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College of Sciences Hosts 2025 Distinguished AlumKnight Awards
Notable Alumni are honored for their outstanding career achievements. By Emily Dougherty | April 3, 2025 The evening of March 27th was filled with joy, laughter, and community at the annual College of Sciences Distinguished AlumKnight Awards, to recognize the College’s most outstanding alumni. Kelsey Larsen, Assistant Professor in the School of Politics, Security, and […]
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Meet the College of Sciences 30 Under 30 Awardees
COS alumni “Reach for the Stars”, making lasting impacts through their careers and service to the community By Emily Dougherty | March 26, 2025 The College of Sciences is celebrating its eight alumni who were selected as 30 Under 30 awardees. These exceptional AlumKnights have gone above and beyond in their careers while making an […]
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High-tech Talent: UCF’s Video Game Design Programs Rank Among World’s Best for 2025
When the makers of the world’s top video games look for talented students, they turn to UCF. UCF’s Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA), the university’s graduate video gaming program, has produced more than 200 graduates who worked on several of the most popular games sold in 2024 — including No. 1 seller Activision’s Call of […]
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UCF Announces 2025’s 30 Under 30 Alumni Award Recipients
UCF Alumni is proud to unveil the extraordinary honorees of the 2025 Class of 30 Under 30. These visionary alumni, driven by unwavering dedication and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence, are not just shaping the future — they are redefining it. Their impact extends beyond personal success, igniting inspiration and facilitating change in every sphere […]
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Los Angeles Wildfires Show Firefighting and Public Communication Challenges
The top of the year has been a challenge for Southern California, and a reminder for the nation of the devasting impacts of fires. As of Jan. 27, the Los Angeles wildfires have killed at least 28 people, forced over 200,000 to evacuate, and destroyed or damaged 16,255 structures. The wildfires have led to discussion […]
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UCF Knights to Represent at 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Paralympics
Six Knights will represent America, Denmark, Germany and Lithuania at the 2024 Summer Olympics (July 26-Aug. 11) and Paralympics (Aug. 28-Sept. 8) in Paris. These athletes exemplify the spirit and dedication of Knight Nation. Watch the events on NBC or stream via Peacock as you cheer them on. Kyle Coon ’13 Event dates: Sept. 1-2 […]
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5 Questions with UCF Alum Richard Bilbao: New Editor-in-Chief of Orlando Business Journal
After starting at the Orlando Business Journal (OBJ) as a reporter in 2008, Richard Bilbao ’07’s has been appointed editor-in-chief for the publication. In his sixteen years at OBJ, the UCF journalism alum has also worked as a digital producer and as an associate managing editor. As an experienced journalist, Bilbao has also won awards […]
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13 Knights Recognized Among OBJ’s 40 Under 40 for 2024
Recently, Orlando Business Journal celebrated its 2024 40 Under 40 honorees, which include 13 Knights Meet the alumni, students and staff who are making an impact in their industries and across The City Beautiful. Zac AlfsonSenior director of marketing and communications, Central Florida Community ArtsDegree: Former stage management and integrative general studies student Jenny Austin […]
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11 Knights Earn NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Recognitions for 2024
Five Knights have earned the most prestigious STEM research fellowship in the United States. Another six have earned honorable mentions for the award. Five UCF alums have received U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowships (GRF), which supports outstanding graduate students in STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited […]
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UCF Alums Provide Scholarship Support to Nontraditional Students in STEM
When we think of a person’s legacy, we tend to think of something left behind — a posthumous work or achievement, a bequest to a loved one. For John ’91MBA and Cynthia Chamberlin ’95 ’98MBA, they didn’t want to think about their legacy in the past tense; they wanted to build one they could see in their […]
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UCF Scholar’s Study Could Help Strengthen Disaster Preparedness and Response in U.S. Territories
Dr. Sara Belligoni, a Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Central Florida (UCF), and UCF Alumna, may do more than advance her education and career. She may also help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters such as tropical storms and hurricanes. Her recent study, “Held in the Grip: Political Status, Governing Institutions, […]
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From UCF to the Big Screen: Alum’s Award-winning Film Sparks Social Change
The streets of a small neighborhood nestled in the heart of Greater Miami echo with the sounds of Haitian Kreyòl. Vibrant buildings adorned in pastel blues, pinks and greens, alongside lively street art and bustling markets unmistakably mark the area is Little Haiti. Monica Sorelle ’12 lived nearby, as her mother had settled in Little […]
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NSCM Alumna Makes Her Distinctive Mark on Hollywood
Nicholson School of Communication and Media alumna Kendra Hathaway ‘13 is busy making her mark on the entertainment industry in Southern California. Her career so far has exemplified the importance of persistence and dedication even when challenges arise. After graduating with a degree in Radio-Television Production, Hathaway moved to Los Angeles and worked as a […]
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Career FAQ with Chemistry Alumna Alexis Weber ’17
Thinking about starting your career after graduation can be overwhelming. Chemistry alumna Alexis Weber ‘17 shared her advice for College of Sciences students. Weber earned her Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science with a minor in Chemistry from the Department of Chemistry in 2017. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University at Albany, […]
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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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NSCM Alumna Carried Her Dreams to L.A. for Shark Tank Internship
Natalie Gooch took her dreams to L.A. as an intern on the hit ABC show, Shark Tank. Gooch graduated from the Nicholson School of Communication and Media in Summer 2023 with a degree in Media Production and Management. She recently completed the highly competitive Clay Newbill Shark Tank Internship in Los Angeles, California. Newbill is […]
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Psychology Alumna Gives Back to UCF Transfer Students
Diana Rodriguez ‘18 currently serves as the Academic Support Coordinator at UCF Connect. As a former transfer student from Miami Dade College in 2016, Rodgriguez understands the needs of transfer students. She graduated from UCF with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2018. The College of Sciences Marketing team sat down with Rodriguez to […]
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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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Big 12 Inaugural Home Game Celebrated by College of Sciences Alumni
Barbecue, Networking and Football The College of Sciences Advancement team recently hosted a Dean’s Advisory Board Summer Social event to celebrate the inaugural football game of UCF’s ascent to the Big 12. Members of the College of Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board and Alumni Chapter gathered at the UCF Arboretum’s nature pavilion to celebrate. COS Dean […]
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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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UCF Alum on How FIEA Took Him From Gamer to Creator
More than 3 billion people are estimated to be active video game players, with the worldwide gaming market projected to be $347 billion. Behind the largest entertainment industry in the world are creators like Blake Battle ’12MS, who is anaccomplished producer at Bungie, which has developed popular games like Destiny and Halo. A UCF interactive […]
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My Roots Run Deep: UCF Alumna Pays Homage to Her Caribbean Heritage
UCF is celebrating the rich and diverse cultures of the Caribbean within our university, local community and around the world in recognition of National Caribbean American Heritage Month — a month founded by Claire Nelson, founder and president of the Institute of Caribbean Studies, and officially declared by President George W. Bush in 2006. Many […]
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UCF Is Leading Comprehensive Study of Centaurs and Jupiter-family Comets
A UCF researcher is working on a new, NASA-funded project that will gather the most comprehensive collection of data on active centaurs and distantly-active Jupiter-family comets to date. The work will inform research into the origins of the solar system, as these bodies contain materials from the dawn of its formation. Centaurs and Jupiter-family comets […]
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New Grad Heads to Paris For Doctoral Degree
Recent physics graduate Christian Cabello ’23 says bonjour to a new life in Paris this fall, where he’ll take advantage of a full scholarship to pursue a doctorate degree at the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP). The new adventure not only brings him to Europe for the first time but opens access to rare equipment […]
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UCF’s Robinson Observatory Gets a Futuristic Facelift
Recent updates to one of UCF’s most groundbreaking research and education facilities brings the Robinson Observatory into the 21st century, including robotics for remote viewing and a state-of-the-art weather protection system. The new telescope inside UCF’s Robinson Observatory The refurbishment returns the observatory to full functionality after six years. Supply shortages and the large scope […]
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Nicholson Alumna Jennifer Fickley-Baker ‘04 M.A., ‘12 Ph.D.: Communicating for Global Brands and Giving Back
Author: Morgan Lemmen Nicholson School of Communication and Media Alumna Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Ph.D., has built a successful career working for global brands—and passing her knowledge on to the next generation. Throughout her career of more than two decades, Fickley-Baker has perfected the art of bringing big brands to life and immersing people in those stories. […]
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Alumna Takes On Role as First Orlando Beekeeper
Orlando’s first official beekeeper is staying busy as a — well you know — applying the knowledge she acquired as a College of Sciences graduate. Tuesday Piper ’22 took the job as sustainability project coordinator for the City of Orlando in August, not long after leaving UCF in Spring 2022 with a BA in communication […]
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Remembering UCF Alumnus, Spectrum News Reporter Dylan Lyons
An up-and-coming journalist and graduate from the Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM) was killed Wednesday while reporting on the scene of a fatal shooting. Dylan Lyons ’19 was 24. Lyons’ journalism professors remember him as a “confident and talented go-getter who was always up for a challenge and never turned down a story,” […]
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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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Summer ’22 PhD Graduates Given Warm Send-Off
Doctorate graduates were given a warm and personal send-off Thursday in a longstanding College of Sciences tradition. Remarks by Dean Maggy Tomova, Ph.D., were followed by individual recognition of the Summer ’22 graduates in attendance. A toast sent them forward into their next milestones, which varied from academia to postdoctoral research and national laboratories. Click […]