UCF Inspiring Excellence 2018

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA • ORLANDO

MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE IS A BIG JOB. IT REQUIRES A BIG UNIVERSITY. IT REQUIRES UCF. WE’RE BIG. It’s true. With 66,000 students and counting, we are one of the largest universities in the nation. But we see that as our strength. That size creates more opportunities for each student to encounter more diverse viewpoints. It means even more people with the youthful energy needed to try new things. It means even more support and resources to turn your dreams into reality.

And it means UCF is a place where, by striving for excellence, our students, alumni and faculty members have even more chances to improve lives and make a difference in the world. Because when we unleash our full potential — AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN.

STUDENT

Investing in the Future BRANDT DIETRY was hand-selected by a professor to intern at a law firm, an experience that allowed him to gain relevant experience toward his legal studies minor. As a National Merit Scholar, the junior economics major decided to come to UCF because of the significant scholarship and real-world opportunities he would be able to access. Working in the university’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness, being involved with the undergraduate Moot Court and serving as a peer mentor has given him a variety of skills that helps him confidently explore a range of career options.

I always knew I wanted to go to a big school for the types of opportunities they can provide, and I think if you rise to the top in a big school that’s an accomplishment you can be really proud of.”

FACULTY

Impacting Global Policy GÜNEŞ MURAT TEZCÜR came to UCF to become the Jalal Talabani Endowed Chair of Kurdish Political Studies, the only position of its type in the nation. Through his research, teaching and outreach initiatives, he aims to provide valuable understanding about why people join armed rebellions. The responsibility to be a pioneer in Kurdish politics is one that he knows has the power to shape his students into global citizens and impact policy around the world.

Having access to so much diversity means I can always find faculty members or the students with whom I can collaborate on different projects.”

ALUM

Finding Strength in Challenges AMANDA STEPHEN ’08 wanted to explore acting from a young age, but it wasn’t until she sat in the audience of a Theatre UCF production of A Chorus Line that she finally gained the courage to do so. Adding a theatre-studies major to her already busy interpersonal/organizational communication course load taught her that with proper time management and tenacity you can achieve anything you want.

Through her challenges and successes at UCF, she gained the confidence to pursue acting, which led her to win the role of Alison Abdullah the Emmy-winning Netflix series Orange is the New Black and become board chair of a production company.

Being at UCF taught me to take initiative to achieve what I wanted to.

Everything was there at my fingertips — I just had to take initiative to go seek it.”

Photo by Geoff Levy ’11

STUDENT

Serving the Local Community ELENA PHAM puts her passion for helping others into practice as director of UCF’s Hearts for the Homeless, a student organization that provides free health screenings to the homeless. The position is one of many campus involvements the junior biomedical sciences major and leadership studies minor believes will help her pursue her dream of becoming a cardiologist with a specialization in preventative medicine.

As a member of the International Medical Fraternity, a LEAD scholar, undergraduate teaching assistant and intern for pediatric cardiologists, she shows that making the world a better place starts with a caring heart.

I chose to come to UCF because I believed being in Orlando would provide me with the fast-paced environment and resources to grow into a person more capable of giving back to the community.�

FACULTY

Collaborating for Success SHIBU YOOSEPH, part of the original team that sequenced the human genome, leads the UCF Faculty Research Cluster Initiative in building a strong interdisciplinary academic and research program in the growing fields of genomics and bioinformatics. The computer science professor addresses global challenges by developing algorithms for analyzing genomes of organisms, which are used in monitoring environmental health and finding better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for diseases.

It is very exciting to train the next generation of scientists in an interdisciplinary context because it helps them tackle scientific problems in better ways.�

ALUM

Taking a Chance CLAY NEWBILL ’82 knows ambition is the cornerstone of success in the entertainment industry, a quality that teachers at UCF encouraged. As a peer advisor, O-Team member, fraternity brother and cheerleader, the radio-television and film major developed the leadership and people skills necessary to help him become an innovator in reality TV. As the executive producer of Shark Tank, he also encourages UCF students in his own way by giving them the chance to chase their dreams and gain valuable experience in Los Angeles with his Hollywood Internship Program.

You’ve got to look at life as this incredible opportunity and be excited about the challenge, and not let fear dictate what you do or do not do.”

STUDENT

Exploring New Possibilities SUMAYYA ABUKHALIL recently completed a competitive Brook Owens Fellowship, which allowed her to be mentored by a former NASA chief scientist and work on emerging fields in space exploration. The junior aerospace engineer credits earning the position to the research she completed at UCF’s Center for Microgravity Research and Planetary Science Group, as well as other campus involvements. As president of Students for the Exploration and the Development of Space, she is able to network with top leaders in the space industry across the nation.

My entire career is forming here at UCF and being involved in organizations has opened up so many opportunities for me.�

FACULTY

Celebrating Artistic Freedom WANDA RAIMUNDI-ORTIZ is a champion of diversity in both her teachings as a School of Visual Arts & Design professor and in her accomplished portfolio as an artist. Her focus on educating students on artists of color, as well as the importance of exploring social, political and personal issues in art helps her foster their creative and professional growth.

Since becoming a faculty member in 2010, the opportunity to share her work with the world has increased, with 78 completed exhibits during this time, including a recent performance of her Reinas series at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.

It’s amazing to have the respect and support of a major institution that allows me to connect my work with people on international platforms and teachers of other disciplines at the university.�

ALUM

Transforming Digital Culture KEAL BLACHE ’11 serves growing businesses in Orlando with his marketing firm Loba Creative. The finance major and sports business-management minor first learned to use creative strategies and digital tools to effectively reach communities by working in the UCF Athletics Department.

Through his experiences as founding president of a fraternity, Student Government Association member, resident assistant and practice player for the women’s basketball team, he discovered the skills needed to run his company.

The people at UCF have helped me along the way.

I saw the risks that they had taken in their lives to help the people around them. I wanted to really open the door to help other people down the road.�

STUDENT

Securing the Digital World MATTHEW ST. HUBIN went from fixing friends’ phones in middle school to becoming vice president of UCF’s Cyber Defense team, Hack@UCF. The information technology major recently traveled abroad for the first time to lead the university’s team to a third-place finish in the Global Cyberlympics. Between his coursework and experience with intense cyberdefense competitions, he developed the skills needed to secure important positions in the tech industry that keep users safe worldwide.

UCF harbors an environment with clubs, teams and organizations that push students to innovate, better themselves and create their own story.”

FACULTY

Studying Endangered Species KATE MANSFIELD first became interested in sea turtles more than 20 years ago during an internship experience involving the endangered species. In 2013, Mansfield joined the university as head researcher at the UCF Marine Turtle Research Center because of its strong, long-term field component. Now she gets to help interns at UCF develop their interest in marine life as she uses satellite, offshore and beach fieldwork research to learn more about sea turtles and their life cycles.

I really enjoy leading research projects because it’s a fun way to get students excited about fieldwork and give them a rare opportunity for hands-on experience.�

ALUM

Healing Through Experience JACQUELINE BOEHME ’11 is fulfilling her dream of practicing medicine in Boston after earning her degree from Harvard Medical School. The depth of study the molecular biology and microbiology major completed at UCF made her feel prepared for medical school, which led her to be accepted to one of the most competitive medical internships and anesthesiology residency programs in the country. Her involvement with The Burnett Honors College’s Honors Congress and reign as Miss UCF 2011 helped her gain a well-rounded college experience, break out of her comfort zone and discover her passion for singing.

I really liked the Burnett Honors College because it allowed me to get both the big-university experience, and also the small liberal arts college feel, which lets you get to know your teachers and other students really well.”

Photo by Joanne Smith

STUDENT

Developing Future Technology JOEY GINORIO studies the challenging relationship between humans and technology by developing artificial intelligence algorithms inspired by human intelligence. The senior computer engineering major aspires to become a research professor leading his own lab, but this vison wasn’t decided until he became a student at the University of Central Florida. With guidance from the McNair Scholars Program and Academic Advancements Programs Office, he earned internship positions at MIT that helped shape his academic interests and was awarded the Goldwater Scholarship.

I think AI is just an inevitable fact of the future. For a society to remain competitive in a global market, they’re going to have to understand how to build better AI.�

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