-
A Knight to Remember: College of Sciences Hosts Annual Scholarship Dinner
A scholarship recipient’s point of view at the annual College of Sciences Scholarship Dinner. By: Majdulina Hamed | Published December 10, 2025 Under twinkling lights and spirited applause, the College of Sciences Scholarship Dinner gathered students, faculty and donors to celebrate academic achievement and the transformative power of philanthropy. The evening was more than a formal event — it was a testament […]
-
UCF First-Generation Student Is Finding Her Place in Space
Born from the challenge of the Space Race, UCF was created to transform imagination into innovation and prepare people to launch humanity beyond its limits. Today, we are still are a place where our people’s curiosity drives discovery, bold questions shape the future and exploration advances life on Earth. Founded to reach the moon, we’re […]
-
UCF Students Team Up With ESPN+ for Game Day Coverage
Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM) students gain real-world broadcast experience on the field. Written by: Emily Dougherty | September 26, 2025 When Knight Nation tunes into ESPN+ before a football game, they’re watching more than the countdown to kickoff. They’re watching students’ career ambitions unfold. Hitting the Field, UCF’s student-run sports broadcast network, […]
-
Empower STEM Event Features UCF Speech & Debate Team for Live Debate on Civic Participation
Four UCF undergraduate students from the Speech and Debate team took center stage at the College of Sciences’ Empower STEM event for a lively and thought-provoking debate on civic participation. By Ana Hidalgo | September 25, 2025 On Constitution Day, Sep. 17, marking the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787, the […]
-
Meet the 2025-2026 College of Sciences Student Ambassadors
After a competitive application process, these students will represent the College of Sciences student body through engagement and representation. By: Emily Dougherty | Published: September 22, 2025 The College of Sciences (COS) is kicking off this academic year, and its newly selected student ambassadors are leading the way. The COS Faculty Fellow for Student Engagement […]
-
College of Sciences Knight Receives Bachelor’s Degree at 16 Years Old
Psychology graduate Abigail Mena becomes one of UCF’s youngest Knights, with her sights set on medical school and space. Written by: Emily Dougherty | August 28, 2025 When Abigail Mena ’25 walked across the commencement stage this summer, she became one of the youngest students to earn a bachelor’s degree at UCF. For her, the […]
-
UCF Students Gain Hollywood Experience as Interns on Shark Tank
Nicholson School of Communication and Media students swam with the sharks behind the scenes of a popular show. Written by: Emily Dougherty | Published: August 28, 2025 Sophia Squiccirini, a senior studying media production and management, and Payton Lewandrowski ’25, a recent Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM) alumna, were selected for the competitive internships on […]
-
Journalism Student Accelerates a Career in Sports Media with NASCAR
Allyson Castillo, a senior at UCF studying broadcast journalism in the Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM), spent ten weeks this summer as an intern for NASCAR’s content team, where she’s working on influencer relations, trend analysis and digital storytelling that brings the energy of the race track to its audiences. Castillo was only […]
-
New UCF Study Reveals Opportunities to Boost Confidence in Undergraduate Students
The College of Sciences’ Department of Chemistry published new research showing how professional identity evolves through students’ academic journeys. Written by: Emily Dougherty | Published: July 21, 2025 A newly published study in the Journal of Forensic Science Education from the College of Sciences Department of Chemistry reveals how undergraduate forensic science students’ confidence shifts […]
-
Anthropology Student Explores South Carolina’s Environmental History through Prestigious Penn State Fellowship
Cheyenne Taylor overcame personal health challenges, found new purpose through Penn State’s ARISE Fellowship inspired by her family heritage. By: Emily Dougherty | June 23, 2025 Cheyenne Taylor, a transfer student from Broward College studying anthropology in the College of Sciences, isn’t just chasing a degree; she has reclaimed her educational journey and purpose after […]
-
UCF Psychology Professor Leads Student Volunteers to Support Mental Health Initiative at Special Olympics Florida State Summer Games
The volunteer effort offered psychology and nursing students real-world mental health screening experience while providing vital mental health and wellness education to Special Olympics Florida athletes. By: Ana G. Hidalgo | June 17, 2025 Dr. Megan Sherod, associate chair for academic programming and associate director of clinical training for the Clinical Psychology Master’s program in […]
-
UCF Student Selected for Prestigious Internship at The New York Times
This summer UCF student Kendal Asbury will embark on an exciting journey as one of four interns at The New York Times through the prestigious Dow Jones News Fund (DJNF) summer internship program. For more than 60 years, the Dow Jones News Fund has placed top journalism students in internships at media outlets across the […]
-
UCF Named as One of Four National Finalists in Competitive Coca-Cola Refreshing Films Program
For the first time, the UCF film students in the Nicholson School of Communication and Media in the College of Sciences have been selected as finalists in the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program. Cinemark Fan Favorite voting launches today and the public can vote for their favorite of the four entries through April 30. (Note: Every […]
-
Celebrating College of Sciences 2025 Founders’ Day Awardees
UCF’s annual event celebrates outstanding accomplishments and contributions of employees, faculty, and students By: Emily Dougherty | March 31, 2025 Student Awards Order of Pegasus UCF’s highest student honor, which recognizes new inductees into the Order of Pegasus. Additional awards include graduate honors for exceptional master’s theses and dissertations, undergraduate awards for outstanding honors theses, […]
-
UCF Researchers Develop Nano-treatment to Help Save Florida Mangroves from Deadly Disease
Mangroves and palm trees are hallmarks of the Sunshine State not just for their beauty but for their immense importance to Florida’s coastlines. Mangroves are crucial because they naturally protect coastal shores from storm damage and serve as vital wildlife habitats around the world. Scientists at the University of Central Florida are working to preserve […]
-
UCF Students Shine at Prestigious NAHJ Conference in Los Angeles
Nine students in the Nicholson School of Communication and Media receive conference support from scholarships. By Katie Coronado Thousands of college students and journalism professionals from the U.S. and around the world gathered this past week to network and learn the latest in the news business at the 2024 National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) […]
-
2024 American Chemical Society Leadership Institute Award Goes to UCF Chemistry Junior
A deserving Chemistry student earned the 2024 American Chemical Society (ACS) Leadership Institute Award, allowing her to attend this year’s conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The recipient, Yael Faroud, is a junior majoring in Chemistry with a minor in Health Science. She serves as the Secretary for the UCF ACS student chapter. Professor Stephen Kuebler has […]
-
Model UN Students Take Home Honors at Conference in Athens, Georgia
UCF’s Model United Nations group is a part of the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs and prepares students to be active and informed citizens. The group recently participated in the inaugural Model UN Conference at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. The team’s delegations represented Albania, Angola and Argentina. At the conference […]
-
Psychology Research Project Supports Well-Being of Prescribed Fire Practitioners
Psychology Assistant Professor Chelsea LeNoble, Ph.D. is spearheading a research project on the well-being of prescribed fire practitioners. LeNoble shared, “Prescribed fire is a tool that can prevent more catastrophic wildfires. It helps by reducing fuels (e.g., sticks, leaves, fallen trees) in a controlled way and maintaining the health of the natural ecosystems that rely […]
-
Stories from Ancient Pottery Uncovered by Anthropology MA Student
Anthropology MA student Emily Tyler has invested significant time in her thesis studying pottery from the Burns Site in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Professor Sarah Barber, Ph.D. shared, “Emily has had the opportunity to learn a wide range of analytical techniques as part of her research, which will be valuable to her as she moves forward […]
-
Biology Student Awarded at Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science Conference
Biology student Stefannia Tasayco recently had the opportunity to attend the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans (SACNAS) 2023 National Diversity in STEM Conference in Portland, Oregon. She was selected for the Outstanding Research Presentation award for her research poster on seagrass and living shoreline restoration. Read what she had to say about […]
-
Student Ambassador Program Offers Development Opportunities for Biology Student
Biology student Andrea Vasquez returns this year as a College of Sciences student ambassador. She brings her experience as an ambassador last year along with her passion for student engagement. Vasquez believes all students should be able to express themselves and their passions—and the ambassador program is a great way to do that. “I was […]
-
15 UCF Students Awarded Distinguished Gilman Scholarship to Study Abroad
Most college students would consider studying marine science at the Great Barrier Reef or even architecture in Europe to be the pinnacle of their college experience. However, studying beyond the four walls of their classroom is a goal only about 10% of undergraduate students nationwide get to accomplish. But with the support of the Benjamin […]
-
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 […]
-
Two Transfer Students Find Belonging at UCF Through Research
Two transfer students recently took advantage of a special program to scratch their itch for learning research skills. Mosquitos and their vulnerability to pesticides was the focus of research by Biology students Holly Monroe and Kathleen Velez. Both took advantage of the Transfer Student Research Integration Program (TRIP) to help acclimate to campus and begin […]
-
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 […]
-
Meet the College of Sciences Student Ambassadors
In the Summer 2022 semester, the College of Sciences selected 11 students from different COS majors to represent the college as student ambassadors. Their role is to represent the students across COS by engaging with the student body and working with the dean to serve students. To learn more about this new program, we spoke […]
-
World Uniters: Five Knights Receive 2022 Fulbright Awards
Over the coming months, planes carrying five UCF Knights will land on various runways thousands and thousands of miles from home. The five will stroll off those planes into the purpose of the Fulbright Program for which they’ve been selected: to work, live, and learn with others on the ground. For them, the ground will […]
-
From the Lab to Real Life
Sanjeev Gurshaney is caught in a crossroads of enthusiasm at 9 a.m. The UCF junior would like to take time to explain his research on immunotherapy-based medical treatments. But he really would like to start his daily 30-minute commute to the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences in Lake Nona. “If I’m awake,” Gurshaney says, “then […]
-
Fellowships Equip Students for Careers in Nuclear Chemistry
Three nuclear chemistry students will spend their summer deepening their expertise through fellowships with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The fellowships are based on their research and specialty, with Kyle Morgan and Ian Russell working in the DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) and Jordan Stanberry working with the DOE Lawrence Livermore National Lab […]