Celebrating a Career at UCF: College of Sciences Staff Member Reflects on 35-year career
James McCully’s career maps growth at UCF, a time of dedication and innovation.
By: Emily Dougherty | January 10, 2025
Over the course of his 35-year career at the University of Central Florida, broadcast technician James McCully has seen and supported the remarkable innovation that has taken place and how those changes enhance the work and lives of faculty, students, and staff. From managing the technology used campus wide when he first came to work at UCF, to joining the team that helped build the broadcast studio for the College of Sciences’ Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM), McCully has helped pave the way to student success through innovation.
As McCully closes this chapter he leaves a legacy that will continue to inspire the community he helped to build.
Q: Can you share your story and background that led to your career here?
A: My professional career began when I joined the Air Force in 1982 as a digital flight simulator specialist to train pilots. After my military service, I applied my knowledge to industry, working for an electronics support company. In 1989, I joined UCF’s instructional resources team. It was a comprehensive role, managing the campus’ cable TV network, large auditoriums, and WUCF radio. As UCF grew, so did my career. In 1998, I moved to NSCM to design and build its digital television studio and by 2007, I also began to serve as the game day engineer for the football stadium, overseeing camera operations for each home game. I have many memories from game days!
Q: What changes have you noticed in broadcast technology used since starting at UCF?
A: Broadcast has been rapidly changing over the years; part of my role at UCF was ensuring that we are utilizing the latest technology and equipment for our students. I used to attend conferences all over the country to test and implement new technology for our studio.
When the studio was first built, everything was run through wires. Since then, we have been updating the equipment to grow with technology, such as changing from digital production to high definition and upgrading to the use of wireless equipment.
Q: What was your experience like building the broadcast studio at NSCM?
A: When I began the studio build, I had two colleagues helping me. My focus was building a state-of-the-art television studio in a short period of time, no small feat! I started out with bare walls and after four months of building, we had an older version of the studio we have today. I managed the design, ordered all the racks and equipment, and oversaw the development of what became a cutting-edge broadcast facility.
Q: How has your role at NSCM impacted the students there?
A: We (NSCM) have set up an environment that has the right tools with enough equipment to ensure that students can do what they need to learn broadcast journalism and excel in the process. I have seen students start out with few skills in radio and television and within a few months of being in the program their growth is remarkable. The greatest success comes from a willingness to learn, and I’ve enjoyed being a part of that.
Q: Do you have a specific memory from your time at UCF that stands out?
A: The memory that comes to mind is from a while ago, but it was a career highlight for me. In 1994, UCF gave me the opportunity to work the Electronic Computer Conference when it was hosted in Orlando. This unique conference brought together K-12 educators from across the United States.
The team I was a part of was responsible for setting up and breaking down video projections and breakout rooms at a large venue. It was a challenging week with long hours of monitoring the technology running the event, but the success of this project was a great feeling of accomplishment.
Q: What will you miss most about working at UCF?
A: I’ll miss the sense of community that UCF has created. In the early years when we had a smaller team, staff came together to celebrate each other with a yearly banquet where we would recognize employee’s milestones and receive awards. In 1992 and 2010 I had the honor of being named UCF’s employee of the year.
UCF is such a large and changing environment that I’ll miss being a part of the team that has helped made it successful to this day.
Q: What are you most looking forward to in retirement?
A: I’m keeping an open mind and looking forward to exploring new opportunities and experiences with my wife, Joanne, who I met during my career here. We are taking things one step at a time and are excited to start our next chapter together.
To learn more about the Nicholson School of Communication and Media, visit https://communication.ucf.edu/