Last year,聽Spencer聽was promoted to聽his聽first leadership role as a performance coordinator with the Entertainment Events team at Universal Orlando Resort聽鈥� guiding performers,聽maintaining聽show quality,聽and collaborating with creative and technical teams聽to deliver聽live events and聽immersive聽guest experiences. He credits 麻豆原创 with helping him achieve a decades-long goal.

That聽dream聽started during聽his聽childhood in Virginia, when聽his聽parents went through a difficult divorce, and he聽found聽his聽happy place at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.聽He went on to become a theater student, and in high school he took a job聽at the park聽as a performer.

That鈥檚聽when he聽knew聽he聽could turn his passion into a career.

鈥淎s a kid,聽I could immerse myself in a show and have a reprieve from聽difficult times聽at home.聽I knew that someday I wanted to create that happiness for others,鈥澛燬pencer聽says. 鈥淥nce I聽had the opportunity聽to work there, I was fascinated聽by what it took聽behind the scenes聽to bring a theme park experience to life.聽I聽wanted a career filled with days like those.鈥�

To pursue聽this path,聽he聽set聽his聽sights聽on attending聽, where he聽went on to聽earn聽his bachelor鈥檚 degree in entertainment management聽in 2023.聽Just聽this week,聽麻豆原创聽welcomed聽 as its first entertainment-sector Pegasus Partner and announced the creation of The Universal School of Experience Leadership and Innovation聽at Rosen College.

鈥淲hen I found Rosen College, I knew it was the place for me,鈥� he says.聽鈥淥n the first day of class, my professor talked about the joys of a career in the theme park industry. It was a dream聽I鈥檇聽had for so long that it moved me to tears.鈥�

He sent his mom a text that said,聽鈥淭hank you for everything聽you鈥檝e聽done for me.聽I鈥檓聽exactly where I need to be.鈥�

However,聽as聽an out-of-state聽student,聽tuition聽was a challenge聽for Spencer.聽His聽mom did all she could聽to help聽him, but聽he聽has worked聽hard to pay for聽his聽education.聽He became聽a聽resident聽assistant聽on campus聽and also聽received a Rosen聽College聽scholarship.聽Throughout school,聽he has聽worked as a performer in all three聽major聽Central Florida聽theme parks聽simultaneously.

He also became a聽leader聽on campus and in the industry, serving聽as聽vice聽president聽of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Future Theme Park Leaders Association聽while he was a Rosen College student.

He credits聽his聽professors聽with聽believing in him and supporting him throughout his journey,聽helping him to work toward聽his goal聽of聽becoming聽a show director聽in one of the local world-class theme parks.

The same professor who inspired him on day one later encouraged him to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in聽themed experience, part of聽麻豆原创鈥檚聽College of Arts and Humanities.聽This program聽is designed聽for聽the聽next generation of creators, artists and leaders聽who聽are redefining what it means to be entertained, and Spencer just聽graduated in early May.

鈥淢y 麻豆原创 journey has been the experience of a lifetime,鈥� he says.聽鈥淎nd the best part is that I鈥檒l spend my career creating experiences that are just as life-changing for others.鈥�

Last year, Spencer received a聽Universal Orlando聽Impact Award聽recognizing his contributions聽to聽the聽grand opening celebration of Epic Universe, the resort鈥檚 newest theme park.

He聽shared his聽story on stage聽at聽,聽inspiring the 麻豆原创 community聽and聽demonstrating聽the power of a Knight education to聽reshape what it means to be entertained and what the future of experiences holds for people everywhere.

The 麻豆原创-Universal聽Pegasus Partnership聽is a聽significant early聽milestone聽of聽聽鈥斅燼聽$3.5 billion聽campaign to expand聽opportunity, advance聽discovery聽and drive impact across the university.

Spencer鈥檚聽story shows why聽聽is聽so important: Investments in 麻豆原创 help students ignite meaningful careers, discover new聽frontiers聽and create a bold tomorrow.聽Students like聽him聽are launching a new era of innovation and making their mark across every industry.

Whether you are taking a full class schedule, interning or enjoying a much-needed breather, staying engaged on campus is key to making the most of your summer semester. 麻豆原创 offers a wide selection of resources specifically to help you keep the momentum.

Academic Support

Shorter summer sessions are fast paced and demanding, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Support services are available in person and virtually to keep your GPA on track.

• Private Coaching: The Student Academic Resource Center continues to provide for over 30 subjects. Visit the SARC office in Trevor Colbourn Hall Room 117 or the Engineering II atrium for assistance.
• Math Tutoring: Located in the Mathematical Science Building, the Math Success Center offers for students enrolled in undergraduate math courses, providing a focused environment to master challenging concepts.
• Writing Center: From complex research papers and resume polishes to creative writing hobbies, the University Writing Center offers specialized to help you make tangible progress on all kinds of written projects.
• Study Spaces: Use the university鈥檚 to book a private study room in advance at the John C. Hitt and 麻豆原创 Downtown libraries to ensure you have a safe, quiet place to study during finals.

Wellness Resources

Taking care of yourself is just as important during finals week as it is during a semester off. Fewer students on campus during the summer semester allows you more access to these wellness perks.

• Mental Health: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides students with around-the-clock at no extra cost. Students also have free access to the anonymous peer-to-peer support community and teletherapy sessions throughout the entire summer.
• Physical Wellness: The gym remains open with full summer hours to help you maintain your fitness routine. For a brain break and an extra dose of sunshine, head over to the for free kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding.
• Meeting Basic Needs: If your budget gets tight between semesters, you don’t have to worry. The Knights Helping Knights Pantry remains stocked and open during the summer to , toiletries and clothing to any Knight in need.

Professional Development

Summer is the perfect time to refine your professional brand. Career Services offers a series of Workshop Wednesdays and drop-in sessions to help you prepare for your next interview, internship or first day on the job.

• Career Readiness: Get quick, expert feedback on your resume, LinkedIn profile, practice interview or Handshake account with Critiques & Career Express. in-person or virtually throughout July 31.
• Workshop Wednesdays: throughout June and July to sharpen specific skills, including how to utilize AI in the job search, career exploration and the do鈥檚 and don鈥檛s of networking online.
• Free Headshots: Stop by the Headshot Booth located in the Student Government office of the Student Union for . The booth is open and free for all students and produces professional, high-quality headshots same day.

Summer Events Around Campus

Stay engaged with these social and cultural opportunities that span the entire term.

• Socialize with Grad Students: Head to the Graduate Student Center in Trevor Colbourn Hall, Room 213 on the first Wednesday of each summer month for First Wednesday Cafe. Hosted by Graduate Student Life, it鈥檚 a , meet fellow students, and grab free bagels and coffee.
• Interactive Play Festival: Pegasus PlayLab is a festival hosted every summer by the 麻豆原创 School of Performing Arts and is dedicated to helping develop the work of emerging playwrights across the country. for the workshop showings of Offshoot (May 29 鈥� 30), Eight-Hand Jig (June 5 鈥� 6), Between Shadows and Lightness (June 12 鈥� 13), and the developmental production of Raccoon Play(June 11 鈥� 14).
• Art Exhibition: Take a quiet culture break at the 麻豆原创 Art Gallery (located in the Visual Arts Building) to experience The Carlos Malamud Prize. Running all summer long, with Rollins Museum of Art features striking works from six emerging Florida artists competing for a $10,000 prize.
• Therapy Dogs: If you need a serious mood boost, head over to CAPS to spend some time with certified therapy dogs during the It鈥檚 a proven, relaxing way to take a mid-semester breather and destress between your Summer A and Summer B classes.

Transportation and Parking

Summer is the best time to find a “prime” parking spot, but shuttles are still a reliable way to get around.

• Summer Shuttle Schedules: 麻豆原创 shuttles operate on a modified summer schedule. Be sure to check the 麻豆原创 Mobile app or the website for the most current route times, as frequency may differ from the fall/spring semesters.

Whether you are catching a sunset by the Reflecting Pond or grinding through a summer lab, remember that the 麻豆原创 community is here to support you. Take advantage of the shorter lines and the specialized attention available this term and keep charging on!

麻豆原创 School of Visual Arts and Design students earned all four scholarships awarded at Creative South, a testament to the university鈥檚 growing reputation as a hub for emerging creative talent.

鈥淲e鈥檝e built such a strong community that when one person succeeds, we all do,鈥� says Vanessa Mor谩n, a senior graphic design student and treasurer of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Graphic Design Student Association. 鈥淭hat’s something Associate Professor Victor Davila 鈥�97 鈥�07MFA has always instilled in us.鈥�

For Brianna Rodriguez, a junior graphic design student who received a $1,000 grant, the scholarship is validation for where she鈥檚 heading.

鈥淚t felt like a message that my work has potential, and that I need to start seeing it that way,鈥� she says.

Building Industry Connections

The students鈥� takeaways from Creative South went well beyond scholarship awards. Known for its welcoming environment, the conference gave students direct access to industry professionals, hands-on feedback, and real-world insight.

The access stood out to AJ Sibul, a senior graphic design student, who says Creative South made the industry feel more human.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no separation between attendees and speakers,鈥� Sibul says. 鈥淭hey emphasize people first, titles second.鈥�

From portfolio reviews to keynote presentations to late-night networking events, students built meaningful connections with working creatives, leading to mentorship, internships, and future job opportunities.

麻豆原创 emerging media alumnus Josh Alonso 鈥�25 understands that firsthand. Alonso first attended Creative South as a student, where he earned a scholarship from Heyo, a design and development agency, which included a yearlong mentorship with a professional from the company.

That experience led to his current full-time role, demonstrating how connections made at Creative South can translate directly into opportunities.

鈥淭hat mentorship really grew into a friendship, which led to a job offer later down the road,鈥� Alonso says. 鈥淭hey helped me understand the importance of being someone people wanted to work with, rather than just having the best-looking portfolio.鈥�

鈥淢y career essentially got its 鈥榡umpstart鈥� from the people I met at Creative South.鈥� 鈥� Josh Alonso 鈥�25

Alonso鈥檚 journey reflects what many 麻豆原创 students are beginning to experience: real pathways into creative careers.

鈥淢y career essentially got its 鈥榡umpstart鈥� from the people I met at Creative South,鈥� he says.

As 麻豆原创 continues to invest in the next generation of creatives, experiences like Creative South equip students with the connections and confidence needed to succeed in the industry after graduation.

麻豆原创 is the leading producer of talent among Florida鈥檚 universities, awarding nearly 19,000 degrees annually to Knights who go on to work in high-demand industries. About 85% of our alumni stay in Florida because of the ample opportunity to thrive as part of our state鈥檚 workforce.

Graduates will hear from six esteemed speakers whose leadership and impact span some of Central Florida鈥檚 most influential industries:

• Barry Miller 鈥�95, president of Voloridge Investment Management
• Brian Adams 鈥�04MBA, president and CEO of AdventHealth Central Florida Division
• Gloria Caulfield, vice president of strategic alliances, Tavistock Development Company
• Barbara Gellman-Danley, president of Higher Learning Commission
• Maj. Gen. James Smith, commander, space training and readiness command at Patrick Space Force Base
• Peter Lee, president of Microsoft Science

Commencement Festivities

Held in the Addition Financial Arena, spring commencement will take place over six ceremonies spanning Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9.

All guests, including children and infants,鈥痭eed a ticket for admission. All graduates who have filed an intent to graduate will receive five commencement ceremony tickets when they pick up their regalia packet.

Guests who do not have tickets may watch the鈥痩ive ceremony via a simulcast viewing鈥痠n the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center and the Student Union. Ceremonies will also be livestreamed .

Commencement Photo-ops Across 麻豆原创

Graduating Knights are unable to take photos at the Acrisure Bounce House Stadium this semester due to ongoing construction.

Grad Walk

On Thursday, May 7, 2:30-7 p.m. (doors close at 6 p.m.), spring graduates are invited to a photo-op 鈥� Grad Walk 鈥� within the Addition Financial Arena. This will be a first-come, first-served occasion for graduates and up to 10 of their well-wishers to take photos and videos on the ceremony stage.鈥疓raduates are required to .

Commencement Schedule

Graduates and guests can review the below commencement ceremony schedule, listing colleges, ceremony dates and streaming links:

Friday, May 8

9 a.m.

College of Business

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

2 p.m.

College of Health Professions and Sciences

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

7 p.m.

College of Arts and Humanities

Nicholson School of Communication and Media

Saturday, May 9

9 a.m.

College of Community Innovation and Education

2 p.m.

College of Sciences (excluding Nicholson School of Communication and Media)

7 p.m.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

College of Graduate Studies

College of Optics and Photonics

For more details and FAQs about Spring 2026 commencement celebrations, visit ucf.edu/graduation.

Commencement Speakers

Barry Miller 鈥�95

President of Voloridge Investment Management

Barry Miller 鈥�95 serves as president of Voloridge Investment Management, quantitative hedge fund manager, and Voloridge Health, a data science-based health tech company, both Florida based.

Miller, who graduated with honors from 麻豆原创 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in finance, recently made a transformational $50 million gift this spring to establish the Barry S. Miller College of Business at 麻豆原创. The largest single philanthropic investment in 麻豆原创 history, the gift will accelerate a bold new model of business education designed for a world where technology, data and decision-making are inseparable.

Miller, also a member of the 麻豆原创 College of Business Hall of Fame, brings years of executive experience, having previously served as CEO of LASAS Technologies, a finance and insurance company that he co-founded in 1998. His career experience includes financial analysis, capital raising, financial markets, actuarial experience, software development and in-depth company infrastructure formation.

After gaining valuable experience as an entrepreneur and chief executive officer, Miller鈥檚 ambition led him to join and invest in Voloridge Investment Management and then Voloridge Health. For both companies, he is responsible for many facets of leadership, including trading, back-office operations, compliance, sales and marketing, vendor relationships and strategic planning.

Brian Adams 鈥�04MBA

President and CEO of AdventHealth Central Florida Division

Brian Adams is president and CEO of AdventHealth鈥檚 Central Florida Division, one of the nation鈥檚 largest faith-based health systems, whose 37,000 dedicated team members provide care for more than 3 million patients.

Known for building high-performing teams and ensuring the organization grows to meet the care needs of the community, Adams has led efforts to expand access to care, elevate quality and bring innovative solutions to rapidly growing communities. His leadership has continued to position AdventHealth as a trusted and innovative partner in Central Florida.

As a part of AdventHealth for more than 24 years, Adams has held senior leadership roles across the organization, including CEO positions in Tampa and Polk County, where he oversaw major expansions, facility investments and quality improvements.

He earned his master鈥檚 of business administration from the 麻豆原创 and a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Union College in Nebraska. Originally from Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, Adams and his wife have two teenage sons.

Gloria Caulfield

Vice president of strategic alliances, Tavistock Development Company

In her multifaceted role as vice president of strategic alliances at Tavistock, Gloria Caulfield manages business development and corporate partnerships, collaborates with national and global stakeholders to advance health innovation, and leads the development of cutting-edge strategies for the Lake Nona community.

She is the chief architect and creative force behind the Lake Nona Impact Forum. The revered global health innovation summit brings together many of the world鈥檚 most preeminent thought leaders and serves as a signature event of the Tavistock Group.

Caulfield serves on boards that reflect her passion for advancing the future of human health, including the StartUp Health Impact Board, which focuses on mobilizing entrepreneurs to solve the biggest health challenges of our time, and the LFE Capital Advisory Board, which supports female founders and impactful, wellness-oriented companies.

Prior to joining Tavistock, she had a distinguished career at AdventHealth. As senior executive director for community development, she provided strategic leadership for corporate partnerships and spearheaded critical community initiatives across Central Florida. Caulfield is an alumna of the University of Arizona and brings visionary leadership to every aspect of her work.

Barbara Gellman-Danley

President of Higher Learning Commission

Barbara Gellman-Danley is president of the Higher Learning Commission, which accredits colleges and universities to ensure they meet high-quality standards and continuously improve.

Prior to beginning this role in 2014, she was president of the University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College in Ohio. She previously served as vice chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, president of Antioch University McGregor, vice president at Monroe Community College and vice chancellor at the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Gellman-Danley sits on the boards of Credential Engine, which she chairs, and GlobalMindED. Her career includes previous board and commission memberships with the Association of Governing Boards Council of Presidents, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, the American Council on Education鈥檚 Education and Attainment group and the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning.

Gellman-Danley holds degrees from Syracuse University, Simmons University, Oklahoma City University and the University of Oklahoma. She did post-graduate work at New York University, Cornell, Harvard, the University of Chicago and MIT.

An honorary member of Phi Theta Kappa, she is a professional certified coach, certified executive coach and certified life coach. She holds certifications in change management, Agile and Lean Six Sigma, a professional credential validating expertise in data-driven process improvement aimed at reducing waste and defects.

Maj. Gen. James Smith

Commander, space training and readiness command at Patrick Space Force Base

As commander, Maj. Gen. James E. Smith is responsible for preparing the U.S. Space Force and more than 14,000 military and civilian guardians to prevail in competition and conflict through innovative education, training, doctrine and test activities.

Originally from Boise, Idaho, Maj. Gen. Smith commissioned in 1997 as the top graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. His career spans numerous space operations and acquisition positions, including command at the squadron, group, wing, garrison and Field Command levels.

Maj. Gen. Smith has deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and to the U.S. Embassy in Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Prior to his current position, Maj. Gen. Smith served as the vice director, Joint Force Development, J-7, the Joint Staff, Arlington, Virginia.

Peter Lee

President of Microsoft Science

Peter Lee is president of Microsoft Science, where his responsibility is to accelerate the pace of discovery in the physical, biological and medical sciences through the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

Previously, he led the world laboratories of Microsoft Research. Before joining Microsoft in 2010, he established a new technology office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency within the U.S. Department of Defense, creating operational capabilities in machine learning, data science and computational social science.

From 1987 to 2010, Lee was a professor and the head of the computer science department at Carnegie Mellon University. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and serves on the boards of several institutions in AI and medicine, including the board of trustees of the Mayo Clinic and the board of directors of the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine. He served on President Obama鈥檚 Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity and has testified before both U.S. House and Senate committees.

He is the co-author of the book, The AI Revolution in Medicine: GPT-4 and Beyond. In 2024, Lee was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in health and life sciences.

Over the course of nearly a full academic year, peers, departmental and college leadership, and the university promotion and tenure committee engaged in a rigorous, multi-stage review to ensure candidates met 麻豆原创鈥檚 high standards in teaching, research, and service. Ultimately, they recommended 100 faculty members for promotion, including 23 for tenure.

Following the review process, the president and provost make final decisions on promotions, while the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees provides final approval for tenure candidates. These decisions directly advance 麻豆原创鈥檚 strategic plan and its focus on recruiting and retaining highly qualified faculty 鈥� especially those who elevate student success, accelerate discovery and research, and strengthen the talent pipeline that drives innovation and economics for the state of Florida.

鈥淎t 麻豆原创, promotion and tenure reflects a thoughtful, rigorous review process and the high standards we set as an institution and state,鈥� says John Buckwalter, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a significant moment for these faculty, not just for the years of hard work it recognizes, but for what promotion and tenure represents: a sustained commitment to excellence, a deep dedication to student success, research that boldly improves lives, and the future we鈥檙e building together.鈥�

Promotions and tenure conferrals annually take effect on Aug. 8.

The faculty members recognized below represent the continued strength and momentum of 麻豆原创.

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

• John Gardiner, College of Arts and Humanities
• Tadashi Ishikawa, College of Arts and Humanities
• Sara Raffel, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jeffery Redding, College of Arts and Humanities
• John Bush, College of Business
• Seongho An, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Cynthia Williams, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Jiannan Chen, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Chinwendu Enyioha, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Ozlem Garibay, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Yao Li, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Miguel Bandres, College of Optics and Photonics
• Robert Fitak, College of Sciences
• Shyam Kattel, College of Sciences
• Kelsey Larsen, College of Sciences
• Kangsang Lee, College of Sciences
• Xialing Lin, College of Sciences
• Emily Zavodny, College of Sciences
• Kayode Aleshinloye, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
• Carissa Baker, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
• YunYing Zhong, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Promotion to Associate Professor of Medicine with Tenure

• Taj Azarian, College of Medicine
• Thomas Kean, College of Medicine

Promotion to Professor (Tenured)

• Thaddeus Anderson, College of Arts and Humanities
• Ann Gleig, College of Arts and Humanities
• Lanlan Kuang, College of Arts and Humanities
• Sandra Sousa, College of Arts and Humanities
• Mel Stanfill, College of Arts and Humanities
• Melanie Guldi, College of Business
• Xin He, College of Business
• Laurie Campbell, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Eric Merriam, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Woo Hyoung Lee, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Thomas Wahl, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Yang Yang, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Jacqueline Towson, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Romain Gaume, College of Optics and Photonics
• Jacopo Baggio, College of Sciences
• Matthieu Baudelet, College of Sciences
• Karin Chumbimuni Torres, College of Sciences
• Geoffrey Cook, College of Sciences
• Amy Donley, College of Sciences
• Hsin鈥慔siung Huang, College of Sciences
• Brigitte Kovacevich, College of Sciences
• Arkadiy Lyakh, College of Sciences
• Peter Smith, College of Sciences
• Xiaohu Xia, College of Sciences

Promotion to Associate Professor of Medicine

• Maria Farooq, College of Medicine

Promotion to Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine

• Naziha Slimani, College of Medicine
• Sharon Wasserstrom, College of Medicine

Promotion to Clinical Professor of Medicine

• Mariana Dangiolo, College of Medicine

Promotion to Research Associate Professor

• Crystal Maraj, Office of Research

Promotion to Associate Lecturer

• Jonathan Barker, College of Arts and Humanities
• Sara Willox, College of Business
• Elizabeth Yost, College of Business
• Michael Gilbrook, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Alison Redd, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Michael Redd, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Michael Chetta, College of Sciences
• Heather Edwards, College of Sciences
• Seongchun Kwon, College of Sciences
• Adam Parrish, College of Sciences
• Jamie Vega, College of Sciences
• Tong Wan, College of Sciences
• Rong Zhou, College of Sciences

Promotion to Senior Lecturer

• Christy Flanagan鈥慒eddon, College of Arts and Humanities
• David Head, College of Arts and Humanities
• Deborah Leitch, College of Arts and Humanities
• Amanda Snyder, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jeanine Viau, College of Arts and Humanities
• Constance Goodman, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Daniel Stephens, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Shane Trenta, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Marino Nader, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Sudeshna Pal, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Rachid Ait Maalem Lahcen, College of Sciences
• Cynthia Bayer, College of Sciences
• Martha Hubertz, College of Sciences
• Tamra Legron鈥慠odriguez, College of Sciences
• Hyung Park, College of Sciences
• Widaad Zaman, College of Sciences

Promotion to Associate Instructor

• Meeghan Faulconer, College of Arts and Humanities
• Yukari Nakamura, College of Arts and Humanities
• Carolina Salazar, College of Arts and Humanities
• Punam Desormes, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Jorri Bright, College of Sciences
• Richard Hall, College of Sciences
• Nicholas Zuccarello, College of Sciences

Promotion to Senior Instructor

• Rita De Luca Guerriero, College of Arts and Humanities
• Steven Ton, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Todd Fix, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Julie Matura, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Lance Speere, College of Sciences
• Abigail Ferreira, 麻豆原创 Global

Promotion to Associate Instructional Designer

• Rebecca McNulty, Division of Digital Learning

Promotion to Senior Instructional Designer

• Amy Sugar, Division of Digital Learning

Promotion to Associate Librarian

• Renee Montgomery, 麻豆原创 Libraries

Promotion to University Librarian

• Sai Deng, 麻豆原创 Libraries
• Sarah Norris, 麻豆原创 Libraries
• Andrew Todd, 麻豆原创 Libraries

During 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts 2026, Legally Blonde took the stage with a twist audiences didn鈥檛 see coming 鈥� one that blurred the line between performance and possibility.

The story still delivered the heart: College student Elle Woods chases love, faces doubt and ultimately discovers her own strength along the way. But this production layered something new into that journey: state-of-the-art robotics. At 麻豆原创, Florida鈥檚 Technological University, innovation shows up in unexpected places 鈥� even onstage.

The result was a show that felt both nostalgic and forward-looking, where dynamic musical theater met emerging tech.

Musical theatre major Lyric Stratton played the perfect protagonist, Elle Woods, whose dreams of settling down after college graduation are cut short when her boyfriend, Warner, breaks up with her to attend Harvard Law School. Devastated and determined to get him back, Woods pulls together an unconventional application and charms her way into Harvard Law.

High-energy dance numbers powered the production from start to finish. In one standout scene titled 鈥淲hat You Want,鈥� Woods turns her Harvard application into a full-scale performance, trading a traditional essay for a show-stopping number alongside the UCLA cheer team.

The number featured 25 students on stage and took 13 hours to stage.

Three characters led a Harvard admissions conference room scene, delivering sharp dialogue as they debated Woods鈥� fate.

From left: Joey Fields as Winthrop, Tristan Haberland as Lowell and Jasper Allen as Pforzheimer.

Just as the audience settled into the story, two robot dogs stepped into the spotlight. During the nine-minute number 鈥淲hat You Want,鈥� they appeared in a Harvard campus scene where engineering students 鈥� played by theatre majors Mia Freeman and Isabel Ramos 鈥� walked them around as UCLA cheerleaders looked on in awe. In a brief but striking moment, technology wasn鈥檛 just a prop 鈥� it became part of the story.

Operated live on stage, the robots transformed the moment into a seamless blend of performance and engineering. Freeman and Ramos were trained by Mohsen Rakhshan, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and his graduate teaching assistant, Chinmay Dhanraj Nehate.

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing the incorporation of robotics into different things at an accelerated rate, including art. It’s exciting,鈥� says Rakhshan, who closely collaborated with the production鈥檚 director to bring the robots into the show.

The electrical and computer engineering department houses 15 state-of-the-art robot dogs, nine of which are in Rakhshan鈥檚 Laboratory for Interaction of Machine and Brain. There, he and his graduate teaching assistant use them for both instruction and research 鈥� teaching an Introduction to Robotics course and training the robots to navigate the uncertainties of real-world environments.

During last year鈥檚 annual 麻豆原创 football Space Game, Michael Jablonski, assistant professor of musical theatre in the College of Arts and Humanities, watched the ECE department鈥檚 robot dogs in motion across the field. At that moment, he saw more than entertainment 鈥� he saw the potential for storytelling. A way to take something typically confined to classrooms and labs and give it emotion and meaning.

When planning聽Legally Blonde, a story rooted in breaking expectations, the idea came naturally: why not let innovation share the stage?

Even with its high-tech twist, the show stayed true to its roots 鈥� including Bruiser, Woods鈥� loyal (and stylish) Chihuahua, brought to life by a real dog named Marty McFly.

During 鈥淲hipped Into Shape,鈥� fitness guru Brooke Wyndham, played by theatre major Isabel Ramos, led her cellmates through a relentless workout. Accused of murder, Wyndham refused to reveal the truth when Woods visited 鈥� unless she could keep up 鈥� turning the moment into a high-energy number where actors sang while performing intense jump rope choreography.

In the climactic courtroom scene, Woods took the lead, defending Wyndham and using sharp instincts, wit and confidence to expose the real culprit. It was a defining moment where she proved she belongs, blending intelligence, intuition and boldness to win the case.

Front row from left: Lyric Stratton as Elle Woods, Isabel Ramos as Brooke Wyndham and Jaxon Ryan as Emmett Forrest.

Along the way, Woods stops chasing approval and finds her confidence, purpose and voice. This central theme drew Jablonski, Legally Blonde production director, to the female-driven story.

鈥淭his story showcases how a very strong, intelligent woman [Elle Woods] finds her way in a male-dominated world. She initially follows love, but through it, she finds a space where she fits perfectly,鈥� Jablonski says. 鈥淭hrough being misjudged and stereotyped, we come to see that she鈥檚 far above the people around her in her thinking and in the way she brings humanity into her work as a lawyer.鈥�

What audiences saw was only part of the story. Behind every scene change, lighting cue, and musical number is a network of students, faculty, and staff working in sync 鈥� often just out of sight. Behind the curtain, more than 50 people managed lighting, sound and scene transitions in real time.

The music didn鈥檛 just support the story 鈥� it drove it. Legally Blonde, presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, featured music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, with 23 total musical numbers. The book is by Heather Hach.

Projection-mapped animations and imagery 鈥� created with QLab software and delivered through two high-brightness front projectors 鈥� were precisely timed to the music, blending seamlessly with choreography and lighting to shape the show鈥檚 visual rhythm.

鈥淓ach scene had its own visual identity, with projections adding specific details that help it stand out,鈥� says Tim Brown, associate professor of theatre design and technology. 鈥淭he goal is to support the show鈥檚 fun, colorful world in a clear and energetic way.鈥�

Costuming defined each character with bold color and precise detail. Huaixiang Tan, professor of costume and make-up design in the School of Performing Arts, led the design, with support from assistant costume designers Sabrina Cervilla and Aisha Bader-Ortega. The production featured more than 100 costumes, each the result of hundreds of hours of craftsmanship.

In the Theatre 麻豆原创 scene shop, students began using hands-on technical skills to build and refine set pieces in January.

Built through layers of paint, planning and precision, the set came together as a large-scale collaboration among more than 40 students.

Designed for transport, much like a touring production, the set added an extra layer of complexity and was built to be assembled at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. It was completed and delivered on March 30.

That鈥檚 because every dollar ripples far beyond a single day. Every gift opens doors: for students to chase a dream, create unforgettable memories, boldly invent the future and be recognized for their hard work. And every donor does more than give 鈥� they ignite potential, spark inspiration and elevate Knights for generations.

With 麻豆原创 Day of Giving 2026 right around the corner 鈥� Thursday, April 9 鈥� we鈥檙e reflecting on the transformational effects and personal stories of triumph that emerged from last year鈥檚 show of support, knowing that shortly, our collective contributions will set another wave of Black & Gold breakthroughs, successes and discoveries into motion.

Prioritizing Unique Opportunities

Area of Support: College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean鈥檚 Excellence Fund
Amount Raised: $67,421
Impact: Learning experiences

Growing up in rural Ohio, Jordan Hires, an aerospace engineering major and Burnett Honors College Scholar, often gazed at the boundless night sky, inspired by the astronauts from her home state of Ohio. Moving 1,000 miles away for college was daunting, but manageable. With her sights set on becoming a chief engineer for deep space flights, 麻豆原创 offered two key benefits: a renowned aerospace engineering program and proximity to NASA.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the best decision I鈥檝e made,鈥� she says.

Since becoming a Knight, she鈥檚 done backstage tours at NASA, met with industry leaders from Mitsubishi, Siemens Energy and Lockheed Martin, and even talked to a former astronaut at an awards ceremony. This past summer, she worked alongside Professor Kareem Ahmed in the Propulsion and Energy Research Lab as a U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) fellow, testing a solution to remove heat from engines 鈥� research that could make hypersonic aircraft safer and cheaper. It was her second research experience as an undergrad.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 every little girl鈥檚 dream to work on classified projects with military and civilian applications, but it definitely was this little girl鈥檚 dream,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hanks to 麻豆原创, I鈥檝e had experiences that most students don鈥檛 get until graduate school.鈥�

Many of those opportunities are made possible by the College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean鈥檚 Excellence Fund, which supports hands-on learning, cutting-edge research equipment and innovative initiatives.

Supporting Lasting Memories

Area of Support: Marching Knights Scholarship Fund
Amount Raised: $14,067
Impact: Multiple scholarships for band members

For 麻豆原创 Marching Knights President Zoie Taverna, two moments define her 麻豆原创 experience: the rush of running onto the field for her first game and the bittersweet joy of singing the alma mater song alongside her best friend for their final game before graduation.

鈥淔or three whole years, we stood next to each other in the stands, screaming, feeding off each other鈥檚 energy,鈥� Taverna says. 鈥淔or her last game, we went all out. We couldn鈥檛 even talk by the end of it. We cried while singing the alma mater.鈥�

Taverna is among the Marching Knights whose experiences at 麻豆原创 are bolstered by the Branen Band Endowed Scholarship, which helps cover essentials like textbooks, meals and rent that her Bright Futures scholarship does not. As a mechanical engineering major, band leader and corresponding secretary for the national chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, she packs her days with coursework, practice and student engagement.

During the summers, she works full-time at a summer camp for kids, and she spends her weekends and evenings at Panera Bread to save up enough to cover the expenses to allow her to stay focused while in school.

鈥淲ithout scholarships, I wouldn鈥檛 have the time to do extracurriculars, such as Marching Knights, where I get to represent 麻豆原创 in Central Florida and around the world,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd I wouldn鈥檛 get to spend every Saturday in the Bounce House with all of my friends, immersed in the band life we love.鈥�

Illuminating Pathways

Area of Support: College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL)
Amount Raised: $54,880
Impact: $4,880 Went Toward Supporting 19 scholarships for attendees

This summer, high school student Chloe Phung left the bright lights of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to spend a week immersed in the study of light on 麻豆原创鈥檚 campus. As part of the third Laser and Photonics Summer Camp hosted by CREOL, she joined more than 50 high school students from across Central Florida 鈥� and around the world.

鈥淚 had the chance to learn many things, to learn more about optics, lenses and lasers,鈥� Phung says.

In addition to learning opportunities, the camp shines a light on the photonics industry, where more than 10,000 jobs open each year in the U.S., despite only 80 to 100 students in the nation graduating with bachelor鈥檚 degrees in photonics annually. A third of those graduates come from CREOL.

Paying it Forward

Area of Support: Dr. Michelle R. Dusseau Communication and Community Impact Endowed Scholarship Fund
Amount Raised: $1,780
Impact: $1,500 scholarship for one communication major, awarded annually

Beatrix Alerte transferred to 麻豆原创 in Spring 2024 with a plan: build community on campus, explore a career in media, stay active in service and say yes to every opportunity.

The first three goals came naturally. She enrolled in classes, mentored two freshmen as part of the 麻豆原创 chapter of Big Sister Little Sister mentoring program and served as a trip coordinator for the Alternative Spring Break Program. Alerte also gained work experience as a marketing ambassador for Project BEST, a Student Support Services project that supports first generation students, and as an intern with 麻豆原创 Athletics.

Her final goal was made easier this summer when Alerte was named the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Michelle R. Dusseau Communication and Community Impact Endowed Scholarship, created this past year by longtime the College of Science‘s Nicholson School of Communication and Media faculty member Michelle Dusseau.

鈥淭his scholarship has given me the freedom to say yes to career-building opportunities, many of which are unpaid, while worrying less about covering

personal living expenses,鈥� Alerte says. 鈥淭hat support makes all the difference.鈥�

This 麻豆原创 Day of Giving, we鈥檙e launching Knights to new heights! Save the date to on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Check out the to maximize your impact. And get ready to join your Knight Nation family as we Bounce, Stomp, Splash and Cheer our way to more impact than ever before.

In 2026, we celebrate the United States of America鈥檚 250^th birthday 鈥� also known as the semiquincentennial (a word so convoluted that spellcheck doesn鈥檛 recognize it, so we have decided America250 is simpler). As we do so, we should take some time to reflect on what we think we know about our bold declaration of independence and the American Revolution that followed.

Here are some common misconceptions about the revolutionary era that show popular memory doesn鈥檛 necessarily reflect reality.

鈥淭he British(?) are Coming!鈥�

Legend has it that in Boston on the evening of April 18, 1775, silversmith and now folk hero Paul Revere watched for flashing lanterns from the Old North Church 鈥� one if by land and two if by sea 鈥� and when he saw the two flashes, he jumped onto his horse for his midnight ride through the Massachusetts countryside yelling the 鈥淏ritish are coming!鈥�

This shout brought out the militia in Lexington and Concord and also warned Sam Adams and John Hancock, two revolutionaries who some believed were the target of this secret British military mission. Armed and ready for the British soldiers to enter their villages, early the next morning, the militia fired the first shots of the American Revolution and pushed the Redcoats back to Boston. A fighting war had begun.

If one ponders the date for long enough, one might see the problem with the words that Revere allegedly shouted. In April 1775 (and for 14 months thereafter), Revere, the militia, and everyone he woke up were still British. Most likely, he shouted 鈥渢he Regulars,鈥� 鈥渢he Redcoats,鈥� or 鈥渢he king鈥檚 men,鈥� were coming, which all have less catchy rings to them.

Washington鈥檚 (Perilous?) Crossing.

If we can鈥檛 believe our ears regarding Paul Revere鈥檚 Midnight Ride, we also cannot believe our eyes about one of the most famous images of the American Revolution, Washington Crossing the Delaware. The giant (12 feet by 21 feet) painting depicts Christmas evening 1776 when the United States鈥� independence hung in the balance.

General George Washington and his army traveled from Pennsylvania where they would surprise Hessian mercenaries at Trenton, New Jersey.聽 After a tough few months which included the evacuation of New York City, these victories helped restore the Americans鈥� morale.

German American artist Emanuel Leutze painted the image in Germany almost 75 years later. Meant to inspire German revolutionaries more than serve as an exact depiction of the event, the painting is filled with inaccuracies. It contains a flag that did not yet exist, ice bergs that did not appear in the Delaware River, Washington positioned in a manner which unnecessarily courted the danger of falling overboard, too much light for the crossing, and far too small a boat (in 2011, Mort Kunstler painted a more accurate version).

Yet, at the same time, others have praised Leutze鈥檚 version for sacrificing precise details for a larger truth. His painting has a wide cross section of Americans including farmers, riflemen, a Scotsman, two future presidents (Washington and James Monroe), men from a variety of states, an African American, and perhaps a woman. Thus, it is the archetypal American melting pot and conveys Americans鈥� determination in the time that tried men鈥檚 souls.

All Colonists were not Team Rebel.

We know that 13 original colonies revolted against British rule. In 1776, however, Britain had more than 30 colonies stretching from Canada through the Caribbean. Among those was Florida. Technically, Florida was two colonies (East Florida and West Florida). One would think that the two Floridas would have excitedly joined their neighbors to the north in rebellion as they had only been British colonies for 13 years (having been under Spanish rule from 1565鈥�1763).

Yet, when news of the Declaration of Independence reached St. Augustine, instead of embracing the document, the settlers reaffirmed their loyalty to the king and hung effigies depicting two leading revolutionaries that Revere had warned: John Hancock and Sam Adams. The former was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence and the president of Continental Congress, and the latter was a Boston radical, better known today as a brewery owner.

Why didn鈥檛 the Floridas revolt? Frankly, they disliked the British colonies more than they disliked England. They saw themselves as connected to the British Caribbean colonies, which also remained loyal to the king.

The Legend Behind A Cherry Tree.

In myth busting about the American Revolution, one can also tackle George Washington 鈥� he did tell lies, he didn鈥檛 chop down a cherry tree (that anecdote was invented by 19th-century bookseller Parson Weems), and the once commander-in-chief didn鈥檛 win many major battles in the early years of the revolution. However, Washington, if anything, is underestimated for his contributions to American history.

Washington did what many of his contemporaries considered to be unthinkable 鈥� he gave up power. Not once but twice.

When the war ended in 1783, Washington was a conquering hero who could have asked for anything. Instead, he simply requested retirement to Mount Vernon. Later, he returned to politics at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and then was elected the nation鈥檚 first president in 1789. After serving two terms, he retired again (the constitutional provision limiting a president to two terms didn鈥檛 come until the 22^nd amendment in 1951).

Thus, he set a precedent that president would not serve for life but instead would rotate regularly out of office.

A Day to Celebrate 鈥� But Which Day?

None of the above should stop you from celebrating in July. After all, as one of the declaration鈥檚 authors and our second president John Adams wrote in letter to his wife about Independence Day, it 鈥渨ill be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.鈥擨 am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival . . .聽 It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.鈥�

Other than omitting hot dog eating contests, this sounds fairly accurate. Alas, nothing is ever simple. Adams wrote this prediction on July 3, 1776, about future July 2s (not July 4s).

On July 2, the Continental Congress voted to declare independence. Two days later, on July 4, its members adopted the Declaration of Independence with John Hancock, the president of the Continental Congress, putting his John Hancock on the document.

Historians just have to ruin everything, don鈥檛 we?

Recipients will include this year鈥檚 awardees of some of the highest honors the university bestows, including: Pegasus Professor; the鈥疢edal of Societal Impact; the Reach for the Stars Award; the Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year Award; and the Champion of Student Success and Well-Being.

Also being honored are university excellence award winners; those who recently reached milestone years of service; Faculty Senate service awardees; faculty granted鈥�别尘别谤颈迟耻蝉鈥�辞谤鈥�别尘别谤颈迟补鈥�status; and retired or retiring faculty members.

This year鈥檚 celebration includes recognition of Chuck Dziuban, one of the longest-serving and most trailblazing faculty members in school history. His remarkable 55-year-career includes being 麻豆原创鈥檚 inaugural Pegasus Professor and founding director of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.

Starting this year at Founders鈥� Day, the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching will be given to underscore the talented faculty behind 麻豆原创鈥檚 nationally renowned reputation as a leader in in online teaching and learning.

Here are this year鈥檚 faculty honorees.

Pegasus Professor Award

Hassan聽Foroosh,聽College of Engineering and Computer Science

Carmen聽Giurgescu, College of Nursing

Annette R. Khaled, College of Medicine

Matthew Marino, College of聽Community Innovation and Education

Reach for the Stars Award

John Bush, College of Business

Ana Carolina聽de Souza Feliciano, Office of Research

Shyam Kattel, College of Sciences

Kevin Moran, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Soyoung Park, College of Community Innovation and Education

Hao Zheng, College of Engineering and Computer Sciences

Medal of Societal Impact Award

Zhihua Qu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award

Suha Saleh,聽College of Health Professions and Sciences

Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year

Deborah Beidel, College of Sciences

Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

College Awardees

Tanvir Ahmed, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Norine Blanch, College of Community Innovation and Education

Matthew Bryan, College of Arts and Humanities

Peter Delfyett, College of Optics and Photonics

Nyla Dil, College of Medicine

Katia Ferdowsi, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Murat Hancer, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Deborah Horzen, College of Arts and Humanities

Richard Jerousek, College of Sciences

Betsy Kalin, College of Sciences

Evelin Pegoraro, College of Arts and Humanities

Richard Plate, College of Community Innovation and Education

Alfons Schulte, College of Sciences

Nicholas Shrubsole, College of Arts and Humanities

Daniel Stephens, College of Community Innovation and Education

Wei Sun, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Danielle Webster, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Sara Willox, College of Business

Xiaohu Xia, College of Sciences

Widaad Zaman, College of Sciences

University Winner

Norine Blanch, College of Community Innovation and Education

Excellence in Graduate Teaching

College Awardees

Shaurya Agarwal, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Kim Anderson, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Christopher Blackwell, College of Nursing

Shannon Carter, College of Sciences

Sasan Fathpour, College of Optics and Photonics

Murat Hancer, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Dana Joseph, College of Business

Magdalena Pasarica, College of Medicine

Mel Stanfill, College of Arts and Humanities

Vassiliki Zygouris-Coe, College of Community Innovation and Education

University Winner

Christopher Blackwell, College of Nursing

Excellence in Research

College Awardees

Sarah Bush, College of Community Innovation and Education

Zixi (Jack) Cheng, College of Medicine

Enrique Del Barco, College of Sciences

Romain Gaume, College of Optics and Photonics

Nan Hua, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Kevin Mullally, College of Business

Matthew Stock, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Ladda Thiamwong, College of Nursing

Subith Vasu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Cyrus Zargar, College of Arts and Humanities

University Winner

Enrique Del Barco, College of Sciences

Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching

Nicole Lapeyrouse, College of Sciences

Excellence in Faculty Academic Advising

Emily Proulx, College of Arts and Humanities

Excellence in Professional Service

Linda Walters, College of Sciences

Excellence in Librarianship

Katy Miller, 麻豆原创 Libraries

Excellence in Instructional Design

Amy Sugar, Division of Digital Learning

University Award for Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students

Engineering, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences

Subith Vasu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Social Science, Humanities, Education, Business, Art and Health

David Boote, College of Community Innovation and Education

University Award for Excellence in Mentoring Postdoctoral Scholars

Kausik Mukhopadhyay, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Thomas Wahl, College of Engineering and Computer Science

20 Years of Service

Haiyan Bai, College of Community Innovation and Education

Brian Barone, College of Arts and Humanities

Aman Behal, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Corinne Bishop, 麻豆原创 Libraries

Joseph Brennan, College of Sciences

Mark Calabrese, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Li-Mei Chen, College of Medicine

Baiyun Chen, Division of Digital Learning

Joshua Colwell, College of Sciences

William Crampton, College of Sciences

Richard Curcio, College of Business

Donovan Dixon, College of Sciences

Martin Dupuis, Burnett Honors College

Michelle Dusseau, College of Sciences

Dorin Dutkay, College of Sciences

Kirk Gay, College of Arts and Humanities

Deborah German, College of Medicine

William Hagedorn, College of Community Innovation and Education

Joseph Harrington, College of Sciences

Fayeza Hasanat, College of Arts and Humanities

Bobby Hoffman, College of Community Innovation and Education

Elizabeth Hoffman, College of Community Innovation and Education

Alisha Janowsky, College of Sciences

Abdelkader Kara, College of Sciences

David Kwun, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Stephen Lambert, College of Medicine

Peter Larson, College of Arts and Humanities

Joseph LaViola Jr., College of Engineering and Computer Science

Edgard Maboudou, College of Sciences

Kevin Mackie, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Iryna Malendevych, College of Community Innovation and Education

Jonathan Matusitz, College of Sciences

Holly McDonald, College of Arts and Humanities

Florin Mihai, College of Arts and Humanities

Olga Molina, College of Health Professions and Sciences

George Musambira, College of Sciences

Nina Orlovskaya, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Talat Rahman, College of Sciences

25 Years of Service

Laura Albers-Biddle, College of Community Innovation and Education

Steven Berman, College of Sciences

Tarek Buhagiar, College of Business

Melissa Dagley, College of Sciences

Sabatino DiBernardo, College of Arts and Humanities

Mark Dickie, College of Business

Ivan Garibay, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Anthony Grajeda, College of Arts and Humanities

Bari Hoffman, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Steven Hornik, College of Business

Anna Jones, College of Arts and Humanities

Mikhail Klimov, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Stefanie Mayfield Garcia, College of Business

Rudy McDaniel, College of Arts and Humanities

Rachel Mulvihill, 麻豆原创 Libraries

Christopher Niess, College of Arts and Humanities

Eugene Paoline, College of Community Innovation and Education

Sumanta Pattanaik, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Tison Pugh, College of Arts and Humanities

Walter Sotero, College of Sciences

Suren Tatulian, College of Sciences

Nizam Uddin, College of Sciences

Lei Wei, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Graham Worthy, College of Sciences

Shin-Tson Wu, College of Optics and Photonics

30 Years of Service

Charlie Abraham, College of Arts and Humanities

Helen Becker, College of Business

James Campbell, College of Arts and Humanities

Karl X. Chai, College of Medicine

Ratna Chakrabarti, College of Medicine

Jill Fjelstul, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Barbara Fritzsche, College of Sciences

Nora Lee Garc铆a, College of Arts and Humanities

Linwood Jones, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alexander Katsevich, College of Sciences

Kuotsai Tom Liou, College of Community Innovation and Education

Lisa Logan, College of Arts and Humanities

Humberto L贸pez Cruz, College of Arts and Humanities

Eric Martin, Office of Research

Kevin Meehan, College of Arts and Humanities

Charles H. Reilly, Office of the Provost

Timothy Rotarius, College of Community Innovation and Education

Peter Spyers-Duran, 麻豆原创 Libraries

Alexander Tovbis, College of Sciences

Laurence von Kalm, College of Sciences

Linda Walters, College of Sciences

Bruce Wilson, College of Sciences

Hong Zhang, College of Arts and Humanities

Ying Zhang, 麻豆原创 Libraries

35 Years of Service

Issa Batarseh, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alain Kassab, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mansooreh Mollaghasemi, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Chung-Ching Wang, College of Sciences

40 Years of Service

Ahmad Elshennawy, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Michael Georgiopoulos, College of Engineering and Computer Science

David Hagan, College of Optics and Photonics

Anna Lillios, College of Arts and Humanities

Mubarak Shah, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Kalpathy Sundaram, College of Engineering and Computer Science

45 Years of Service

Robert Rivers, College of Arts and Humanities

55 Years of Service

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Faculty Emeritus and Emerita

Lynn Casmier-Paz, College of Arts and Humanities

James Clark, College of Arts and Humanities

Teresa Dorman, College of Sciences

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Glenda Gunter, College of Community Innovation and Education

Michael Hampton, College of Sciences

Richard Hofler, College of Business

Robin Kohn, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Piotr Mikusinski, College of Sciences

Ram Mohapatra, College of Sciences

Donna Neff, College of Nursing

Alice Noblin, College of Community Innovation and Education

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Trey Philpotts, College of Arts and Humanities

Robin Roberts, College of Business

Sherron Killingsworth Roberts, College of Community Innovation and Education

Lisa Roney, College of Arts and Humanities

Sybil St. Claire, College of Arts and Humanities

Terry Ann Thaxton, College of Arts and Humanities

Deborah Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities

Retired Faculty

Ahlam Al-Rawi, College of Sciences

Donna Breit, College of Nursing

Martha Brenckle, College of Arts and Humanities

Chinyen Chuo, Student Success and Well-Being

Therese Coleman, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Robertico Croes, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Juli Dixon, College of Community Innovation and Education

Teresa Dorman, College of Sciences

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Philip Fairey, Office of Research

John Fauth, College of Sciences

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Glenda Gunter, College of Community Innovation and Education

Michael Hampton, College of Sciences

Roger Handberg, College of Sciences

C. Keith Harrison, College of Business

Randall Hewitt, College of Community Innovation and Education

Rebecca Hines, College of Community Innovation and Education

Richard Hofler, College of Business

Charlie Hughes, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alvaro Islas, College of Sciences

Mourad Ismail, College of Sciences

David Jenkins, College of Sciences

Michael Johnson, Office of the Provost

Dayle Jones, College of Community Innovation and Education

Denise Kay, College of Medicine

Gary Leavens, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mary Little, College of Community Innovation and Education

Humberto L贸pez Cruz, College of Arts and Humanities

Michael Macedonia, Office of Research

Wasfy Mikhael, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Piotr Mikusinski, College of Sciences

Roslyn Miller, Division of Digital Learning

Ram Mohapatra, College of Sciences

Vicki Montoya, College of Nursing

Brian Moore, College of Sciences

Donna Felber Neff, College of Nursing

Alice Noblin, College of Community Innovation and Education

Peggy Nuhn, 麻豆原创 Libraries

Joyce Nutta, College of Community Innovation and Education

Jeffrey O鈥橞rien, College of Business

Bendegul Okumus, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Fevzi Okumus, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Trey Philpotts, College of Arts and Humanities

Brian Plamondon, Office of Research

Michael Proctor, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Enrique Puig, College of Community Innovation and Education

Pedro Quintana-Ascencio, College of Sciences

Mark Rapport, College of Sciences

Sherron Roberts, College of Community Innovation and Education

Kelly Schaffer, College of Community Innovation and Education

Elzbieta Sikorska, College of Sciences

Jo Smith, Division of Digital Learning

Sybil St. Claire, College of Arts and Humanities

Mark Steiner, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Raymond Surette, College of Community Innovation and Education

Terry Ann Thaxton, College of Arts and Humanities

Patti Thielemann, College of Nursing

Cheryl Van De Mark, College of Community Innovation and Education

Martine Vanryckeghem, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Jane Vaughan, College of Arts and Humanities

Scott Warfield, College of Arts and Humanities

Debbie Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities

Philip Wessel, College of Community Innovation and Education

James Whitworth, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Boguslawa Anna Wolford, College of Community Innovation and Education

Laine Wyatt, College of Arts and Humanities

Cherie Yestrebsky, College of Sciences

Martin Klapheke, College of Medicine

Stephen Lambert, College of Medicine

Olga Molina, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Euripides Montagne, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Darlin’ Neal, College of Arts and Humanities

Michael Pape, College of Business

Tison Pugh, College of Arts and Humanities

David Young, College of Sciences

The university recognized employees who reached milestone years of service, along with those recently retired or about to be. 麻豆原创 also presented a Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award and excellence awards in recognition of employees who made exceptional contributions to benefit the campus community.

鈥淲e celebrate your service, your dedication, and the impact you make across this university. But behind that recognition is something even more powerful: the daily commitment, the steady work, and the consistency that build momentum over time,鈥� says 麻豆原创 President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淭he future we talk about at 麻豆原创 is not something that begins someday. It is already taking shape in the work you do, in the systems you support, and in the experiences you create for our students.聽Thank you.鈥�

麻豆原创 this year brought a new category of Employee Leadership Excellence Awards, recognizing non-faculty administrative leadership at the director level and above. They joined the expanded Employee Excellence Awards, which highlighted the remarkable contributions of full-time employees up to an associate director level.

The employee event kicked off a Founders鈥� Day celebration that also included faculty and student celebrations. Combined, more than 900 honorees were recognized during the three ceremonies this year.

Here are the honorees from this year鈥檚 Employee Honors Celebration.

Excellence Awards

Employee Excellence Awards for Operational Excellence

Arijeta Kavaja, Public Safety

Cecily McCoy-Fisher, Office of Research

Anna Nye, Office of Risk and Safety

Cindy Prophitt, Facilities and Business Operations

Employee Excellence Awards for Student Success

Cynthia Almanzar, Student Success and Well-Being

Laura Czerkies, Burnett Honors College

Michael McKee, College of Optics and Photonics

Donna Mercado, College of Nursing

Employee Excellence Awards for Community Well-Being

Jodi Reinhart, College of Sciences

Lorna Rodriguez, College of Engineering and Computer Science

David Stoneburner, Office of Institutional Resources

Mykhael Walker, Analytics and Integrated Planning

Employee Excellence Awards for Service and Partnership

Drew Barnes, College of Graduate Studies

Faith DeLorenzo, Digital Learning

Lovelyn Findley, Advancement and Partnerships

Antoine Hart, University Strategic Communications

Employee Excellence Awards Nominees

Sadia Afrin

Cynthia Almanzar

Michelle Anchel

Otto Argibay

Anthony (Joey) Asti

Drew Barnes

Alexandra Barraza-Oliphant

Davalda 鈥淒ee鈥� Bellot

Jim Bennett

Miryana Blesso

Monique Carter

Laura Czerkies

Faith DeLorenzo

Lovelyn Findley

Amanda Greaves

Antoine Hart

Christina Hussey

Alexis Hutchins

Erica Hutton

Kat Jones

Arijeta Kavaja

Marsha Kernica

Melina Kinsey

Keanna Machado

Jay Malcolm

Chuck Mannella

Samantha Mason

Cecily McCoy-Fisher

Michael McKee

Donna Mercado

Traci Mibuta

Anna Nye

Steven Pardo

Diana Perez

Anthony Piazza

Cindy Prophitt

Frances 鈥淔ran鈥� Ragsdale

Matthew Rall

Jodi Reinhart

Lorna Rodriguez

Ashley Samson

William Self

Maricel Soto

Jennifer Stalzer

Emily Stettner

David Stoneburner

Jeremiah Taylor

Rebecca Underhill

Mykhael Walker

Denise Whiteside

Maria Williams

Employee Leadership Excellence Awards

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for Strategic Execution

Andre Watts, Analytics and Integrated Planning

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for People Leadership and Talent Stewardship

Andrea Withington, College of Community Innovation and Education

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for Advancing Collaboration and Partnership

Germayne Graham, Student Programs and Outreach

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for Innovation, Improvement, and Bold Action

Kim Smith, Office of Research

Employee Leadership Excellence Awards Nominees

Drew Andrews

Morgan Bauer

Austin Bott

Brian Boyd

David Canova

Megan Carrigan

Shafaq Chaudhry

Sherri Dixon

Madi Dogariu

Michael Duong

Amy Ellis

Gerard Flood

Steven Freund

Andrea Gandy

Delia Garcia

Germayne Graham

Stephanie Heron

Dana Juntunen

Kerlene King

Ashley Longoria

Ayanna Lopez

Carla McCabe

Rudy McDaniel

Amy Perry

Charlie Piper

Candida Richards

Elizabeth Richner

Cesar RiveraCruzado

Rex Roberts

Anastasia Salter

Wendy Sarubbi

Basma Selim

Kim Smith

Meghan Truhett

Suzzette Turner

Michael Wainstein

Tyler Walsh

Andre Watts

Danta White

Andrea Withington

Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award

Rosemarie Mendoza, Facilities and Business Operations

Emerita Status Awardee

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Employee Service Awards

45 Years of Service

Donna Hickson

35 Years of Service

Tina Maier

Michael Reed

Patricia Trovillion

30 Years of Service

Sharon Bady

Travis Cain

Adrianne Demetry

Francisco Dionisi

Joel Lavoie

Elizabeth Rivera

25 Years of Service

Herlinda Bedoya

Michael Bell

Abdulbaset Benwali

Terri Bigham

Bruce Boutwell

Olivia Bridges

Amy Buford

Cristina Caamano

Carlos Chardon

Keith Coelho

Janny Colon

Elizabeth Costello

Al Davis

Steven Dick

Rafael Durand

Sira Giron

Rebecca Hammond

Jonathan Hanie

Keith Honaker

Davina Hovanec

Latchmin Jaggernauth

Susan Jefferson

Georgia Kent

Michelle Matthews

Andrew O’Mara

Jennifer Opper

Naya Ramirez

Gail Raymond

Brenda Rodrigues

Timothy Ryan

Maria Santiago

Heather Simeon

Carl Truesdell

Meena Turner

Maria Williams

Dela Williams

Andrea Withington

20 Years of Service

Michael Aldarondo-Jeffries

Lindsay Archambault

Gloria Bastidas

Renee Bence

Eric Brewington

Daren Caine

Michael Callahan

Marc Cassidy

Robin Chan

Karen Cox

Kelley Dietrich

Matthew Dunn

Scott Eberle

Cecilia Elias

Samuel Ensenat

Marelis Figueredo Garcia

Matthew Fitzgerald

Scott Freeman

Glenn Gaborko

Tyniesia Gandy

Kelly Gill

Lindana Gomez

Brian Graham

Timothy Haduch

Jenny Hartman

Elizabeth Herrera

Sarah Hunt

Tamara Jomarron

Carreen Krapf

Ellaine Leodones

Marlene Lugo

Carlos Martinez

Deysi Mercedes

Heather Murphy

Uday Nair

Perla Ongy

Robert (Bob) Opdahl

Haresh Patel

Rachel Perry

Omesh Persaud

Sandy Pouliot

Christine Pugh

Luz Quintero

Maria Quintero

Christopher Rains

Tim Reid

Elizabeth Rodriguez

Terrance Rooth

Diana Santiago

Saul Santiago

Kathy Sapp

Basma Selim

Romeo Sibayan

Jeff Smith

George Taylor

Lynda Toussaint

Shreya Trivedi

Reina Vazquez

Tonya Walker

15 Years of Service

Marlene Agostini

Jose Arce

Lucy Bautista

Randy Beck

Aiza Beguez

Miryana Blesso

Carolyn Castro

Silvia Cerro

Lorinda Clark

Patricia Colyer

Theresa Davis

Dani Draper

Jennifer Elliott

Tamara Gabrus

Ernie Gemeinhart

Jessica Glaspie

James Grant

Lisa Haas

Allison Henderson

Maribel Herrera

Jason Kennedy

Ann Kershner

Usha Lal

Dora Laureano

Hank Lewis

Ujjwala Magdum

Jennifer Mark

Jessica Matos

Meghan McCollum

Amanda Miller

Tracey Morrison

Kimberly Nassoiy

Beth Nettles

Hoang Nguyen

Jorge Olmedo

Minh Phan

Rhett Proctor

Elida Prophete

Michael Pugh

Ligia Ramirez

Rebeca Richards

Maria Rodriguez

Daniel Sagendorf

Kimberly Sargent

Wendy Sarubbi

Nick Schenk

Dave Schreier

Lori Shuff

Jacob Skinner

Terri Smith

Suzanne Stalvey

Brian Strickland

Christy Tant

Freddie Tirado Jr.

Joanne Toole

Roger Tripp

Matthew Vaccaro

Tamara Vassallo Soto

Martha Wiggins

Wanda Wint

10 Years of Service

Danielle Adams

Terrell Alexander

Julissa Alicea

Lindsey Anderson

Nadine Arentz

Jose Ayala Torres

Morgan Bauer

Shaun Black

John Boehm

Kate Brinister

Danilo Canlas

Megan Carrigan

Melissa Choinski

Madhavi Chokshi

Lorine Cisch-Taylor

Lisa Clendenning

Shannon Colon

Robert Connors

John Cooke

Todd Coon

Richard Cortez-Satterlee

Joanna Couch

Brandon Couts

Meghan Crowther

Summer Davis

Katherine Del Cid

Vanessa Delgado

Gerald Dillon

Kerri Drylie

Mirvate El Jerdi

Shajira El Masri

Amy Ellis

Jerad Engel

Damian Fagan

Marites Falkenhausen

Sarah Farrell

Jessica Fasano

Ben Fauser

Melissa Fawcett

Janet Feliciano

Valentina Fernandez

Jason Francis

Neftali Garcia

Eileen Garner

Christopher Gase

Kristina Gomez

Agustin Gonzalez

Adriel Gonzalez Gutierrez

Ryan Goodwin

Liz Gordian Olmo

Walter Gordon

Rhonda Granger Gomez

Josh Haupt

George Hayner Jr.

Rita Higgins

Katherine Hoefer

Elizabeth Hughes

Erica Hutton

Renee Johnston

Nathanael Jones

Megan Kellogg

Brian Kelly

Mike Kilbride

Maureen Landgraf

Daniel Lee

Missy Lesnewski

Ian Levy

Sarojben Limbachia

George Lopez

Ricardo Lopez

Juan Lugo

Karemah Manselle

Kristy McAllister

Justin McGill

Pamela McGlinchey

Oliver McSurley

Rebecca Meadows

Nelson Mendez

Pamela Mills

Mike Minutelli

Eli Mizell

Angela Moreira

Rebecca Mowrer

Lauren Murray-Lemon

David Neese

Lucas Noboa

Loida Olivas

Jeffrey Panter

Steven Pardo

Juana Pasco

Laura Patterson

Deborah Pease

Miguel Pellot

Ryan Pendry

Karen Peterson

Wanda Pruett-Butler

Abner Ramos Pi帽ero

Erica Recktenwald

Samantha Redlund

Elizabeth Richner

Carlos Rivera

Victor Rivera

Lisa Roberts

Jacob Scholtz

Skender Shehu

Mari Sievinen

Kiela Sims

Aaron Smart

Liza Smith

Casey Smith

Esperanza Soto

Calvin Soto

Tenley Sterkel

Timothy Sullivan

Jackson Thevenin

Danielle Traylor

Wanda Tummons

Anna Velocci

Brian Villar

Stephen Villiotis

Paul Werden

Jonathan White

Barbara Wilson

Dylan Yonts

5 Years of Service

Lidya Abdelmalak

Elna Andreeva

Dana Archer

Linnette Aviles

Jessica Banos

Arismir Barreiras Peralta

Kristy Beitler

Summer Bernini

Abby Bertrand

Mayra Bonilla Torres

Melissa Braillard

Drew Bryant

Barbara Busch

Jess Camacho

Alexander N. Cartwright

Maria Ceku

Gianna Cifredo

Wilfredo Cornelio

Mario De Vera

Franco Del Pino

Mark Durbin

David Edgar

Lori Fiandra

Steven Fournier

Amoy Fraser

Raquela Garcia-Valenzuela

Melissa Gilliland

Luis Gonzalez

Marisela Guillen

Kathleen Hawkins

Robert Herr

Donna Jackson

Chase Jicha

Justin Kardach

Jamie Kaynan

Scott Langdon

Sarah Lardizabal

Kristeena LaRoue

Angela Lehman

Lucy Leon

Lawrence Lipe

Alex Lucchi

Marc Maheu

Alli Maiorano

Martha Martin

Reyner Martinez

Kate Mascheri

Angelica Mateo

Stephanie Mederos

Christopher Miller

Sarah Moore

Mindy Mozena

Lisa Myles

Iris Neil

Veronica Pak

Evgenia Pamer

Neelam Patel

Tran Pham

Cat Puckett

Monica Quimbayo

Michael Rivera

Marvecia Robinson

Leslie Rogers

Mary Rush

Luis Sanchez Artavia

Kyle Sindelar

Monica Smith

Yulisney Sotolongo

Garrett Spurlin

Jennifer Stalzer

Kimberly Stangle

Kenneth Steele

Lorenzo Stefko

Shari-Ann Stewart

Jane Stump

Elizabeth Tammaro

Jason Taningco

Raquel Toro-Espinal

Pia Valenciano

Thaina Velez

Danta White

Roksana Zak

Recognition of Retirees

Rafael Abreu

Yousef Ayoub

Pam Barkman

Suzette Batka

Emily Bennett

Richard Berwanger

Jeanne Blank

Patrick Blount

Parri Bolinger

Marcus Bowan

Deborah Bradford

Roanne Brice

Gary Burkhart

Rose Carpenter

Rick Catasus

Edgar Chavez

Willis Chico

Eunice Choi

Diane Claudio

Theresa Collins

Debra Copertino

Laura Crouch

Carol Davella

Karen Dlhosh

Debbie Doyle

Carol Ann Dykes Logue

Larry Eflin

Joseph Finnigan

Perry Fraser

Catherine Gholson

Amy Giroux

Robert Goater

Mariela Gonzalez

Tracy Griffith

Mark Gumble

Tania Gutierrez-Catasus

Martha Hamann

MJ Herbert Fuerst

Bethsy Hernandez

Ana Hernandez

Cherie Herrin

Michael Herring

Cathy Hill

Jane Ingalls

Wayne Jackson

Larry Jaffe

Daniel Kidder

Lee Kirkpatrick

Phyllis Kornegay

Melinda Kramer

Donna Leavitt

Ruben Lopez

Dennis Maddox

Kelli Marini

Janice Matley

Marcia Maukonen

Oscar Mauricio

James 鈥淛im鈥� McCully

Carrie McDowell

Linda Milner

Bruce Mink

Michele Monteith

Abderrahim Mouhassin

Christine Mouton

Jesus Munoz

Chuck Nicholas

Stephen OConnell

Leonardo Pascua

Esther Pennepacker

Rosario Pizarro

Brenda Posey

Michele Pozdoll

Odus Radford

Frances Ragsdale

Cindy Rahrle

Robert Reed

Wayne Regilio

Stella Restrepo

Kayonne Riley

Iris Rios

Charles Roberts

Norma Robles

Aimara Rodriguez

James Roop

Rosalba Ruiz

Eileen Ryan

Judith Samuels

Nicolas Santos

James Schaus

Jeanette Schreiber

Susan Schroen

Alison Schultz

Elena Sequera

Kelly Shilton

Michael Shumack

Shela Siegrist

Liza Smith

Karen Smith

Kathleen Snoeblen

Terry Stein

Peter Stephens

Patty Stroupe

Timothy Sullivan

Randolph Sulter

Jeffrey Ulmer

Lisa Vaughn

Luis Velozo

Rebecca Vilsack

Vicki Vitale

Deborah Walker

Kerry Welch

Maria Jocelyn Wick

Scott Wiles

Elena Wilson

Robert Wong