In his role as the senior associate vice president for government and community relations, Kittinger has been a constant and trusted presence in 鲍颁贵鈥檚 work across Central Florida.

He has faithfully represented the university with a spirit of collaboration, generosity, and care that has strengthened relationships and opened doors for years, leading to some of the university鈥檚 most impactful, long-lasting, and strategic partnerships.

On April 22, Kittinger will conclude his tenure at his beloved alma mater after nearly 23 years of service.

鈥淔red Kittinger has approached his work with authenticity, optimism and a sincere joy that brings people together and builds the connections that propel our success,鈥� says 麻豆原创 President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淗e has left a lasting impression with everyone he has worked with and leaves an enduring legacy at 麻豆原创.鈥�

Joining Knight Nation

An Orlando native, Kittinger remembers the main campus being built in the 1960s. He enrolled at 麻豆原创 in 1977, known then as Florida Technological University.

He was intent on staying one year to save enough money to eventually transfer to another, more established university in northern Florida. He abandoned the plan in mere weeks, falling in love with the school that he would later spend so much of his career serving.

鈥淲e always had that chip-on-our-shoulder attitude, even back then. I like that part of 麻豆原创,鈥� Kittinger says. 鈥淲e were the little engine that could. We knew we were going someplace. We knew we were important.鈥�

He served on orientation team and President鈥檚 Leadership Council, joined Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, witnessed 鲍颁贵鈥檚 first home football game in 1979 and stockpiled memories he now relays with a smile before graduating with his bachelor鈥檚 degree in criminal justice.

After completing his master鈥檚 degree at Florida State, he went on to work as a legislative aide in the Florida Senate and as vice president with the then Orlando Chamber of Commerce. He later served as chief of staff for City of Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood.

In 2003, he was approached by the late Senior Vice President Emeritus Dan Holsenbeck and Board of Trustee charter member Patrick Christensen to gauge his interest in a position at 麻豆原创 working with local governments.

Now nearly 23 years later, he鈥檚 ready for his next adventure.

Advocating for his Alma Mater

When you鈥檙e anywhere as long as Kittinger has been at 麻豆原创, you鈥檙e bound to pick up a few keepsakes. Precious items that once adorned his office walls and bookshelves will now have a new place in his home.

A metal pipe from the Reflecting Pond鈥檚 old plumbing before it was refurbished in 2018.

A Florida Tech Boulevard street sign, which may or may not have been procured in an unofficial capacity in 1978 under the guise of darkness by some of his fraternity brothers.

But his most treasured mementos are the relationships he carries with him 鈥� from the university to the community to government offices across the state.

鈥淢y greatest fortune is the number of folks I鈥檝e had a chance to work with and develop long-term friendships with.鈥� 鈥� Fred Kittinger

鈥淚t takes that trio to make an impact 鈥� you鈥檝e got to have private industry, you鈥檝e got to have government, and you have to have the non-profit independent sector all working together,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y greatest fortune is the number of folks I鈥檝e had a chance to work with and develop long-term friendships with. I鈥檝e been very blessed.鈥�

He says his proudest moments are wrapped up in some of the university鈥檚 biggest milestones, all made possible through partnerships: approval for the College of Medicine; the creation of 鲍颁贵鈥檚 Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA); 听the 麻豆原创 Downtown campus; the growth of the 麻豆原创 Business Incubation Program that spans all Central Florida counties; and working on the team that secured $90 million in Tourist Development Tax revenues from the Orange County Board of Commissioners to invest in Acrisure Bounce House.

鈥淗is ability to build trust and make people feel valued has left a lasting impression on colleagues, partners and communities across our region,鈥� says Janet Owen, 麻豆原创 vice president for government and听community relations and associate general counsel.

More Than a Job

In addition to his role as an administrator, Kittinger played an active part in students鈥� lives for many years.

Alongside Holsenbeck and former government relations team member Alison Schultz, Kittinger helped form and guide the 麻豆原创 Legislative Scholars Program, a premier, immersive, full-time experience during state legislative sessions. From the classroom to the Capitol, students gain firsthand exposure to the legislative process by working directly with legislative staff and professional lobbyists in Tallahassee, Florida. Since the program鈥檚 inception in 2005, more than 320 students have participated.

Kittinger served as a longtime adjunct instructor in the , which is part of the College of Community Innovation and Education (CCIE).

Alongside his wife of 43 years, they established the Fred and Sandra Kittinger Scholarship Fund in 2020. This scholarship supports graduate students in public administration, assisting with tuition, textbooks, fees and any other items included in the cost of education.

鈥淲hat has always set Fred apart is not just what he has done, but how he has done it,鈥� Owen says. 鈥淗e brings a genuine positivity and a welcoming presence to every interaction, approaching his work with kindness, thoughtfulness and a sincere interest in others. On a personal level, I am especially grateful for Fred鈥檚 friendship and counsel over the years. He will be deeply missed.鈥�

Miller was impressed by our reputation as an early leader in technology and STEM fields, our connection to the space program and our success expanding into other areas. In fact, 麻豆原创 boasted one of the highest certified public accountant (CPA) pass rates of any public university 鈥� impressive to an aspiring accountant.

So Miller applied, was accepted and committed to 麻豆原创 sight unseen. It was the beginning of a journey that would change his family鈥檚 trajectory, along with the university鈥檚.

Today, he committed a transformational $50 million gift 鈥� the largest single philanthropic investment in the university鈥檚 history 鈥� to position 麻豆原创 as a global leader in fintech, artificial intelligence (AI) and business innovation by establishing the Barry S. Miller College of Business.

First-Generation Student

Miller is president and co-founder of both Voloridge Investment Management and Voloridge Health. He also founded and sold another successful business in his entrepreneurial career.

But back when Miller was attending 麻豆原创, he was paving the way as the first in his family to go to college. His dad, a self-taught contractor and developer and a single father, saw the value of higher education for his son.

鈥淢y father had a deeply ingrained work ethic that he passed on to me,鈥� Miller says. 鈥淚n the summer, he would get me out of bed early and have me carrying lumber and working on roofs. I learned to work hard, but I also learned that [it] was a tough job to do for 50 years. I wanted to try a different path.鈥�

Once he started on that path, there was no stopping him.

Building Foundations

At 麻豆原创, Miller became a star student. He excelled in accounting, learned numerical analysis and had a knack for understanding financial markets. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in finance.

鈥淚 learned how to really study and apply myself academically at 麻豆原创. Essentially, I was learning strategy and project management as I made my way through school,鈥� Miller says. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know how impactful those habits would be until later in life. I realize now that everything I learned at 麻豆原创 has been foundational to my success.鈥�

“I realize now that everything I learned at 麻豆原创 has been foundational to my success.鈥�

Outside of class, Miller became a student-athlete, playing football when he initially came to 麻豆原创. That鈥檚 where he met then-quarterback Darin Hinshaw 鈥�90 鈥�94MBA, who encouraged him to join his fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE), and became his big brother.

鈥淚nitially, I wasn鈥檛 interested in joining a fraternity. I had this idea that fraternities weren鈥檛 serious about school or life, and I was,鈥� Miller says. 鈥淏ut my experience in PIKE ended up being formative. It鈥檚 where I learned about being a gentleman, dressing for success, networking and more.鈥�

鈥淭o this day, so many of my friends are former fraternity brothers, including one of my best friends, Sean Hayes 鈥�95, who has also been my business partner for nearly 30 years,鈥� Miller continues. 鈥淎s I look back, everything in my life has a connection to 麻豆原创 鈥� my friends, my business partners, my career and even my wife Rosie 鈥�95, since we met in college.鈥�

Leaving a Legacy

As he built his career and found success in the business and financial world, Miller wanted to give back to 麻豆原创. Over time, he has invested in first-generation and STEM student scholarships, 麻豆原创 Athletics鈥� Knights Leadership Academy, the John T. Washington Center mural and more.

Each gift has been based on a personal connection or conviction.

鈥淏eing a first-generation student myself, having that opportunity to support students who are the first in their families to go to college is personal to me,鈥� Miller says.

As his capacity to give grew, Miller wanted to make a transformative gift that would have an impact today and for generations to come. That led to conversations with university leaders about the opportunity to establish as a global leader in fintech, AI and business innovation.

To help bring that vision to life 鈥� and to build early momentum for , 鲍颁贵鈥檚 comprehensive campaign to fuel bold ideas and build its future 鈥� Miller has committed to a $50 million gift, establishing the Barry S. Miller College of Business.

The investment will accelerate an innovative new model of business education听designed for a world听where technology, data and decision-making are inseparable, and it will prepare听students with the skills the marketplace demands.

鈥淲e are at a seminal moment in business, and AI and new technologies are creating fundamental shifts at a dramatically faster speed than ever before,鈥� says Miller, who was inducted into the 麻豆原创 College of Business Hall of Fame in 2022. 鈥淚 want 麻豆原创 to become the leader in business education, paving the way for everyone else.鈥�

Inspiring Others

鈥淔inding a way to have an impact is one of the most gratifying things you can do with your time and money.鈥�

Until recently, Miller has made most of his gifts to 麻豆原创 anonymously. But as 麻豆原创 unveiled Go For Launch, he saw a powerful opportunity to step forward and encourage others to do the same. By sharing his commitment more openly, Miller hopes to help build momentum and invite broader participation in 鲍颁贵鈥檚 vision.

鈥淚 hope this gift inspires people to be part of 鲍颁贵鈥檚 mission to create a bold new future and give at whatever level they can. Maybe it鈥檚 $10, $100 or $1,000 鈥� it all makes a difference,鈥� Miller says.

鈥淚 want to tell people this: If it鈥檚 not your time to make a gift today, maybe it will be a year from now, or five years from now,鈥� he continues. 鈥淔inding a way to have an impact is one of the most gratifying things you can do with your time and money.鈥�

鈥溌槎乖� is being trusted to lead, and Barry鈥檚 investment reinforces that 麻豆原创 is a place where talent is developed at scale, where opportunity is expanded, and where our graduates don鈥檛 just succeed in the world 鈥� they come back to help build what鈥檚 next.鈥� 鈥� Alexander N. Cartwright, 麻豆原创 President

The investment will accelerate a bold new model of business education designed for a world where technology, data and decision-making are inseparable, and it will position 麻豆原创 as a national leader in emerging fields that prepare students to lead with the skills the marketplace demands.

鈥淭his is a defining moment for 麻豆原创 and for the College of Business,鈥� says Board of Trustees Chair Alex Martins 鈥�01MBA. 鈥淎s an alumnus, I have seen firsthand how 麻豆原创 transforms lives by opening doors to opportunity, and this extraordinary gift takes that mission to an entirely new level, giving future generations of Knights access to a world-class business education and an opportunity to achieve their full potential.鈥�

鈥淲e are deeply grateful to Barry for his extraordinary belief in this university and in the impact our students make. This is a defining moment for 麻豆原创 and a powerful signal of who we are and where we are going,鈥� says 麻豆原创 President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥溌槎乖� is being trusted to lead, and Barry鈥檚 investment reinforces that 麻豆原创 is a place where talent is developed at scale, where opportunity is expanded, and where our graduates don鈥檛 just succeed in the world 鈥� they come back to help build what鈥檚 next.鈥�

鈥溌槎乖� gave me the opportunity to build my future,鈥� Miller says. 鈥淭his investment is about creating that same opportunity for others 鈥� and ensuring students are prepared for a world where technology and business are constantly evolving.鈥�

A Defining Moment for 麻豆原创

Few universities of 鲍颁贵鈥檚听young听age听have alumni giving back at this level.

At the center of this听milestone听is longtime听supporter and entrepreneur Barry S. Miller,听president of听the Florida-based听听and听Voloridge听Health.听Miller is听a first-generation听college听graduate whose early partnership and belief in鈥痶he university鈥痟elped accelerate鈥涔筲�檚 trajectory.

His leadership and commitment to widening听opportunity鈥痟elped lay鈥痶he groundwork for a future-focused strategy that will transform how students learn,鈥痠nnovate鈥痑nd launch their careers.鈥疢iller鈥檚听latest听investment reflects 鲍颁贵鈥檚 ability to听produce听talent that succeeds at the highest levels and inspires听that talent to return听not just with pride, but with capacity and conviction to shape听what鈥檚听next.

Building the Future of Business Education

鈥溌槎乖� gave me the opportunity to build my future. This investment is about creating that same opportunity for others.鈥� 鈥� Barry Miller 鈥�95, 听Voloridge Investment Management and Voloridge Health president

will听operate听as a hub for technology-driven business leadership where students, faculty and industry collaborate in real time to solve complex challenges听in emerging fields like artificial intelligence,听fintech听and digital risk.

The focus is not simply on technical skills, but on empowering graduates to take action to address organizational obstacles and lead in fields fueled by rapid technological change.

This vision is grounded in the region 麻豆原创 calls home.

Orlando has rapidly听emerged听as one of the nation鈥檚 fastest-growing technology hubs,听with听demand for talent in fintech and听AI continuing听to听evolve.听Across Florida, one of the largest clusters of banking and insurance firms in the country is fueling new opportunities in financial technology,听risk听and data-driven decision-making.

麻豆原创 sits at the center of this momentum,听uniquely positioned to develop the talent and ideas that will power听the future.

The investment will support听a multi-phase strategy designed to position 麻豆原创 as听the听destination for business and technology education, including:

• Five endowed faculty chairs in fintech, AI strategy, cyber risk,听trust听and disinformation
• A new听master鈥檚听in听technology听leadership and听innovation
• Expanded access to applied learning, including internships, simulations, Bloomberg听training听and industry-led projects
• Growth of 鲍颁贵鈥檚 corporate partnership ecosystem.

Together, these investments will create a learning environment that mirrors modern workplaces 鈥� fast听moving, data听driven and deeply connected to industry.

鈥淭echnology is advancing rapidly, and the real opportunity is in how organizations use it to perform,鈥� says听College of Business Dean听Paul听Jarley. 鈥淭his investment allows us to build a business school focused on how the work actually gets done听鈥斺�撎齱here students learn to apply judgment, navigate ambiguity, and lead in environments shaped by technology, data, and organizational complexity.鈥�

Accelerating Momentum

Miller鈥檚 leadership gift听marks a milestone in听听鈥� a听$3.5 billion听campaign to听expand听opportunity,听advance听discovery,听and drive impact across the university.

It sets the tone听for what comes next,听accelerating the pride and vision that will inspire others to invest in 鲍颁贵鈥檚 future.

鈥淭his is what momentum looks like,鈥� says听Rodney Grabowski, senior vice president for advancement and partnerships and CEO of the 麻豆原创 Foundation. 鈥淚t reflects confidence in 鲍颁贵鈥檚 vision and signals to partners, alumni and investors that this university is building something meaningful and worth being part of.鈥�

Together, talent, opportunity and partnership are converging,听positioning听麻豆原创听to听be a leading force in shaping听what鈥檚听next in business,听technology听and innovation.

鈥溌槎乖� is not waiting to be recognized. We are being chosen, invested in and trusted to lead,鈥� Cartwright says. 鈥淭his milestone gift reflects a growing sense of pride across the university and signals the momentum others will want to help build 鈥� and it is only the beginning.鈥�

鈥淥nce I realized it wasn鈥檛 a mistake, I was thrilled,鈥� says Xhemali, one of the inaugural recipients of the Katherine Crock Memorial Scholarship. 鈥淚鈥檓 financing this entire experience on my own, so every bit helps. That鈥檚 money I can now put toward my future.鈥�

For Xhemali, an aspiring lawyer, college once felt like a distant world reserved for others. Between traveling back-and-forth across the Atlantic Ocean to live with his parents in Albania and relatives in Chicago and Jacksonville, Florida, he constantly balanced family expectations with his own ambitions. Ultimately, Xhemali faced a difficult choice: work to support his family or focus solely on his studies. He chose both, supplementing his scholarship by working as a produce clerk at Publix and a warehouse shipper.

College of Business alum Raymond Smithberger 鈥�02MBA understands that drive. Growing up on a 100-acre farm in Southeast Ohio, Smithberger learned the value of hard work and family obligation early on. The oldest of five, with a father who worked in a factory and a mother who was a receptionist, Smithberger was aware of the financial hurdles facing a first-generation student when he left home to pursue his undergraduate degree and later an MBA at 麻豆原创.

Now the chief operating officer at Help at Home, a national home care provider, Smithberger credits his late mother, Katherine Crock, for pushing him to blaze his own trail.

鈥淪he was the one who really encouraged me to do things differently,鈥� Smithberger says.

Following his mother鈥檚 passing, Smithberger honored her legacy by creating the Katherine Crock Memorial Fund. The endowment ensures students like himself, and Xhemali, have the support they need to define their own futures 鈥� and pays tribute to someone who valued education more than anything else.

麻豆原创 Day of Giving is Thursday, April 9. Join us during Knight Nation’s single largest day of impact as we support our favorite colleges, programs, student services, research endeavors and more. .

鈥淸My mother] wanted to pursue further education but never had the chance,鈥� Smithberger says. 鈥淚 feel honored to support other first-generation students in her memory.鈥�

Strategically launched last year on to maximize impact, visibility, and matching opportunities, the Katherine Crock Memorial Fund helps to expand student access, reduce financial barriers,and accelerate academic success. By funding both established and new scholarship initiatives, donors directly enable 麻豆原创 students to focus on their studies and career-shaping experiences, such as internships and campus involvement, rather than financial stressors.

While the finer points of 麻豆原创 Day of Giving are still new to Xhemali, he understands the significance ofSmithberger鈥檚 generosity.

鈥淚鈥檓 still fresh, but I鈥檓 figuring out this stuff,鈥� Xhemali says. 鈥淲hat I do know is that I want to use this scholarship to put me in a position where I can help someone like Mr. Smithberger has helped me.鈥�

Justin Press 鈥�24, a 麻豆原创 photonic science and engineering major, may have developed a solution that benefits both employers and applicants. His brainchild, Hire Match AI, is an analytics layer that integrates with existing applicant tracking systems to better analyze and interpret hiring data.

鈥淲e reparse resumes, structure candidate data more accurately and use statistics to identify which combinations of skills and experiences tend to stay longer and perform better in a company over time,鈥� Press says. 鈥淭hat helps teams look past what I call 鈥榗hecklist champion鈥� resumes, where a candidate appears perfect on paper but is really just optimized for a filter.鈥�

Press says what sets his digital tool apart is its focus on analytics, fit and compliance.

From Frustration to Framework

He developed the idea as head of professional development for the Engineering Leadership and Innovation Institute 鈥� part of 鲍颁贵鈥檚 College of Engineering and Computer Science 鈥� where students develop professional skills through a certificate program, specialized courses, maker spaces and mentorship. In that role, he helped students optimize their resumes for job listings and quickly realized the process wasn鈥檛 as straightforward as it seemed.

鈥淎t 麻豆原创, I was going through hundreds of applications and postings each year, and it became obvious how much of the process was turning into a game,鈥� Press says. 鈥淭hat gave me a firsthand look at how inefficient and frustrating the process was for both applicants and the people trying to help them.鈥�

Launching What Hiring Lacks

From that frustration came Hire Match AI. Press brought the idea to the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, where he received guidance on turning the concept into a business. Now, as he prepares for launch, several businesses have already expressed interest in using the platform to analyze their hiring data more deeply. Press says the goal is to make data analytics more accessible, no matter which ATS a company uses.

“The bigger vision is to make hiring more data-driven, more transparent and less dependent on surface-level filtering.”

鈥淲e want Hire Match AI to plug into every major ATS so companies can get better visibility into candidate fit, hiring patterns and compliance risk without having to switch the systems they already rely on,鈥� he says. 鈥淒own the line, that means expanding into larger platforms like Workday and other major enterprise systems. The bigger vision is to make hiring more data-driven, more transparent and less dependent on surface-level filtering.鈥�

Engineering with Purpose

Press says he was drawn to the field of photonic science and engineering by a desire to create technology that improves people鈥檚 lives. His advice to students with similar ambitions: focus on what makes their idea unique.

鈥淔or engineering students especially, having a wide range of experiences is a huge advantage,鈥� Press says. 鈥淎 lot of the best ideas come from [understanding] how technical problems connect to business problems, user behavior or broken systems in the real world. That matters even more now, with tools like large language models making it easier to build quickly.鈥�

Companies interested in using Hire Match AI can or sign up for early access.

Our students are groundbreaking national and global scholarship winners, researchers, athletes, teaching assistants, residence assistants and leaders in campus organizations, including Student Government, LEAD Scholars and the President鈥檚 Leadership Council. The honorees include transfer students, those from first-generation and international backgrounds and members of the Burnett Honors College.

Aside from focusing on academics and campus causes, many of the student honorees volunteered at hospitals, schools, parks, food banks, shelters, clinics, youth clubs and with many community service organizations 鈥� at times as organizers and coordinators for support drives and campaigns.

鈥淲hen you look at this group, you see trajectory.鈥� 鈥� John Buckwalter, 麻豆原创’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs

鈥淭he students we recognize at our Founders鈥� Day Student Honors Celebration are extraordinary not just for what they鈥檝e achieved, but for how they鈥檝e shaped their time at 麻豆原创. They鈥檝e pursued opportunities, challenged themselves and lifted others along the way,鈥� says John Buckwalter, 麻豆原创’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. 鈥淲hen you look at this group, you see trajectory 鈥� students whose experiences here are opening doors in meaningful ways and changing the direction of their futures, the trajectories of their families and the communities they inhabit.鈥�

Student award categories highlight new inductees of the Order of Pegasus, 鲍颁贵鈥檚 highest student honor; graduate awards for outstanding master鈥檚 thesis and outstanding dissertation; undergraduate awards for honors thesis; and individual college awardees as chosen by the respective college deans. All honorees earned financial awards.

This year鈥檚 37 inductees into the Order of Pegasus mark the 25^th anniversary class of top-achieving Knights. The average GPA of the 2026 class is 3.912.

The campus community is invited to attend the Student Honors Celebration on Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Student Union鈥檚 Pegasus Ballroom. A brief reception will follow.

Here are the students to be recognized.

Order of Pegasus Inductees

• Fatima Alziyad, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Andy Ayup, College of Sciences
• Megan Bailey, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Stacie Becker 鈥�23, College of Arts and Humanities
• Akash Hari Bharath 鈥�25MS, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Swati Bhargava 鈥�25MS, College of Optics and Photonics
• Sanjana Bhatt, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Griffon Binkowski 鈥�24, College of Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Ossyris Bury, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Nico Chen, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Kyle Coutray, College of Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Allyson Crighton, College of Nursing and Burnett Honors College
• Nyauni Crowelle-Feggins, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Cameron Cummins, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Andrew 鈥淒rew鈥� Hansen 鈥�25, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Andrea Hernandez Gomez, College of Sciences
• Lindsey Hildebrand, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Ariana Johnson, College of Medicine
• Sanjan Kumar 鈥�23, College of Medicine
• Kworweinski Lafontant, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Meera Lakshmanan, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Abrianna Lalle, College of Nursing
• Ilana Logvinov, College of Nursing
• Hannah Lovejoy, College of Business
• Taiel Lucile, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Robin Marquez, College of Sciences
• Shanel Moya Aguero, College of Community Innovation and Education and Burnett Honors College
• Gabrielle 鈥淕abby鈥� Murison, College of Sciences
• Varun Nannuri, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Natalie Otero, College of Business and Burnett Honors College
• Om Pathak, College of Medicine, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Pritha Sarkar 鈥�24, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Jacob Vierling, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Janapriya Vijayakumar, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Ornella Vintimilla, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Om Vishanagra, College of Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College

Undergraduate Student Awards

College Founders鈥� Award

• Liam Pivnichny, Burnett Honors College
• Antonella Bisbal Hernandez, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jordan Nell, College of Business
• Jude Hagan, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Ossyris Bury, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Timothy Horanic, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Sun Latt, College of Medicine
• Abrianna Lalle, College of Nursing
• Jacob Silver, College of Optics and Photonics
• Emily Willis, College of Sciences
• Fabian Rodriguez Gomez, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis

• Edwin Garcia 鈥�25, College of Arts and Humanities, Outstanding Honors Thesis in Arts, Humanities and Creative Inquiry
• Eric Haseman 鈥�25, College of Sciences, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Social Sciences
• Shreya Pawar 鈥�25, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Natural Sciences
• Andrea Molero Perez 鈥�25, College of Medicine, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Health Sciences
• Nicholas Rose 鈥�25, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Outstanding Honors Thesis in Engineering and Technology

Graduate Student Awards

Outstanding Dissertation

• Jessica Moon 鈥�25PhD, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Michael Pierro 鈥�20 鈥�23MS 鈥�25PhD, College of Engineering and Computer Science

A well-regarded civic leader who has helped propel Orlando鈥檚 trajectory as the fastest major metro area in the United States, Martins has spent 30 of his nearly 40 years in professional sports management as part of the Orlando Magic organization. For his many years of dedicated service and leadership, Martins became the 14th person inducted to the NBA franchise鈥檚 Hall of Fame.

The 麻豆原创听grad, who earned his听master鈥檚 in business administration听in 2001,听joins听the likes of听fellow Hall of Famers听Shaquille O鈥橬eil, Anfernee 鈥淧enny鈥� Hardaway and Dwight Howard.

鈥淗is decades of work with the Orlando Magic and his continued investment in our university reflect the character and commitment that define 麻豆原创.鈥� 鈥� 麻豆原创 President Alexander N. Cartwright

鈥淐hair Martins听leads with humility,听generosity听and a deep sense of responsibility to this community,鈥� says听麻豆原创 President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淗is decades of work with听the Orlando Magic and his continued investment in our university听reflect the character and听commitment听that听define听麻豆原创. As chair of our Board of Trustees, I see every day how deeply he believes in this institution and the听opportunities听we听create for听Central Florida. His induction into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame is a well-deserved recognition of a remarkable career听and听all of us at听麻豆原创听are听proud to celebrate this moment with him.鈥�

Man of the Hour

Martins听was听inducted on Monday, March听23,听at听Kia Center, near the Orlando Magic Fan Experience.

鈥淲e are excited to welcome Alex Martins into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame,鈥澨齭ays听Orlando Magic听chairman听Dan听DeVos. 鈥淗is innovative business acumen has transformed our organization, while working tirelessly to make the Magic an invested community partner. For his efforts that spanned three decades, this is truly a worthy recognition for Alex and his family, and we look forward to continuing to work with him in his role as vice chair.鈥�

Ties that Bind

Martins听was named听听in 2021 and听also听serves on the dean鈥檚 executive council for the听. Martins served on the developmental board of the globally acclaimed 听at 麻豆原创, which is funded through a $9 million endowment by Rich and Helen DeVos and awards dual master鈥檚 degrees in听sport management听and business administration. Under Martins鈥� leadership, the Magic contributed $1.5 million to the construction of听麻豆原创 Downtown听in 2015, the first major private donation for the campus.

He听is a member of the College of Business鈥� Hall of Fame and recipient of the university鈥檚 Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Magic Career

Martins听serves as vice chair of听the Orlando听Magic. In this position, he acts as a senior advisor to the Magic Board of Directors to advance long-term strategic initiatives and serve as a resource to Magic executives.

Martins also represents the Magic as the team鈥檚 alternate governor to the NBA Board of听Governors, and听oversees all operations of the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL and the Osceola Magic of the NBA G League.

Martins served as the Orlando Magic鈥檚听CEO听for 14 seasons (2011-25). He has held various senior-level management capacities with the Magic between 1989-98 and upon his return to the organization in 2005, including director of media relations, executive vice president of marketing and franchise relations,听president听and chief operating officer.

During his tenure as CEO, the听Sports Business Journal听named the Magic as one of the 鈥淏est Places to Work in Sports,鈥� the only franchise in the four major professional sports leagues to receive the recognition听in 2024.

His effort and collaboration with local business and political leaders听helped to听secure the Kia Center as a sports and entertainment home, which opened in October 2010. The Kia Center was named the听Sports Business Journal鈥檚 Sports Facility of the Year in 2012.

Martins has also held senior executive positions with the New Orleans Hornets, the NFL鈥檚 Cleveland Browns and Tavistock Group. He started his career as a student assistant in the听Villanova sports information department,听assisted听in the Philadelphia 76ers public relations department and was also the assistant sports information director at Georgetown University.

Tomorrow鈥檚 leading video game developers are听being built today at 麻豆原创.

The university鈥檚 graduate video gaming program, , and undergraduate program continue to develop a pipeline of听talent to fuel Florida鈥檚 economy听at a standard of excellence few can match, affirmed by The Princeton Review and PC Gamer鈥檚 Top Video Game Design Schools 2026 rankings.

The Princeton Review and听PC Gamer听has recognized FIEA as one of the top two programs of its kind in the world six of the past seven years.

GaIM improved two spots from last year to its highest ranking, rising to No. 3 in the world. Both programs continue to hold the title of No. 1 in the South.

Strategy for Success

Since their inception, FIEA and GaIM have modeled their classrooms as close to a real-world, studio-like environment as possible, led by faculty with industry experience. That real-world perspective shapes every course, every project and every student who graduates.

鈥淥ur program intentionally emulates a collaborative ecosystem with a range of diverse talent in artists, designers and programmers, which is crucial to developing products and intellectual property,鈥� says Nicholas Zuccarello, a 3D art instructor at FIEA who has previously worked for Sony Online Entertainment and Electronic Arts Tiburon. 鈥淲e even structure projects to emulate real-world development pipelines as closely as possible within an educational setting.鈥�

Orlando: A Leading Tech Hub

With Electronic Arts (EA) and Iron听Galaxy Studios located less than a mile from听the programs鈥� home base in downtown鈥檚 , Orlando is the perfect setting to transition from college to career and now mentioned in the same breath alongside traditional tech-giant territories San Francisco, Seattle听and Los Angeles.

Many alums go directly into the game industry including Epic, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony and more.

FIEA has graduated 1,160 students since its first class in 2006 鈥� about 100 of whom worked on several of the most popular games sold in the U.S. in 2025, including EA SPORTS College Football 26, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.

But it鈥檚 not just the gaming听companies that eagerly hire听FIEA and GaIM graduates. The skills听taught in the two programs align perfectly听with some of Orlando鈥檚 top industries.

Graduates land roles in the modeling, simulation and training sector. Others find their footing in medical technology, where interactive systems and game-based design are transforming how clinicians train and how patients heal. Knights can be found at many of the region鈥檚 big-name employers, including Disney, EA, Lockheed Martin, and Universal Destinations & Experiences, among others.

鈥淥ur students don鈥檛 just make games, they develop the creative and technical fluency to work wherever those skills are needed.鈥� 鈥� Associate Professor Peter Smith 鈥�05MS 鈥�12PhD

鈥淥ur students don鈥檛 just make games, they develop the creative and technical fluency to work wherever those skills are needed,鈥� says Associate Professor Peter Smith 鈥�05MS 鈥�12PhD, who serves as the associate director of GaIM. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what makes GaIM graduates competitive across industries. It is a true honor to see The Princeton Review recognizing this accomplishment of our students and faculty.鈥�

Nitin Bakshi 鈥�21, who joined FIEA鈥檚 faculty as a technical art instructor after graduating with his master鈥檚 in interactive entertainment, says the program takes great pride that many of our alumni continue to live and work in Florida, contributing directly to the local economy.

鈥淭hese companies rely on artists, designers and programmers who understand real-time production,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat is exactly the kind of training our program is built around.鈥�

Serious Business

Interest in the program has risen in the past year. FIEA recently drew its largest applicant pool with more than 200 applicants resulting in 90 new enrollees, the largest cohort to date.

For good reason.

The average starting salary for a FIEA graduate is $83,000, and 80% of graduates are in their desired fields at over 400 companies around the world.

The global market size for gaming, hardware and software sales is more than $189 billion (NewZoo鈥檚 2025 Global Games Market Report), overshadowing music and movie industries combined.

鈥淎dapting to the needs of the industry has always been one of our strengths,鈥� Bakshi says. 鈥淲hether it is new real-time technologies, new platforms, or new ways of collaboration, we work hard to make sure the program grows along with the field. Seeing the program attract more talented students each year, while continuing to evolve with the industry, is what makes me most excited about the future and about the impact these programs will continue to have.鈥�

Climbing the Leaderboard

鲍颁贵鈥檚 GaIM improved two spots from last year to its highest ranking, rising to No. 3 in the world and continues to hold the title of the No. 1 program in the South.

The bachelor鈥檚 in digital media with a track in game degree design blends theory and practice with a sharp focus on industry readiness. The program stands out as one of the few programs that combine a strong emphasis on both art and technology.

Students develop skills in programming, game design, game programming, as well as 2D and 3D art and visual effects.

The GaIM Maker Space lab, located on the 麻豆原创 Downtown campus, reflects that commitment in concrete terms: nearly $500,000 in mixed-reality technology including augmented and virtual reality, motion capture, physical computing, 3D printing, and web and mobile development equipment, alongside dedicated research space for applied work.

The impact on the quality of the students鈥� education and training is undeniable.

鈥淭he tools the maker space provides are integrated deeply into virtually every class in GaIM,鈥� Smith says. 鈥淪tudents in early classes are printing board games and 3D printing game pieces, seniors are recording audio and motion capture sequences that are integrated directly into their capstone projects.鈥�

The Rankings鈥� Methodology

The Princeton Review and PC Gamer鈥檚 game design school rankings are based on more than 40 data points derived from the company鈥檚 survey of administrators at 150 schools offering game design courses and/or degrees. Most of the institutions are in the U.S., with two in Canada and four abroad. The 50-question survey covered four areas: academics, faculty, technology and career topics.

Nicole Lapeyrouse 鈥�16MS 鈥�18PhD never knows when and where she might be recognized. Students and their significant others who have never met her in person will come up to her in stores and along sidewalks to say, 鈥淓xcuse me, but aren鈥檛 you 鈥�?鈥�

Yes, it鈥檚 her.

The chemistry and geology instructor recently walked into a coffee shop on campus and heard the barista casually singing a familiar tune: Chemsi-Tea time, Ohh-Ohh-Ohh. Flattered, Lapeyrouse said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my jingle. You must be in my online course.鈥�

Random encounters around the community make it clear that students are engaging with the videos Lapeyrouse produces for her classes. They learn about concepts like plate tectonics and viscosity, while also getting to know the person teaching it 鈥� she likes drinking tea, for example 鈥� and that鈥檚 the point.

鈥淚 design the classes this way because I love doing it,鈥� Lapeyrouse says. 鈥淏ut most importantly, it鈥檚 effective. That鈥檚 the end goal.鈥�

On Founder鈥檚 Day, Lapeyrouse will be recognized in public again, this time by peers who have selected her to receive the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for excellence in online teaching. The award, in its 13^th year, is named for 鲍颁贵鈥檚 first Pegasus Professor and an international pioneer in online learning. Dziuban will be presenting Lapeyrouse with the award at Founders Day, where he will also be honored for his 55 years of service to 麻豆原创.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a tremendous honor because Dr. Dziuban鈥檚 name is synonymous with the pillars of good online teaching,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 heard about him when I was developing my first course. At that time, I wanted to do something different, but I had no idea where it would lead.鈥�

Merging Science with a Hidden Talent

Awards were not on Lapeyrouse鈥檚 mind when she designed her proof of concept in 2017 as a better way for one instructor to connect Chemistry Fundamentals to a class of 475 students.

鈥淭o teach the material well to that many students, I needed to be creative,鈥� she says of the flipped class that eventually supported a fully online class. Students had known Lapeyrouse as an authority on math and science, with a doctorate in chemistry from 麻豆原创 to back it up. They were not aware of her love for art.

The large enrollment class, oddly enough, allowed her to apply all her interests in a flipped classroom format. Instead of developing a standard educational video with the typical PowerPoint slides and voiceover, Lapeyrouse personalized her course. She turned her garage into a studio, borrowed her sister鈥檚 camera and, after dozens of takes and hours of editing, debuted ChemisTea Time, complete with the introductory jingle.

鈥淗onestly, I just hoped it wouldn鈥檛 bomb,鈥� she says.

It didn鈥檛 bomb, although interest in her classes did explode. Feedback was so positive that she used the same video format for her geology course, which has grown from 30 students to as many as 125.

Within the videos, Lapeyrouse enters discussion boards to embed questions and scavenger hunts, and make sure students understand the material. It鈥檚 working, as evidenced by pre-test scores climbing from an average of 25% to a post-test average of 83%.

Over the years, Lapeyrouse has integrated better technology to elevate the production value and engagement of her videos. She created a teleprompter and a lightboard so she can write directly on the screen and maintain eye contact with her invisible audience.

What the students do not see is the time Lapeyrouse puts into each video: 10 hours for one 10-minute video.

鈥淲hen I see how engaged the students are,鈥� she says, 鈥渢hat makes it all worthwhile.鈥�

麻豆原创 is setting the standard, earning a 99% match placement rate, compared with a national average of 93.5%.

Knights matched into specialties that include internal and family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, radiology, surgery, pathology and emergency medicine, with 46 of the 108 completing some or all their training in Florida.

Nationally, students are headed to programs that include Brown, Duke, Emory, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Stanford and Vanderbilt. In Florida, students are going to Orlando Health, Miami, University of Florida and University of South Florida. Nine will further strengthen their ties as Knights in 麻豆原创-HCA Healthcare residencies in Greater Orlando, Gainesville and Tallahassee.

Medical school students cannot practice medicine immediately after graduation but must do three to seven years of residency training, depending on their specialty. Match results are kept secret until noon on the third Friday in March.

鈥淎t noon, as you open your match envelope, you are opening the door to your future,鈥� Deborah German, vice president for health affairs and dean, said moments before the long-awaited unveiling.

A Match Day Tradition

Friday鈥檚 Match Day was particularly meaningful for German, who recently announced she is transitioning away from her role leading the medical school. During her 20 years as dean, German has conducted the first class of medical school for each new cohort. Called, 鈥淭he Good Doctor 鈥� A 麻豆原创 Tradition,鈥� she asks students to think of the person they love most in the world and describe the characteristics of the doctor they want treating their loved one.

She writes those traits on a blackboard, which stays in the College of Medicine lobby as a contract between students, their faculty, patients and community.

Class of 2026 students designed decorative boxes to hold their Match Day envelopes. The boxes contained their Good Doctor words from four years ago, including听grateful, humble, compassionate and resourceful.

Finding Their Match

Ariana Johnson began to cry even before she opened her envelope and learned she will be doing her otolaryngology residency at Old Dominion University. A recipient of 鲍颁贵鈥檚 highest student honor, the Order of Pegasus, Johnson says the tears came as she realized she was finally achieving her dream after four years of hard work in medical school. As an ear, nose and throat specialist, she will be able to combine excellence in surgery with clinical patient care.

鈥淚鈥檒l be providing longitudinal care for patients,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith this specialty, you get to know patients for their whole lives.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e wanted this since I was in middle school.鈥� 鈥� Brandon Molligoda

Brandon Molligoda matched into neurology at Duke. He says his match result 鈥渕eans everything to me. I鈥檝e wanted this since I was in middle school. I was always fascinated with how the brain works.鈥�

Holly Moots 鈥�17 鈥�24PhD is the third M.D./Ph.D. graduate in 鲍颁贵鈥檚 history. She researched pancreatic cancer during her joint degree and was thrilled to match into internal medicine at Lakeland Regional Hospital because of the residency鈥檚 focus on research and clinical trials.

鈥淲ith my background, I want to take what I鈥檝e learned in the labs and translate that into a clinical setting,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can finally use all of this knowledge I got here at 麻豆原创 and apply it to help patients.鈥�

Addressing Florida鈥檚 Physician Shortage

The 麻豆原创-HCA Graduate Medical Education Consortium is the fastest growing residency and fellowship program in Florida and by this summer will be training more than 800 physicians in Greater Orlando, Sanford, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Ocala, Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach. 麻豆原创-HCA filled all their residency programs during National Match Day, adding 310 new physicians.

鈥淎s the need for physicians grows in the state of Florida, with an estimated 18,000 physician shortage projected over the next decade, we are helping to meet those needs,鈥� says Stephen Cico, 鲍颁贵鈥檚 associate dean for graduate medical education and the 麻豆原创-HCA consortium鈥檚 designated institutional official. 鈥淲e are focused on medical specialties that are or are going to be in the highest demand.鈥�

Primary care is one of those specialties.

Victoria Millington 鈥�21, who earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in biomedical sciences before pursing her MD, is one of five Knights who will be staying in Orlando to serve their residences. She matched into her first-choice, internal medicine at the 麻豆原创-HCA Healthcare program in Greater Orlando.

Millington says she chose the specialty because it allows her to have long-term relationships with patients and coordinate with specialists to 鈥渂ring all of the pieces of care together.鈥�

鈥淲e are excited to welcome the next generation of physicians who will carry forward our mission 鈥� above all else, to care for and improve human life 鈥� and deliver compassionate, patient-centered care in the communities we are honored to serve,鈥� says Cheryll Albold, who serves as vice president of graduate medical education for HCA Healthcare鈥檚 North Florida Division.