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A Spectacle of Lights and Cinema: Reliving Diwali Magic at UCF
On Nov. 4, the University of Central Florida’s Indian Student Association (ISA) transformed the Grand Pegasus Ballroom into a vibrant tapestry of culture and light with their Diwali showcase. Diwali, known as the Festival of Lights, is a celebration that transcends religious boundaries, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge […]
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Department of State Political Science Student Connects with Alum During Internship
UCF College of Sciences Knights are making an impact in Washington, D.C.! During a recent internship, Political Science student Lindsey González worked at the Department of State, where she met up with alum Nick Grandchamps ‘15. Grandchamps serves as a Foreign Service Officer for the Department of State and graduated with his B.A. in Political […]
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Political Science Alumna Makes Her Mark on National Security at Lockheed Martin
Alanna Reynolds ‘16 ‘19MA shows just what it means to work hard, persevere through challenges and keep pressing on to pursue her goals. She earned her MA in Political Science and Government in 2019 and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Security Studies at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs. Reynolds is the […]
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Security Studies Ph.D. Students Chosen For Prestigious Fellowship
Two graduate students with a deep interest in global conflict recently received a financial endorsement for their work toward a dissertation. The 2023 Peace Scholar Fellowship Program supports the work of Salah Ben Hammou and Erika Ricci, both of whom are pursuing a Ph.D. from the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs. The Peace […]
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Members of the Central Florida Indian American Community Gather at UCF to Celebrate India’s Independence Day
In celebration of India’s 77th Independence Day, almost 200 supporters, students, faculty and members of the Indian American community gathered Sunday, Aug. 27 for an event hosted by The India Center at UCF. The India Center also welcomed the representatives of 10 Indian American community associations and gratefully acknowledged their support. The event held in UCF’s […]
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UCF Alumni Announces 2023 Shining Knights Award Recipients
Ten community members will be recognized as Shining Knights, UCF Alumni’s highest honor, at a special ceremony during this year’s Homecoming events on Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Pegasus Grand Ballroom of the Student Union 6-9 p.m. The UCF Alumni Shining Knights Alumni Awards program began in 2017 when the late UCF President John C. […]
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Congratulations Summer ‘23 Doctoral Graduates!
This summer, 26 College of Sciences Ph.D. graduates walked across the stage into futures making an impact in academia and industry. They were celebrated by faculty, staff, supporters and the dean at the COS Pre-Commencement Ph.D. Celebration on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. Dean Maggy Tomova, Ph.D., honored their accomplishments with remarks and a toast. She […]
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The India Center Hosts Partition Presentation
By Puja Shanbhag On April 12, 2023 the India Center hosted Guneeta Singh Bhalla, Ph.D., founder of the 1947 Partition Archive. Bhalla presented on her project on India’s Partition. The talk touched on the cataclysmic Partition of India in 1947, which led to one of the largest mass migrations in history. Bhalla offered individual Partition stories […]
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Two Kurdish Political Studies Program Dr. Najmaldin Karim Research Fellows Visit Kurdistan
Written by Léa Faure, Ph.D. in Security Studies In May 2023, two students affiliated with the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP), Hannah Barnes and Myli Sangria, traveled to Kurdistan to expand their horizons and research interests. First, could you both tell me more about your background? SANGRIA: “I am a junior studying international relations and […]
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3 UCF Students Receive Prestigious 2023 Boren Scholarship
Three UCF students have been selected as 2023 Boren Scholars, a distinguished national honor that recognizes highly motivated undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in U.S. national security. This year’s recipients are Angelina Alonzo, a political science major; Flora Ngo, a criminal justice and psychology double major; and Sean Merkel, a computer […]
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$250K Gift to Help Establish Endowed Chair for The India Center at UCF
A $250,000 gift from Port Orange, Florida, residents Ramesh Chopra and Neena Chopra will bring UCF another step closer to its goal of establishing the Indian Community Endowed Chair for The India Center. Establishing an endowed chair highlights the importance of studying India at UCF. In Fall 2022, over 3,000 students from 149 countries enrolled at […]
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India Center at UCF Strengthens Community’s Understanding of the Rising Global Superpower
An assistant professor in the department of English, Amrita Ghosh researches South Asian literature and film — specifically, from the rising global superpower of India. In 2022 when the International Booker Prize — a prestigious award given to the best piece of translated fiction each year — went to an Indian author for the first […]
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Healthcare Experts in India Discuss the Expansion of Digital Medicine
By Puja Shanbhag On April 6, 2023 the India Center hosted a virtual panel with Sanjay Sood, Ph.D., project director and associate director of eSanjeevani (India’s National Telemedicine Service), Anuradha Pichumani, MBBS, executive director of Sree Renga Hospital in Tamil Nadu, and Parul Vadgama, M.D., associate professor & director of pulmonary medicine in the Government […]
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Author Discusses Calcutta Food Evolution Over 250 Years
By Puja Shanbhag On March 30, 2023 the India Center hosted a virtual discussion with author Nilosree Biswas about her book Calcutta on Your Plate, which discusses the rich history of Calcutta’s food evolution spanning 250 years and how it ties to its complex political, cultural and social history. The discussion was moderated by Orlando […]
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Travel Abroad Opens New Perspective For PoliSci Major
Hannah Barnes is learning as a Knight thousands of miles from Millican Hall and the Bounce House — and that suits her just fine. Barnes’ political science studies take place in Yerevan, Armenia, where she is studying a Kurdish dialect called Kurmanji. She’ll also be immersed in the culture through her host family. “It’s hard […]
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55 Years at UCF: A Visionary’s Inspiring Legacy
Looking back on 55 years of teaching at UCF, Professor Emeritus Robert Bledsoe has one secret to success: prioritizing the needs of students. That is the lasting legacy of one of UCF’s original founders, who literally helped name the streets that ring UCF’s main campus. UCF celebrates its 60th anniversary this year — and Bledsoe […]
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Celebrating Newroz – Kurdish New Year – at UCF
In celebration of Newroz, Kurdish New Year, Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) organized two events on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. The first event featured a talk by Ambassador Peter W. Galbraith who gave a talk about prospects of independence of Iraqi Kurdistan. He served as the first U.S. ambassador to Croatia from 1993 to 1998 […]
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Security Studies Students Travel Far and Craft Dissertations
Pleasant Ogedengbe and ErikaRicci, doctoral candidates in Security Studies at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs have recently returned from fieldwork in Maryland and Italy, respectively. While in Italy, Ricci was researching the Red Brigades, a leftist terrorist group active in Italy in the 1970s. She interviewed former members, the judges, lawyers and […]
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KPSP Welcomes a Scholar of Literature from Iranian Kurdistan
Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) is delighted to welcome Cyrus Amiri, Ph.D., as a visiting scholar in 2023. Amiri is an associate professor of English and Comparative Cultural Studies at the University of Kurdistan in Iran. Could you tell us more about your background? I was born in Kurdistan to a Kurdish family. I am […]
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Consul General of India Dedicates “India Corner”
By Puja Shanbhag On Jan. 29, 2023 the India Center at UCF and the Consulate General of India in Atlanta debuted the “India Corner” within the India Center’s conference room. Dr. Swati Kulkarni, Consul General of India (Atlanta), inaugurated the new “India Corner” following a commemorative ribbon-cutting ceremony with members of the consulate, students and […]
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Consul General Celebrates India’s Republic Day
By Puja Shanbhag On January 29, 2023 the India Center commemorated India’s 74th Republic Day in the Pegasus Ballroom at the UCF Student Union. During the event, India’s Consul General in Atlanta, Dr. Swati Vijay Kulkarni, delivered the keynote address. Republic Day represents the date the Constitution of India came into effect on January 26, […]
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The India Center Hosts Former Senior Diplomat
by PUJA SHANBHAG The India Center at UCF recently hosted Katherine B. Hadda, a former United States consul general in Hyderabad, for a discussion about the growing relationship and involvement of India and the United States, as well as India’s role in larger international issues and regional issues. Within her lecture, Hadda specifically focused on […]
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What’s Ahead for 2023: COS Faculty Projections
Faculty at UCF share predictions and upcoming milestones for 2023. Politics Associate Professor Aubrey Jewett Ph.D., Assistant Director, School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs “For 2023 in U.S. politics, I expect the battle lines to sharpen for the Republican nomination for president. So far, it looks like former President Trump will be the frontrunner, […]
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Language Studies Connects SPSIA Student to Roots
For student Daniah Jarrah, studying Arabic holds much more power than bilingualism. Jarrah is studying Arabic in Amman, Jordan, with the Qasid Institute, which teaches both modern standard Arabic and classical Arabic. Jarrah notes that modern standard Arabic is the dialect that is used in the political and academic realm of the Middle East. With […]
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International Booker Prize Winner hosted for Virtual Discussion
The India Center hosted Tomb of Sand author Geetanjali Shree, Ph.D., and translator Daisy Rockwell, Ph.D., winners of the 2022 International Booker Prize in a virtual discussion on December 3, 2022. Amrita Ghosh, Ph.D., assistant professor in UCF’s Department of English and a faculty affiliate of the India Center, moderated the presentation. Tomb of Sand, […]
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The India Center Celebrates International Education Week
By ARIANNA LESTRADE On Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, the UCF India Center and the Burnett Honors College hosted “A Showcase of India’s Art and Culture.” The event exhibited art and culture of India as part of International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. The […]
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Fall ’22 Doctoral Candidates Honored By Associate Dean
A traditional toast and individual recognition from Associate Dean Teresa Dorman , Ed.D., sent 22 doctoral graduates into the next chapter of their careers. In her remarks, she said, “You have what it takes to be successful. You worked very hard for a very long time . . . but now you are done. Savor […]
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2022 College of Sciences Year in Review
A glimpse at another year of exploration, innovation and scholarship in the College of Sciences. Over the course of the year, College of Sciences faculty, staff, and students worked hard to accomplish great things. At the heart of their accomplishments is a desire to create a greater tomorrow and a stronger community. Follow along to […]
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The India Center Co-hosts International Joint Seminar
By ARIANNA LESTRADE The India Center at UCF, in collaboration with Karlstad University in Sweden, hosted a virtual seminar on “Social Responsibility and Human Security in India.” India Center Interim Director Kerstin Hamann, Ph.D., and India Center Director of Public Affairs Leila Chacko,opened the event and introduced the speakers, and Karlstad University Associate Professor Kristian […]
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The India Center Celebrates Diwali with Orange County Community
On Oct. 17, 2022, the India Center celebrated Diwali with Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings at the Orange County Administration building in downtown Orlando. It was the second year the India Center collaborated with the Asian Cultural Association, the Orange County Asian Committee, FusionFest and Demings to present “Diwali: The Festival of Lights Celebration”. […]