The reception date has been rescheduled for Thursday, Sept. 21 @ 4-6 p.m. in the John C. Hitt Library room 223.

“You might find us in front of the classroom or in the office down the hall and yet never suspect the secret we share. We are artists. Whether we have exhibited in galleries around the world or have never shown our work before, we are artists. We present to you our dreams, our hearts, our passion…We are the Hidden Artists.”

�鶹ԭ�� has many talented employees who use their creativity in their daily jobs. Some of these employees are “visual artists” who create artwork on their own time for themselves, their families and/or for the public. They are the “Hidden Artists.”

The Hidden Artists will exhibit at the John C. Hitt Library from September 1-29, 2017 with a reception on September 21.

Artwork will be exhibited in the library on the Art Wall and in the glass display cases with a variety of styles, subjects and mediums, including photography, mixed media, acrylic, graphic and jewelry.

The exhibit features the talents of: Maribel Amaro-Garcia, Gina Clifton, Pamela Williams Gruen, Jacqui Johnson, Simona Loh, Russ Muller, Fiona Murphy, Judy Bragg Pardo, Brian Pate, Christopher Saclolo, M.C. Santana, and Paul Viau.

“In 2008, I got together a group of creative �鶹ԭ�� faculty and staff members; and formed the Hidden Artists,” says Judy Bragg Pardo. “Since that time, I have coordinated nine exhibitions at the �鶹ԭ�� John C. Hitt Library. Some members retired or left �鶹ԭ�� and new members have joined. This year will be my last year exhibiting as I am retiring at the end of 2017. I wanted to say how proud I am of the dedicated Hidden Artists who have opened their hearts and souls to share their artworks with the �鶹ԭ�� community. There were many artists who had never exhibited before and have gone on to enter juried exhibitions and display their art in galleries. Special thanks to Brian Pate who designed our beautiful postcards throughout the years and to those artists who have been with the group from the very beginning. With the collaborative effort of the group members, the Hidden Artists will keep its tradition of exhibiting at the library for years follow.”

Visit the Hidden Artists on Facebook at: and click “Like.” to follow the group.

Hidden Artists membership is open to currently working �鶹ԭ�� faculty or staff members who create artwork. For more information, email Judy Bragg Pardo at: judyart23@aol.com.

The �鶹ԭ�� John C. Hitt Library is located at 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816. Call the library for hours of operation at 407.823.2580 or visit the website at library.ucf.edu.

The Military Friendly® Schools designation is awarded to the top colleges, universities, community colleges and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace military students, and to dedicate resources to ensure their success both in the classroom and after graduation.

“We are very proud of the distinction, which we believe helps �鶹ԭ�� draw the best in returning veterans to our university,” said Paul Viau, director for Veterans Academic Resource Center.

VARC is a one-stop solution to meet the needs of student veterans. The center provides tutoring; study space; academic advising; career guidance; counseling; assistance with classroom and examination accommodations; and tools to stay on track and finish their degree.

“I need to ensure I can be a successful student. Having the VARC in my corner means that I have easy access to all the educational resources,” stated Eric Bobo, MAT Social Science Education.

VARC partners include: Transfer and Transition Services, Career Services, Student Academic Resource Center, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Student Accessibility Services.

The center is located at the CFE Arena, suite 100. For more information, call 407.823.2707 or visit .

 Associate University Registrar and VARC Director Paul Viau presented an overview of the VARC’s services while Alzo Reddick, assistant vice president for University Relations and Director of Defense Transition Services, presented Rep. Mica with information about �鶹ԭ��’s Soldiers to Scholars program. Vice President University Relations Dan Holsenbeck; University Registrar Brian Boyd; Career Services’ Director of Career Development Bill Blank; and various student veterans were also on hand to speak with Rep. Mica and answer questions.

 Rep. Mica plans to return to �鶹ԭ�� in the future to attend a VARC programming event.

 VARC, located in the CFE Arena suite 100, is a one-stop solution to for student veterans. The center provides study space and lounge space, as well as access to a number of university offices, in one central location. To learn more about VARC’s services, accommodations and workshops, visit: .

To help develop programs that encourage veterans to succeed in school, the �鶹ԭ�� will host an Aug. 3 statewide conference for college administrators, faculty members, and other professionals that work with veterans.

Paul Viau, associate university registrar and director of the Veterans Academic Resource Center, said veterans face multiple hurdles, not the least of which is financing their education.

“Many are supporting families and are dealing with the same issues that older, returning students face: juggling school, job, home, family care, etc.,” Viau said. “On top of that, they often face challenges with transitions from military to civilian life.”

The conference – Completing the Mission: Retaining and Graduating Student Veterans – will be hosted in the Student Union by Student Development and Enrollment Services, the Veterans Academic Resource Center, and the Registrar’s Office.

The goal of the conference is to discuss strategies and collaborations to sustain student veterans and dependents towards success.

The conference will include networking opportunities with faculty and administrators from across the region; a keynote address from Dr. John Schupp, creator of the Supportive Education for the Returning Veteran program, and topical sessions presented by professionals working with student veterans.

Schupp, who teaches at Tiffin University in Ohio, has spoken to more than 300 campuses nationwide about veteran education, and has been awarded the Advocate of the Year from the Vietnam Veterans of Ohio, and the Zachary Fischer Distinguished Humanitarian award by the Department of Defense.

�鶹ԭ�� has about 1,200 student veterans, 900 of whom are using their GI Bill educational benefits, Viau said.

The conference registration fee is $70 and the deadline is July 31.

For more details about the conference and to register, go to http://www.ce.ucf.edu/Conference-Services/Veterans/.