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

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

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

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

First-Generation Student

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

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

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

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

Building Foundations

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leaving a Legacy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Inspiring Others

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Defining Moment for 麻豆原创

Few universities of 麻豆原创鈥檚听young听age听have alumni giving back at this level.

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

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

Building the Future of Business Education

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accelerating Momentum

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

It sets the tone听for what comes next,听accelerating the pride and vision that will inspire others to invest in 麻豆原创鈥檚 future.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) selected the Florida Small Business Development Center at 麻豆原创 (FSBDC at 麻豆原创) as the National Small Business Development Center of the Year 鈥� recognizing its outstanding performance, innovative programming, and leadership in supporting Central Florida鈥檚 entrepreneurs and small businesses. The 麻豆原创 center was selected from a pool of 1,000 applicants nationwide.

鈥淭his award reflects our consistent ability to exceed SBA milestones and outperform our own high expectations within the Florida SBDC Network.鈥� 鈥� Eunice Choi, regional director of the FSBDC at 麻豆原创

鈥淲e are humbled yet immensely gratified to be honored as the SBDC of the Year by the SBA,鈥� says Eunice Choi, regional director of the FSBDC at 麻豆原创. 鈥淥ur team takes great pride in its unwavering commitment to serving the small business community and advancing SBA鈥檚 mission. This award reflects our consistent ability to exceed SBA milestones and outperform our own high expectations within the Florida SBDC Network.鈥�

The FSBDC at 麻豆原创 is located in the National Entrepreneur Center inside the Orlando Fashion Square Mall near downtown. It serves serves eight counties including Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia. At the Orlando main office, as well as six service center offices, small business owners have access to seminars and no-cost one-on-one consulting with experts who can assist across the following areas:

• Accounting: asset management, record keeping systems and procedures
• Finance: ratio analysis, breakeven analysis, financial projections and business valuation
• Marketing: pricing, advertising and promotion, marketing planning, market research and exporting
• Operations: production and inventory control, project management, risk management and energy conservation
• New Venture Planning: start-up information, feasibility analysis, business planning and general business consulting
• Technical Assistance: preliminary patent searches, patent, copyright and trademark, and technology transfer and SBIR/STTR

Each year, the SBA celebrates National Small Business Week (May 3-9 this year) by recognizing exceptional small business owners, entrepreneurs and resource partners from across the country. This year鈥檚 winners have been invited to Washington, D.C., May 3鈥�4, where they will be honored during national ceremonies.

鈥淭his year鈥檚 NSBW celebration is particularly historic as our nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, when our Founding Fathers laid the groundwork for the liberty that powers the engine of free enterprise. The result is our nation鈥檚 prosperity and entrepreneurial spirit 鈥� the very spirit your leadership exemplifies,鈥� SBA Administrator Kelley Loeffler stated in a letter congratulating to the FSBDC at 麻豆原创.

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听Foroosh,听College of Engineering and Computer Science

Carmen听Giurgescu, College of Nursing

Annette R. Khaled, College of Medicine

Matthew Marino, College of听Community Innovation and Education

Reach for the Stars Award

John Bush, College of Business

Ana Carolina听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,听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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are the students to be recognized.

Order of Pegasus Inductees

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

Undergraduate Student Awards

College Founders鈥� Award

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

Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis

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

Graduate Student Awards

Outstanding Dissertation

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

Big ideas don鈥檛 wait 鈥� and neither do the researchers behind them.

The 2026 Reach for the Stars honorees 鈥� six 麻豆原创 assistant professors 鈥� are already making a substantial impact on their respective fields through meaningful research and creative work that extends far beyond campus, with national and international influence.

Across disciplines, their work and research reflect a shared mission to advance ideas into impact 鈥� uncovering what shapes ethical decision-making in the workplace; exploring the origins of our solar system; developing computational solutions to meet future energy demands; designing more intuitive and reliable software experiences; strengthening education for students with disabilities; and engineering faster, more energy-efficient artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

Together, this brilliant group represents the kind of bold, forward-thinking innovation 麻豆原创 continues to champion.

Each year, the Reach for the Stars awards recognize early-career faculty opening new doors for what鈥檚 possible across their fields. The prestigious award is second only to Pegasus Professor as 麻豆原创鈥檚 highest faculty honor.

In recognition of their achievements, each honoree will receive a $10,000 annual research grant for three years in addition to the distinction of being an award recipient.

The 麻豆原创 community is cordially invited to come and congratulate the recipients from 3-5 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, in the Pegasus Ballroom at the Student Union as part of the 2026 Founders鈥� Day Faculty Honors Celebration.

This year鈥檚 Reach for the Stars honorees are:

John Bush

Assistant professor of management in the College of Business

What鈥檚 something few people know about you?

Working at 麻豆原创 is a homecoming for me. Growing up in Florida, I had the opportunity to experience all the great things this state and its universities have to offer. And while my younger self might not have predicted I’d end up in Black & Gold, 麻豆原创 and Orlando have been incredible homes.

What does your research focus on?

I study when, why, and how employees cross ethical lines, and what role leaders, management policies, and organizational systems play in those decisions. A big part of what makes my work unique is that I focus on an important puzzle: how things we typically think of as “good” can promote unethical behavior. We tend to assume that well-intentioned management practices will always lead to good outcomes. However, my research shows that’s not always the case, and the unintended consequences can be significant.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

Before I entered academia, I worked in corporate finance and accounting. That experience meaningfully shaped how I think about ethics in organizations.

There’s a common assumption that unethical behavior is a 鈥渂ad apple鈥� problem, or rather, that it comes down to an individual’s character or integrity. But as my work has shown, it’s often a 鈥渂ad barrel鈥� problem. The environments organizations create, the systems they put in place and the ways managers approach leadership profoundly influence how people behave.

What makes 麻豆原创 the right place for you to do this kind of work?

I’m a firm believer that the people make the place 鈥� and the faculty, staff and students of 麻豆原创 are truly what make it such a great place to be. The College of Business has a management department full of colleagues who are both excellent scholars and genuinely collaborative people.

What鈥檚 next for you or your research?

I’m excited about several new directions, each of which builds upon my existing work. I’m particularly interested in examining more nuanced, less studied drivers of ethical decision-making. For example, what happens when someone becomes an accidental witness to unethical behavior? How does that experience shape what they do next and the moral burden that鈥檚 placed on them?

Ana Carolina de Souza-Feliciano

Assistant professor at the

What鈥檚 something few people know about you?

While many people know I鈥檓 not afraid to face challenges, few know that I鈥檓 afraid of roller coasters.

What does your research focus on?

I study the small bodies of our solar system (objects such as asteroids, Trojans and trans-Neptunian objects) from an observational perspective to try to understand how our planetary system formed and evolved. The small bodies that remain from the early solar system still preserve clues about the materials and conditions that existed when planets formed. By observing their surfaces, compositions and physical properties, we can piece together the history of how the solar system came to be.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

The solar system still holds many unanswered questions, and every observation has the potential to reveal something completely new about its history. I鈥檓 especially motivated by the idea that these small and distant objects preserve a record of the earliest stages of planetary formation, and since we still don鈥檛 know much about them, we need to better characterize these groups to have a chance of getting closer to important scientific answers.

What makes 麻豆原创 the right place for you to do this kind of work?

麻豆原创 provides a dynamic research environment with strong collaborations and access to facilities that help me achieve my scientific goals.

What鈥檚 next for you or your research?

I aim to expand my research group and continue developing new projects exploring the composition and physical properties of small bodies in the outer solar system.

Shyam Kattel

Assistant professor of physics in the College of Sciences

What鈥檚 something few people know about you?

I enjoy long, quiet walks or runs. It鈥檚 when I do my best thinking and come up with new ideas for teaching and research.

What does your research focus on?

My research group is interested in understanding chemical processes through computer simulations. These chemical processes are central to many energy and fuel generation and energy conversion processes. We are exploring the design of catalytic materials that selectively convert abundant small molecules, such as CO2, N2, NO3, O2 and H2O, to a wide variety of synthetic chemicals and fuels in a carbon-neutral way to fulfill the growing energy demand of the future.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

I鈥檓 a huge advocate of sustainability. I鈥檓 fascinated by the rapid development and advancement of modern computers, machine learning (ML) and AI, which have enabled us to understand complex science on a time scale that鈥檚 impossible with traditional trial and error methods. This unique opportunity to utilize supercomputers with ML and AI to tackle energy and sustainability challenges keeps me awake at night.

What makes 麻豆原创 the right place for you to do this kind of work?

By training, I鈥檓 a physicist, but my research focuses on looking into chemical reactions. 麻豆原创鈥檚 physics department is among a handful of institutions in the U.S. with a very strong catalysis program. This allows me to collaborate within the department and teach a physics course, which I enjoy. Additionally, the university鈥檚 large size and research facilities present opportunities to recruit the best students and to collaborate both within and beyond the department.

What鈥檚 next for you or your research?

My lab is developing capabilities to integrate ML and AI into our methods for understanding structure-materials property relationships across a large set of materials, driving the development of the next generation of clean and sustainable energy and fuel generation technologies. Our goal is to develop an integrated materials design framework that anyone can use for their research and for teaching research-based undergraduate and graduate courses.

Kevin Moran

Assistant professor of computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, director of the Software Automation, Generation and Engineering Research Lab and affiliate of the Cyber Security and Privacy faculty cluster initiative

What鈥檚 something few people know about you?

I was a Division 1 rower as an undergraduate at the College of the Holy Cross. Our team competed in the national championship regatta my senior year and was ranked among the top 20 teams in the country.

What does your research focus on?

If you鈥檝e ever been frustrated by glitches in apps or websites, my students, collaborators and I aim to give engineers the tools they need to build more reliable software. My group has pioneered work in user interface engineering, focusing on user-facing systems and making software easier to use.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

Since I was young, I鈥檝e enjoyed building things, taking them apart and understanding how they work. I view software as the ultimate engineering medium, where abstract ideas can quickly become reality. What excites me most is tackling the complexity of modern software systems by developing tools that engineers can easily adopt. Seeing those tools save engineers hours or days of time is truly fun.

What makes 麻豆原创 the right place for you to do this kind of work?

麻豆原创 has been an excellent place to grow as an early-career researcher. I鈥檝e received invaluable mentorship from department and college leadership, as well as senior faculty. The university鈥檚 connection to the local tech industry is also exciting, and I look forward to forming connections with local companies to put our tools into practice.

What鈥檚 next for you or your research?

Software engineering is rapidly shifting toward agentic workflows, where AI-powered agents perform engineering tasks autonomously. While this increases speed, it also introduces complex errors that are harder to spot. My lab aims to understand these software engineering agents, improve their reliability and create tools that help developers use them effectively.

Soyoung Park

Assistant professor of teacher education in the College of Community Innovation and Education (CCIE)

What鈥檚 something few people know about you?

When I travel for conferences, I love to explore local bookstores and cafes.

What does your research focus on?

My research focuses on transforming educator preparation to better support students with disabilities. Supported by more than $3.75 million in U.S. Department of Education funding, my work prepares special education teachers, speech-language pathologists and school psychologists to serve students with autism spectrum disorders and high-intensity needs. I also develop evidence-based mathematics interventions for students with learning disabilities.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

Mathematics remains an area where both research and practice need stronger alignment. Teachers need accessible, evidence-based guidance on how to teach effectively, but it isn鈥檛 always easy to find or interpret. Students need consistent access to high-quality instruction that meets their individual needs. I鈥檓 interested in helping bridge that gap so that research can better support educators and the students they serve.

What makes 麻豆原创 the right place for you to do this kind of work?

麻豆原创鈥檚 strong infrastructure for research and collaboration further amplifies my work. Support from the Office of Research has been instrumental in advancing my research development, grant capacity and interdisciplinary collaboration. As a CCIE research fellow and affiliated faculty member at the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute, I have valuable opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration across colleges.

What鈥檚 next for you or your research?

Our next project focuses on synthesizing large data sets to help educators identify mathematics interventions that align with their students鈥� needs. We鈥檙e also exploring how AI can support this process through pedagogical AI chatbots and interactive web-based platforms that guide educators in interpreting and applying research evidence in practice. Ultimately, this work aims to strengthen both instruction and student outcomes at scale.

Hao Zheng

Assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science

What鈥檚 something few people know about you?

I enjoy traveling, especially visiting national parks and exploring new cities. Each trip helps me recharge, and I often come back with fresh perspectives and new ideas.

What does your research focus on?

My research focuses on making today鈥檚 AI systems faster, more energy-efficient and more reliable by bridging the gap between algorithms and hardware. AI has reshaped daily life, but behind the scenes, modern AI models require enormous amounts of computation and energy. My work explores new ways to co-design hardware and software so AI can run efficiently, especially for irregular or sparse data structures, such as graphs.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

I鈥檓 driven by both the importance and the difficulty of the problem. We鈥檙e at the turning point of rethinking future computing systems. Defining a new computing paradigm, despite its challenges, can have a far-reaching impact across society. Our research can fundamentally reshape how future computers are designed and how AI is deployed at scale.

What makes 麻豆原创 the right place for you to do this kind of work?

麻豆原创 is an ideal place to pursue bold research ideas, supported by strong momentum in engineering, computing and interdisciplinary collaboration. The university also offers an exceptional and supportive community of mentors and collaborators, including students, who set a high bar for excellence. I鈥檝e been fortunate to work with many outstanding colleagues, and those experiences have shaped how I think about building a high-impact research program and growing as a scholar.

What鈥檚 next for you or your research?

Next, we鈥檙e expanding our work toward real-world deployments, including applications in healthcare and robotics. We鈥檙e also continuing to strengthen our research in building processors for AI and scientific computing so that our ideas can translate into improvements in performance and energy efficiency.

麻豆原创 has earned a 听signaling the university鈥檚 growing support for military and veteran students. This is the first year 麻豆原创 has earned the听Gold听designation, following听many听years听as a听Silver听awardee.

鈥淭his recognition reflects years of intentional work across the university to better support military-connected students,鈥� says Andrea Guzm谩n, 麻豆原创 vice president for access and community engagement. 鈥淲e鈥檝e focused on building stronger support systems, removing barriers, and ensuring students have clear pathways from enrollment through career.鈥�

In addition to our Gold Award and recognition as a Military Friendly Spouse School, 麻豆原创 has been previously designated as a Purple Heart Institution, Florida Purple Star Campus, Best Military-Friendly Online College and听Military Times鈥櫶� 2025 Best for Vets Colleges List.

Today about听4,000听military-connected听students听are enrolled听at 麻豆原创, and there are a听range of services coordinated through the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success (MVSS) to support them:

Holistic Programming

• An orientation dedicated听for听military-connected students and their families

• Expanded student engagement and social activities, which include families and military veterans within our community

• Collaboration with 听affiliates, most notably Valencia College, to streamline transition for transfer students

Academic Resources

• Peer-to-peer tutoring in courses with high drop or fail rates

• VA Work Study and university academic coaching programs prepare and train military-connected students to provide academic coaching to their peers

Career Readiness

• Industry partnerships听鈥� including听Amazon, JE Technology and Disney 鈥斕齮hat provide opportunity and engagement through mentorships,听internships听and career fairs

• Range of workshops, lunch and learns and professional development opportunities

Access to Financial Support听

• Established an endowed scholarship to provide assistance to military-connected students

• Potential for 鈥渕eal plan鈥� grants, emergency relief funds, tuition and fee waivers, and housing subsidies as part of co-curricular and academic support programs

• Participates in the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs鈥� Yellow Ribbon Program, a tuition assistance initiative for veterans and eligible dependents

Additionally, MVSS听empowers 麻豆原创鈥檚 faculty and staff through professional development opportunities with strategies and tips on how to best serve and engage with听military-connected听students.

A new liaison program has been piloted in the last year, placing an MVSS staff member with VA work study students at the听Rosen College of Hospitality Management听and听麻豆原创 Downtown听to increase support services for military-connected students at those campus locations.听In听Fall听2026, the program is expected to expand to听the College of Business, College of听Sciences听and College of Arts and Humanities.

鈥淭he support the office provides is some of the most efficient and effective support I have encountered at 麻豆原创,鈥� says听finance听major听Abigail Kost. 鈥淚 have scored interviews from career fairs and connections from lunch and听learns. The office is also a pillar of emotional wellbeing and has helped me navigate VA benefits and scholarship opportunities. I would not have come as far as I have without the office鈥檚 resources.鈥�

麻豆原创: Committed to Serving Veterans

麻豆原创鈥檚 commitment to serving veterans is not singularly confined to听our听Office of Military and Veteran Student Success.

In January,鈥�U.S. News & World Report鈥痳anked听麻豆原创 No. 6 for online bachelor鈥檚 programs for veterans.

麻豆原创 is home to鈥�, a nonprofit clinical research center and treatment clinic听established听to鈥�change the way post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related concerns are understood, diagnosed, and treated.

Led by 麻豆原创 Trustee Chair and Pegasus Professor Deborah Beidel, who is currently听, the organization employs a unique and effective approach to treatment. A combination of exposure therapy, emerging technology and individual and group therapy sessions resulted in 66% of participants with combat-related trauma and 76% of first responders no longer meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD following three weeks of intensive treatment.

Last year,听麻豆原创 became one of 12 universities nationwide听鈥� and the only school in Florida and the southeast 鈥斕齮o participate听in a new Service to Service initiative. The national pilot program is dedicated to connecting veterans and their families with graduate educational pathways in public service and helping them find impactful long-term careers in public leadership.

A partnership between 麻豆原创 College of Medicine and Orlando VA Medical Center听听鈥斕齦ocated听next door to each other in Lake Nona鈥檚 Medical City 鈥斕齟nsures every medical student听receives training in specialties including surgery, internal medicine,听neurology听and psychiatry at the Orlando VA Medical Center.

麻豆原创鈥檚 history department has been documenting veterans鈥� stories听as part of the Library of Congress鈥櫶齎eterans History Project听since听2010.听麻豆原创鈥檚 Veterans Legacy Program, which was founded in 2017 as a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration, focuses on documenting the lives of those buried in Florida鈥檚 nine national cemeteries.

About Military Friendly

Founded in 2003, Military Friendly is an organization that measures organizations鈥� commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefit for the military community.

Military Friendly Schools strive toward and succeed in the areas that matter most in helping veterans make the transition from the military to school and, ultimately, satisfying careers in the civilian world. Earning the designation shows a school meets the minimum criteria.

Military Friendly鈥檚 final ratings for its Schools list were determined by combining each institution鈥檚 survey responses, government/agency public data sources, and measurements across retention, graduation, job placement, repayment, persistence, and loan default rates for all students and specifically, for student-veterans.

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

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

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

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

Man of the Hour

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

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

Ties that Bind

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

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

Magic Career

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

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

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

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

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

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