The 麻豆原创 community gave President John C. Hitt a heartfelt thank you Thursday during a reception honoring his 20th anniversary at the helm of the university.
Family, friends, faculty and others 鈥� both in person and in video messages 鈥� praised the service and dedication of the president, who led the university to national prominence as enrollment has jumped from 22,000 to more than 58,500 during the past two decades.
Rick Schell, vice president and chief of staff, told the audience that Hitt, the longest-serving president of the 11 state universities, has 鈥渢he courage of an offensive lineman,鈥� and Matt McCann, Student Government Association president, said Hitt is a 鈥渟ervant leader鈥� who values the input of people around him.
鈥淵ou were not only tall in stature, but also in vision,鈥� said Roger Pynn, a Distinguished Alumnus Award winner and president of the Curley & Pynn public relations firm. 鈥淭he community 鈥� all of 聽us 鈥� owe you an incredible 鈥榯hank you.鈥欌��
Hitt returned the compliments to those in attendance at the packed Pegasus Ballroom of the Student Union.
鈥淚f you are fortunate enough to head a large and dynamic organization, people tend to credit you for much of the good that happens,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd, while such praise can be flattering, allow me to set the record straight. The achievements at 麻豆原创 that coincide with my tenure have far more to do with you than with anything I could ever do.鈥�
The president added that the steady pursuit of the university鈥檚 goals has defined the 麻豆原创 of today. The greatest catalyst for the school鈥檚 success, he said, is the goal 鈥渢o be America鈥檚 leading partnership university.鈥�
Hitt also thanked his wife of 50 years, Martha, for her many contributions to the university and for being his 鈥渂est adviser and the greatest joy of my life.鈥�
The president left the audience with a key lesson he has come to understand in the years since arriving at 麻豆原创 on March 1, 1992:
鈥淚f there is anything I have learned in 20 years, it is that our greatest danger is not to dream too large, but to dream too small. At 麻豆原创, we dream big. Our greatest limitations are those we place on ourselves.鈥�
After the president鈥檚 comments, Olga Calvet, vice chair of the Board of Trustees, presented the Hitts with a bouquet of yellow Pegasus roses and framed side-by-side aerial maps of the campus taken in 1992 and 2012.
鈥淵ou can see the amazing physical growth,鈥� Calvet told them, 鈥渁nd most of all it symbolizes our progress in those 20 years.鈥�
聽To leave a congratulatory message to the president, go to 聽www.ucf.edu/hitt20.