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.

The native Floridian听dreamed of working听in听one someday听and knew 麻豆原创 鈥斕齦ocated听next door to some of the world鈥檚 premiere theme parks with a solid pipeline to the industry 鈥� was her ticket to get there.

Never听mind that at the time of her enrollment to the听听in 2020, a global pandemic听had quite听literally closed the doors on the industry.

Nothing could derail her from her goal.

Today,听the听hospitality management alum is a senior technical coordinator at听听in Orlando, the division of听听that听designs, develops听and produces听immersive theme park attractions,听resorts听and experiences worldwide.

Making a听Bold Move

As a听junior in听high school,听Cortier got her first real glimpse of career options in hospitality when she听attended an industry-focused听summer camp that听Rosen College听hosted at听the听time.听As a senior,听she听focused her听AP听capstone project听on hydroponics in听the theme park industry. She听knew听the project听would听help her听make听connections, because听it听required听a professional mentor.

Cortier took the initiative to听reach out to听,听dean of听Rosen College, who at that time was听interim听chair听of the听college鈥檚听Department of Foodservice and Lodging Management.

Mejia appreciated Cortier鈥檚 interest in the industry and her courage in reaching out. She invited her for a campus tour and connected her to a local hydroponics expert. Cortier鈥檚 bold plan had worked.

鈥淚t is so rare to get a cold call from a high school student who, at such听a young age, was so certain she wanted to build a career in hospitality leadership. You just do not see that kind of passion every day,鈥� says Mejia, who continued to mentor Cortier throughout her time at 麻豆原创. 鈥淏ella continuously challenges and pushes herself past her comfort zone, which is why she is so successful and a model for the students who come after her. I am so proud of her.鈥�

Turning the Unexpected听Into听a听Winning Situation

Cortier鈥痗ontinued to demonstrate that dedication and initiative once she was a full-time student. She was part of a core group who鈥痑ttended鈥痭early every virtual鈥痬eet-and-greet鈥痺ith鈥痜aculty and staff that the Rosen College organized.

鈥淲hen the faculty and staff saw that I was showing up, and they understood the passion that I had to be there, they started inviting me to take part in different events,鈥� says Cortier, who was invited to be a student representative on the Dean鈥檚 Advisory Council, provide college tours for industry leaders and be part of a project team to enhance the student experience post-pandemic.

Meanwhile听she also听joined the Rosen College Leadership Council, became a tour guide with听麻豆原创听Undergraduate听Admissions听and听joined the听student听chapter of the Future Theme Park Leaders Association.听Cortier听also joined听the听听as a member of听the drum line,听and听that鈥檚听where she met her fianc茅,听Erik听Solberg 鈥�24.

Forging a Path and Finding Her Place

When her marching band responsibilities ended in fall 2020, Cortier landed her first part-time job in a local theme park, SeaWorld Orlando. She discovered her love of working in rides and attractions and parlayed that into two summer internships focused on hospitality leadership development at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania and another job at Universal Orlando Resort.

鈥淚听loved听Universal听right away, and I knew听I wanted to ultimately end up there,鈥� Cortier says.

During her last semester of school, Cortier became an intern on the Universal Orlando Resort Operations Safety & Compliance team, and she has been with the company ever since.

In 2023, she made the move from a front-line job to a backstage role with Universal Creative after attending an internal career fair to explore opportunities.

鈥淚 always loved attractions so much,听and听I听didn鈥檛 think I鈥檇 ever want to leave,听but I made the jump to explore something new, and I鈥檓 so glad I did,鈥� says Cortier, who听supports听the听engineering and safety听team听at听Universal听Creative, which听helps bring new听experiences听to life.

Moving Forward,听Giving Back

Cortier听still values听networking, and she has听developed听a passion for helping others find their way.听She听is听involved with听IAAPA, a global听association for the attractions industry,听and serves听on听its听North American Education Committee and听as听chair of听its听Young Professionals听Education听Task听Force.

鈥淩osen College gave me a foundation in hospitality, leadership, operations, teamwork and creating meaningful guest experiences.鈥�
鈥� Bella Cortier

鈥淩osen College听gave me a foundation in hospitality, leadership, operations, teamwork and creating meaningful guest experiences,鈥� Cortier says.听鈥淲hen I get calls听to come back and speak or be part of an event听at Rosen College, I always say yes.听I had people feed into me, and听that鈥檚听my way of giving back 鈥� sharing my experience and talking to students who听are finding听their path.鈥�

Cortier shared her story at the announcement听of听the鈥�, a first-of-its-kind addition to the No. 1 hospitality college in the nation, backed by a $10 million investment from Universal Destinations and Experiences.

This new Pegasus Partnership听is part of 麻豆原创鈥檚听听campaign, a bold mission for the future of the university.

At the threshold of retirement on June 30, 麻豆原创鈥檚 first Pegasus Professor (honored in 2000) and original architect of online learning would rather talk about his ultimate inspiration.

鈥淢y greatest reward is that so many of my former students stay in touch with me,鈥� says Dziuban, an inaugural Online Learning Consortium (formerly Sloan Consortium) fellow.

鈥淢y greatest reward is that so many of my former students stay in touch with me.鈥�

Those students often showed up for Dziuban鈥檚 statistics and research design classes. Many of these students were daunted by the subjects only to find that the person teaching them listened intently, making himself, and the material, approachable.

This is Dziuban鈥檚 style 鈥� with students, colleagues, everyone. To effectively teach, he knows he must begin with the right questions. That curiosity-driven approach has guided 麻豆原创 to be a leader in online education, including the 麻豆原创 Online program which serves 9,000 students annually, for over 30 years 鈥� earning recognition among the nation鈥檚 best programs, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Here, 麻豆原创鈥檚 longest serving faculty member is finally on the other side of the questions, sharing insightful reflection and parting wise words.

Humble Roots

鈥淚 never set out to achieve any of this,鈥� he says, 鈥渂ut the smallest incidences can make significant impacts.鈥�

Dziuban grew up near Utica, New York, where most boys graduated from high school and followed their fathers into the mills. Dziuban, avid about hunting and fishing, began to develop a routine that exists to this day: reading two books every week.

鈥淭he truth is, I didn鈥檛 want to work in a mill,鈥� he says. 鈥淩eading led to college and college allowed me to reinvent myself. People had called me Charlie. I hated it. In college, I became Chuck.鈥�

Chuck earned degrees, moved, taught, and discovered a connection with statistics and research. At the University of Wisconsin, a mentor, Chester Harris, changed his life.

鈥淗e was terrifyingly smart,鈥� Dziuban says, 鈥渂ut he knew the importance of understanding students before expecting them to understand the subject. I still have a picture of Chester on my desk. It keeps me humble.鈥�

Humility was among the factors that drew Dziuban to a new university in Orlando, where parking lots were dirt and a cardboard box housed the university鈥檚 entire computing output.

鈥淚 saw FTU then, and 麻豆原创 now, as a place where you had room to develop ideas.鈥�

鈥淚 saw FTU then, and 麻豆原创 now, as a place where you had room to develop ideas,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t was like a Silicon Valley startup. You weren鈥檛 sure how it might go, but at least the vibe was positive.鈥�

He developed one of his first ideas following a three-hour statistics lecture.

鈥淢y students should have been in an emergency room after that lecture,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 realized they鈥檇 learn better by running data first and then coming back for an abbreviated lesson 鈥� similar to what we call a 鈥榝lipped classroom.鈥� Students said, 鈥極h, I get it now.鈥� 鈥�

Pioneering Digital Learning

Dziuban was called upon to use his expertise in and research design to develop a plethora of ideas that would attract international attention to 麻豆原创.

One of those early ideas led to a seismic shift that thousands of 麻豆原创 and 麻豆原创 Online students are still benefitting from today.

While developing what would become the Research Initiative for Teaching Effectiveness, Dziuban mentioned to the university鈥檚 fourth president, John C. Hitt, the concept of remote learning through the use of VHS tapes.

鈥淗e told me to innovate,鈥� Dziuban says, 鈥渟o we used computers instead of tapes. Eventually, we had the most sophisticated online learning model in the country, and the walls of classrooms came down.鈥�

This is why, the annual Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching, established in 2012, is bestowed to one 麻豆原创 instructor who teaches an exemplary online or video course.

鈥淟ike I said, I never planned any of this,鈥� he says.

Staying True to 鈥淒oing the Right Thing鈥�

If you ever stepped near Dziuban鈥檚 office, you鈥檇 see a poster featuring a child with hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen 鈥� namesake of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management. Rosen used an adage that鈥檚 echoed in Dziuban鈥檚 mind since they began to break barriers to education in communities in need 31 years ago: 鈥淒o the right thing.鈥�

With this as his guide, Dziuban helped The Rosen Foundation institute a program to ensure free preschool and resources through high school. College and trade school would also be free. Instead of directing the program, they empowered people in Orlando鈥檚 Tangelo Park and Parramore communities to lead it.

They鈥檝e expanded that impact across Florida as well, and the results have been remarkable 鈥� including a recent $50,000 donation from the Harris Rosen Foundation to Gainesville for All in honor of Dziuban鈥檚 work transformative community initiatives.

鈥淭he odds of earning a college education have gone from nine-to-one against to three-to-one in favor,鈥� Dziuban says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 immense talent in every community. We can鈥檛 let it go to waste. It鈥檚 why we start young and celebrate every success.鈥�

At the end of this school year, he will be on stage for just such a celebration.

鈥淚鈥檒l have the honor of moving tassels from the right to the left on the graduation caps of pre-k students,鈥� Dziuban says.

The man with six decades of achievements in higher education will stand back and enjoy a moment the 4- and 5-year-old kids can tell others about.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine anything more meaningful than that.鈥�

This year鈥檚 tournament will be the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted by three nations 鈥� United States, Canada and Mexico 鈥� and the first to include an expanded field of 48 teams from across the globe. Eleven U.S. cities will host 78 matches June 11 鈥� July 19, including the championship match in New York and third place playoff in Miami.

This historic event coincides with the United States鈥� 250th anniversary听and marks the first time since 1994 the country has hosted the men鈥檚 World Cup.

Here鈥檚听a look at some of the Knights bringing this event to life.

Izzy Angel 鈥�23

Bachelor鈥檚听in听human听communication

Role:听Media听operations听and听services
FIFA location: Atlanta

I will be supporting media logistics, guiding photographers and press to designated areas, and facilitating press conferences and interviews. One of the biggest ways 麻豆原创 prepared me for this opportunity was through its emphasis on networking, collaboration and real-world experience. That mindset opened doors to internships, jobs and experiences that helped me gain confidence in putting myself out there and connecting with people.

It鈥檚 been really fulfilling to meet people with completely different backgrounds and life experiences who are all coming together over a shared passion. Being part of something on such a global scale and feeling that sense of community has been incredibly special.

Brendon Boseja 鈥�25

Bachelor鈥檚 in听integrated听business

Role:听Senior听coordinator,听Client Group Management听Accreditation
FIFA site: Miami

At 麻豆原创, I learned to network and make many connections in the industry and to continue these relationships. This has especially helped me throughout FIFA, especially since my main job is to communicate with every stadium involved in the tournament. Working for a sports organization as big as FIFA has been a dream of mine, and to be involved with an event like the World Cup is surreal to think about.

Taylor Culver 鈥�23 鈥�26MSBM 鈥�26MBA

Bachelor鈥檚 in kinesiology
Master鈥檚听in听sport听business听management
Master鈥檚 in business administration

Role:听Event听executive, FIFA Fan Festival
FIFA site: Houston

鈥淏ecause of the connections, mentorship and opportunities I gained through 麻豆原创, these experiences expanded my confidence and showed me that I truly belong in this industry.鈥�

My role is to help create and execute large-scale fan experiences that bring the energy of the World Cup to life outside of the stadium. Being able to contribute to an event of this magnitude is both humbling and motivating, and I know it will be one of the most impactful experiences of my career. 麻豆原创 prepared me for this opportunity by putting me in real-world sports environments early and constantly challenging me to grow as a leader. Through the program and my experience as a recruiting assistant for 麻豆原创 Athletics with the football team, I learned how to operate in fast-paced environments where organization, communication and adaptability are critical. Because of the connections, mentorship and opportunities I gained through 麻豆原创, these experiences expanded my confidence and showed me that I truly belong in this industry.

Daniel Garzon 鈥�23 鈥�24MSBM 鈥�24MBA

Bachelor鈥檚听in听elementary听education
Master鈥檚听in听sport听business听management
Master鈥檚 in business听administration

Role:听Workforce听integration听senior听coordinator,听Tournament Operation Center Services
FIFA site:听Miami

I started my journey at FIFA as an intern with the volunteer management team shortly after graduating from the DeVos Sport Business Management program in 2024. As a recruitment coordinator, I spearheaded communications and recruitment strategy while sourcing and scheduling thousands of candidates. Now in my new role, I will be in the heartbeat of the headquarters of the tournament, fulfilling operational needs for all departments while manipulating data to make informed decisions for all the venues during the World Cup.

Risako Karasawa 鈥�21

Bachelor鈥檚 in entertainment management
Graduate student majoring in sport business management

Role: VIP Tour Coordinator/Translator
FIFA site:听Dallas

I serve as the primary point of contact for a VIP delegation from Japan. My responsibilities include coordinating transportation and logistics, providing interpretation and translation support, and ensuring a seamless experience throughout the visit. Combining my passions for sports, entertainment and hospitality, this opportunity feels like the perfect intersection of everything I love. Through both the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and the DeVos Sport Business Management Program, I have gained practical experience through hands-on opportunities working with professionals across the industries in event planning, guest experience, sponsorship and stakeholder management that prepared me for this incredibly exciting opportunity.

William Mendez 鈥�26MSBM 鈥�26MBA

Master鈥檚听in听sport听business听management
Master鈥檚 in business听administration

Role: Team protocol liaison officer
FIFA site:听Miami

I will provide operational support as a main point of contact for the teams鈥� protocol representatives, managing VIP/VVIP seating, ticket distribution and logistics. I鈥檓 truly excited to be part of an event of this magnitude because FIFA 鈥�26 goes beyond sports by bringing people together across cultures from all over the world.鈥疶he DeVos Sport Business Management program at 麻豆原创 has played a major role in preparing me for this moment, giving me the hands-on experience and confidence I need to contribute to an event of this scale.

Colin O鈥橳oole 鈥�26MSBM 鈥�26MBA

Master鈥檚听in听sport听business听management
Master鈥檚听in business听administration

Role: Accreditation center coordinator
FIFA site:听Boston

I grew up watching the World Cup and always dreamed of being part of the most watched sporting event in the world. My experience in the soccer industry through both professional and volunteer roles gave me a strong foundation, and the DeVos program broadened my perspective. It exposed me to the business side of the industry, while simultaneously connecting me with incredible mentors and peers, ultimately giving me the confidence and network to land this opportunity with FIFA.

Connor Pank 鈥�17

Bachelor鈥檚 in听management

Role:听Team听services听venue听officer
FIFA site: Tampa, Florida

The sport business management minor at 麻豆原创 offered plenty of opportunities to gain practical experience in the industry. My junior year, I was fortunate enough to land a season-long internship at Orlando City Soccer Club in the game day operations department, which then turned into a full-time position with seven amazing seasons of constant growth and experiences that I am forever grateful鈥痜or.

Being involved in a FIFA World Cup has been a personal goal of mine since my early days with Orlando City SC, when we hosted a U.S. Soccer vs.听Panama World Cup Qualifier听ahead of the听2018 FIFA World Cup.听Every team听participating听in the World Cup chooses a designated home base,听which includes the team hotel, training听site听and other operational support facilities as needed. My role is centered around acting as FIFA鈥檚 primary operational lead on-site for Cabo Verde鈥檚 home base in Tampa to ensure a seamless, world-class experience.

Annie Quaile 鈥�06

Bachelor鈥檚听in听marketing

Role:听Venue听manager,听FIFA Fan Festival
FIFA site: Atlanta

I act as the bridge between FIFA, Atlanta and the commercial and operational partners delivering the Fan Festival experience. My role focuses on coordinating event听logistics, operations, guest experience, VIP and talent management, and partner integration while ensuring FIFA brand standards are upheld throughout the event.

One of the biggest takeaways from my experience at 麻豆原创 was learning how to balance creativity,听leadership听and problem-solving under pressure, which is听essentially the听foundation of live event and operational management.听The FIFA World Cup is one of the few truly global experiences that brings together people from every background,听culture听and country around a shared passion.听All of听the planning, coordination and operational work happens behind the scenes for months, so finally seeing people from around the world听gathering together, celebrating and creating memories is incredibly rewarding.

Andres Sifontes 鈥�24

Bachelor鈥檚 in communication

Role:听Coordinator, Accreditation Documentation and Training Operations
FIFA site: Houston

I joined the FIFA team in September 2024, supporting preparations for both Club World Cup 2025 and FIFA World Cup 2026. In my role now, I oversee Accreditation Center operations in Houston, assist volunteers, and ensure that key stakeholders 鈥� including partners like Coca-Cola, Adidas and Visa 鈥� receive proper credentials. 麻豆原创鈥檚 communication program, and especially my听Communication Research Methods听Professor , equipped me with the tools I continue to apply every day in my role at FIFA by teaching me how to communicate effectively, carry myself professionally, and think strategically.

Since graduating, my goal has been to contribute to the growth of soccer in the United States. This passion has always been part of who I am, and 麻豆原创 helped me build the foundation to pursue it professionally. After graduation, I worked with Inter Miami CF, and now with FIFA, I鈥檝e been fortunate to play a role in supporting the continued development of the sport. I truly believe we are about to witness unprecedented growth for the game in this country. I hope that at the end of my career, I can look back and say I contributed to that growth 鈥� and that it all started at 麻豆原创.

Dennis Sprenkle 鈥�01

Bachelor鈥檚听in听political听science

Role:听Director of听workforce听and听human听resources
FIFA site:听Miami

My team oversees the employee journey from recruitment to offboarding across the three host countries (Canada, Mexico and the U.S.) and 16 host cities. We are responsible for everything from workforce planning, training, visa management, benefits, payroll, employee uniforms and just about every other aspect of human resources.

I have always had a keen interest in global political and business affairs, which is why I studied political science with an emphasis on international relations at 麻豆原创. Working for a governing body like FIFA in many respects is akin to working for the United Nations. 鈥� In order to be a successful leader in a global organization like FIFA, it is critical to have an open mind to effectively collaborate, plan and execute the largest sporting event in human history. My education and experience at 麻豆原创 as a leader in Student Government certainly laid the foundation and has helped prepare me for this opportunity.

Ryan Taheri 鈥�24

Bachelor鈥檚听in听finance

Role:听Workforce听operations听manager
FIFA site: Dallas

I grew up watching the World Cup with my family. Now, I occasionally stop for a second and realize how special it all is to be working behind the scenes on the operational side of the tournament. A big part of what I do in my role is coordinate with different functional areas like transportation, catering, accommodations, uniforms and venue operations to ensure the workforce is supported and operations run smoothly.

鈥溌槎乖� pushed me into leadership opportunities early and taught me how to work in fast-paced environments with a lot of moving parts.鈥�

A lot of the role comes down to staying organized, communicating clearly and solving problems quickly. 麻豆原创 pushed me into leadership opportunities early and taught me how to work in fast-paced environments with a lot of moving parts. Looking back now, I don鈥檛 think I realized at the time how much of my experience at 麻豆原创 directly prepared me for working on something as large and complex as a鈥疐IFA 鈥�26.

Alejandro Tarazona 鈥�22

Bachelor鈥檚 in integrated business

Role:听Manager,听Training听Site听Venue听Transport
FIFA site: Miami

I鈥痮versee transportation operations and鈥痩ogistics鈥痑t all 75 training sites across U.S., Canada and Mexico 鈥� including shuttles, loading zones, team busses and their fleets, and parking lots for media, volunteers and guests. I grew up in Lake Nona and had an opportunity to play collegiate soccer at a Division II school in Florida, but financially, it just didn鈥檛 make sense for my family and me. Instead I enrolled at Valencia College and earned my degree through the .

麻豆原创 gave me the technical skills I needed for my managerial position now, like creating financial analysis for labor rates across 16 stadiums that鈥痺e鈥檒l鈥痓e using in U.S., Canada and Mexico. As a former soccer player and as someone鈥痺ho is鈥痮bsessed with the sport, working for one of the biggest and best sports organization in the world has been a lifelong goal.鈥疶his experience has taught me to consider redefining what鈥檚 possible and keep setting goals.

Tomas Upegui 鈥�22

Bachelor鈥檚听in听integrated听business

Role:听Fleet听operations听analyst
FIFA site: Miami

Growing up playing soccer, being involved with FIFA in any capacity is something I never imagined would become reality, especially this early in my career. I am supporting transportation and depot operations across all 16 host cities, contributing to transportation operations involving VIPs and trophy movements. Studying business taught me how to work efficiently in fast-paced environments and quickly adapt while balancing multiple responsibilities at once, which directly translates to my role.

One of the most exciting parts of this experience has been realizing the true scale of the FIFA World Cup and seeing firsthand how much coordination happens behind the scenes to make an event of this magnitude successful.

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

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

That鈥檚听when he听knew听he听could turn his passion into a career.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

听at听,听inspiring the 麻豆原创 community听and听demonstrating听the power of a Knight education to听reshape what it means to be entertained and what the future of experiences holds for people everywhere.

The 麻豆原创-Universal听Pegasus Partnership听is a听significant early听milestone听of听听鈥斕齛听$3.5 billion听campaign to expand听opportunity, advance听discovery听and drive impact across the university.

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

鈥淭he Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation unites creativity, technology and the practical application of business, marketing, and guest service to develop tomorrow鈥檚 leaders in themed entertainment and immersive experiences.鈥� 鈥� Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences

The first-of-its-kind Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation is housed within the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, ranked No. 1 nationally. With the addition of Universal鈥檚 new school and the college鈥檚 School of Hospitality Leadership, students now have access to a dual-school model that brings together experience-focused education with business strategy, operations, and service leadership.

鈥淭he Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation unites creativity, technology and the practical application of business, marketing, and guest service to develop tomorrow鈥檚 leaders in themed entertainment and immersive experiences,鈥� says Chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences Mark Woodbury.

鈥溌槎乖� was built to power what鈥檚 next for our students, for industry, and for the State of Florida,鈥� 麻豆原创 President Alexander N. Cartwright says. 鈥淭his collaboration with Universal Destinations & Experiences represents our mission at its best, creating an environment where students are learning in direct connection with the people and ideas shaping the future of immersive experiences.鈥�

A First-of-its-Kind Model for Experience Education

The Universal and 麻豆原创 partnership will also support research through a new Hospitality Technology Lab, designed to be a creative sandbox for students to collaborate, test ideas, and gain practical hands-on experience working alongside 麻豆原创 faculty, Universal professionals, and industry stakeholders. Students will gain timely insight that reflects industry needs as part of their education. Built around innovation and interdisciplinary teaming, the lab embeds coursework, student projects, and faculty research in a shared space, equipping graduates with both current skills and the adaptability to lead in a constantly evolving technology ecosystem.

The new school鈥檚 research will build on 麻豆原创鈥檚 existing strengths, applying university expertise to one of the world鈥檚 most dynamic industries. Focus areas for teaching, learning, and research will include:

• Service robotics and human-centered approaches to shape guest and employee interactions
• AR and VR simulation technologies for training, operations, and immersive environments
• AI and digital twins for optimizing and personalizing the guest experience

This work extends a decades-long partnership between 麻豆原创 and Universal rooted in collaboration and shared success. For more than 20 years, Rosen College has served as a key talent pipeline for Universal, with thousands of graduates contributing across its parks, experiences, and operations, alongside hands-on learning opportunities like the 麻豆原创/Universal Creative Lab.

鈥淭ogether with 麻豆原创 we have opened doors for students and helped strengthen our industry with valued talent 鈥� and the next chapter will be even better,鈥� Chief Administrative Officer of Universal Destinations & Experiences John Sprouls says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e creating a distinctive academic home that will expand pathways into fulfilling and dynamic careers.鈥�

鈥淩osen College has long been a global leader in hospitality education, and this next step reflects how our industry is evolving,鈥� says 麻豆原创 Rosen College of Hospitality Management Dean Cynthia Mejia. 鈥淏y strengthening our relationship with our longtime partners at Universal Destinations & Experiences, we are creating a first-of-its-kind two-school model that blends creativity, technology and leadership, preparing students to lead the future of guest experiences.鈥�

Pegasus Partners: Scaling Impact Through Collaboration

As 麻豆原创鈥檚 first entertainment-sector Pegasus Partner, Universal Destinations & Experiences joins a group of industry leaders working with the university to solve real-world challenges, accelerate discovery, and strengthen the workforce talent pipeline. Universal is also the first Pegasus Partner to enter into a master research agreement with 麻豆原创, enabling collaboration at scale and unlocking new opportunities for applied research.

The Pegasus Partners program offers opportunities for select partners to engage across the university in ways that create meaningful value for both organizations. That engagement includes talent development and recruitment, shared research projects, joint ventures and collaborations, strategic philanthropy, and co-location at 麻豆原创.

As the first Pegasus Partner since the start of , 麻豆原创鈥檚 $3.5 billion campaign to accelerate its next era of impact, Universal鈥檚 commitment is a powerful model that combines philanthropy and strategic industry investment to drive innovation, expand opportunity, and fuel shared success.

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

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

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

Commencement Festivities

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

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

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

Commencement Photo-ops Across 麻豆原创

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

Grad Walk

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

Commencement Schedule

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

Friday, May 8

9 a.m.

College of Business

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

2 p.m.

College of Health Professions and Sciences

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

7 p.m.

College of Arts and Humanities

Nicholson School of Communication and Media

Saturday, May 9

9 a.m.

College of Community Innovation and Education

2 p.m.

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

7 p.m.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

College of Graduate Studies

College of Optics and Photonics

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

Commencement Speakers

Barry Miller 鈥�95

President of Voloridge Investment Management

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

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

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

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

Brian Adams 鈥�04MBA

President and CEO of AdventHealth Central Florida Division

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

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

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

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

Gloria Caulfield

Vice president of strategic alliances, Tavistock Development Company

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

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

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

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

Barbara Gellman-Danley

President of Higher Learning Commission

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

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

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

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

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

Maj. Gen. James Smith

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

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

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

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

Peter Lee

President of Microsoft Science

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

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

Promotion to Associate Professor of Medicine with Tenure

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

Promotion to Professor (Tenured)

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

Promotion to Associate Professor of Medicine

• Maria Farooq, College of Medicine

Promotion to Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine

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

Promotion to Clinical Professor of Medicine

• Mariana Dangiolo, College of Medicine

Promotion to Research Associate Professor

• Crystal Maraj, Office of Research

Promotion to Associate Lecturer

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

Promotion to Senior Lecturer

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

Promotion to Associate Instructor

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

Promotion to Senior Instructor

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

Promotion to Associate Instructional Designer

• Rebecca McNulty, Division of Digital Learning

Promotion to Senior Instructional Designer

• Amy Sugar, Division of Digital Learning

Promotion to Associate Librarian

• Renee Montgomery, 麻豆原创 Libraries

Promotion to University Librarian

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

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