Worth noting among this graduating class:

• Roughly 30% of the undergraduate students receiving their degrees are the first in their families to earn their diploma.
• More than 25% of this term’s degrees are tied to STEM majors.
• About 30% of the undergraduate graduating class are Pell Grant recipients.

麻豆原创 is the leading producer of talent among Florida鈥檚 universities, awarding roughly 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听three听esteemed speakers听鈥� all 麻豆原创 graduates 鈥斕齱hose leadership and impact听have听benefited听our region:

• Psychology alum听Allen Johnson听鈥�81,听chief听venue听officer for听City听for听Orlando Venues
• Journalism alum Tanya (Easterling) Hill 鈥�97, market president for Central Florida for Florida Blue
• 颁谤颈尘颈苍补濒听箩耻蝉迟颈肠别听补濒耻尘听Fred Kittinger 鈥�80, 麻豆原创鈥檚 former听senior associate vice president for government and community relations

Commencement Festivities

Held in the Addition Financial Arena, summer commencement will take place over three ceremonies spanning Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1.

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 .

Commencement Photo-ops Across 麻豆原创

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

Grad Walk

On Thursday,听July听30,听4:30-7 p.m. (doors close at 6 p.m.),听summer听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听are required to听register at听.

Commencement Schedule

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

贵谤颈诲补测,听闯耻濒测听31

6听辫.尘.

College of Arts and Humanities

College of Community Innovation and Education

College of Graduate Studies

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Saturday,听Aug. 1

9 a.m.

Barry S. Miller听College of Business

College of Health Professions and Sciences

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

2:30听辫.尘.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

College of Optics and Photonics

College of Sciences

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

Commencement Speakers

Allen Johnson 鈥�81

Chief Venues Officer, City of Orlando Venues

Allen Johnson 鈥�81 has served as chief venues officer of Orlando Venues since 2004, overseeing the City of Orlando’s diverse portfolio of Kia Center, Camping World Stadium, Tinker Field, Leu Gardens and the Mennello Museum of American Art.

Johnson brings decades of venue management experience from leadership roles across Florida. Under Johnson’s leadership, Orlando Venues has evolved into a premier, globally recognized destination for sports, entertainment and culture, welcoming millions of guests each year while strengthening Central Florida’s reputation as a world-class destination.

A proud 麻豆原创 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, he has earned numerous honors, including the 2025 International Association of Venue Managers Foundation Legacy Award, the SPORTYS Executive of the Year Award and the Downtowner of the Year Award.

He remains active in the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), serving as past chairman and trustee of the foundation board, while also contributing to organizations that include the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, Florida Citrus Sports, Victim Service Center and the .

Tanya (Easterling) Hill 鈥�97

Market President for Central Florida, Florida Blue

Tanya Hill 鈥�97听is Florida Blue鈥檚 market president for Central Florida,听responsible for听regional business and community engagement in a 9-county region.

Throughout her more than 25-year career, she has worked with reputable brands including Chick-fil-A, Target and Walt Disney World to drive business results through strategic partnerships.

Hill is passionate about investing time in the community and has been involved with听numerous听community and civic organizations. She currently serves on the board of directors for the听African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, 4Roots Foundation, Orlando Economic听Partnership听and the Winter Park Health Foundation.

Hill holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in journalism from 麻豆原创.

Fred Kittinger 鈥�80

Former Senior Associate Vice President for Government and Community Relations, 麻豆原创

A native of central Florida, Fred Kittinger 鈥�80 recently retired as senior associate vice president for government and community relations at 麻豆原创, where he served for more than 22 years.

He worked alongside local and state leaders to help foster some of 麻豆原创’s most transformative achievements, including the approval of 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Medicine, the creation of the world-class Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, the development of 麻豆原创 Downtown, the expansion of the 麻豆原创 Business Incubation Program and investments that enhanced the student experience and advanced regional impact.

Prior to his career at 麻豆原创, Kittinger served as chief of staff to Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood and previously as vice president of government relations for the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce. He began his career as a legislative aide to state Senator George Stuart of Orlando.

Reflecting his commitment to the community, Kittinger currently serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Central Florida (past chair), Central Florida Council for Scouting America and Legacy Pointe at 麻豆原创.

Kittinger graduated from 麻豆原创鈥檚 criminal justice program and earned his master’s degree in public administration from Florida State University.

At the听麻豆原创听College of Health Professions听and Sciences Rehabilitation Innovation Center, clothing becomes a tool for care. Students are combining health expertise and design to help people reclaim independence, confidence and comfort in daily living.

Through the Spring 2026 Health Tech Innovators Adaptive Clothing Hackathon, students across disciplines including physical therapy, health sciences, medicine, health services administration, and engineering worked together to redesign everyday garments around the needs of people facing medical, cognitive, and sensory challenges.

This year鈥檚 project immersed students in real world healthcare challenges, pairing interprofessional teams with patient volunteers in the community and their caregivers to identify barriers created by traditional clothing and create personalized solutions.

鈥淚t鈥檚 one thing to build something that works,鈥� says Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Healthcare Innovation Bari Hoffman, who led the program. 鈥淚t鈥檚 another thing to build something that鈥檚 usable, comfortable and actually fits into someone鈥檚 daily activities.鈥�

Human-Centered听Design

For听physical therapy听doctoral student Ashley Peitz, the project revealed how something as ordinary as getting dressed can become physically exhausting when clothing isn鈥檛 designed with accessibility in mind.

鈥淲e鈥檙e working with a stroke survivor, and he wears a device on his left leg and has difficulty getting pants on and off without听his听[WalkAide听device]听getting in the way,鈥� Peitz says.听鈥淚t makes things like going to the bathroom take longer, or just getting dressed take a little longer, which is fatiguing for him.鈥�

Students began the multi-month project by hearing from entrepreneurs in the adaptive clothing industry before interviewing and assessing their patient volunteers to better understand their daily routines, needs and personal preferences.

For Peitz鈥檚 team, those conversations revealed not only the physical challenges their volunteer faces, but also his desire to maintain a sense of normalcy and personal style.

鈥淗is main goal was finding an easier way to take his garments on and off while still looking like everyday attire,鈥� Peitz says.听鈥淓veryone wants to fit in.听Even something as simple as not having a shirt that fits correctly,听or allows for your medical device to fit underneath,听can make you feel outside the norm.鈥�

Innovation听Through听Empathy

After developing a garment design plan, presenting it for peer feedback and securing materials, students quickly learned the project required more than creativity. It demanded adaptability, communication and collaboration across disciplines.

鈥淚 think a lot of times, engineers think of听a听really cool, innovative听idea, but sometimes the听comfort听and practicality of a human actually using it isn鈥檛 the most ideal,鈥澨齭ays听mechanical engineering听major听Jannah听Barakat. 鈥淵ou shift from more of a product standpoint to听more of a听human-centered听approach.鈥�

鈥淚’m able to be a professional problem solver and learn how I can take something that is different for somebody else and really cater it to their needs.鈥� 鈥� Sari Greenstein, 麻豆原创 student

Health sciences听major Sari Greenstein and her team designed clothing for Marlie, a young girl with cerebral palsy who loves bright colors and Disney, especially Princess Tiana. They modified a sweatshirt and sweatpants with openings for a medical port and feeding tube and added zippered access points to the arms and the legs to make dressing and undressing easier for caregivers.

鈥淚t’s a process听[with]听a lot of听iteration听and a lot of cultivation,鈥� Greenstein says.听鈥淚’m able to听be a professional problem solver and learn how I can take something that is different for somebody else and really cater it to their needs.鈥�

Mission-Driven Work

During fabrication day, students assembled their garments with guidance from sewing professionals. Volunteers later returned to try on the finished outfits and provide feedback on the fit before final adjustments were made.

The project culminated in a final presentation during which student teams explained their designs and the patient volunteers modeled the clothing.

鈥淲e are not just changing clothing,鈥� Hoffman says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e actually changing how people move through their daily activities, how they feel about themselves and how independently they can live.鈥�

The experience also reinforced the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare.

鈥淢y biggest takeaway from this听project is how important it is to work with all the other professions, especially in healthcare,鈥澨齈eitz says. 鈥淲e all need to come together to make the patient鈥檚 health our first priority.鈥�

The Health Tech Innovators听program was developed in part through a grant from VentureWell to promote innovation in healthcare technology.听Additional听support and materials were provided听through听funding from the Chesley G. Magruder Foundation.

Her听research, backed by a five-year $813,130 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases grant, found that an antimicrobial peptide naturally found in cows weakens the biofilm defenses of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria and destroys it.

Now in their fourth year of research, Fleeman and her lab have discovered exactly how the peptide works in findings published in PLOS Pathogens.

鈥淥ur research is very advantageous for healthcare because about 80% of bacterial infections being treated in the clinic are bacteria living in a biofilm state, which makes them resistant to virtually every antibiotic available,鈥� she says.

The results听represent听a critical step to potentially applying this peptide as a therapy and eventually treating patients,听as the findings听show they can and kill biofilm-embedded bacteria in animal models.

Parsing out the Peptide

K. pneumoniae is found in the intestines and is usually harmless, however, the bacterium develops resistance over a person鈥檚 lifetime as they are exposed to antibiotics. The bacteria also can spread from the intestine to other parts of the body in immunocompromised patients and those who have internal ruptures or exposure to contaminated medical devices. That exposure can lead to pneumonia, urinary tract or wound infections.

鈥淲hat happens is the bacteria听infects听the wound, proliferates, and then invades through the bloodstream听where it travels听to the liver, kidneys and spleen,鈥� Fleeman听says. 鈥淲e听found听our peptide听was able to decrease the bacteria听at the source while limiting听the bacteria鈥檚听ability to move听through the blood.鈥�

Fleeman and her lab鈥檚 most recent study found that the peptide triggers a dual stress response that tricks the bacteria to break out of their protective biofilm.

They discovered the genetics of a specific protein in the bacterium when turned on in the germ causes it to break from its own protective biofilm. The peptide, in effect, damages the protection and then stresses the bacterium into shedding its protection, making the germ more sensitive to antibiotics and the body鈥檚 immune system.

鈥淏y听hitting the membrane as well as protein synthesis at the same time, it’s听a double punch that triggers a genetic听change听in the cell to make it think it needs to break out of听the biofilm as a response to our peptide,鈥� Fleeman听says.

The team says their sustained research aims to demonstrate that their peptide can work synergistically with existing antibiotics. They envision long-term applications could involve a topical cream that weakens the bacteria鈥檚 defenses and allows standard antibiotics to work more effectively.

鈥淲e鈥檙e moving our research听forward听and we鈥檙e very hopeful,鈥� Fleeman听says.

Preparing for the Post-Antibiotic Era

The first author of this new work听is听Robert Beckman听鈥�23, who graduated听from 麻豆原创听with a听bachelor鈥檚 degree in health sciences,听managed听Fleeman鈥檚 lab听and is now on his way to听the University of Michigan听for his Ph.D.

His听previous听work as an EMT gave him firsthand exposure to听infectious diseases and their impact on听patients.听He听says听helping to lead the study and听working with听Fleeman helped prepare him for a career in medical research.

鈥淚 have developed a strong foundation in research and gained insight into the many components that define an effective scientist,鈥� he听says. 鈥淢y long-term goal is to remain in academia and eventually lead my own research lab.听I plan to continue focusing on bacteriology, with a particular emphasis on pathogenic bacteria and drug discovery applications.鈥�

Funding and Disclosure:

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute听of Allergy听and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R00AI163295. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily听represent听the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

We could start 33 years ago to when Castro Tapler first visited 麻豆原创 and dreamed of becoming a Knight.

Or jump to when she lost sight of that dream in the whirlwind of life after enlisting in the U.S. Marines, completing an overseas deployment, getting married and raising a family.

Or here, in present day, as the 49-year-old graduates alongside her oldest, each with degree choices influenced by Johnny鈥檚 struggle with neurological hearing loss 鈥� hers, early childhood development and education and his, communication sciences and disorders. And don鈥檛 forget her other son, Michael, an emergency management major, close behind and husband, John, graduating later this year from Valencia College, a partner.

Their story is one of many subplots and selfless acts, and so much love for family 鈥� a family that pulled strength from each other on the road to this long-awaited, triumphant moment.

鈥淧eople doubted us for moving here from Long Island to become Knights,鈥� Castro Tapler says. 鈥淲e said, 鈥楯ust watch.鈥� 鈥淲e鈥檙e proving that you can do anything you put your mind to doing by adapting and overcoming.鈥�

A Dream Put on Hold, But Never Forgotten

Castro Tapler鈥檚 mind first fixed on 麻豆原创 in 1993 when the family of her friend, David Konits 鈥�01, paid for her to visit them in Orlando to thank her for saving their son鈥檚 life after a serious injury. Putting others first had already become ingrained for Castro Tapler, then 16, despite a childhood without means. She lived with her mother in another friend鈥檚 basement and had never traveled beyond New York.

鈥淭hey brought me to the 麻豆原创 campus and I was blown away,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檇 never seen such nice kids studying together in such a beautiful environment. If I could ever afford college, I wanted it to be here.鈥�

Castro Tapler went back home, finished high school and joined the U.S. Marines. Shortly after 9/11, she was deployed to Kuwait. The idea of college continued to dim as she fulfilled her military duty, returned to Long Island, went to work and raised a family.

鈥淭he goal was always out there,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut I just couldn鈥檛 get to it.鈥�

She wanted a more streamlined path for her sons, Johnny and Michael, so she and her husband always included tours of universities during family trips.

鈥淲hen we came to 麻豆原创, the boys and John fell in love,鈥� Castro Tapler says, 鈥渁nd to me, that feeling of belonging was still there after so many years.鈥�

On the day of Johnny鈥檚 high school graduation, they loaded up the car and moved to Orlando 鈥� placing her within reach of the dream she never gave up on.

Planting Roots on Campus

As a U.S. Marine veteran, Castro Tapler has chilling stories about how she calmly put out oil fires in open combat zones. On her first day of classes at 麻豆原创, she 鈥� like a good Marine 鈥� arrived 30 minutes early with food and hydration. An emotion consumed her: Fear.

Here she was, surrounded by students half her age using tablets and carrying backpacks while she pulled around a wagon and used a spiral notebook. She would need to relearn how to learn. Three encounters quickly made her feel at ease.

鈥淭he sound of a piano in the lobby soothed my nerves. Then a group of girls in my first class invited me to work with them. And I found the ,鈥� she says. 鈥淎 college campus is a different world from what veterans are used to. The people in that office helped me understand aid, tutoring and the culture. They鈥檙e veterans, too, so they know how difficult the transition can be.鈥�

Her fear turned to joy and a genuine belief she belonged. She felt even more connected knowing Johnny and Michael were on the same campus feeling the same pride.

The Start of a New Future

We come to the most surreal moment: mom and son graduating together. She points out this is a goal achieved, but not the goal.

鈥淥ur degrees open doors to serve others,鈥� Castro Tapler says.

She鈥檒l teach first grade, knowing each child is unique, perhaps with a challenge that hasn鈥檛 yet been identified. Johnny intends to use his communications and sciences disorders degree as the first step toward a medical degree in audiology. He visualizes being the first person parents see when their babies are diagnosed with a complication. He already knows what he鈥檒l say:

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be OK. Look at me. I have a hearing disorder, too, and now I鈥檓 a doctor,鈥� Johnny says.

Michael will apply his emergency management degree from 麻豆原创 to help communities on a larger scale. And John, after finishing at Valencia College, will consider an online business master鈥檚 program at 麻豆原创, so he can provide financial planning and support for those facing their own challenges.

鈥淗e wants so badly to be a Knight like the rest of us,鈥� Castro Tapler says.

It makes sense. Knights are known for their grit. And this family has plenty of it.

鈥淚 think back to people saying you鈥檒l never afford college, you鈥檙e too old, and Johnny can鈥檛 become a doctor with hearing loss,鈥� Castro Tapler says. 鈥淣ow we鈥檙e going to walk to the stage together and hear our names called.鈥�

To better understand Assistant Professor Hamzeh Ghasemzadeh and his work, he goes back to a childhood memory of broken toys. Within hours of receiving little robotic figures or remote-control cars, he鈥檇 dissembled what had once been a carefully crafted package of technology. To him, sitting among the remnants of a new gift meant he was sitting in a circle of fun.

鈥淢y favorite game was to take the toys apart to see how they work and then try to put them back together,鈥� Ghasemzadeh says. 鈥淢y parents saw my curiosity as a great thing.鈥�

“This is why I came to 麻豆原创. I鈥檝e been able to jump right in and address mysteries that haven鈥檛 received much attention.”

That same curiosity now drives his research at , where he seeks to take apart discomforted voices, figuratively, so he can develop strategies to make each one whole again. Ghasemzadeh, who joined 麻豆原创 in late Summer 2025 and will teach in the school鈥檚 newly launched , has already secured one research project funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and is developing another.

鈥淭his is why I came to 麻豆原创,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檝e been able to jump right in and address mysteries that haven鈥檛 received much attention until now.鈥�

A Common Problem Without Clear Answers

The first such mystery sounds quite straightforward: vocal fatigue, a common vocal complaint. Beneath the surface, however, it鈥檚 deceptive. Solutions have mostly evaded scientists, leaving vocal fatigue as an ongoing problem for many people who rely on their voices, like coaches, public speakers, singers and teachers. Many of Ghasemzadeh鈥檚 colleagues experience the very throat discomfort that he鈥檚 deconstructing during the funded project just underway.

“We want to collect … multi-modal data and use machine learning models to analyze [vocal fatigue] and develop recommendations for each person.”

鈥淪ome instructors get vocal fatigue quickly, some get it slowly and some don鈥檛 get it at all,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a genetic component, but there are also behavioral components. How do they use their voice? How often do they use it? What about the environment where they鈥檙e using it? What about personality? We want to collect such comprehensive multi-modal data and use machine learning models to analyze it and develop recommendations for each person.鈥�

The recommendations might include pacing voice usage, projecting the voice efficiently and allowing the voice to recover. Ghasemzadeh envisions this model being predictive and 鈥� this is the part he stresses most 鈥� personalized.

鈥淭he approach to general medicine started with an assumption that while we鈥檙e different on the outside, we are very similar inside. Patients with similar ailments took the same medications and [the] same dosages. But we now know that people don鈥檛 always respond to pills the same way. If we can quantify how we鈥檙e different inside, we can create a computational model to predict responses to medications and optimize treatment plans.鈥�

To integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into vocal fatigue solutions, subjects in Ghasemzadeh鈥檚 study will wear sensors that track how and where they use their voices. He鈥檒l prompt them to perform specific vocal tasks and monitor their phonatory function throughout the day. The AI model will analyze these patterns in real time to identify early signs of vocal strain and predict when fatigue is likely to occur.

“We are different. Every prescribed solution should be different, too.”

Participants will also visit his lab at the in Central Florida Research Park, where specialists will collect imaging, aerodynamic and acoustic data. The highly equipped facility brings together America鈥檚 leading hearing and voice scientists to develop new technologies and clinical tools for people with hearing loss or voice disorders.

With all of that in hand, including the technology, Ghasemzadeh and his team hope to unwind the mystery of vocal fatigue 鈥� one person at a time.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the idea I want to put forward with every project,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e are different. Every prescribed solution should be different, too.鈥�

From Engineering to Human Connection

Many would think a toy-reassembling boy is destined to become an engineer. That鈥檚 what Ghasemzadeh thought, too. He earned bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in electrical engineering and began his career with a focus on telecommunications and signal processing.

鈥淭here was something important missing,鈥� he says. 鈥淗uman connection.鈥�

“Speech became my research interest because … it sets us apart as a species and as individuals.”

He crossed paths with a close friend who mentioned his own research in a field Ghasemzadeh was vaguely familiar with: communication sciences and disorders. The conversation sparked Ghasemzadeh’s enthusiasm for applying his expertise in areas such as signal processing to personally help others.

鈥淪peech became my research interest because it鈥檚 the signal we predominantly use to communicate,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t sets us apart as a species and as individuals.鈥�

For example, it鈥檚 quite easy to identify Ghasemzadeh without even seeing him. He sounds young yet intelligent enough to have dual doctoral degrees. There鈥檚 an inflection of humility in his voice. The curiosity is always there, too. In fact, his peers have noticed, from his work, what his parents noticed among his broken toys: his curiosity leading to great things. Shortly after arriving at 麻豆原创, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association chose Ghasemzadeh for its Early Career Contributions in Research Award.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also a reminder that I鈥檓 early in my career,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd the sky is the limit.鈥�

At the center of his work as a principal investigator is a belief that progress doesn鈥檛 happen alone, but through teamwork.

鈥淵ou have to surround yourself with different skillsets, all of us willing to take things apart that have never been taken apart, with everyone focused on one goal,鈥� Ghasemzadeh says. 鈥淲hen you win, I win and everyone wins.鈥�

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health under award number R00DC021235. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

To reduce these challenges, associate professors of health sciences Michael Rovito and Keith Brazendale in 麻豆原创鈥檚 Department of Health Sciences are conducting a 6-month intervention study, which is funded by the Florida Department of Health Cancer Innovation Fund.

The National Cancer Institute estimates survival rates for testicular cancer are high, as about 10,000 men are diagnosed each year and fewer than 5% die from the disease 鈥� underscoring the need to improve quality of life for these patients.

鈥淥ur focus is on finding ways to improve the quality of life for these survivors, and to improve their mental, emotional and social health,鈥� says Rovito, who has researched testicular cancer and men鈥檚 health for nearly two decades.

A New Approach to Survivorship Care

Previous survivorship programs have often focused on high-intensity exercise, which can be difficult for patients managing recovery, work and family demands. To develop a more sustainable path to recovery, Rovito and Brazendale are testing a uniquely designed intervention in Florida, known as the Physical Activity and Connectivity for Testicular Cancer Survivors (PACT) program.

PACT combines low-impact, remote, physical activity with an online support network to help survivors navigate psychosocial challenges. Participants engage in regular low-intensity physical activity, such as walking or taking the stairs, and track their progress using Fitbit devices. The devices provide real-time feedback, allowing researchers to set weekly goals and offer personalized guidance. This feedback loop helps participants stay engaged while building sustainable habits.

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeking an intervention they can do for the rest of their lives,鈥� Brazendale says. 鈥淲e want these healthy supports to become habit.鈥�

Support Beyond Physical Recovery

Connected through Zoom sessions, PACT program participants receive personalized counsel and encouragement from the researchers directly. They also take part in virtual peer-support sessions led by a social worker and a survivor advocate trained in trauma-informed care. Monthly sessions include breathwork, meditation and discussions on common concerns such as fertility, relationship changes and fear of recurrence.

鈥淭he online support session provides coping strategies and tools for the participants to use during the day, when they can feel anxious or depressed or overwhelmed,鈥� Rovito says.

Outside of the meetings, researchers stay in touch regularly with individual messages to participants, sending tailored motivational text messages.

鈥淥ur hope is that we are providing realistic physical activity changes that are sustainable when the monitoring ends,鈥� says Brazendale. 鈥淲e want these survivors to have adopted habits and skills that result in them being healthier over the long-term.鈥�

The researchers say they hope to expand the program to other cancer survivor groups and integrate it into broader survivorship care across Florida, while securing additional funding for larger-scale trials.

The Feasibility of the Physical Activity and Connectivity for Testicular Cancer Survivors (PACT) program is supported by a grant from the Florida Department of Health Cancer Innovation Fund grant number 25C33.听

Florida is turning to 麻豆原创 experts to find better ways to prevent domestic violence and give survivors a stronger voice in the services they need.

Through a $257,384听two-year grant听from the Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence,听faculty from听麻豆原创鈥檚听Violence Against Women听research cluster听are听conducting听a听statewide听domestic violence needs assessment.听Their findings will听help policymakers and local agencies听develop better strategies to fund and support听domestic violence prevention听programs听that听empower survivors.

鈥淭he collective goal of our work is to give people听working in these programs and people using these services听a voice,鈥澨齭ays听Bethany听Backes,听associate professor of social work at听, who leads the Violence Against Women cluster and is the project鈥檚 principal investigator. 鈥淗aving research that practitioners can understand and interpret in a way that鈥檚 helpful is important to us. “What we’re creating now is hopefully something that can be used for years to come.”

The World鈥檚 Women

Violence against women is a global issue. According to UN Women, nearly one in three women worldwide have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life. In 2024, around 50,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family members.

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at criminal justice, sociology, health, and so much more that altogether could create solutions beyond any one discipline.鈥� 鈥� Kim Anderson, Professor of Social Work

麻豆原创鈥檚 faculty cluster 鈥� working across the disciplines of education, social work, criminal justice, sociology and medicine 鈥� was created a decade ago to change these outcomes. 鈥淲e know how complex this social problem is,鈥� says Kim Anderson, a professor of social work and cluster member. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at criminal justice, sociology, health, and so much more that altogether could create solutions beyond any one discipline.鈥�

Informing Florida鈥檚 Strategy

The听researchers听have already听identified听some key听needs for the state to听examine.

鈥淔or example,听we鈥檙e seeing people facing abuse who are having to spend more on food or other necessities as听they navigate shifts in funding for certain assistance programs,鈥澨鼴ackes听says.听鈥淲hat we鈥檙e also seeing is the effect of population booms, and how rapid growth and rapid decline in some areas听affects听the need for services.鈥�

The researchers are analyzing data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Florida鈥檚 Departments of Law Enforcement and Children and Families and are surveying organizations that provide domestic violence services. They are interviewing survivors who sought services and those who didn鈥檛 to understand access to care and risk factors.

Creating听opportunities where more people feel听comfortable sharing their听domestic violence听experiences is听cluster听member听Karina Villalba鈥檚听expertise.

鈥淢y focus is on intimate partner violence, specifically within the Hispanic community,鈥� says Villalba, an assistant professor in the听鈥檚 Population Health Sciences Division.听鈥淭here听are听certain beliefs, like the concept of听鈥榤achismo鈥�,听that听may give听an avenue for some men to pursue this kind of violence.听Because it can be part of the cultural acceptance, it might not even be seen as violence听by the survivors.鈥�

She hopes efforts to听prevent domestic violence in the U.S.听will have impact globally.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e seeing a ripple effect in countries听in Latin America where people are becoming more aware,鈥� Villalba听says.听鈥淚t helps us keep pushing forward with our work so we cannot just be a beacon here in Florida and the United States, but to show the world what we can do.鈥�

Keys to Preventing Violence

Preventing domestic violence means听identifying听early warning signs and behaviors and听providing services to lower the risk of continuing violence, Backes听says.

Domestic violence is 鈥渘ot always听physical听and it鈥檚 not just seeing someone with a black eye,鈥澨齭he听says.听鈥淧hysical violence can happen after there鈥檚听been psychological abuse such as coercion, controlling, isolation or stalking.鈥�

Cluster member听Alison Cares,听associate professor of sociology at听, says听preventing domestic abuse involves changing misconceptions.

鈥淭here鈥檚听this expectation of how abusers or survivors look.听It鈥檚听easy to think the people doing this听abuse听look like monsters,鈥� she听says. 鈥淏ut the reality is these are people we know. They can be friends or family members or people we work with.鈥�

The researchers say they are encouraged by the resilience of the survivors and service providers they have met.

鈥淲e听see incredible听bravery听of听people who talk to听a support person,鈥澨鼳nderson听says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping that information we get from this assessment can elevate the voices of staff and survivors.鈥�

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

The prestigious recognition is awarded to scholars who have made outstanding contributions to advance practice, education, research and policy in a healthcare profession and who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to interprofessional practice.

麻豆原创鈥檚 inductees and their respective academies are: Mindi Anderson (Nursing), Morris Beato (Physical Therapy), Susan Dyess (Nursing), David Eddins (Audiology), Julie Feuerstein (Speech-Language Pathology), Kristine Gauthier (Nursing), Valerie Martinez (Nursing), Jacqueline Towson (Speech-Language Pathology), and Asli Yalim (Social Work).

The awardees were inducted during the National Academies of Practice Annual Meeting in Indianapolis on March 14.

College of Nursing Fellows

Mindi Anderson

Mindi Anderson, interim associate dean of academic affairs and professor at the College of Nursing, is one of the world鈥檚 leading experts in healthcare simulation. Her research, which has established best practices in healthcare simulation education, includes developing and evaluating simulation experiences to prepare healthcare students for clinical practice. She is also part of an interdisciplinary team at 麻豆原创 whose research has contributed to multiple patents to advance simulation and training.

Susan Dyess

With over 30 years of academic, clinical, and administrative experience, Professor Susan Dyess is a nationally recognized leader in interprofessional education, curricular design and holistic nursing. An expert in aging, vulnerable populations and quality, safety and patient outcomes, she has played a pivotal role in advancing interprofessional learning through institutional councils, statewide initiatives and community-based partnerships. Previously, she held senior academic leadership positions that strengthened cross-disciplinary education and fostered student success through innovative models.

Kristine Gauthier

Kristine Gauthier, assistant dean for clinical affairs in the College of Nursing, is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner who collaborates on interdisciplinary teams to improve health outcomes for underserved pediatric populations. Her collaboration extends into academic settings with curriculum development and research to address childhood health and wellness. In addition to her 麻豆原创 appointment, Gauthier leads a national center on child health and safety where she collaborates to develop resources, metrics, policies and research.

Valerie Martinez

As a certified pediatric nurse practitioner, Valerie Martinez collaborates across disciplines as a researcher and educator to improve health outcomes for children and families. In her role as director of the advanced practice in 麻豆原创鈥檚 doctor of nursing practice program, Martinez has designed courses and simulations to prepare future nurse practitioners to collaborate effectively across health professions. Her research seeks to generate evidence to improve care across healthcare professions.

College of Health Professions and Sciences Fellows

Morris 鈥淩ick鈥� Beato

Morris 鈥淩ick鈥� Beato, a clinical associate professor in the , has extensive experience in multidisciplinary clinical settings, including the 麻豆原创 Huntington鈥檚 Clinic. He educates physical therapy students in IPE competencies and has received multiple national and state awards for teaching and professional service. His scholarly contributions include multiple collaborations in neurology and geriatrics. He is the director of the 麻豆原创 and Orlando Health Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency Program.

David Eddins

Professor David Eddins is a nationally recognized certified clinical audiologist in the . Eddins is the founding director of the Communication Technologies Research Center at 麻豆原创, an interdisciplinary center that focuses on hearing technologies, simulation, auditory neuroscience, voice and aerodigestive systems, and simulation and virtualization. His contributions to the interprofessional community include extensive research, mentoring and editorial service focused on improving diagnostics and treatment in hearing, speech and voice.

Julie Feuerstein

Assistant Professor Julie Feuerstein is a speech-language pathologist, educator and clinical researcher who leads interdisciplinary initiatives uniting professionals in speech-language pathology, physical therapy and assistive technology. Her research and service in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders are centered around improving systems of care for young children with complex communication needs. Feuerstein鈥檚 expertise spans early intervention, augmentative and alternative communication, and implementation science.

Jacqueline Towson

Jacqueline Towson is a speech-language pathologist and associate professor in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders committed to improve outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families. Towson has published and presented extensively on her research focusing on dialogic reading, early language and literacy and training. She has led multiple large-scale interdisciplinary projects, designed to deliver statewide training to ensure the use of evidence-based practices in serving children with high-intensity needs.

Asli Yalim

Associate Professor Asli Yalim has served as the School of Social Work鈥檚 Interprofessional Education Research Liaison since 2024. She develops and leads IPE activities that integrate wellness content into her coursework, creating experimental learning opportunities that foster collaboration across different professions. Yalim has collaborated on several funded projects, including an interprofessional, evidence-based virtual program to prevent burnout, suicide and mental health conditions among healthcare workers.

Additionally, six 麻豆原创 faculty members from the Colleges of Health Professions and Sciences and Nursing were elected as new professional members. Membership is extended to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in their profession and dedication to interprofessional healthcare.

麻豆原创鈥檚 new professional members and their respective academies are: Frances Armstrong (Nursing), Jonathan Decker (Nursing), William Hanney (Physical Therapy), Ilana Logvinov (Nursing), Ayse Malatyali (Nursing), and Shari Norte (Athletic Training).

麻豆原创鈥檚 new distinguished fellows join 17 previously inducted faculty, 11 from the College of Health Professions and Sciences and six

This year, 麻豆原创 honored 84 faculty members during the fifth biennial Faculty Authors鈥� Celebration, held Feb. 17 in the Solarium Room at the John C. Hitt Library on the university鈥檚 main campus. The event celebrates faculty whose published books 鈥� from novels and poetry to textbooks and manuals 鈥� contribute to scholarly excellence and creativity in their respective fields.

The event, which is sponsored by the听Office of Research听and听, drew many guests, including Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs John Buckwalter and Vice President for Research and Innovation Winston Schoenfeld.

Professor of English and Director of Graduate Programs Anastasia Salter delivered the keynote address. Salter is the author or co-author of 10 books on digital culture and electronic literature, including most recently Undertale: Can a Game Give Hope, which invites readers to rethink their relationship with gaming and game characters.

2026 Faculty Author Honorees

• Yara Asi 鈥�07MA 鈥�15PhD, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Jonathan Annand,
• Greg Autry, College of Business Administration
• William Ayers, College of Arts and Humanities
• James Bacchus, College of Sciences
• Morris Beato, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• James Beckman, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Martha Brenckle, College of Arts and Humanities
• Andrea Borowczak 鈥�92, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Wayne Bowen, College of Arts and Humanities
• Sarah Bush, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Jessica Campbell 鈥�12MA 鈥�20PhD, College of Arts and Humanities
• Shannon Carter, College of Sciences
• Robert Cassanello, College of Arts and Humanities
• Necati Catbas, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Thomas Cavanagh 鈥�06PhD, Center for Distributed Learning
• Karl Chai, College of Medicine
• Baiyun Chen 鈥�07PhD, Center for Distributed Learning
• Amy Cicchino, College of Arts and Humanities
• Brian Collins,
• Ilenia Col贸n Mendoza, College of Arts and Humanities
• Joshua Colwell, College of Sciences
• Aimee Denoyelles 鈥�00, Center for Distributed Learning
• Taseen Desin, College of Medicine
• Ahmad Elshennawy, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Katia Ferdowsi, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Julie Feuerstein, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Scot French, College of Arts and Humanities
• Martha Garcia 鈥�97 鈥�00MA, College of Arts and Humanities
• Amrita Ghosh, College of Arts and Humanities
• Carolyn Glasshoff 鈥�11MA 鈥�21PhD, College of Arts and Humanities
• Donita Grissom 鈥�14PhD, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Gulsah Hancerliogullari Koksalmis, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Kenneth Hanson, College of Arts and Humanities
• Duncan Hardy, College of Arts and Humanities
• David Head, College of Arts and Humanities
• Bari Hoffman 鈥�96 鈥�98MA, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Emily Johnson 鈥�15PhD, College of Arts and Humanities
• Naim Kapucu, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Lauren Kehoe,
• Haidar Khezri, College of Arts and Humanities
• Nolan Kline, College of Medicine
• Alla Kourova, College of Arts and Humanities
• Lanlan Kuang, College of Arts and Humanities
• David Lerner Schwartz, College of Arts and Humanities
• Hsiu-fen Lin, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Robert Littlefield, College of Sciences
• Ty Matejowsky, College of Sciences
• Stephen Masyada, College of Sciences
• Jonathan Matusitz, College of Sciences
• Kevin Meehan, College of Arts and Humanities
• Lisa Nalbone, College of Arts and Humanities
• Hakan 脰zo臒lu, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jason Phillips, 麻豆原创 Libraries
• Laurie Pinkert, College of Arts and Humanities
• Ghaith Rabadi 鈥�96MSIE 鈥�99PhD, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Luis Rabelo, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Sherry Rankins-Robertson, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jorge Ridderstaat, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
• Lee Ross, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Mary Rubin 鈥�12 鈥�19MA, 麻豆原创 Libraries
• Houman Sadri, College of Sciences
• Anastasia Salter, College of Arts and Humanities
• Scott Carter, College of Sciences
• Melina Sherman, College of Sciences
• Marwan Simaan, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Christopher Spinale 鈥�04MEd 鈥�24PhD, College of Sciences
• Mel Stanfill, College of Arts and Humanities
• Sandra Sousa, College of Arts and Humanities
• Bulent Soykan, Institute for Simulation and Training
• Sidney Turner, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jennie Wagner, College of Nursing
• Linda Walters, College of Sciences
• Chung Ching (Morgan) Wang, College of Sciences
• Keri Watson, College of Arts and Humanities
• Taylar Wenzel 鈥�11EdD, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Amanda Wilkerson 鈥�16EdD, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Florence Williams, Center for Distributed Learning
• Andrew Williams Jr., College of Community Innovation and Education
• Ross Wolf 鈥�88 鈥�91MPA 鈥�98EdD, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Sharon Woodill, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Kuppalapalle Vajravelu, College of Sciences
• Jill Viglione, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Staci Zavattaro, College of Community Innovation and Education