UCF Alumni Honors 30 under 30
Story by Angie Lewis, UCF Alumni Association
The UCF Alumni Association was proud to host its inaugural 30 under 30 awards dinner Friday, Nov. 20, honoring the outstanding achievements of 30 successful Knights. Nine of the 30 alumni awarded are graduates from the UCF College of Sciences.
Young alumni currently make up one-third of UCF’s alumni population, making them the university’s largest constituent base. The 30 under 30 awards program allows the UCF community to celebrate the achievements of these young alumni and the impact they’ve made in the areas of business, research, leadership, arts, community, education or philanthropy.
Awardees were chosen based on nominations submitted by fellow Knights, friends, families and co-workers.
Many of this year’s recipients, most of whom traveled back to campus from locations across the country, were also recognized on the field during the UCF vs. ECU football game Thursday night, alongside the UCF Alumni Association’s 2015 Distinguished Student Award winner, Yudeysis Cores, and 2015 Michelle Akers Award winner, UCF’s Limbitless Solutions.
The following evening, alumni, families and friends, as well as members of university administration, advancement staff, and academic and volunteer leadership, and the evening’s host, UCF alumnus Todd Woodard, ’95, gathered for the awards celebration, held in the Grand Ballroom of the UCF FAIRWINDS Alumni Center.
The College of Sciences alumni recipients include:
Naomi Brownstein, ’08
Assistant Professor, Florida State University College of Medicine
The Burnett Honors College & College of Sciences
Departments of Mathematics and Statistics
Amanda N. Castro, ’12
Anchor/Reporter, 41NBC/WMGT
College of Sciences
Nicholson School of Communication
Aaron Dietz, MA13, PhD14
Research Associate, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
College of Sciences
Department of Psychology
Julie Frost, ’12
Performer, Comfort Crew for Military Kids
College of Arts and Humanities & College of Sciences
Department of Political Science
Christopher R. Frye, ’13
Physics Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard University
The Burnett Honors College & College of Sciences
Department of Mathematics
Andre Garcia, ’08
Human Factors Engineer, Northrop Grumman Corporation
College of Sciences
Department of Psychology
Jen Glantz, ’10
Founder and CEO, Bridesmaid for Hire
College of Arts and Humanities & College of Sciences
Nicholson School of Communication
Kristin Harris, ’11
Associate Celebrity Editor & Talent Relations, Buzzfeed
College of Sciences
Nicholson School of Communication
Leigha Audrey Proctor, ’10
Director of Business Development, Transperfect Translations
College of Sciences
Nicholson School of Communication