Dr. Clara Rivero-Baleine, ’01, ’03, ’05, was honored as the 2015 Outstanding Physics AlumKnight at the inaugural award ceremony in February. Her continued commitment to excellence in the industry along with her pioneering efforts in research and development are just some of the reasons the UCF Physics Department nominated her for the award. Dr. Rivero-Baleine […]
Jeffrey Billman, ’01, ’10, earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s degree in political science from UCF. Billman says his political science degree has given him a deeper sense of the political and policy spheres, making him an immensely better writer, especially regarding politics. Billman’s bachelor’s degree in journalism provided the fundamentals for his […]
Nearly 200 public relations professionals from across the state gathered in Orlando last week for the statewide Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Sunshine District Conference. The conference was held July 16 -18 at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort with the theme, “Setting the Course.” The UCF Nicholson School of Communication Alumni Chapter welcomed […]
The Los Angeles UCF Alumni Club and the UCF Nicholson School of Communication Alumni Chapter held a small reception in Los Angeles last week for UCF alumni. Guests enjoyed food, drink and networking at Pearl’s Sunset Strip on Wednesday, July 15. UCF Nicholson School of Communication associate directors, Dr. Tim Brown and Dr. Boyd Lindsley were on hand to answer […]
Kristine Savoury, ’06, ’08, thanks her UCF sociology degree for establishing a strong foundation that prepared her for the pursuit of her master’s degree in social work at UCF. Savoury is a community outreach specialist at Magellan Complete Care. Because it’s a Medicaid plan for individuals with severe mental illness, the position requires a licensed […]
A 56-year-old pilot with a high-adrenaline lifestyle has taken over the screen for the premiere of the third season of Airplane Repo on Discovery Channel. Mike Kennedy, ’83, graduated with a bachelor’s in zoology from UCF. He is one of the main characters in the TV show, which depicts five people repossessing airplanes, from private […]
Dr. Jason Legassie, ’01, graduated from UCF with a dual major in chemistry and biology and a minor in math. In April of 2014, he was hired as the research and development formulation manager at Sancilio & Co, located in Riviera Beach, Florida, where he manages a team of nine scientists and technicians. Sancilio is a […]
UCF Nicholson School of Communication alumnus, Clay McMillan, ’90, was awarded the 2015 Outstanding Communication AlumKnight award at the inaugural ceremony in February. McMillan was recognized for his exceptional career and his continued service to the university. McMillan serves on the UCF Nicholson School of Communication’s Board of Visitors and runs his own production company, […]
From student, to alumna, to employee, Heather Peña, ’02, has quite a history with UCF. While pursuing her bachelor’s degree in psychology, Peña kept busy with UCF’s Student Government Association, Greek life, and the Golden Key International Honour Society. Following graduation, Peña worked in retail management, soon followed by what has led to a 12+ […]
Callie Carr, ’04, made the most of her time at UCF. While pursuing her bachelor’s degree in political science, she served as president of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, competed on UCF’s mock trial team, and graduated with summa cum laude. Currently, she works as associate general counsel for Micron Technology, […]
Alice Bard, ’86, ’89, graduated from UCF with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biology. Bard was nominated by the Department of Biology to be honored as the 2015 Outstanding Biology AlumKnight recipient at the inaugural UCF College of Sciences Outstanding AlumKnight award reception held in February. She currently serves as an environmental specialist II […]
Frederick Morris, ’09, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in interpersonal organizational communication. Morris currently directs digital marketing and social media for Career Artist Management. He manages social media accounts and websites for artists, including: Maroon 5, Adam Levine, Robin Thicke, Big Boi, Mary Lambert, Damian Marley, Flogging Molly and more. He has worked on two […]
In February, Kristin Chase, ’03, was presented the Outstanding AlumKnights Award by the UCF College of Sciences Alumni Chapter and the UCF Psychology Department at the inaugural awards reception. The honor was based on her dedication to the UCF community and accomplishments in the field of psychology. After graduating with her master’s degree in industrial/organizational […]
Dr. Jenna Tosh, ’04, ’08, ’14, says her master degree in political science from UCF prepared her for her Ph.D. program in public affairs in more ways than one. Now, after working for Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando for eight years, Dr. Tosh has moved to the west coast. She currently serves as president & […]
Scott George, ’84, says communication is one of the keys to life. He explained that he uses the lessons from his degree in communication every hour of every day. “Whether it’s in business, relationships, family or marriages, learning to listen and communicate properly is essential,” said George. George has been a visionary and innovator in […]
By Barbara LeBlanc Freelance Writer, UCF Foundation Inc. Thousands of people have visited “Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed” since the exhibition premiered at the Science Museum of Minnesota in 2013. But on Friday night, only UCF alumni were lucky enough to be guided through the exhibit by the very archaeologists who excavated many of the […]
Erin Saitta, ’06, ’10, studied both chemistry and education, preparing her for her career as a faculty developer at UCF. Dr. Saitta graduated in 2006 with her bachelor’s degree in science education and with a minor in chemistry. Four years later she graduated from UCF with her doctorate of philosophy in chemistry in 2010. Dr. […]
From president of MedSTAR Medical to wine connoisseur, anthropology alumnus Keith Edwards, ’10, ’11, uses his degrees every day in his diverse vocations. “I remain indebted to UCF for its learning environment, and the Anthropology Department for equipping me with the tools and sense of curiosity which I draw upon each and every day in […]
Todd Scholl, ’97, says his political science degree from UCF has been valuable to his career working in investment banking and corporate finance and dealing with nationalized companies outside of the U.S. “Having an understanding of international government’s processes and policies allowed me to speak the same language and appreciate some of the challenges they […]
On Saturday, March 7, over 60 Knights gathered together in New York City for a UCF Networking Knight. Nicholson School of Communication instructor Joan McCain and a group of 13 advertising/public relations students traveled to New York for spring break to learn about careers in the Big Apple. UCF alumni from the New York […]
He may not have won the grand prize, but he was still able to crash the Super Bowl. Nicholson School of Communication alumnus Brian Kleinschmidt was not the winner of the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl Contest, but he was still able to attend the big game in Arizona as a top 10 finalist. Kleinschmidt’s […]
Teresa Lamar-Sarno, ’00, ’03, runs the redevelopment department for the City of Stuart, Florida. Her most recent accomplishment as Community Redevelopment Agency Administrator is the award winning road redesign she directed. The Colorado Avenue Business District Improvement was a 1.2 million dollar project that revitalized a rundown commercial corridor to a revitalized urban area in […]
The theme of ABC’s “Shark Tank” reflects what executive producer Clay Newbill says he learned at the University of Central Florida. “The motto is ‘reach for the stars,’ and they really did, I think, instill in the students that attitude,” said Newbill, who grew up in Ormond Beach and graduated from UCF in 1982. “The […]
Victoria Moll-Ramirez, ’09, says her bachelor’s degree in radio-television from UCF has meant everything to her in her career. Her best memories at UCF include hours spent in the Nicholson School of Communication’s ‘Knightly Newsroom.’ “Every meltdown, every slice of pizza and every soda I had in that newsroom is so fondly remembered,” she says. […]
Kerri Milita, ’06, ’09, graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and then pursued her M.A. at UCF. Upon graduation from UCF in May 2009, she began working on her Ph.D. in Political Science at Florida State University. In November 2013, Kerri accepted a tenure-track position as an assistant professor at Illinois State University […]
Roger Pynn, ’73, president of Curley & Pynn and chair of the UCF College of Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board, has been a supporter of his alma mater and the UCF Alumni Association since he graduated. Dan Ward, ’92, vice president of Curley & Pynn, began serving on the UCF Alumni Association Board of Directors in […]
During her time at UCF, Lauren Austin, ’09, worked as an undergraduate research assistant. She published two papers and worked on the creation of a one-step homogenous immunoassay for cancer biomarker detection. Austin looks back at her undergraduate research experience at UCF and describes it as invaluable to her career and current success. Austin graduated […]
As an 80’s kid, one can only dream of going to work every day and working with video games. For Jon Hanson, ’12, this dream is a reality and he couldn’t be happier with his career. As a Product Manager for EA Sports Orlando, Hanson helps guide players through their end-to-end journey, from the time […]
Kyle Warnke, ’13, has been named one of five recipients of the American Copy Editors Society scholarship. The society, which is the preeminent national body of professional editors working in journalism, each year awards scholarships to students who by their achievements represent the best and brightest of the future of copy editing. Kyle, a Dow Jones […]
From a young age, Shannon O’Donnell knew that the traditional path of school, work and retirement wasn’t for her. O’Donnell was living in Los Angeles after graduating with a degree in advertising/public relations from the University of Central Florida in 2006 when her sense of adventure and passion for helping others inspired her to take […]