Messeguer, you see, was around when dirt roads led to the campus at 麻豆原创, which at the time featured just six buildings on campus. A football program that was in its infancy had players dressing in an irrigation shed, borrowed uniforms and even spray-painted shoes so that they would match.

These days, Messeguer is a part of a 麻豆原创 football program that is still riding the emotional wave of a 2010 season in which it won 11 games, captured a Conference USA title and gained a historic defeat of Georgia in the Liberty Bowl. Forgive Messeguer, a Special Assistant to 麻豆原创 head coach George O’Leary, for sometimes being in awe of the transformation that has gone on at 麻豆原创 over the last 30 years.

“When I first came out of the service and went to work for Heintzelman (car dealership) and I had to bring a car out to (former 麻豆原创 president) Dr. (Charles) Millican. Once I got past Bumby Avenue, there was nothing but TG Lee Dairy and orange groves and I was on dirt roads,” Messeguer remembered. “When I pulled in here there were only a few buildings and I’m like, `This is the university?’

“When I look at it today, it’s unbelievable to me,” Messeguer continued. “It’s hard to imagine what I have seen through the years out here at 麻豆原创. From dirt roads to your own stadium and the latest facilities in the country and now even a medical school, it’s just incredible.”

Messeguer’s 30 years of service to 麻豆原创 will be honored Friday night when he is inducted into the 麻豆原创 Athletics Hall of Fame as an honorary letter winner. Messeguer will be joined by Bernard Ford (football), Jenny Frank (volleyball), Greg Jefferson (football), Cliff Kresge (men’s golf), Jorge Magluta (football) and former administrator Art Zeleznik as the latest inductees into 麻豆原创’s Hall of Fame.

The ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. at the J. Rolfe Davis Recruiting Lounge at Bright House Networks Stadium. Te reserve tickets for the event, contact the Golden Knights Club at 407-882-1286.

Messeguer will undoubtedly receive one of the largest ovations at Friday night’s event because of the length of his commitment to 麻豆原创 and his passion for the program. In some way or another, he’s worked with each of 麻豆原创’s coaches – Don Jonas, Sam Weir, Lou Saban, Gene McDowell, Mike Kruczek and O’Leary.

Messeguer figures he will have at least 36 members of his family and friends in the crowd and he’s not sure how the moment will hit him. But he fully understands the significance of being honored by the schools he’s loved for three decades.

“This is probably the biggest honor that’s ever been paid to me in my life. It really is and I’ve been through a lot. I couldn’t believe it when they told me,” Messeguer said. “I’m not a very emotional guy, but I don’t know how I’ll react. When I thought about it, I got a little emotional at home. So who knows what I’ll do in front of my family and friends.”

A former pilot in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam era, Messeguer served as the personal pilot for McDowell when he was 麻豆原创’s head coach from 1985 through 1997. Messeguer, who was a Vice President and General Manager at Tropical Ford in Orlando for 18 years, also served in roles as a donor leader and a sideline radio reporter.

But it’s his current role, as a special assistant to O’Leary, that Messeguer has cherished the most. Under O’Leary, 麻豆原创 has experienced its greatest success and could be poised to enter a Bowl Championship Series-affiliated conference. Messeguer, who can usually be found near O’Leary’s side during media sessions and office meetings, tries to take some of the workload and headaches off the coach during a game week.

“I do a lot for Coach O’Leary to relieve him of all of the duties he’s got besides just football. There are constantly issues in and out of his office with parents, kids, academics, football, administration and equipment,” Messeguer said. “Coach O’Leary has this nature that he wants to win so badly and he’s on top of every detail. I just try to relieve a lot of that from him. … It’s been a great experience the whole time that I have been at 麻豆原创, but it’s been special with George O’Leary because we’ve won bowls and championships. I’m fortunate that I made it all of this time to enjoy these moments.”

As much as he reflects on the progress that 麻豆原创 has made, Messeguer is eager to see how much more growth is still to come at 麻豆原创. After all, his love for 麻豆原创 is everlasting.

“From where we were to where we are today, we have to be on the right path here at 麻豆原创,” Messeguer said. “At first, we were independent and played teams like the Moscow Bears – and I didn’t even know they played football in Russia. Now, we’re beating schools like Georgia and it’s just unbelievable. And with it sounding like we could be headed to a BCS conference in the future, it’s just showing how 麻豆原创 keeps growing and growing.”

鈥淗e had a way about him that made an impression on everyone he met. He recognized the importance of everyone, and he made you feel that way,鈥� said Jeff Grasty, whose father served as a vice president under Millican and whose children came to know Millican and his wife, Frances, as grandparents.

鈥淲e should all be really proud to say that he was a part of our family, and we should plan on telling his story over and over again.鈥�

Several hundred people gathered inside the Student Union on Monday to celebrate Millican鈥檚 fatherly love for 麻豆原创 students and his dedication to what he helped transform into the nation鈥檚 second-largest university.

Millican, 94, died Dec. 1, at his Central Florida home. That day marked the 45th anniversary of his appointment as president of Florida Technological University, which would later become 麻豆原创. Millican had told friends earlier this year that he would like to spend Christmas with Frances, his wife of 64 years who died last December.

鈥淗e was a role model for us all, and the picture of a life well-lived,鈥� said Roger Pynn, a 麻豆原创 graduate and Distinguished Alumnus Award winner who is president of the Curley & Pynn public relations firm.

Pynn first met Millican when he was a student, and the two became close. Pynn said he was proud when Charles Millican asked a few months ago if he could introduce him as his 鈥渁dopted son鈥� at a doctor鈥檚 appointment.

Pynn also recalled a recent honor that Millican told him was one of the proudest moments of his life.

On Oct. 22, he stood before some of the university鈥檚 most distinguished graduates to accept the Champion鈥檚 Award from the Alumni Association at the annual Black and Gold gala. Although Millican had typed up his notes on an old electric typewriter, he delivered the 14-minute speech entirely from memory.

鈥淎s we drove home that evening, he told me it was his highest honor. He was so very proud of 麻豆原创 graduates,鈥� Pynn said.

That powerful speech was Millican鈥檚 last public presentation.

Millican was chosen by the Florida Legislature in 1965 to help plan and build what was then called Florida Technological University. He had a budget of $75,000, an office above a drugstore in downtown Orlando and marching orders to make it happen.

With Frances by his side, Millican worked magic, turning 1,227 acres of scrub and bushes in East Orlando into a university to train future aerospace engineers and computer programmers.

Because the university that finally opened to 1,948 students in 1968 offered 35 degree programs in five colleges — not just aerospace engineering and computer science as first envisioned — the name of the school was later changed to the 麻豆原创.

Today, more than 56,000 students attend 12 colleges at 麻豆原创.

Charles Gray, who spoke on behalf of the community, said that Millican always had the university on his mind. He called Millican a visionary who designed the campus鈥� innovative concentric circle design to accommodate growth and selected the powerful Pegasus as the university鈥檚 emblem.

鈥淐harlie and Frances enabled our community to achieve a dream of greatness,鈥� Gray said. 鈥淲e are on the exciting journey of that never-ending quest for even greater achievement. Thank you, Charlie.鈥�

Millican鈥檚 contributions have led to economic development, education and partnership, helping to establish the region as one of the nation鈥檚 largest economies. He was also an ever-present public servant who taught in the College of Business and kept an office at the 麻豆原创 Foundation after leaving the president鈥檚 office in 1978.

鈥淗e never left his beloved university,鈥� said 麻豆原创 President John C. Hitt. 鈥淔ew universities have enjoyed the lifelong passion that he invested in 麻豆原创.鈥�

Born in Wilson, Ark., on Oct. 9, 1916, Millican was a Southern Baptist minister. His strong faith guided him throughout his life and supported him as he embarked on the journey to establish 麻豆原创.

The ceremony included the reading of some of his favorite bible passages and the singing of his most beloved hymns. The Millicans鈥� pastor, Rev. Shaun King from College Park Baptist Church, recalled how Charles Millican recently gave him one of his 鈥渃rown jewels,鈥� a bible he received from the Bellevue Baptist Church when he was ordained as a minister in 1938.

It was also announced at the celebration that a pair of stars in the Pegasus Constellation have been named after 麻豆原创鈥檚 first couple. Certificates commemorating the stars were at the front of the Pegasus Ballroom, one on each side of Millican鈥檚 casket.

The ceremony concluded with the 麻豆原创 Jazz Chamber Group playing 鈥淲hen the Saints Go Marching In鈥� while President鈥檚 Leadership Council students served as honorary pallbearers leading the casket out of the ballroom.

鈥淚 think Charlie and Frances would have loved everything about this moment,鈥� said Rick Walsh, a 麻豆原创 graduate, chair of the Board of Trustees and a friend of the Millicans for 40 years.

Millican鈥檚 legacy will live on on the special , where viewers are invited to post comments in remembrance. Donations in memory of President Millican can be made to the .

Millican, who likened the challenge of building what would become the nation鈥檚 second-largest university to climbing Mt. Everest, died Dec. 1 at his Central Florida home. He was 94.

麻豆原创 has created the special for the viewing and posting of comments in remembrance. Donations in memory of President Millican can be made to the .

Considered the father of 麻豆原创, Millican was chosen by the Florida Legislature in 1965 to help plan and build what was then called Florida Technological University. He had a budget of $75,000, an office above a drugstore in downtown Orlando and marching orders to make it happen.

“When I thought about all that needed to be done to open by the fall of ’68, it scared the living daylights out of me,” Millican said in 1998.聽 “A half a minute later, I realized I had to take it step-by-step, day-by-day to put all the pieces together.”

“It was sort of like having the opportunity to climb Mt. Everest.”

麻豆原创 President John Hitt credited Millican for having the foresight to see how much 麻豆原创 could achieve.

“Martha, I and the university have experienced a great loss,” Hitt said. “Few universities have enjoyed the kind of lifelong passion that Charlie Millican invested in 麻豆原创. From my earliest days as president, I have not only enjoyed his friendship but also appreciated his wise and generous counsel.”

“His constant support and sage advice have inspired us all as we strive to build the great university he envisioned.”

“Charlie Millican was a genuinely decent man with a big vision,” added Rick Walsh, chair of the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees. “My goodness — look what he started. He was an educator, minister, leader and my friend for nearly 40 years. We will miss him terribly but celebrate a life well lived.”

A special vision

Upon accepting the task of opening FTU, Millican worked magic, turning 1,227 acres of scrub and bushes in East Orlando into a university to train future aerospace engineers and computer programmers. He was the inspiration behind 麻豆原创鈥檚 bachelor鈥檚 degree in computer science, which was a first in the state at the time. It was visionary, just like the design of the campus that Millican championed.

Millican, a former dean of business at the University of South Florida, set up the campus as a series of concentric circles, a design that allows visitors to walk to any part of the core campus in no more than seven minutes and helps keep traffic flowing.

Because the university that finally opened to 1,948 students in 1968 offered 35 degree programs in five colleges — not just aerospace engineering and computer science as first envisioned — the name of the school was later changed to the 麻豆原创.

Today, more than 56,000 students attend 12 colleges at 麻豆原创.

Those who knew Millican say he loved education and wanted to make sure he knew what students were going through. That’s why he created 麻豆原创’s tradition of holding several commencement ceremonies each year so all students could have their names read aloud and the opportunity to cross the stage.

“He handed me my degree and then he became not only a role model but a father to me,” said Roger Pynn, a 麻豆原创 graduate and Distinguished Alumnus Award winner who is president of the Curley & Pynn public relations firm.

“Charles Millican had as great an impact on Central Florida as did Walt Disney. The university he founded has become the economic and intellectual engine of our region, and hundreds of thousands have achieved not only an education but great opportunity because of what he did. His was truly a life well-lived … true to his faith, loyal and loving as a husband and successful at every endeavor.”

Millican left the president鈥檚 office in 1978, returning to his first love of teaching. He taught in the College of Business until 1981. Until suffering a major heart attack in 2001, Millican was an active president emeritus and special assistant to the president of 麻豆原创.

Not one to let a heart attack stop him from pursuing his dreams, Millican devoted himself to helping to advance the work of philanthropy at 麻豆原创 and kept an office at the 麻豆原创 Foundation, where he advised on special projects.

Today, visitors approaching Millican Hall pass a statue of the founding president erected in 2009, paid for by alumni and other donors who named it “Reach for the Stars” to commemorate the motto Charles Millican selected for the university.

“Charlie dreamed, but he also worked — worked very hard — and he molded his dreams into reality,” Hitt said during the dedication ceremony for the statue. “We follow in the footsteps of a humble man of strong faith, a private man who has created a lasting legacy, and a public servant whose wisdom and counsel continue to benefit us all.”

Special exhibit

A special exhibit of photos and memorabilia celebrating President Millican will be displayed in the 麻豆原创 Library through Jan. 31. The exhibit is near the entrance to the Library鈥檚 Special Collections and University Archives office on the fifth floor. Visit for the Library’s hours.

Among Hickey’s triumphs: winning state approval for a medical school some argued would never get off the ground, then helping raise millions in private dollars to get it built.

Hickey is retiring after a career in teaching and administration spanning more than three decades, but he won’t be cutting his 麻豆原创 ties altogether. He has been awarded emeritus status, meaning he could still be called on to advise the university in the future.

Here’s what Hickey had to say about some of the challenges he’s faced during his tenure as provost 鈥� a centuries-old academic title meaning “chief” 鈥� and executive vice president at 麻豆原创.

What brought you to 麻豆原创?

When I was looking at jobs at the time, I knew it was likely the last stop in my academic career. I had been at the University of Alabama at Birmingham at a time of rapid growth, not in the number of students but in research stature. It had an entrepreneurial environment built on interdisciplinary values: If you could imagine something and figure out a way to pay for it, you could do it. But not all universities are organized that way, I found.

So you saw the potential for that type of approach at 麻豆原创?

Here was a place where interdisciplinary cooperation was already in place. It had a dynamic environment and was actively looking for ways to form partnerships in the community. You’ll never hear someone here say something is impossible. It might be very difficult, but not impossible. Ambition is in the DNA of the institution.

For example?

When we proposed a medical school, people laughed at us. Some gave us a 5 percent chance of success. That just fueled the fire for us. Persistence and determination got us through it. The lesson: Don’t give up.

Elaborate on your job, since some may not be familiar with what a provost does.

The job of the provost is to help the president reach the goals of the institution. It includes everything from academic programs to the budget. But it’s been said that presidential dreams can result in provostal nightmares. It’s a big job. That’s why provosts tend to leave when a new president is chosen. But this job has been a good fit for me. I’m an operations guy. I don’t mind working in the shadows. Not only did I work well with our president, we genuinely like each other. Dr. Hitt’s record speaks for itself, but it started with Charlie Millican, our first president. The original dream was Charlie’s. The secret of our success has been consistency of purpose on the part of the presidents throughout our history. Dr. Hitt, for 18 years, has been extremely successful building on the foundation of those who came before him.

When it comes to academics, what has been your focus?

Access is one. I was a first-generation college student. I came out of a high school where few went to college. But I worked hard and got financial aid to go to college. Dr. Hitt comes from a similar environment. So access to a college education if very important to us. Higher education can make all the difference in the world to someone.

When you took the job, you told people you planned to stay six or seven years.

And I did. It’s time to do something else now, time to get out of the way. I started working as a kid, mowing lawns. So I’ve been working for 55 years. I’m going to take some time to unwind. That includes some tennis. I’m taking up a fitness program 鈥� it’s Navy Seals-type training. I haven’t read for pleasure in years, so I’m looking forward to getting back to that. There was just so much to read connected to the job, no time. I’ve been approached to do some consulting. But for now, I’ll be taking some time to figure out what comes next.

Any regrets?

Getting to the point of having to do layoffs. I would have loved to have not had to do that. The last three years of budget-cutting have been tough. But not a week goes by that someone doesn’t say thank you. I think we did better than a lot of other institutions.

What are you taking with you?

Well, they’re letting me keep my e-mail address.

Source: OrlandoSentinel.com, 麻豆原创 provost helped spark historic changes, Terry Hickey leaves the job with many triumphs, including a new medical school. By Luis Zaragoza, Orlando Sentinel 4:12 PM EDT, July 1, 2010. Luis Zaragoza can be reached at lzaragoza@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5718.