JOHNSON, UCF provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, speaking about Jim Rosengren, who passed away in March.

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“The generosity of Jim and Julia [Rosengren] has helped the university tremendously. Their support of programs across UCF and their commitment to our students, student-athletes and overall academic excellence will benefit lives and UCF’s upward trajectory for many years to come.”

NOTES OF GRATITUDE Students and others whose lives have been changed by donors like you.

2022 cohort of UCF DSI students visit the UCF Downtown campus.

HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND UCF INVEST $3.25 MILLION IN NEW DOWNTOWN SCHOLARS INITIATIVE The number of students from Jones, Evans and Oak Ridge high schools in Orlando who earn degrees from UCF may soon increase, thanks to a $2 million grant from Helios Education Foundation. The partnership between Helios and UCF launches the UCF Downtown Scholars Initiative (UCF DSI) to create new pathways to success at UCF for qualified students at the target schools. Inspired by Helios’ leadership and generosity, the university is also contributing funds to the new initiative, resulting in a combined investment of $3.25 million.

“Through this partnership with Helios, we are opening educational pathways that unleash the potential of these students and empower them

“I feel very proud and grateful for the opportunity.

UCF has always been the school I wanted to attend, because I grew up here in Orlando, so when I heard about this program, I knew I had to jump on it. I’m really excited to be a Knight.”

—ALYSSA CHAMBERS, A JONES HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE, is one of the first participants in the new UCF Downtown Scholars Initiative, a partnership between UCF and Helios Education Foundation.

to pursue excellence, earn success and boost their upward mobility,” says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright.

IN MEMORIAM:

James “Jim” Rosengren, Class of 1981

FOR JAMES ROSENGREN, GIVING BACK TO HIS ALMA MATER WAS AN HONOR. Rosengren and his wife, Julia, supported a wide range of programs and made multimillion-dollar gifts to several colleges and UCF Athletics.

A retired combat medic, Rosengren provided financial support and advice to UCF RESTORES, a program known nationally for its innovative PTSD treatment. The Rosengrens’ support for the program helped ensure its future ability to provide treatment at no cost to its patients.

Athletics was also near to Rosengren’s heart. As a UCF student and ROTC cadet commander, he marched with the honor guard and fired a cannon to celebrate touchdowns in the Citrus Bowl, where the fledgling team played at the time. The couple’s generosity helped create the on-field cabanas and the Rosengren Lounge in UCF’s stadium.

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NEW COLLEGE OF NURSING BUILDING AT LAKE NONA RECEIVES APPROVAL FUNDRAISING LAUNCHES FOR THE NEW, PERMANENT HOME WITH EXPANDED SPACE AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY TO COMBAT THE NURSING SHORTAGE AND FOSTER INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

T

he Board of Trustees recently

secured and planning goals are met,

Simulation, Technology, Innovation

approved the use of state-

the college will break ground on the

and Model Center will prepare

allocated funds to begin

new building, which is anticipated

students for clinical practice.

the planning and design phase for

to open during the 2025-2026

the projected 90,000-square-foot

academic year.

College of Nursing building at the

“UCF’s College of Nursing leverages the innovation and collaboration our

The new home of the College

university is known for to educate

of Nursing will sit on the 50-

the nurse caregivers, researchers

acre property already home to

and educators of tomorrow,” says

With state funding estimated to

the UCF College of Medicine

President Alexander N. Cartwright.

pay for less than half of the new

and the UCF Lake Nona Medical

“We are incredibly excited to

building — the Florida Legislature

Center. Preliminary plans include

have our nursing students join our

allocated $29 million to UCF for

classrooms and state-of-the-art

Academic Health Sciences Center

the new building during the 2022

learning labs for health assessment.

in Lake Nona, and we look forward

legislative session, with the total

In addition, expansion of the

cost estimated to be just under $64

College of Nursing’s accredited

UCF Academic Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona.

million — the college will launch a strategic fundraising campaign to secure private support for the project. Once funding is

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to increasing the excellence of our programs and our impact in our community through the partnerships and opportunities that this move will enable.”

The new building is a much-needed investment for the region and the state, both of which are facing a critical healthcare worker shortage.

The Florida Hospital Association projects a shortage of 37,400 RNs statewide by 2035 and has actively advocated to increase the supply of quality faculty and campus resources for nursing programs. The association estimates that an additional 2,300 RNs are needed to enter the workforce each year to address the

An artist rendering of a skills lab inside the future UCF College of Nursing building in Lake Nona, Florida.

projected state shortage.

“This is an incredible milestone

educators and grow the number of

examination for RNs and nurse

existing UCF faculty.

practitioners. With additional

for UCF, and we’re laser focused

faculty, staff and space, the college

on moving from vision to reality,”

Approximately 85% of UCF nursing

will also grow enrollment capacity

says Mary Lou Sole, dean of

alumni live and work in Florida, and

for its doctoral and master’s degree

the College of Nursing. “This is

almost 60% live and work in the six-

programs. These programs help

a transformational project that

county core of Central Florida.

educate more advanced practice

has wide-reaching impact for our region, and we will need the support of our entire community to help us reach our goal of educating more Knight nurses to positively impact more patient lives, and guide 21st century healthcare.”

“The community is growing,” says Sole, who notes that Florida’s population is rising at rates that exceed the national average. “Our population is also aging, which

providers, nurse leaders and executives, and nurse educators who will fuel the pipeline of nursing faculty, which is essential for combating the nursing shortage.

is increasing demand on our

The College of Nursing has been

healthcare systems. As a region,

leading the charge in educating

UCF already graduates more newly

we need to be able to provide high

the next generation of nurses since

licensed registered nurses annually

quality, compassionate care to our

1979 and is ranked among the best

than any other institution in the

residents who live here now and

in the nation. It is accredited by the

State University System, with

those coming here in the future.”

Commission on Collegiate Nursing

approximately 260 Knight nurses

Education and recently was one of

entering the workforce each year.

That’s where more Knight nurses

nine programs worldwide — and the

Once the building is complete and

will help. UCF’s nursing graduates

only one in Florida — to receive an

fully funded, the College of Nursing

are well prepared for clinical

endorsement from the International

expects to increase enrollment

practice, consistently surpassing the

Nursing Association for Clinical

for new nurses and future nurse

national average on the licensure

Simulation and Learning.

An artist rendering of the future 90,000-square-foot College of Nursing building at the UCF Academic Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona, Florida.

IMPACT FALL 2022 7

TEN MINUTES WITH

JEFF MOORE

Jeff Moore is the dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. He joined UCF’s faculty in 1994 as the university’s first full-time percussion professor and, prior to his appointment as dean in 2013, served as the director of the School of Performing Arts and chair of the music department. Jeff and his wife, Mindy, are philanthropists dedicated to providing the finest arts education to students, taking them from the classroom to the stage and beyond.

Why is music such an important part

Even after you expressed an interest in drums, you

of people’s lives?

didn’t receive your first snare drum until after a year or

Imagine the biggest event in your life and then imagine

so. Why was that?

it without music. Or think of a great event in your life,

When I told my dad I was interested in learning how to

and how it couldn’t possibly get any better and then

play the drums, he took me to a music shop. I went over

suddenly you hear a great piece of music that just puts

to the big traps, all shiny brass and chrome, and my dad

it over the top. Music makes life better. I felt that at a

came up behind me and gave me a pair of drumsticks and

young age, which is why I was drawn to the drums at

a small rubber disk shaped like a stop sign. It was a drum

age 10.

pad and he told me to practice on that and get good at

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it first. I kept at it for a year, but instead of making music, I was

Jeff and Mindy Moore recently created two

making thuds. My dad was satisfied, though, and I finally got my

scholarships named for Ron and Debbie

first snare drum. A year after that, I got my first drum kit.

Dunham (Mindy’s parents) and Howard and

Your high school band director recognized that you had some talent and suggested you pursue a more well-rounded musical education, even though your heart was set on becoming the world’s best drummer. How did you accomplish that?

Mary Giurich (Mindy’s grandparents) to provide support for students studying percussion at UCF. Because they are endowed, both scholarships will last in perpetuity.

My high school band director, Pat Day, connected me with Galen

“Jeff and I wanted to establish these scholarships

Leonard, a principal from the San Jose Symphony, which led to

so that my parents and grandparents would

lessons from the legendary Tony Cirone, a percussionist with the

never be forgotten,” says Mindy. “I was not

San Francisco Symphony. He was not just a great teacher, but he

musically inclined at all — I freeze up even

has had a great career. Everyone in the percussion world knew

when singing ‘Happy Birthday’ — but they

his name and he has written some very well-regarded books.

enthusiastically supported me all my life.”

I thought, “I want to have a career like this guy!”

When Jeff and Mindy attended Lincoln High

As a musician, you learned the art of improvisation. Are there

School in San Jose, California, they were part

parallels to working in higher education?

of the school’s marching band — Jeff, on

Improvisation in music, which some people may think means

percussion, and Mindy, a member of the color

creating music out of thin air, really happens within a framework

guard. In preparation for the Lincoln Lions’

of parameters that you can work within. I prefer to improvise

football games, Jeff, Mindy and the other

within a structure, as a supporting character to help lift the

students would spend countless hours on the

group up. This is a great metaphor for working in administration

field, learning the complex moves involved with

and with our students as well. I often need to improvise to get

the crowd-pleasing halftime performances.

a point across. I have different ways of communicating with different personalities. I think it is important for me to know what is meaningful to others and what will help me connect with and facilitate other people’s excellence.

Those performances would likely not have been possible without the support of people like the Dunhams and the Giuriches, who also spent long hours behind the scenes, readying the band for

You and your wife, Mindy, have shared your generosity with

its time in the spotlight. When Mindy joined the

UCF over the years and have also provided for UCF in your

marching band, they “joined” the marching band

estate plans. Can you talk about your philanthropy?

too. “My grandfather was a skilled carpenter

My family wasn’t wealthy and I was the first in my family to go

who built his home in San Jose, and he also lent

to college, so I knew that if I wanted to study percussion, I would

his craft to constructing a platform for the drum

need academic scholarships. I never met the people who funded

major on the high school field.”

these scholarships, but their generosity and foresight really opened the world to me. It was such a valuable investment that when you look at the different ways you can use money to make a difference, I don’t know if there is a higher return on investment than that — you change someone’s life, and you change the lives that the person intersects with. That’s a huge impact.

The Dunhams and the Giuriches supported Mindy and her brother wherever they could. The Moores hope that students who receive the new scholarship will also feel similarly encouraged to continue studying their passion. “My parents and grandparents were always there,” Mindy

Had it not been for philanthropy, Mindy and I would not have

says. “In a way, they are still here, supporting a

been fortunate enough to live the lives we have had. Knowing

new group of music students.”

that, through our gifts, future students will benefit after we are gone gives us peace of mind.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MOORES, VISIT UCFFOUNDATION.ORG/MOREMOORE

IMPACT FALL 2022 9

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MEANINGFUL MEMORIES First-generation alumna creates scholarship to honor parents

I

t was a given that Amy Fluman

Rettig’s dad, Albert Fluman, was the

Alumni boards, received her UCF

Rettig ’89 would go to college.

youngest of 12 children and grew

degree in communications and is the

Although her parents did not

up in a small town in Pennsylvania.

senior vice president for community

have that chance, they made sure

He served as a chief petty officer/

engagements at Nielsen, a global

their four children would have the

navigator in the U.S. Navy during

leader in audience insights, data and

opportunity. A new scholarship

the Korean Conflict and married

analytics, where she has worked for

created by Rettig — the Fluman-

Rettig’s mom, Dee Finn, when he

more than 28 years. She and her

Rettig Scholarship for First-

returned home in 1957.

husband, Jeff, are parents to Nellie, a

Generation Students — honors her parents and their commitment to education.

The family moved to Hernando County, Florida, when Rettig was

When Nellie was getting ready to

in high school. Her parents were

start college, the Rettigs began

hesitant to let her attend UCF

to explore ways they could help

because there wasn’t any on-

students who were dreaming of

campus housing available when Amy

going to UCF. They knew the time

registered, and they did not want

was right to create the scholarship

her living off-campus. Rettig still has

to benefit first-generation college

letters that her father wrote to Trevor

students, and they did not need to

Colbourn, then-president of UCF,

look far for inspiration.

expressing his concern about the UCF housing situation in 1984.

fortunate to have my parents living close by,” says Amy. “They were

Rettig became one of the first

so happy knowing that Nellie was heading off to college soon.” As the

sorority house, the first Greek house

pandemic progressed, Dee Fluman’s

on campus. It is also where she made

health began to fail, and she passed

her closest friends. “My time at UCF

away in 2021; Albert died this past

changed my life,” says Rettig. “I am

March. They had been married for

still best friends with the people I met back then. And of course, I wouldn’t have the career that I’ve had without the education I received thanks to UCF.”

63 years.

“We have made other charitable contributions throughout the years, but creating the scholarship in 2020 is the most meaningful gift I have ever made in my life,” says Rettig.

Rettig, who serves on

“UCF has given me more than I

the Nicholson School

could ever give back, and it was

of Communication and Media and UCF

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“When the pandemic hit, I was

As it turned out, however, occupants of the Zeta Tau Alpha

Nellie and Amy

UCF Burnett Honors College student.

just a very simple way to show my appreciation.”

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SUCCESSFUL DIAGNOSIS Nurse leader supports and inspires Knight nurses to follow their dreams

A

medical misdiagnosis led Kelli Lipscomb ’11 ’16MS ’21PhD to a career

in healthcare. After experiencing slurred speech and balance issues, Lipscomb was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 20 and told that time was of the essence. Lipscomb already knew that she wanted to go to college; she did not expect, however, that her educational journey would be accelerated.

teaching and empowering students.”

She received her master’s degree in 2016 and began working as an adjunct instructor at the UCF College of Nursing. Her colleagues told her she was a natural teacher, and she should apply for her PhD, so she did. She was one of four PhD students at the college to receive a full scholarship, thanks to three grants from the Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare, the Edyth Bush

Lipscomb followed her doctors’

Charitable Foundation, and GENEX

advice and began an arduous

Services, Inc.

educational path that took her from a bachelor’s degree to a

Because she received

doctorate in 10 years. A first-

scholarships as a doctoral

generation college student, she

student, she understands

had already begun pursuing a

the importance of

degree in communication and

philanthropy. She made

public relations, but after receiving

her first gift to UCF

her diagnosis, she was drawn to

in 2011, the year she

the medical field and switched her

graduated with her

focus to nursing school.

bachelor’s degree, and

“UCF is such a part of who I am.

Whenever I meet nursing students, I encourage them as much as I can.

I tell them: ‘Follow your dreams.

Just keep going, keep going forward. Keep charging on.’”

has given regularly ever since.

Lipscomb graduated with her

After 10 years of being on powerful

Recently, she has supported the

master’s degree, Mayer gave her

medications for multiple sclerosis,

healthcare simulation program in

a special gold ring from when she

the UCF College of Nursing. “UCF

received her master’s degree from

Lipscomb learned that she did not have MS but a severe vitamin deficiency. The news solidified her decision to continue in healthcare.

She worked in a high-acuity intensive care unit in Orlando for a few years after graduation; it was grueling but

has my heart,” Lipscomb says. “My motto boils down to, ‘if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.’ And there are a lot of students that need a leg up.”

UCF, and when Lipscomb received her doctoral degree, Mayer sent her own regalia. “As an older and experienced RN, I recognized Kelli’s potential for learning about, and the education of, others in the

rewarding. “I loved my job. I love

That philosophy of giving back was

field,” says Mayer. “I am confident

critical care nursing. I love everything

informed by one of Lipscomb’s

that her abilities will now be

about it,” she says. “But I felt like

favorite UCF instructors, Dr. Betty

applied to mentoring others in

I could make a better impact by

Mayer, ’95BSN ’96MSN. When

nursing excellence.”

IMPACT FALL 2022 11

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FULL CIRCLE

Recent grad provides opportunities through service and scholarship

A

few years ago, Sean Farrell ’22MNM was unsure

he says. “I wouldn’t have dreamed of having those

whether he had the academic qualifications to

opportunities otherwise. This person who wasn’t even

be accepted into a master’s program at UCF.

sure if UCF would accept me as a student is now

Today, he is not only a recent graduate of the nonprofit

helping undergraduate students through the work I do.

management program but a member of the university

The irony is not lost on me.”

family, helping to ensure student success.

Between their gratitude for the opportunities UCF

Shortly after beginning the program, Farrell was

offered and a shared passion for philanthropy, Farrell

encouraged by friends to consider working at UCF.

and his wife, Valerie, knew they wanted to give back.

He served for more than three years as the associate

That’s when they decided to establish a scholarship fund

director of advancement for the College of Engineering

for undergraduate nonprofit management students. The

and Computer Science and has recently become the

Farrell Nonprofit Opportunity Scholarship will cover

director for advancement for Student Development

tuition, books and fees, and provide teachable moments

and Academic Success in the College of Undergraduate

for their two young children, 7-year-old Peter and

Studies — raising funds for programs and projects

5-year-old Colleen, on the importance of both academic

across the university that foster students’ academic,

excellence and philanthropy.

personal and professional growth.

Farrell knows firsthand that going into the nonprofit

“I get to work on some really incredible gifts, together

industry is challenging, especially in the first few

with colleagues and some of our university leaders,”

years. “The more we can do to invest in our nonprofit students, the more the effect will multiply across the community,” he says. “When Valerie and I talked about it, we kept coming back to the word ‘opportunity.’ It’s because of the transformational opportunities that UCF gave me these last few years — to chart a different path professionally and academically — that I’m where I am today.”

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Sean ’22 MNM and Valerie Farrell (photo credit: Melissa Spence)

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DECADES OF SERVICE, A LIFETIME OF SUPPORT

Frank and Etta Jean Juge’s impact on the university will be felt for decades

D

r. Frank and Etta Jean Juge are charter Knights who met while working in the chemistry department. Frank held numerous

administrative positions, helped establish the Burnett Honors College, developed wine courses for Rosen College of Hospitality Management (RCHM) and taught chemistry before retiring after more than 50 years of service. Etta Jean, a 1989 UCF grad, worked at the university intermittently for 20 years.

They both cherish their memories from their time at UCF and hold special fondness for the many people who touched their lives, especially Graeme Baker, the first chair of the chemistry department, and Leslie Ellis, the chair of the biology department and later provost.

In 2002, Etta Jean learned that Frank’s wife Beth had passed away. Beth Juge, too, had been an integral part of the early days of UCF and was well-loved by the

Dr. Frank an d Etta Jean J uge

campus community. Etta Jean donated to a scholarship established in Beth’s name — the Beth Juge Memorial Scholarship, supporting students in BHC. The donation prompted a letter from Frank, thanking

studying hospitality management through the Etta Jean & Frank Juge Graduate Fellowship Endowment.

her for her gift in Beth’s memory. He included his email

The importance of mentoring and giving back can be

in case she ever wanted to catch up. They met for lunch

traced not only to the people they met early in their

a few weeks later. That fortuitous meeting has turned

careers but also to the lessons from their parents.

into two decades of a loving partnership in which they not only support each other, but also give to causes that are important to them.

“Frank and I both had humble beginnings,” Etta Jean says. “My dad had a scholarship for engineering, but his mother asked him to come

Their latest gift to UCF’s InSpire Scholars Program in

home [from college] and help with his siblings.

BHC helps eliminate socioeconomic status as a barrier

He never went back, but he would have been a

to educational mobility. The Juges have also generously

wonderful engineer. My mother didn’t believe

supported many other areas over two decades,

college was an option for her, but she poured all

including study abroad through the Dr. Frank Juge

her knowledge into me and my sister,” she says.

Study Abroad Scholarship, Knights Helping Knights and

“We are happy to help future Knights achieve their

RCHM food pantries, and full-time doctoral students

educational dreams and to continue Charging On.”

IMPACT FALL 2022 13

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FUTURE FOCUSED

College of Business Hall of Famer invests in first-gen students, new FinTech program holds a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders, and his fraternity brother and former roommate, Sean Hayes ’95, is Voloridge’s VP of Business Development.

The Millers are longtime UCF partners; over the past two years, the couple has significantly supported scholarships for women in STEM and first-generation students, the UCF Athletic Director’s Fund and UCF’s new FinTech program. Barry recently spoke at the 2022 FinTech Summit in the lead2022 UCF Business Hall of Fame inductee, Barry Miller ’95, with Rosie Miller ’95 at the recent Field of Dreams-themed awards gala.

“UCF helped instill in me a work ethic — that you work hard, appreciate things and stay humble.”

up to the launch of the state’s first master of science in FinTech this fall and often mentors UCF business students in The EXCHANGE, the College of Business’s idea and networking hub. He also serves as a volunteer judge for the college’s Joust competition.

A

“We are grateful for alumni like

successful hedge fund

helped instill in me a work ethic

manager has an instinct

— that you work hard, appreciate

for great investments. For

things and stay humble.”

to UCF with a future-forward and

Miller is a co-founder, board

College of Business Dean Paul

member and president

Jarley. “Their support bolsters the

of Voloridge Investment

flourishing FinTech industry around

Management, a $9 billion hedge

Orlando with skilled graduates.

fund firm in Jupiter, Florida. He is

And their leadership helps set an

a Knight surrounded by Knights:

example for how alumni can ‘invest

“Many of the skills and things

He graduated with honors with

in the best,’ ensuring UCF’s student-

I learned nearly 30 years ago

a bachelor’s degree in finance,

athletes, first-generation students

during my time at UCF, I still use

his wife Rosalyn “Rosie” Miller

and women in STEM are supported

to this day,” Miller says. “UCF

’95, a speech pathologist,

for generations to come.”

Barry Miller ’95, the investment in his UCF education has been a nexus of wonderful returns: lifelong friendships, hugely profitable business ventures — and where he met the love of his life.

14 IMPACT FALL 2022

Barry and Rosie Miller, who give entrepreneurial spirit,” says UCF

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

MOVING THROUGH THE WORLD ‘REMARKABLY,’ THANKS TO IES

W

hen Sebastian Strawser, who is now 28, was ready to go to college, his parents, Mike and Ann, wanted to ensure that Sebastian’s

higher education experience was meaningful for him.

“Sebastian has Down syndrome, and he is legally blind,” says Mike Strawser, professor and chair of UCF’s Department of Philosophy. Sebastian was used to challenging himself and defying expectations. He had completed his high school education and was looking forward to going to college like his siblings. Thanks to UCF’s Inclusive Education Services (IES) Program, he was able to do so.

“We never thought Sebastian was going to live on campus,” says Mike. “But the director of the IES program at the time really encouraged us to consider having Sebastian live on campus, and he did so for three years.”

Sebastian learned to navigate campus quite quickly. “Toward the end of his time on campus,” says Mike, “he was helping new students in the program find their way around. It was remarkable how he learned to navigate the world.”

The Strawsers felt comfortable letting their son attend UCF for many reasons. “Going to UCF was the perfect environment for him,” says Ann. “In addition to the classes, there were restaurants, concerts and sporting events for him to attend and it was safe. We were nervous at first, but we decided to let him fly and figure it out for himself.”

Since its 2015 inception, 32 students have completed UCF’s Inclusive Education Services program and have gone on to the next chapter of their lives. Sebastian has a new job at Orlando Health, working as a linen technician in the housekeeping department, where he helps keep the towels stacked for the medical staff. He previously worked for UCP Bailes Early Childhood Academy and for UCF. “I think I love my new job at Orlando

The Strawser siblings

Health,” says Sebastian. “I have good coworkers and a great boss.”

“This has changed his life in so many ways,” says Ann. “We know that going to UCF was one of the best experiences of his life.” Adds Mike: “We are so grateful that Sebastian has had this wonderful opportunity — he became much more independent and self-confident.”

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TAKING FLIGHT

Philanthropy helps our students soar higher than they ever thought possible.

Thank you for your support! (UCF Downtown campus mural by Harry Foreman ’18)