Associate Dean of Undergraduate Academic and Student Affairs Retires after 29 years 

The College of Sciences celebrates the retirement of Teresa Dorman and her lasting impact. 

By Emily Dougherty | Published July 31, 2025

When Teresa Dorman joined UCF in 1996 as a graduate secretary she didn’t know she would spend the next 29 years reshaping the student experience, creating initiatives, and mentoring advisors, faculty, staff, and students. 

This week she retires from her position as the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Academic and Student Affairs in the College of Sciences, leaving behind a legacy of leadership and significant impact. 

“In kindergarten, I drew a picture of a school crossing guard for ‘what do you want to be when you grow up,’” she says. “I had no idea then that my career really would revolve around helping others find their way.” 

Although she began college as a psychology and art double major with plans to become an art therapist, and later trained to counsel adolescents, her professional journey led her to higher education.  

“While I may not have reached every goal I set, I learned that success is about having a goal and being open to unexpected possibilities and opportunities along the way. You may be diverted in some way from what you intended, but the journey can be just as fulfilling,” she says. 

Dorman says she’s seen the way advising and academic support have evolved to promote student success for Knights. 

“I believe the student experience has transformed dramatically,” she says. “When I started, advising would say ‘here’s what you need to do—now go do it.’ Today, it’s about finding balance: helping students choose and stay on a path, while still leaving room to explore and discover.” 

Among her accomplishments is her leadership of UCF’s Curriculum Alignment Initiative, a collaborative, faculty-led effort spanning multiple institutions and disciplines. 

“Since 2013, I’ve had the privilege of leading, co-leading, and facilitating this multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary faculty-driven effort,” Dorman says. “Our primary goals are to ensure that students encounter consistent learning outcomes in foundational transfer courses, and that the skills they gain prepare them for success in the next level courses and the degree.”

The initiative has helped define academic consistency across UCF and its partner institutions, ensuring that students transfer and transition smoothly. 

The College of Sciences held a retirement celebration on campus with faculty and staff from across the college and university, with college and university leaders sharing their appreciation of Dorman. 

“It my pleasure to be here to honor Dr. Dorman’s contributions to UCF during her long and distinguished career as a Knight,” says Kerstin Hamann, Pegasus Professor & Senior Associate Dean in the College of Sciences. “I wish her all the best in the next chapter of her life.” 

Michael D. Johnson, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, shared how Dorman supported him throughout his career with UCF.  

“My first step into administrative work was working with Teresa, she quite literally taught me what I was supposed to do back when we had the College of Arts and Sciences,” Johnson says.  “She is one of the best people I have ever worked with, she has incredible skills, and I am so lucky that she came to UCF.” 

Interim Dean of the College of Sciences, Josh Colwell, says that Dorman also was a pillar of support for him when he transitioned into new roles at UCF.

“When I was Assistant Chair for the Department of Physics I learned through Michael Johnson where to go to get the answers to any questions I have had,” Colwell says. “I learned quickly that Teresa Dorman would have those answers.” 

As she steps away from UCF, she leaves with confidence in the future of the college she helped shape. 

“We have a great team, and I’m excited that the college is set up for continued success with dedicated leadership,” she says. “Within and beyond the Dean’s Office, there are countless individuals who are dedicated to the success of their units and the college as a whole. I look forward to seeing how our college progresses.”