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Wikipedia

University of Central Florida

February 05, 2023

"UCF" redirects here. For other uses, see UCF (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with College of Central Florida.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public research university whose main campus is in unincorporated Orange County, Florida.[9] UCF also has nine smaller regional campuses throughout central Florida. It is part of the State University System of Florida. With 70,406 students as of the Fall 2021 semester, UCF has the second-largest student body of any public university in the United States.[10]

University of Central Florida
Former names
Florida Technological University (1966-1978)
Motto"Reach for the Stars"
TypePublic research university
EstablishedJune 10, 1963; 59 years ago (1963-06-10)
Parent institution
State University System of Florida
AccreditationSACS
Academic affiliations
Endowment$201 million (2022)[1][2]
Budget$2.1 billion (2021) [3]
PresidentAlexander Cartwright
ProvostMichael D. Johnson
Academic staff
1,906 (Fall 2020)[4]
Administrative staff
10,448 (Fall 2020)[4]
Students70,406 (Fall 2021)[5]
6,623 (online)[3]
Location
Orlando
,
Florida
,
United States
CampusLarge Suburb[6]
Main: 1,415 acres (2.211 sq mi)
Total: 1,893 acres (2.958 sq mi)[7]
Colors  Black
  UCF Bright Gold[8]
NicknameKnights
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division I FBS - The American (until June 30, 2023)
Big 12 (from July 1, 2023)
Mascot
Websitewww.ucf.edu

UCF was founded in 1963 and opened in 1968 as Florida Technological University, with the mission to provide personnel to support the growing U.S. space program at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Florida's Space Coast. As its academic scope expanded beyond engineering and technology, Florida Tech was renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978. UCF's space roots continue, as it leads the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium.[11] Initial enrollment was 1,948 students;[12] enrollment in 2022 exceeds 70,000 students from 157 countries, all 50 states and Washington, D.C.[13][14]

Most students attend classes on the university's main campus, 13 miles (21 km) east of downtown Orlando and 35 miles (56 km) west of Cape Canaveral.[7][15] UCF offers more than 230 degrees through 13 colleges at 10 regional campuses in Central Florida, including the Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona Medical City, the Rosen College of Hospitality Management in south Orlando and the UCF Center for Emerging Media in downtown Orlando.[16] Since its founding, UCF has awarded more than 346,000 degrees, including over 60,000 graduate and professional degrees.[2]

Its official colors are black and gold, and the university logo is Pegasus, which "symbolizes the university's vision of limitless possibilities".[17] The university's intercollegiate sports teams, known as the UCF Knights and represented by mascot Knightro, compete in NCAA Division I and the American Athletic Conference.[18]

History

Founding

Following President John F. Kennedy's September 1962 speech "We choose to go to the moon", in which he described his goal of accomplishing a crewed space flight to the moon by the end of the decade, the space program grew in importance and scope in Central Florida because of its proximity to Cape Canaveral.[19] Prominent residents and local leaders began lobbying the Florida State Legislature to increase access to higher education on the Space Coast. With the help of former state senate president William A. Shands and Senator Beth Johnson, on June 10, 1963, the legislature passed and Governor Farris Bryant signed into law Senate Bill No. 125, which authorized the Florida Board of Regents to create a new state university in East Central Florida.[20] The university was founded as a non-segregated and coeducational university, with the mission of educating students for space-age careers in engineering and other technological professions.

On January 24, 1964, the Board of Regents purchased 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of remote forest and pasture land along Alafaya Trail (SR 434) in northeast Orlando for $500,000 as the site of the new university. Local residents donated another 227 acres (0.92 km2), and raised more than $1 million in funds to secure the land acquisition.[20] In December 1965, the Board of Regents appointed Charles Millican the first president of the new university.[21] With the consultation of a citizen advisory group, Millican chose the name Florida Technological University, as well as co-designed the school's distinctive Pegasus seal.[22] Millican is also responsible for the university's slogan, "Reach for the Stars", for the two key principles of the school, "accent on excellence" and "accent on the individual", and for the campus's unique pedestrian-oriented concentric-circle layout, which was based on plans by Walt Disney and has become a model for other universities.[23] Millican and then-Governor Claude Kirk presided over FTU's groundbreaking in March 1967. On October 7, 1968, the inaugural classes were held in the school's first academic building. 1,948 students were enrolled in 55 degree programs within five colleges, led by 90 instructors and aided by 150 staff members, during the university's first year.[24] FTU graduated its first class of 423 seniors on June 14, 1970, with astronaut and Orlando native John Young giving the commencement address.

Millican selected the university's official colors, and had a role in selecting its first mascot, the Citronaut, a mix of an orange and an astronaut.[25] The Citronaut proved unpopular, so in 1969 the student newspaper, The Central Florida Future, encouraged mascot suggestions from students and faculty. The search for a replacement proved unsuccessful until 1970, when Judy Hines, a night nurse, proposed Vincent the Vulture. He served as the university's unofficial mascot for more than a year. In late 1971, students voted and selected the Knight of Pegasus as the school's official athletic mascot.[26] The nickname later evolved to the Golden Knights and eventually to the Knights.

After retiring as president in 1978, Millican identified his proudest moment leading the school as when President Richard Nixon delivered the university's spring 1973 commencement address.

Expansion

Entering office in 1978, the university's second president, Trevor Colbourn, recognized the diversification and growth of UCF's academic programs away from its strictly technological and scientific beginnings.[27] As the university developed strong business, education, and liberal arts programs, Colbourn recognized the university's name no longer recognized its mission. From its establishment the university was known as Florida Technological University, nicknamed Florida Tech, until December 1978 when Governor Reubin Askew signed legislation changing the school's name to the University of Central Florida.[7]

Colbourn established the university's honors program, and started the university's first satellite branch campus. In addition, he was responsible for constructing the Central Florida Research Park adjacent to the UCF campus, founded in 1978. The park serves as a major focus of simulation for space and defense-related research. It was part of Colbourn's plan to make UCF a world-class partnership university. Among the university's first partners were Lockheed Martin and the United States Navy, and Colbourn led the push to found both the Institute for Simulation and Training and the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers in 1986. During his tenure, enrollment increased from 11,000 in 1978 to over 18,000 in 1989.[28] Colbourn also supported the university's athletic programs. He was responsible for establishing the school's football program in 1979, which began an era of growth for the university. In April 1979, UCF awarded its 15,000th degree.

Hitt presidency

 
Former President Bill Clinton campaigning for Barack Obama at the CFE Arena in October 2008

In March 1992, John C. Hitt became UCF's fourth president, ushering in an era of unprecedented growth and prominence for the university. Once known mainly as a small commuter and technology school, in recent years UCF has undertaken an effort to increase its academic and research standing while also evolving into a more traditional research university. When Hitt took office, UCF's enrollment was 20,302. As of 2014, 60,821 students attend classes on 12 campuses spread across Central Florida. The university consists of 13 colleges and employs more than 10,150 faculty and staff.[7] Under Hitt's direction, UCF raised admissions standards, increased research funding, built new facilities, and established notable partnerships with major research institutions.[29]

Hitt's efforts resulted in not only an increase in the university's academic profile, but also an on-campus football stadium, new arena, more on-campus housing, and the development of the UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona. Until 1999, the Knights were represented by a jouster from the Medieval Times dinner show in nearby Kissimmee, Florida. That same year, Knightro was introduced at the staple homecoming event, Spirit Splash.

The past decade has seen enrollment increase by over 40%,[30] the acceptance rate for first time in college students falling from over 60% to near 40% in 2008, and the doubling of expected annual expenses.[7][30] Since 2000, UCF has awarded over 100,000 degrees.[7][30] It is the largest university in the nation in terms of undergraduate enrollment, the largest university in Florida,[31] and in 2003 was the fastest-growing university in the United States.[32] During its Spring 2010 graduation ceremonies, UCF awarded its 200,000th degree,[33] less than five years after awarding its 150,000th.[34]

Colbourn Hall scandal

In August 2018, the state university system's Board of Governors and the Florida Legislature opened an investigation into the university for misuse of state funds. On September 13, 2018, UCF admitted to misappropriating money intended for educational and operating expenses to build the new $38 million Trevor Colbourn Hall, leading to the resignation of CFO Bill Merck.[35] In January 2019, UCF severed ties with President Emeritus John Hitt after the investigation proved that UCF had misspent or planned to misspend over $85 million between 2013 and 2018.[36] Newly appointed president Dale Whittaker, who was a provost at UCF during Hitt's tenure, resigned in February 2019 after just seven months in office over allegations that he also knew about the misappropriation of funds.[37][38] Board of Trustees Chairman Marcos Marchena also resigned that month.[39] In August 2019, the final report into additional UCF construction projects revealed the balance of misdirected funds between July 2010 and August 2018 was $99.6 million (equivalent to $123.77 million in 2021).[40] The report found that key people in the university leadership of aware of the misdirection of the funds. UCF was fined by the state for 120% the cost of the misused funds.[41]

During its brief history, UCF has hosted numerous notable speakers. Among these are U.S. presidents Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, then senator and vice president Joe Biden, senators Bill Nelson, Marco Rubio, Mel Martinez, and John Edwards, Florida governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist, and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Campuses

Main campus

The University of Central Florida main campus is located along Alafaya Trail east of Orlando, Florida.[42]

 
Student Union

The campus is designed to be pedestrian-oriented, with a series of concentric circles.[citation needed] The outermost circle is Gemini Blvd, which is also the main road for vehicular traffic on campus. Inside of Gemini, there is Apollo Circle, Mercury Circle, and finally Pegasus Circle as the innermost circle.[43] Pegasus Circle contains the student union, with the John C. Hitt Library located directly to the south of it. All academic buildings are located inside of Gemini, with the circle divided up into pie-shaped sections for each college.[44] As there are very few roads inside of Gemini, many buildings' loading docks are accessible only by sidewalks and thus receive most deliveries at night. The University of Central Florida campus is one of only two in the nation with a concentric circle design, the other being the University of California, Irvine.[45] Newsweek ranked UCF as having the 20th most beautiful university campus in the country in 2011.[46]

 
Reflecting Pond and walkway in front of Millican Hall

Student housing is provided along the perimeter of the campus. Outside of Gemini, the campus is divided up into different themed sections. The northwest side of campus includes Greek communities, the north side contains Knights Plaza, an uptown style athletic village, the east side contains the Arboretum of the University of Central Florida, and the south side contains student recreation and wellness facilities.

Located directly south of the main campus is Central Florida Research Park, which is the seventh largest research park in the nation and the largest in Florida,[47] housing over 116 corporations. The park provides more than 10,000 jobs to over 500 students and thousands of alumni.[48]

Main Campus is one of the safest branches nationally in comparison of all branches in the US. The percent of crimes in Main Campus decreased from 0.12% (in 2010) to 0.07% (in 2014) crimes per year. The most common crimes detected on Main Campus were burglary, motor vehicle theft, and aggravated assault.[49]

Regional campuses

In addition to its Orlando campus, the University of Central Florida has several other campuses to service the Central Florida region.

In Orlando, there is one other campus, located at Valencia West, as well as partnerships with local colleges, including College of Central Florida, Daytona State College, Eastern Florida State College, Lake-Sumter State College, Seminole State College of Florida and Valencia College.[50] In addition, the Rosen College of Hospitality Management is located away from the main campus, in close proximity to the heart of Orlando's tourism and convention industries.

Outside Orlando, there are campuses in Cocoa, Clermont, Daytona Beach, Kissimmee, Leesburg, Ocala, Palm Bay, and Sanford.[50] In addition to having standard classes at these campuses, the institution offers a number of fully online degree programs through UCF Online.[51]

UCF, in partnership with local colleges, participates in a program called DirectConnect.[52] Through this program all students and alumni of College of Central Florida, Daytona State College, Eastern Florida State College, Lake-Sumter State College, Seminole State College of Florida, and Valencia College are assured admission to the university, though not necessarily to academic programs in the UCF colleges.

Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona

Main article: Lake Nona Medical City
 
UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona

The 50-acre (0.20 km2) UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona includes the UCF College of Medicine and the Burnett Biomedical Sciences Building. The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, a Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nemours Children's Hospital, M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Institute, turning the area into a medical city.[53][54][55] The campus will also serve as the future home of the UCF College of Nursing and the newly approved UCF College of Dental Medicine.[56][57] The College of Medicine welcomed its charter class in August 2009.

Upon completion of construction, the campus could accommodate as many as 5,000 upper division, professional, and graduate students and faculty members in the health-related programs, and include up to two million square feet of research and instruction space.[55][58]

Downtown Campus

In 2019, a 15-acre campus was opened in downtown Orlando in collaboration with Valencia College. It includes the Dr. Phillips Academic Commons, the Union West, and the UCF Communication and Media Building.[59]

Sustainability

Due to long-term environmental programs and commitments, UCF was named an exemplary green institution in the 2010 Princeton Review's Guide to 286 Green Colleges,[60] and the university has had its initiatives showcased by the U.S. Department of Energy.[61] UCF has pledged to become climate-neutral under the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment by 2050 at the latest, and to increase its recycling rate to 75% by 2020, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 42% by 2030.[62][63] Committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, all new construction must be designed and certified by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).[64] The UCF College of Medicine on the Health Sciences Campus is the only LEED Silver medical school in Florida.[65]

Administration

See also: List of presidents of the University of Central Florida and List of University of Central Florida faculty and administrators

As a part of the State University System of Florida, UCF falls under the purview of the Florida Board of Governors. The University of Central Florida is headed by the Board of Trustees, which governs the university, consisting of thirteen members that are appointed to staggered five-year terms by the Florida Board of Governors. The Student Government president and the faculty chair also serve on the board during the duration of their one-year term of office.[66]

The president of the University of Central Florida is the principal executive officer of the university. The office was formed upon creation of the university in 1963. The president is appointed by the board of trustees with the consent of the Florida Board of Governors and leads the university through its daily business.[67] Today, the president's office is located in Millican Hall on the university's main campus, and the president has the privilege of living in the Burnett House, also located on UCF's main campus. The fourth president of UCF, John C. Hitt, served from 1992 to 2018[68] and was succeeded by incumbent university president Dale Whittaker. After Whittaker's resignation in 2019, Thad Seymour, Jr. was appointed from his previous position as UCF's vice president for partnerships and chief innovation officer to serve as the university's interim president until a replacement could be chosen by the board of trustees.

Due to cutbacks in federal, state and local budgets, UCF has had over $140 million in funds cut from its operating budget since 2008.[69] This included a $53 million cut to UCF's 2012–13 fiscal year budget by the Florida legislature.[70] So far UCF has been able to endure the budget cuts by implementing a hiring freeze, putting an end to some faculty perks, such as free seminars, cutting executive pay, and through wise management of funds.[71] To help counter the budget decreases, the university received $18 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.[72] UCF's operating budget for the 2014–15 fiscal year is $1.5 billion, a 13.9% increase from the previous year.[7] UCF's financial endowment, administered by the University of Central Florida Foundation, Inc., was valued at $162 million in 2020.[73]

Academics

The University of Central Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools according to the U.S. Department of Education.[74] UCF's academic calendar is based on the semester system,[75] with the typical fall semester running from the end of August until the beginning of December, and the typical spring semester running from the beginning of January through the beginning of May. In addition, UCF offers four different summer semesters, A, B, C, and D, ranging from six weeks to twelve weeks.[76] The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies UCF as a "large four-year, primarily nonresidential" university with a "comprehensive doctoral" graduate instructional program and "highest research activity."[77]

Student profile

Enrollment in UCF (2017 - 2023)
Academic Year Undergraduates Graduate Total Enrollment
2017-2018[78] 56,972 8,726 66,183
2018-2019[79] 58,913 9,168 68,571
2019-2020[80] 59,483 9,553 69,525
2020-2021[81] 61,456 10,002 71,948
2021-2022[82] 60,075 9,847 70,406
2022-2023[83] 58,749 9,210 68,442
Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
Race and ethnicity[84] Total
White 46% 46
 
Hispanic 29% 29
 
Black 10% 10
 
Asian 7% 7
 
Other[a] 5% 5
 
Foreign national 3% 3
 
Economic diversity
Low-income[b] 30% 30
 
Affluent[c] 70% 70
 

UCF's student body consists of 61,456 undergraduates and 10,002 graduate and professional students and 490 M.D. students from all 67 Florida counties, all 50 states and 157 countries. Study abroad programs allow UCF students to study and conduct research in 42 programs in 21 countries.[7] The ten largest undergraduate disciplines at UCF are respectively: business management and administration, health professions and related, psychology, education, engineering, biology, multi/interdisciplinary studies, communications, visual and performing arts, and social sciences.[7]

In the new millennium, enrollment has increased by over sixty percent at UCF, from 33,453 in 2000,[30] to 64,318 in 2016.[7] Of the more than 60,000 students, 11 percent are graduate and professional students, while women make up 55% of the student body. Nearly 20 percent of UCF faculty are minorities. According to the May 2009 edition of Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine, UCF is one of the best 100 colleges in the United States for Hispanic students seeking bachelor's degrees.[85] 22% of UCF students are above the age of 25.[7]

Due to budget decreases and increased demands on the university, the UCF Board of Trustees, with the approval of the Board of Governors and the Florida Legislature, approved a 15% increase in tuition for the 2012–13 academic year.[86] For the 2020–21 academic year, undergraduate tuition costs were $212.28 per credit hour for in-state students, and $748.89 per credit hour for out-of-state students.[87] Graduate tuition costs were $369.65 per credit hour for in-state students, and $1,194.05 per credit hour for out-of-state students.[87] Tuition for the medical school is $25,490 for both in-state and out-of-state students.[87] Estimated annual cost for undergraduate students is $22,2849 for Florida residents, and $38,949 for non-Florida residents. Expected costs for graduate students are $22,072 for in-state students, and $38,878 for out-of-state students.[88] About 8% of tuition fees are allocated to support the university's athletic programs.[89]

Rankings

U.S. News & World Report rankings
National Universities[99]137 (tie)
Public Universities[99]64 (tie)
Criminology[100]22
Education[101]58
Engineering[99]73
Healthcare Management[102]46
Math [103]110
Nursing [104]52
Public Affairs[105]39

For 2015, U.S. News & World Report ranked UCF as the third-best "up-and-coming" national university.[106][107] In addition, U.S. News & World Report ranked The University of Central Florida as the 10th most innovative school, 91st among public universities, and 168th overall on the list of Tier I National Universities.[108][109] Kiplinger rated UCF 42nd among the "Best Values in Public Colleges" in the United States in 2014.[110] The university was also rated as one of "50 Best Value Public Universities" by USA Today and The Princeton Review.[111] UCF is listed among "The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition," and was ranked as a "Best Southeastern College" by The Princeton Review.[112] Many of the University of Central Florida's graduate programs have received top-100 rankings from U.S. News & World Report. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked UCF's engineering, education, speech language pathology, public administration, criminology, healthcare, nursing, physics, physical therapy, space science, social work, speech-language pathology, and computer science programs all within the top 100 in their respective fields.[113] Five UCF programs as among the nation's "Best Graduate Schools."[114] U.S. News & World Report ranked the university's atomic, molecular, and optical physics program 13th nationally, the nonprofit management public affairs program 25th, and the counselor education program now breaking the top 10 at 9th in the nation.[113] In 2012, the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science was ranked 70th nationally,[115] while the College of Education and Human Performance was ranked 64th,[116] and the Physics program was ranked 102nd in 2010.[117] The Princeton Review ranked the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA) 2nd in graduate video game design in 2012.[118]

The 2014 Academic Ranking of World Universities list assessed The University of Central Florida as among the top-300 world universities and the top-109 in the United States, based on overall research output and faculty awards.[119] UCF's engineering and business schools were rated as among the top-150, and the university's social sciences, computer science, and mathematics programs were ranked among the top-200 globally.[120] UCF offers both Army and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs which are rated among the top 15 percent nationally.[121] In 2010, Bloomberg BusinessWeek ranked the UCF College of Business Administration as the number one public business school for return on investment in the nation,[122] and as a Top Undergraduate Business Program.[123] The university has also been recognized by Bill Gates as a leading institution.[124][125]

The University of Central Florida ranks eighth among national universities "least likely to leave graduates in debt,"[126] and was also ranked as one of the most economically diverse universities in 2009, 2010, and 2011 by U.S. News & World Report.[127] In 2011, Forbes listed UCF as the 42nd most-affordable university in the nation.[128] The university is also considered a top school in awarding degrees to minority students, ranking 12th nationally for total undergraduate degrees awarded to Hispanic students and 18th for undergraduate degrees awarded to African-American students.[129]

Admissions

Fall first-time freshman admission statistics
  2022[83] 2021[82] 2020[81] 2019[80] 2018[79] 2017[78]
Applicants 54,977 48,927 47,957 45,118 41,816 37,693
Admits 22,560 17,797 21,661 20,016 17,786 18,810
Enrolls 7,512 7,091 8,039 7,323 7,234 6,860
Admit rate 41.0% 36.4% 45.2% 44.4% 42.5% 49.9%
Yield rate 33.3% 39.8% 37.1% 36.6% 40.7% 36.5%
SAT composite* 1200–1360
(71%†)		 1170⁠–1350
(73%†)		 1160⁠–1340
(77%†)		 1170–1340
(79%†)		 1160–1340
(70%†)		 1150–1320
(60%†)
ACT composite* 25–29
(29%†)		 25–30
(27%†)		 25–30
(23%†)		 25–30
(21%†)		 25–29
(30%†)		 24–29
(40%†)
* middle 50% range
† percentage of first-time freshmen who chose to submit

UCF's admission rate for first-time-in-college freshmen has declined from 61% of prospective students admitted in the Fall of 2005, to 42% for Fall 2020.[130] Due to the decrease in the rate of admission, UCF is rated as a "selective" university by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.[77]

34% of accepted applicants were in the top ten percent of their graduating class, while 72% of accepted applicants were in the top quarter of their high school class rankings.[131] Freshmen enrolled in Fall 2020 posted average SAT scores of 1320, ACT scores of 28.7 and average high school weighted GPAs of 4.18.[132] UCF is in the top 20 percent of universities in the nation for SAT average and the top 25 percent for GPA average.[133] 71% of undergraduates receive financial aid. 90% of students receive scholarships through the Florida Bright Futures program.[134] Forty percent of incoming freshman received Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or an equivalent college credit upon entrance, while 30% of the freshman class received merit based scholarships.[134] The retention rate of the 2010 freshman class was 87%.[135]

More freshmen and transfer students applied to UCF during 2015 than any other public university in Florida, and UCF also awarded more bachelor's degrees than any other Florida public university that year.[136][137] UCF is ranked 2nd in Florida, and 34th in the United States, by the number of National Merit Scholars enrolled.[138] 335 National Merit Scholars enrolled at UCF for the Fall 2020 term.

Colleges

Overview

 
College of Sciences
 
Engineering Center
 
Teaching Academy

The university currently houses thirteen colleges that offer 101 baccalaureate programs, 88 master's programs, 31 doctoral programs, three specialist programs, and one professional program (Medicine). In addition, 75% of the faculty have doctorate degrees, and 46% currently have tenure at the university.[7][139] The thirteen colleges house 41 separate degree-granting departments and schools.[139]

By enrollment, the three largest undergraduate units are the College of Sciences, the College of Business Administration, and the College of Health and Public Affairs.[7] At the graduate level, the College of Graduate Studies serves as the central administrative unit of graduate education at the university.[140] Graduate students are also students of one of the other twelve colleges at the university. The university is currently seeking the approval of a College of Dental Medicine, which would be housed at the Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona.[141][142]

The Burnett Honors College

Main article: The Burnett Honors College

The University Honors Program, administered by the Burnett Honors College is designed for 500 accomplished incoming undergraduates annually. Undergraduates enrolled in the Honors College participate in smaller classes with faculty, including individual research programs or assigned research in the area of a sponsoring faculty member. Another program offered by the college is Honors in the Major, which allows juniors and seniors to conduct original research within their major and write an undergraduate honors thesis.[143] The latest Honors College incoming class had an average SAT score of 1373 and a 4.16 grade-point average.[144] Honors students have the option to reside in a specifically designed living-learning community, composed entirely of honors students, in Tower III at Knights Plaza.[145]

College of Medicine

Main article: University of Central Florida College of Medicine

The UCF College of Medicine was established in 2006 by the Florida Legislature and the Florida Board of Governors to increase opportunities for medical education in Florida. The College of Medicine welcomed its charter class of 41 students on August 3, 2009, and eventually will produce about 120 medical graduates a year.[146]

 
UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona

With more than 4,300 applications for 41 available positions, UCF broke the state university record for most applications, and for 2009 it was the most selective medical school in the country.[147] For the class of 2014, there were 3,761 applicants and only 60 were accepted.[148] This initial class had the highest average MCAT score, 32.2, and GPA, 3.8, of any incoming class of medical students in the state.[149] The inaugural class had a median age of 28, with 25% of the class composed of out-of-state students.[148] The charter class completed their first year of courses on the UCF main campus, while the Lake Nona Medical City was completed. Every member of the inaugural class received a full scholarship, including tuition and basic living expenses, for their entire four years at the university, valued at over $160,000.[150]

The university aims for the college to become a research-intensive medical school, with the aid of the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, The UCF Lake Lona Cancer Center, a Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nemours Children's Hospital, Tavistock Group, and a M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Institute, all located on the College of Medicine's Lake Nona campus.[53]

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

 
Rosen College of Hospitality Management
Main article: Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Located near the Orange County Convention Center on Universal Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, the college's 20-acre (0.081 km2) campus is designed to imitate a resort-style feel, with various areas of the college named for major donors to the college (e.g. Disney Dining Room, Universal Orlando Library, Darden Auditorium, and the state-of-the-art Anheuser Busch Beer & Wine Lab).[7][151] The campus includes the Three Pillars Cafe, a student-operated cafe that serves various cuisines and food items.[152] Regular Shuttle service is offered on most days that class is in session to and from the UCF Main Campus.[153]

The college features an on-site Campus Life Office and Career Services Office that coordinate on-campus activities and career development events in conjunction with the UCF Student Government Association. In 2005, the university opened two on-campus housing buildings, able to house 400 residents.[154] The college offers a variety of student organizations including associations such as Eta Sigma Delta (International Hospitality Management Honor Society), National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, the Professional Convention Management Association, and the National Association of Catering Executives, and the Global Association of Christian Hospitality Professionals. Rosen is currently ranked as the #5 Hospitality Management school in the nation (and the youngest of the top five programs so rated).[155]

Limited access programs

Among the colleges, a number of undergraduate academic programs are termed "limited access programs" which are programs where student demand exceeds available resources thus making admission to such program competitive.[156] Examples include academic programs taught under the Nicholson School of Communication and the music, theatre, dance, and medical laboratory sciences schools or departments.[157][158][159][160] Students must apply to join these programs separately from admission to the university. Criteria for admission varies but is generally very selective and includes factors such as indicators of ability, performance, creativity, and talent. Arts programs require competitive auditions and have some of the smallest numbers of undergraduate majors in the university.[139]

Libraries

 
John C. Hitt Library
Main article: University of Central Florida Libraries

The stated goal of the University of Central Florida libraries is to "support the research, teaching, learning and service commitments of students and faculty through widely-available access to collections of library resources, and to services to assist resource use."[161]

UCF Libraries collections include over 2.2 million print volumes, 3.2 million microforms, 330,000 government documents, 10,000 full text electronic journal subscriptions, 660,000 e-books, 40,000 media titles, a base of 43,000 serial subscriptions, in addition to special collections and university archives materials.[7] Notable collections within the library include the Bryant West Indies collection, the Van Sickle Leftist Pamphlet collection, the Book Arts Collection, collections of materials on tourism and hospitality, and materials on the history of Central Florida. UCF Libraries is a partner within the State University System of Florida Libraries.

Most of the print and media collection is housed in the John C. Hitt Library, which is located on UCF's main campus and is open to students, faculty and the public seven days a week. The library is five stories tall, and was the first academic building on campus.[162] Leonardo Nierman's sculpture Flame of Hope is displayed outside the entrance to the building, and Nierman's stained glass Genesis window is exhibited on the third floor of the library building.[163] In 2012, the main campus library was dedicated to honor John C. Hitt, UCF's fourth president, who at the time was celebrating his twentieth anniversary as university president.[164] In addition to the John C. Hitt Library, Rosen College library, Downtown Library, Curriculum Materials Center, and the Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library, UCF operates libraries at nine of its regional campuses throughout Central Florida.[165]

The student newspaper, the Central Florida Future, at one time was housed on the upper floor of the library before moving to the Central Florida Research Park. In 1984, a complete renovation of the original library was undertaken, as well as an addition that more than doubled the size of the building. University president Trevor Colbourn dedicated the newly remodeled and expanded library in February 1985. A $64.4 million expansion of the Hitt Library, which would add 212,400 square feet (19,730 m2) of space, as well as an Automated Retrieval System was recently approved by the university's Board of Trustees but may be delayed due to budget cuts.[166]

Currently, the library is working on its 21st Century Library Project, a multi-phased plan designed to create additional space for student learning, technology, collaboration, and research expansion.[167] The project upon completion will include the construction of a four-story automated retrieval center, increased quiet study space, and the creation of additional research and writing facilities on the fifth floor.[168]

Research

Further information: University of Central Florida research centers

The University of Central Florida fosters research among its thirteen academic colleges and schools, partnerships with corporations such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Siemens, and through partnerships with local community colleges.[169][170][171] UCF also houses a satellite campus at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. UCF is also a member of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.[172] The university has made noted research contributions to optics, modeling and simulation, digital media, engineering and computer science, business administration, education, and hospitality management.[citation needed]

UCF is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".[77] According to the National Science Foundation, UCF spent $215.3 million on research and development in 2018, ranking it 107th in the nation.[173] In 2009, UCF directly influenced 26,000 jobs and $1.96 billion in economic activity.[174] When UCF's economic impact is combined with that of the Central Florida Research Park, the university and park influenced 46,000 jobs and $3.84 billion in economic activity in 2009.[174] The new College of Medicine, which opened in August 2009, will create more than 30,000 local jobs and have an economic impact of $7.6 billion in its first few years.[175][needs update]

Metropolitan Orlando sustains the world's largest recognized cluster of modeling, simulation and training companies.[47] Located directly south of the main campus is the Central Florida Research Park, which is one of the largest research parks in the nation, providing more than 10,000 jobs. Research Park is the 7th largest research park in the nation, with 2,700 Department of Defense personnel and direct support contractors. Collectively, those defense organizations manage $5.2 billion in contracts every year.[176] Many of the employees in Research Park work with UCF researchers and students on projects in the sciences, engineering, photonics and optics, modeling and simulation, and health-related fields.

The university also conducts research through numerous institutions and centers, including the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers, Florida Solar Energy Center, Institute for Simulation and Training and Institute for Economic Competitiveness.

Student life

UCF has over 400 registered student organizations,[177] intramural sports, and an active Student Government Association. The university encourages student activism through organizations such as the Office of Student Involvement, the Multicultural Student Center, the Campus Activities Board, Volunteer UCF and Learning and Interacting with New Knights (LINK), an organization that fosters freshman involvement. In 2011, UCF was ranked as the 9th best party school in the country by Playboy.[178] In 2006, High Times magazine ranked UCF among the top five counterculture colleges in the nation.[179]

Traditions

 
Students in the Reflecting Pond during Spirit Splash

Spirit Splash is a homecoming tradition at UCF, and is traditionally the only time during the year that students are allowed into the Reflecting Pond. It has been named the best college tradition in Florida by Florida Leader magazine,[180] and among "The 20 Best College Traditions" by Business Insider.[181][182]

Spirit Splash occurs the Friday before the Homecoming game, and serves as a pep rally where students descend into the pond to demonstrate school spirit. Spirit Splash began in 1995 when then-Student Body President Miguel Torregrossa was pushed into the Reflecting Pond by one of his cabinet members and fellow students followed suit.[183] Along with the thousands of students who attend, there are members of the community, local dignitaries, alumni, children and even dogs who come to join in on the festivities. Knightro, the Marching Knights, cheerleaders, student athletes, and dancers all participate in the pep rally, usually followed by a concert. Spirit Splash was made possible in part by weight testing performed on the Reflecting Pond in preparation for President Richard Nixon's visit to the university to speak at its 1973 commencement. It was determined that the best way to protect the president would be to hold commencement in the pond itself, after being drained, so that Secret Service agents could be stationed on the roofs of the adjacent buildings.[184]

One of the newest traditions on the UCF campus pertains to the Pegasus seal in the center of the main floor of the Student Union. From their first day on campus for orientation, new students are told to never walk on the Pegasus. As the tradition is told, those who step on the seal will never graduate from UCF. Usually the seal is roped off with heavy black velvet ropes, but when the ropes are not in place, students can be seen carefully avoiding the seal. In 2005, Florida Leader magazine named this new tradition the best college superstition in Florida.[185]

Recreation

 
Recreation and Wellness Center

Many different recreational organizations and facilities are available on the UCF campus. Lake Claire is an on-campus lake with canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats available for rent (free to UCF students), and a small beachfront.[186][187] In addition, UCF's Challenge Course is one of only five in the country to contain a high elements course.[188]

UCF's main campus also boasts two Recreation and Wellness Centers. The main center is located on the south side of campus, adjacent to the Academic Village. The second gym is located in Knights Plaza on the north side of campus. The Centers are open to all students, and paid memberships are available for non-students.[189] The Wellness Centers offer programs to boost students' understanding of their health, provides discounted blood and STD testing, staffs certified personal trainers, and teaches methods to maintain good health.

The main UCF Recreation and Wellness Center, which opened in 2002, is a 150,000 square feet (14,000 m2) building that comprises five programs: Intramural Sports, Sport Clubs, Outdoor Adventure, Fitness, and Aquatics.[190] The main recreation center includes a custom climbing wall with more than 20 different routes, as well as, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, a disc golf course, numerous intramural sports fields, a leisure pool, and an outdoor lap pool.[191] The Recreation and Wellness Center at Knights Plaza, which opened in 2013, is a 8,700 square feet (810 m2) facility. It houses a cardio workout area, a circuit area, and a mind and body studio designed for group exercise.[192]

Student government

Main article: University of Central Florida Student Government
 
Boardwalk behind UCF Student Union

The University of Central Florida's Student Government (UCF SG) is an advocacy group for the students who attend the university, representing the university's approximately 70,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. It is the largest Student Government within the state of Florida and one of the largest in the United States.[193] It also often places in the top ten student governments nationally for the services and outreach it provides for the students it serves.[citation needed] UCF SG operates within a multimillion-dollar budget.[194] It funds and operates five campus departments—the Recreation and Wellness Center, the Office of Student Involvement, Student Legal Services, the A&SF Business Office, and the Student Union—while also providing around $1 million in funding to nearly 600 registered student organizations.[195][196]

UCF SG was officially established in 1976 and consists of an executive, judicial, and legislative branch. The executive branch is headed by the student body president and student body vice president. Within the executive branch are between 15 and 20 appointed and paid cabinet members that oversee everything from safety and transportation on campus to governmental affairs. The student body president, by mandate of Florida law, serves on the university's board of trustees for a period of one year. The student body president and student body vice president are elected in annual elections held in the spring and both receive a paid salary that ranges from $15,000 to $19,000 per year.[197] The legislative branch is composed of 70 senators elected each spring, and senators serve a one-year term in which they represent students in their respective colleges.[198] Student senators annually elect a Speaker of the Senate, who receives an annual salary between $10,000 and $12,000 per year,[199] and a Senate President Pro Tempore. Under state law, the Student Senate allocates the university's activity and service fee budget, which was $21.1 million in fiscal year 22-23.[200] The judicial branch consists of a paid Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices who preside over student conduct hearings and parking appeals.[201]

Media

KnightNews.com is the only digital student newspaper serving the UCF community, and it operates without oversight from the university administration.[202] KnightNews.com won the College Press Freedom Award in 2016 for its work fighting for open government. A print newspaper, the Central Florida Future, was shutdown in August 2016. The Future, which also ran without university oversight, was one of the largest student-run newspapers in the United States. It focused on campus and local news coverage, but also featured national and international stories. The university itself publishes two magazines, Centric and Pegasus. Centric is the official student magazine of the university, and Pegasus is the official university magazine.

The university has operated WUCF-FM, a NPR station, since 1978. The station broadcasts Jazz that reaches Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Lake and Volusia counties in central Florida. They broadcast an Internet program that is heard worldwide.[203] In 2011, the university purchased WUCF-TV, which is Central Florida's only Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) television station. As the region's sole PBS affiliate, the station broadcasts to an estimated population of 4.6 million people in its aerial viewing area.[204][205]

One limited access program at UCF is the Jazz Studies program, which launched a professional recording label for the university, Flying Horse Records. The program's faculty group, The Jazz Professors, and their student group, The Flying Horse Big Band, have both issued professional recordings since 2011 for the university label and all of which have charted in the top 50. The faculty group album "Do That Again" charted in the top 10.[206][207][208]

Residential life

 
Tower One at Knights Plaza

The university currently houses 11,000 beds on-campus in eight different housing communities.[209] Residence hall style suites are available in the Libra, Apollo, Hercules, Nike, and Neptune communities. All of the residence hall suites have bathrooms shared between 2 or 3 rooms as opposed to communal bathrooms. Apartment-style housing is available in the Academic Village (Nike and Hercules) communities, the Towers at Knights Plaza, the Lake Claire Courtyard Apartments Community, and NorthView. UCF also has 400 beds at the Rosen College Apartments Community, located on the Rosen College of Hospitality Management campus. The majority of all on campus housing is occupied by freshman, though The Towers at Knights Plaza house mainly upper-classmen, student athletes, and honors students.[145][210][211] Residents of the Towers Communities and Rosen College Apartments sign annual contracts to rent their apartments for a full academic year (fall, spring, and summer), whereas residents of all other standard housing communities on the main campus sign academic contracts to rent their rooms only for one or two semesters at a time.[212] Housing on the main campus typically fills to capacity well before the start of the Fall semester, and cannot accommodate everyone who applies.

In addition, about 3,750 beds are available at the university-affiliated housing communities of Knights Circle and The Pointe at Central, which are off-campus apartment communities owned by The University of Central Florida Foundation, Inc.[213][214] and managed by Asset Living.[215] These communities contain many UCF services such as Resident Assistants, UCF Police service, reduced rent and offer shuttle service to and from campus on class days.[216] The university also administers NorthView, which is owned and operated by UCF and located directly north of the main campus in Oviedo. NorthView houses 600 students, and includes a Hillel Jewish Student Center, a Catholic Student Center, and a common space for other faith based organizations to use.[217]

Greek housing is also available on the main campus in the Greek Park community, which consists of close to 500 beds.[218] There are ten sororities and three fraternities housed on campus, with eleven fraternities offering housing off campus.[218]

Greek life

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at The University of Central Florida is separated into five divisions: UCF Greek Council, Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Panhellenic Council, and the Diversified Greek Council.[219] The Order of Omega has a chapter at the university.[220]

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) comprises 18 fraternities, and the Panhellenic Council is made up of 12 sororities.[221] In addition there are also many multicultural and honor Greek organizations. The Diversified Greek Council consists of 9 cultural organizations, four fraternities and five sororities.[221] The National Pan-Hellenic Council comprises nine historically black organizations, five fraternities and four sororities.[221] There are now also three recognized fraternal organizations for Christian students.[222][223][224]

Greek life at the University of Central Florida involves more than 3,000 students in over 45 chapters.[225] Approximately 11% of current undergraduate males and 9% of undergraduate females are members of either a sorority or fraternity.[226]

The average GPA of Greek Life is higher than the overall university average.[227] UCF's Greek Life won the inaugural Mid-American Conference Grade Point Average Award, which is given to the university with the highest Greek GPA above their campus' non-Greek GPA. In 2003, Florida Leader Magazine named UCF the university with the best Greek academics program in the state.[228]

Mr. & Miss UCF

Since 1984 the Mr. & Miss University of Central Florida Scholarship Program has been providing scholarships and opportunities to UCF students. The program is open to all service-fee paying students at UCF who have at least a 2.5 UCF GPA. Auditions are held each year in September shortly after the fall semester begins and new titleholders are chosen in February. Mr. & Miss UCF make appearances all over Orlando and the Central Florida area, promoting their individual platforms as well as spreading school spirit and pride.

Athletics

Main article: UCF Knights

The University of Central Florida features a large variety of intercollegiate athletics teams, known as the "UCF Knights", which compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the American Athletic Conference (The American).[note 1][229][230]

UCF fields 15 varsity teams, 6 men, and 9 women. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, and tennis. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, rowing, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.[231]

 
UCF's Football stadium

The Knights varsity teams have won numerous conference titles, and two national titles. UCF, as members of Conference USA (C-USA) between 2005 and 2013, were conference champions in football in 2007 and 2010, and women's basketball in 2009 and 2010. The women's volleyball team won the AIAW Small College Division national championship in 1978 (at the time the women's sports equivalent of NCAA Division II; the NCAA did not sanction women's sports until the 1980s), and the men's basketball team reached the Division II Elite Eight the same year.[232][233] The Knights only other national championship was in 2017, when they were named national champions in football by the Colley Matrix. While they did not play in that season's College Football Playoff, they finished the 2017 season unbeaten. The Colley Matrix was the only NCAA-recognized selector to name UCF the national champions.

The UCF cheerleading team, which is a club sport, has also captured national titles. They have won three at the College Cheerleading and Dance Team Nationals, in 2003, 2007 and 2020.[234][235][236] As the reigning national champions, the cheerleading team was followed by WE tv's cheerleading show, Cheerleader U in 2008.[237]

The UCF varsity athletic program began during the 1969–70 academic year. Then known as the "Florida Technological University Knights of Pegasus", the university was a charter member of the Sunshine State Conference in 1975. Since the 1970s, the UCF athletic programs have become a major competitor in college athletics. Their development culminated in the mid-2000s, when the Knights joined C-USA in 2005 and debuted a new athletic village in 2007. Advertised as "Bringing the Knights home", the newly developed athletic village on the north end of campus known as Knights Plaza, consisted of a new 10,000-seat indoor sports venue now known as Addition Financial Arena, a new 44,000-seat football stadium known as FBC Mortgage Stadium, a new softball complex, and the only Division I indoor football practice facility in the state.[238] The debut of the athletic village made UCF the first university to ever open a new stadium and arena during the same year.[239] The athletic complex surrounding Knights Plaza also includes Jay Bergman Field, the UCF Soccer and Track Stadium and numerous practice facilities. To coincide with the opening of the athletic village, the university also debuted new athletic logos and an update to mascot Knightro.[240]

The Knights football program began in 1979. UCF competed in the playoffs three times before ascending to the FBS level in 1996. The Knights have won two conference championships and four division titles. In UCF's first year in C-USA, the team experienced the fourth-best turnaround in NCAA history by winning the conference's eastern division and earning its first bowl berth in the 4th Annual Hawai'i Bowl.[241] Celebrating their inaugural year in their new on-campus stadium, the 2007 UCF Football team won the C-USA Championship for the first time in the school's history and the eastern division for the second time in three seasons, securing a berth to the school's second bowl game, the 49th Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl. During the 2010 season, for the first time in school history, the Knights garnered national rankings, finishing the season with a top–20 ranking.[242][243] The Knights won the 2010 C-USA Championship game, securing a berth to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in which the team earned their first-ever bowl victory, a 10–6 win over Georgia.[244][245] In 2013, the Knights joined the American Athletic Conference (AAC) as a full member, won the conference's inaugural football championship, and upset the sixth-ranked Big 12 Conference champion Baylor Bears in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. In 2017, the Knights finished with the only undefeated season in the FBS after a third AAC Championship win and a victory over the eighth-ranked Auburn Tigers in the 2018 Peach Bowl.

The UCF men's basketball team started in 1969 under head coach Torchy Clark. The Knights have advanced to the NCAA tournament ten times, including a trip to the Final Four in 1978.[233] The program has won seven conference regular-season championships and five conference tournament titles. The 2008–09 UCF men's team featured senior Jermaine Taylor, who was one of the nation's top scorers averaging over 20 points per game.[246] Following a 10–0 start to the 2010–11 season, and being one of nine unbeaten teams, the Knights led by coach Donnie Jones and guard Marcus Jordan were nationally ranked for the first time in program history.[247] In the 2016-17 season, newly hired head coach Johnny Dawkins took the Knights to a semi-final berth in the NIT for the first time in school history. UCF was a layup away from advancing to the Sweet Sixteen and beating Duke, the consensus number-one seed, in the 2019 NCAA tournament, as Coach Dawkins, with his son on the team, faced off against his own previous coach, Mike Krzyzewski.

Notable alumni

See also: List of University of Central Florida alumni

Graduates include a prime minister, a Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, a United States assistant secretary of state, a Deputy assistant secretary at the Department of the Treasury, a Director of the National Reconnaissance Office, and a Director of the Secret Service; in addition many members of the Florida Cabinet, Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate, two National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts, along with various NASA leadership positions. Many officers in the armed forces have come through the Army and Air Force ROTC programs, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Officer Candidate School, Air Force Officer Training School, Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School and Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class.[47][248][249][250][251] UCF graduates have held leadership positions in the United States Congress, United States Department of Defense, Army Corps of Engineers, and the Environmental Protection Agency.[252]

 
Olympian Phil Dalhausser

Alumni have also achieved success as executives for many Fortune 500 companies, including Google, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Busch Entertainment Corporation, Harris Corporation, Darden Restaurants, Ericsson, the Orlando Magic and Texas Rangers, Sun Sports and Fox Sports Florida, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and Yahoo!.[citation needed] As a leader in technological education, UCF graduates are contributing greatly to Global innovation including Taylor Gerring co-founder of Ethereum and Jason Eichenholz Co-founder of autonomous driving pioneer Luminar Technologies. UCF graduates have founded and contributed greatly to numerous successful companies including George Kalogridis, President of segment development and enrichment The Walt Disney Company. Chris Marlin, Founder Lennar International. Christopher Tomasso, CEO First Watch (restaurant chain). Jason DiBona, CEO AreoClean Technologies. UCF graduates have also made notable contributions in the entertainment industry, including Cheryl Hines, widely known for her role as Cheryl David on the HBO television series Curb Your Enthusiasm; Daniel Tosh, host of Tosh.0 on Comedy Central; and Chris Fuller, the independent filmmaker behind Loren Cass. In addition, The Blair Witch Project, which is considered one of the most successful independent films produced,[253] was filmed and directed by UCF alumni Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez.[254] As a major competitor in college athletics, UCF has had notable student athletes, coaches, and staff members including NFL players Blake Bortles, A. J. Bouye, Daunte Culpepper, Shaquill Griffin, Shaquem Griffin, Brandon Marshall, Latavius Murray, Matt Prater, Asante Samuel and Kevin Smith; NBA players Jermaine Taylor, and Tacko Fall; wrestler Parker Boudreaux; woman's soccer player and Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Female Player of the Century Michelle Akers. As of 2019, more than 70 UCF alumni compete in professional sports like basketball, football, baseball, golf, and soccer.

Several UCF alumni work as professional journalists, for both local and national outlets. Christal Hayes covers the US Congress for USA Today. Derek Lowe covers South Florida for WPTV NewsChannel5.[255] Ryan Bass is the main anchor at WTSP in Tampa.[256] The three journalists worked at the student media outlet KnightNews.com while they were UCF students.[257]

Notable faculty

Main article: List of University of Central Florida faculty and administrators

The faculty at UCF includes many notable and prestigious members, including two former United States ambassadors, a former member United States congressman, and a former vice president of Walt Disney Creative Entertainment, to name a few. Other faculty include winners of the Pulitzer Prize and Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize, the developer of the Flesch–Kincaid readability tests, and the authors of the Mathematical Circles and Political Analysis series.[258] As a result of the work of professors and the Florida Space Institute, UCF will become the first Florida university to lead a NASA mission.[259]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ In football, UCF competes in the NCAA NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), still often referred to by its former designation of "Division I-A."
  1. ^ Other consists of Multiracial Americans & those who prefer to not say.
  2. ^ The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
  3. ^ The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.

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External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to University of Central Florida.
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Coordinates: 28°36′06″N 81°12′02″W / 28.6016°N 81.2005°W / 28.6016; -81.2005

February 05, 2023
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UCF redirects here For other uses see UCF disambiguation Not to be confused with College of Central Florida The University of Central Florida UCF is a public research university whose main campus is in unincorporated Orange County Florida 9 UCF also has nine smaller regional campuses throughout central Florida It is part of the State University System of Florida With 70 406 students as of the Fall 2021 semester UCF has the second largest student body of any public university in the United States 10 University of Central FloridaFormer namesFlorida Technological University 1966 1978 Motto Reach for the Stars TypePublic research universityEstablishedJune 10 1963 59 years ago 1963 06 10 Parent institutionState University System of FloridaAccreditationSACSAcademic affiliationsSpace grantEndowment 201 million 2022 1 2 Budget 2 1 billion 2021 3 PresidentAlexander CartwrightProvostMichael D JohnsonAcademic staff1 906 Fall 2020 4 Administrative staff10 448 Fall 2020 4 Students70 406 Fall 2021 5 6 623 online 3 LocationOrlando Florida United StatesCampusLarge Suburb 6 Main 1 415 acres 2 211 sq mi Total 1 893 acres 2 958 sq mi 7 Colors Black UCF Bright Gold 8 NicknameKnightsSporting affiliationsNCAA Division I FBS The American until June 30 2023 Big 12 from July 1 2023 MascotKnightroPegasus and the UCF KnightCitronaut Legacy Websitewww wbr ucf wbr eduUCF was founded in 1963 and opened in 1968 as Florida Technological University with the mission to provide personnel to support the growing U S space program at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Florida s Space Coast As its academic scope expanded beyond engineering and technology Florida Tech was renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978 UCF s space roots continue as it leads the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium 11 Initial enrollment was 1 948 students 12 enrollment in 2022 exceeds 70 000 students from 157 countries all 50 states and Washington D C 13 14 Most students attend classes on the university s main campus 13 miles 21 km east of downtown Orlando and 35 miles 56 km west of Cape Canaveral 7 15 UCF offers more than 230 degrees through 13 colleges at 10 regional campuses in Central Florida including the Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona Medical City the Rosen College of Hospitality Management in south Orlando and the UCF Center for Emerging Media in downtown Orlando 16 Since its founding UCF has awarded more than 346 000 degrees including over 60 000 graduate and professional degrees 2 Its official colors are black and gold and the university logo is Pegasus which symbolizes the university s vision of limitless possibilities 17 The university s intercollegiate sports teams known as the UCF Knights and represented by mascot Knightro compete in NCAA Division I and the American Athletic Conference 18 Contents 1 History 1 1 Founding 1 2 Expansion 1 3 Hitt presidency 1 3 1 Colbourn Hall scandal 2 Campuses 2 1 Main campus 2 2 Regional campuses 2 3 Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona 2 4 Downtown Campus 2 5 Sustainability 3 Administration 4 Academics 4 1 Student profile 4 2 Rankings 4 3 Admissions 4 4 Colleges 4 4 1 Overview 4 4 2 The Burnett Honors College 4 4 3 College of Medicine 4 4 4 Rosen College of Hospitality Management 4 5 Limited access programs 4 6 Libraries 4 7 Research 5 Student life 5 1 Traditions 5 2 Recreation 5 3 Student government 5 4 Media 5 5 Residential life 5 6 Greek life 6 Athletics 7 Notable alumni 8 Notable faculty 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 External linksHistory EditFounding Edit Following President John F Kennedy s September 1962 speech We choose to go to the moon in which he described his goal of accomplishing a crewed space flight to the moon by the end of the decade the space program grew in importance and scope in Central Florida because of its proximity to Cape Canaveral 19 Prominent residents and local leaders began lobbying the Florida State Legislature to increase access to higher education on the Space Coast With the help of former state senate president William A Shands and Senator Beth Johnson on June 10 1963 the legislature passed and Governor Farris Bryant signed into law Senate Bill No 125 which authorized the Florida Board of Regents to create a new state university in East Central Florida 20 The university was founded as a non segregated and coeducational university with the mission of educating students for space age careers in engineering and other technological professions On January 24 1964 the Board of Regents purchased 1 000 acres 4 0 km2 of remote forest and pasture land along Alafaya Trail SR 434 in northeast Orlando for 500 000 as the site of the new university Local residents donated another 227 acres 0 92 km2 and raised more than 1 million in funds to secure the land acquisition 20 In December 1965 the Board of Regents appointed Charles Millican the first president of the new university 21 With the consultation of a citizen advisory group Millican chose the name Florida Technological University as well as co designed the school s distinctive Pegasus seal 22 Millican is also responsible for the university s slogan Reach for the Stars for the two key principles of the school accent on excellence and accent on the individual and for the campus s unique pedestrian oriented concentric circle layout which was based on plans by Walt Disney and has become a model for other universities 23 Millican and then Governor Claude Kirk presided over FTU s groundbreaking in March 1967 On October 7 1968 the inaugural classes were held in the school s first academic building 1 948 students were enrolled in 55 degree programs within five colleges led by 90 instructors and aided by 150 staff members during the university s first year 24 FTU graduated its first class of 423 seniors on June 14 1970 with astronaut and Orlando native John Young giving the commencement address Millican selected the university s official colors and had a role in selecting its first mascot the Citronaut a mix of an orange and an astronaut 25 The Citronaut proved unpopular so in 1969 the student newspaper The Central Florida Future encouraged mascot suggestions from students and faculty The search for a replacement proved unsuccessful until 1970 when Judy Hines a night nurse proposed Vincent the Vulture He served as the university s unofficial mascot for more than a year In late 1971 students voted and selected the Knight of Pegasus as the school s official athletic mascot 26 The nickname later evolved to the Golden Knights and eventually to the Knights After retiring as president in 1978 Millican identified his proudest moment leading the school as when President Richard Nixon delivered the university s spring 1973 commencement address Expansion Edit Entering office in 1978 the university s second president Trevor Colbourn recognized the diversification and growth of UCF s academic programs away from its strictly technological and scientific beginnings 27 As the university developed strong business education and liberal arts programs Colbourn recognized the university s name no longer recognized its mission From its establishment the university was known as Florida Technological University nicknamed Florida Tech until December 1978 when Governor Reubin Askew signed legislation changing the school s name to the University of Central Florida 7 Colbourn established the university s honors program and started the university s first satellite branch campus In addition he was responsible for constructing the Central Florida Research Park adjacent to the UCF campus founded in 1978 The park serves as a major focus of simulation for space and defense related research It was part of Colbourn s plan to make UCF a world class partnership university Among the university s first partners were Lockheed Martin and the United States Navy and Colbourn led the push to found both the Institute for Simulation and Training and the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers in 1986 During his tenure enrollment increased from 11 000 in 1978 to over 18 000 in 1989 28 Colbourn also supported the university s athletic programs He was responsible for establishing the school s football program in 1979 which began an era of growth for the university In April 1979 UCF awarded its 15 000th degree Hitt presidency Edit Former President Bill Clinton campaigning for Barack Obama at the CFE Arena in October 2008 In March 1992 John C Hitt became UCF s fourth president ushering in an era of unprecedented growth and prominence for the university Once known mainly as a small commuter and technology school in recent years UCF has undertaken an effort to increase its academic and research standing while also evolving into a more traditional research university When Hitt took office UCF s enrollment was 20 302 As of 2014 60 821 students attend classes on 12 campuses spread across Central Florida The university consists of 13 colleges and employs more than 10 150 faculty and staff 7 Under Hitt s direction UCF raised admissions standards increased research funding built new facilities and established notable partnerships with major research institutions 29 Hitt s efforts resulted in not only an increase in the university s academic profile but also an on campus football stadium new arena more on campus housing and the development of the UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona Until 1999 the Knights were represented by a jouster from the Medieval Times dinner show in nearby Kissimmee Florida That same year Knightro was introduced at the staple homecoming event Spirit Splash The past decade has seen enrollment increase by over 40 30 the acceptance rate for first time in college students falling from over 60 to near 40 in 2008 and the doubling of expected annual expenses 7 30 Since 2000 UCF has awarded over 100 000 degrees 7 30 It is the largest university in the nation in terms of undergraduate enrollment the largest university in Florida 31 and in 2003 was the fastest growing university in the United States 32 During its Spring 2010 graduation ceremonies UCF awarded its 200 000th degree 33 less than five years after awarding its 150 000th 34 Colbourn Hall scandal Edit In August 2018 the state university system s Board of Governors and the Florida Legislature opened an investigation into the university for misuse of state funds On September 13 2018 UCF admitted to misappropriating money intended for educational and operating expenses to build the new 38 million Trevor Colbourn Hall leading to the resignation of CFO Bill Merck 35 In January 2019 UCF severed ties with President Emeritus John Hitt after the investigation proved that UCF had misspent or planned to misspend over 85 million between 2013 and 2018 36 Newly appointed president Dale Whittaker who was a provost at UCF during Hitt s tenure resigned in February 2019 after just seven months in office over allegations that he also knew about the misappropriation of funds 37 38 Board of Trustees Chairman Marcos Marchena also resigned that month 39 In August 2019 the final report into additional UCF construction projects revealed the balance of misdirected funds between July 2010 and August 2018 was 99 6 million equivalent to 123 77 million in 2021 40 The report found that key people in the university leadership of aware of the misdirection of the funds UCF was fined by the state for 120 the cost of the misused funds 41 During its brief history UCF has hosted numerous notable speakers Among these are U S presidents Richard Nixon Bill Clinton and Barack Obama then senator and vice president Joe Biden senators Bill Nelson Marco Rubio Mel Martinez and John Edwards Florida governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist and First Lady Michelle Obama Campuses EditMain campus Edit The University of Central Florida main campus is located along Alafaya Trail east of Orlando Florida 42 Student Union The campus is designed to be pedestrian oriented with a series of concentric circles citation needed The outermost circle is Gemini Blvd which is also the main road for vehicular traffic on campus Inside of Gemini there is Apollo Circle Mercury Circle and finally Pegasus Circle as the innermost circle 43 Pegasus Circle contains the student union with the John C Hitt Library located directly to the south of it All academic buildings are located inside of Gemini with the circle divided up into pie shaped sections for each college 44 As there are very few roads inside of Gemini many buildings loading docks are accessible only by sidewalks and thus receive most deliveries at night The University of Central Florida campus is one of only two in the nation with a concentric circle design the other being the University of California Irvine 45 Newsweek ranked UCF as having the 20th most beautiful university campus in the country in 2011 46 Reflecting Pond and walkway in front of Millican Hall Student housing is provided along the perimeter of the campus Outside of Gemini the campus is divided up into different themed sections The northwest side of campus includes Greek communities the north side contains Knights Plaza an uptown style athletic village the east side contains the Arboretum of the University of Central Florida and the south side contains student recreation and wellness facilities Located directly south of the main campus is Central Florida Research Park which is the seventh largest research park in the nation and the largest in Florida 47 housing over 116 corporations The park provides more than 10 000 jobs to over 500 students and thousands of alumni 48 Main Campus is one of the safest branches nationally in comparison of all branches in the US The percent of crimes in Main Campus decreased from 0 12 in 2010 to 0 07 in 2014 crimes per year The most common crimes detected on Main Campus were burglary motor vehicle theft and aggravated assault 49 Regional campuses Edit In addition to its Orlando campus the University of Central Florida has several other campuses to service the Central Florida region In Orlando there is one other campus located at Valencia West as well as partnerships with local colleges including College of Central Florida Daytona State College Eastern Florida State College Lake Sumter State College Seminole State College of Florida and Valencia College 50 In addition the Rosen College of Hospitality Management is located away from the main campus in close proximity to the heart of Orlando s tourism and convention industries Outside Orlando there are campuses in Cocoa Clermont Daytona Beach Kissimmee Leesburg Ocala Palm Bay and Sanford 50 In addition to having standard classes at these campuses the institution offers a number of fully online degree programs through UCF Online 51 UCF in partnership with local colleges participates in a program called DirectConnect 52 Through this program all students and alumni of College of Central Florida Daytona State College Eastern Florida State College Lake Sumter State College Seminole State College of Florida and Valencia College are assured admission to the university though not necessarily to academic programs in the UCF colleges Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona Edit Main article Lake Nona Medical City UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona The 50 acre 0 20 km2 UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona includes the UCF College of Medicine and the Burnett Biomedical Sciences Building The Burnham Institute for Medical Research a Veterans Affairs Medical Center Nemours Children s Hospital M D Anderson Cancer Research Institute turning the area into a medical city 53 54 55 The campus will also serve as the future home of the UCF College of Nursing and the newly approved UCF College of Dental Medicine 56 57 The College of Medicine welcomed its charter class in August 2009 Upon completion of construction the campus could accommodate as many as 5 000 upper division professional and graduate students and faculty members in the health related programs and include up to two million square feet of research and instruction space 55 58 Downtown Campus Edit In 2019 a 15 acre campus was opened in downtown Orlando in collaboration with Valencia College It includes the Dr Phillips Academic Commons the Union West and the UCF Communication and Media Building 59 Sustainability Edit Due to long term environmental programs and commitments UCF was named an exemplary green institution in the 2010 Princeton Review s Guide to 286 Green Colleges 60 and the university has had its initiatives showcased by the U S Department of Energy 61 UCF has pledged to become climate neutral under the American College amp University Presidents Climate Commitment by 2050 at the latest and to increase its recycling rate to 75 by 2020 and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 42 by 2030 62 63 Committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions all new construction must be designed and certified by the U S Green Building Council s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED 64 The UCF College of Medicine on the Health Sciences Campus is the only LEED Silver medical school in Florida 65 Administration EditSee also List of presidents of the University of Central Florida and List of University of Central Florida faculty and administrators As a part of the State University System of Florida UCF falls under the purview of the Florida Board of Governors The University of Central Florida is headed by the Board of Trustees which governs the university consisting of thirteen members that are appointed to staggered five year terms by the Florida Board of Governors The Student Government president and the faculty chair also serve on the board during the duration of their one year term of office 66 The president of the University of Central Florida is the principal executive officer of the university The office was formed upon creation of the university in 1963 The president is appointed by the board of trustees with the consent of the Florida Board of Governors and leads the university through its daily business 67 Today the president s office is located in Millican Hall on the university s main campus and the president has the privilege of living in the Burnett House also located on UCF s main campus The fourth president of UCF John C Hitt served from 1992 to 2018 68 and was succeeded by incumbent university president Dale Whittaker After Whittaker s resignation in 2019 Thad Seymour Jr was appointed from his previous position as UCF s vice president for partnerships and chief innovation officer to serve as the university s interim president until a replacement could be chosen by the board of trustees Due to cutbacks in federal state and local budgets UCF has had over 140 million in funds cut from its operating budget since 2008 69 This included a 53 million cut to UCF s 2012 13 fiscal year budget by the Florida legislature 70 So far UCF has been able to endure the budget cuts by implementing a hiring freeze putting an end to some faculty perks such as free seminars cutting executive pay and through wise management of funds 71 To help counter the budget decreases the university received 18 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 72 UCF s operating budget for the 2014 15 fiscal year is 1 5 billion a 13 9 increase from the previous year 7 UCF s financial endowment administered by the University of Central Florida Foundation Inc was valued at 162 million in 2020 73 Academics EditThe University of Central Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools according to the U S Department of Education 74 UCF s academic calendar is based on the semester system 75 with the typical fall semester running from the end of August until the beginning of December and the typical spring semester running from the beginning of January through the beginning of May In addition UCF offers four different summer semesters A B C and D ranging from six weeks to twelve weeks 76 The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies UCF as a large four year primarily nonresidential university with a comprehensive doctoral graduate instructional program and highest research activity 77 Student profile Edit Enrollment in UCF 2017 2023 Academic Year Undergraduates Graduate Total Enrollment2017 2018 78 56 972 8 726 66 1832018 2019 79 58 913 9 168 68 5712019 2020 80 59 483 9 553 69 5252020 2021 81 61 456 10 002 71 9482021 2022 82 60 075 9 847 70 4062022 2023 83 58 749 9 210 68 442Student body composition as of May 2 2022 Race and ethnicity 84 TotalWhite 46 46 Hispanic 29 29 Black 10 10 Asian 7 7 Other a 5 5 Foreign national 3 3 Economic diversityLow income b 30 30 Affluent c 70 70 UCF s student body consists of 61 456 undergraduates and 10 002 graduate and professional students and 490 M D students from all 67 Florida counties all 50 states and 157 countries Study abroad programs allow UCF students to study and conduct research in 42 programs in 21 countries 7 The ten largest undergraduate disciplines at UCF are respectively business management and administration health professions and related psychology education engineering biology multi interdisciplinary studies communications visual and performing arts and social sciences 7 In the new millennium enrollment has increased by over sixty percent at UCF from 33 453 in 2000 30 to 64 318 in 2016 7 Of the more than 60 000 students 11 percent are graduate and professional students while women make up 55 of the student body Nearly 20 percent of UCF faculty are minorities According to the May 2009 edition of Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine UCF is one of the best 100 colleges in the United States for Hispanic students seeking bachelor s degrees 85 22 of UCF students are above the age of 25 7 Due to budget decreases and increased demands on the university the UCF Board of Trustees with the approval of the Board of Governors and the Florida Legislature approved a 15 increase in tuition for the 2012 13 academic year 86 For the 2020 21 academic year undergraduate tuition costs were 212 28 per credit hour for in state students and 748 89 per credit hour for out of state students 87 Graduate tuition costs were 369 65 per credit hour for in state students and 1 194 05 per credit hour for out of state students 87 Tuition for the medical school is 25 490 for both in state and out of state students 87 Estimated annual cost for undergraduate students is 22 2849 for Florida residents and 38 949 for non Florida residents Expected costs for graduate students are 22 072 for in state students and 38 878 for out of state students 88 About 8 of tuition fees are allocated to support the university s athletic programs 89 Rankings Edit Academic rankingsNationalARWU 90 86 106Forbes 91 119THE WSJ 92 297U S News amp World Report 93 137Washington Monthly 94 47GlobalARWU 95 301 400QS 96 701 750THE 97 601 800U S News amp World Report 98 417U S News amp World Report rankingsNational Universities 99 137 tie Public Universities 99 64 tie Criminology 100 22Education 101 58Engineering 99 73Healthcare Management 102 46Math 103 110Nursing 104 52Public Affairs 105 39This section needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information September 2020 For 2015 U S News amp World Report ranked UCF as the third best up and coming national university 106 107 In addition U S News amp World Report ranked The University of Central Florida as the 10th most innovative school 91st among public universities and 168th overall on the list of Tier I National Universities 108 109 Kiplinger rated UCF 42nd among the Best Values in Public Colleges in the United States in 2014 110 The university was also rated as one of 50 Best Value Public Universities by USA Today and The Princeton Review 111 UCF is listed among The Best 376 Colleges 2012 Edition and was ranked as a Best Southeastern College by The Princeton Review 112 Many of the University of Central Florida s graduate programs have received top 100 rankings from U S News amp World Report In 2013 U S News amp World Report ranked UCF s engineering education speech language pathology public administration criminology healthcare nursing physics physical therapy space science social work speech language pathology and computer science programs all within the top 100 in their respective fields 113 Five UCF programs as among the nation s Best Graduate Schools 114 U S News amp World Report ranked the university s atomic molecular and optical physics program 13th nationally the nonprofit management public affairs program 25th and the counselor education program now breaking the top 10 at 9th in the nation 113 In 2012 the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science was ranked 70th nationally 115 while the College of Education and Human Performance was ranked 64th 116 and the Physics program was ranked 102nd in 2010 117 The Princeton Review ranked the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy FIEA 2nd in graduate video game design in 2012 118 The 2014 Academic Ranking of World Universities list assessed The University of Central Florida as among the top 300 world universities and the top 109 in the United States based on overall research output and faculty awards 119 UCF s engineering and business schools were rated as among the top 150 and the university s social sciences computer science and mathematics programs were ranked among the top 200 globally 120 UCF offers both Army and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps ROTC programs which are rated among the top 15 percent nationally 121 In 2010 Bloomberg BusinessWeek ranked the UCF College of Business Administration as the number one public business school for return on investment in the nation 122 and as a Top Undergraduate Business Program 123 The university has also been recognized by Bill Gates as a leading institution 124 125 The University of Central Florida ranks eighth among national universities least likely to leave graduates in debt 126 and was also ranked as one of the most economically diverse universities in 2009 2010 and 2011 by U S News amp World Report 127 In 2011 Forbes listed UCF as the 42nd most affordable university in the nation 128 The university is also considered a top school in awarding degrees to minority students ranking 12th nationally for total undergraduate degrees awarded to Hispanic students and 18th for undergraduate degrees awarded to African American students 129 Admissions Edit Fall first time freshman admission statistics 2022 83 2021 82 2020 81 2019 80 2018 79 2017 78 Applicants 54 977 48 927 47 957 45 118 41 816 37 693Admits 22 560 17 797 21 661 20 016 17 786 18 810Enrolls 7 512 7 091 8 039 7 323 7 234 6 860Admit rate 41 0 36 4 45 2 44 4 42 5 49 9 Yield rate 33 3 39 8 37 1 36 6 40 7 36 5 SAT composite 1200 1360 71 1170 1350 73 1160 1340 77 1170 1340 79 1160 1340 70 1150 1320 60 ACT composite 25 29 29 25 30 27 25 30 23 25 30 21 25 29 30 24 29 40 middle 50 range percentage of first time freshmen who chose to submitUCF s admission rate for first time in college freshmen has declined from 61 of prospective students admitted in the Fall of 2005 to 42 for Fall 2020 130 Due to the decrease in the rate of admission UCF is rated as a selective university by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching 77 34 of accepted applicants were in the top ten percent of their graduating class while 72 of accepted applicants were in the top quarter of their high school class rankings 131 Freshmen enrolled in Fall 2020 posted average SAT scores of 1320 ACT scores of 28 7 and average high school weighted GPAs of 4 18 132 UCF is in the top 20 percent of universities in the nation for SAT average and the top 25 percent for GPA average 133 71 of undergraduates receive financial aid 90 of students receive scholarships through the Florida Bright Futures program 134 Forty percent of incoming freshman received Advanced Placement International Baccalaureate or an equivalent college credit upon entrance while 30 of the freshman class received merit based scholarships 134 The retention rate of the 2010 freshman class was 87 135 More freshmen and transfer students applied to UCF during 2015 than any other public university in Florida and UCF also awarded more bachelor s degrees than any other Florida public university that year 136 137 UCF is ranked 2nd in Florida and 34th in the United States by the number of National Merit Scholars enrolled 138 335 National Merit Scholars enrolled at UCF for the Fall 2020 term Colleges Edit Overview Edit College of Sciences Engineering Center Teaching Academy The university currently houses thirteen colleges that offer 101 baccalaureate programs 88 master s programs 31 doctoral programs three specialist programs and one professional program Medicine In addition 75 of the faculty have doctorate degrees and 46 currently have tenure at the university 7 139 The thirteen colleges house 41 separate degree granting departments and schools 139 By enrollment the three largest undergraduate units are the College of Sciences the College of Business Administration and the College of Health and Public Affairs 7 At the graduate level the College of Graduate Studies serves as the central administrative unit of graduate education at the university 140 Graduate students are also students of one of the other twelve colleges at the university The university is currently seeking the approval of a College of Dental Medicine which would be housed at the Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona 141 142 College school foundingCollege school Year foundedArts and Humanities 2005Business Administration 1968Education and Human Performance 1968Engineering and Computer Science 1966Graduate Studies 2008Health and Public Affairs 1978Medicine 2006Nursing 2007Optics and Photonics 2004Rosen College of Hospitality Management 1983Sciences 2005Undergraduate Studies 2015The Burnett Honors College 1998The Burnett Honors College Edit Main article The Burnett Honors College The University Honors Program administered by the Burnett Honors College is designed for 500 accomplished incoming undergraduates annually Undergraduates enrolled in the Honors College participate in smaller classes with faculty including individual research programs or assigned research in the area of a sponsoring faculty member Another program offered by the college is Honors in the Major which allows juniors and seniors to conduct original research within their major and write an undergraduate honors thesis 143 The latest Honors College incoming class had an average SAT score of 1373 and a 4 16 grade point average 144 Honors students have the option to reside in a specifically designed living learning community composed entirely of honors students in Tower III at Knights Plaza 145 College of Medicine Edit Main article University of Central Florida College of Medicine The UCF College of Medicine was established in 2006 by the Florida Legislature and the Florida Board of Governors to increase opportunities for medical education in Florida The College of Medicine welcomed its charter class of 41 students on August 3 2009 and eventually will produce about 120 medical graduates a year 146 UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona With more than 4 300 applications for 41 available positions UCF broke the state university record for most applications and for 2009 it was the most selective medical school in the country 147 For the class of 2014 there were 3 761 applicants and only 60 were accepted 148 This initial class had the highest average MCAT score 32 2 and GPA 3 8 of any incoming class of medical students in the state 149 The inaugural class had a median age of 28 with 25 of the class composed of out of state students 148 The charter class completed their first year of courses on the UCF main campus while the Lake Nona Medical City was completed Every member of the inaugural class received a full scholarship including tuition and basic living expenses for their entire four years at the university valued at over 160 000 150 The university aims for the college to become a research intensive medical school with the aid of the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences The UCF Lake Lona Cancer Center a Veterans Affairs Medical Center Nemours Children s Hospital Tavistock Group and a M D Anderson Cancer Research Institute all located on the College of Medicine s Lake Nona campus 53 Rosen College of Hospitality Management Edit Rosen College of Hospitality Management Main article Rosen College of Hospitality Management Located near the Orange County Convention Center on Universal Boulevard in Downtown Orlando the college s 20 acre 0 081 km2 campus is designed to imitate a resort style feel with various areas of the college named for major donors to the college e g Disney Dining Room Universal Orlando Library Darden Auditorium and the state of the art Anheuser Busch Beer amp Wine Lab 7 151 The campus includes the Three Pillars Cafe a student operated cafe that serves various cuisines and food items 152 Regular Shuttle service is offered on most days that class is in session to and from the UCF Main Campus 153 The college features an on site Campus Life Office and Career Services Office that coordinate on campus activities and career development events in conjunction with the UCF Student Government Association In 2005 the university opened two on campus housing buildings able to house 400 residents 154 The college offers a variety of student organizations including associations such as Eta Sigma Delta International Hospitality Management Honor Society National Society of Minorities in Hospitality the Professional Convention Management Association and the National Association of Catering Executives and the Global Association of Christian Hospitality Professionals Rosen is currently ranked as the 5 Hospitality Management school in the nation and the youngest of the top five programs so rated 155 Limited access programs Edit Among the colleges a number of undergraduate academic programs are termed limited access programs which are programs where student demand exceeds available resources thus making admission to such program competitive 156 Examples include academic programs taught under the Nicholson School of Communication and the music theatre dance and medical laboratory sciences schools or departments 157 158 159 160 Students must apply to join these programs separately from admission to the university Criteria for admission varies but is generally very selective and includes factors such as indicators of ability performance creativity and talent Arts programs require competitive auditions and have some of the smallest numbers of undergraduate majors in the university 139 Libraries Edit John C Hitt Library Main article University of Central Florida Libraries The stated goal of the University of Central Florida libraries is to support the research teaching learning and service commitments of students and faculty through widely available access to collections of library resources and to services to assist resource use 161 UCF Libraries collections include over 2 2 million print volumes 3 2 million microforms 330 000 government documents 10 000 full text electronic journal subscriptions 660 000 e books 40 000 media titles a base of 43 000 serial subscriptions in addition to special collections and university archives materials 7 Notable collections within the library include the Bryant West Indies collection the Van Sickle Leftist Pamphlet collection the Book Arts Collection collections of materials on tourism and hospitality and materials on the history of Central Florida UCF Libraries is a partner within the State University System of Florida Libraries Most of the print and media collection is housed in the John C Hitt Library which is located on UCF s main campus and is open to students faculty and the public seven days a week The library is five stories tall and was the first academic building on campus 162 Leonardo Nierman s sculpture Flame of Hope is displayed outside the entrance to the building and Nierman s stained glass Genesis window is exhibited on the third floor of the library building 163 In 2012 the main campus library was dedicated to honor John C Hitt UCF s fourth president who at the time was celebrating his twentieth anniversary as university president 164 In addition to the John C Hitt Library Rosen College library Downtown Library Curriculum Materials Center and the Harriet F Ginsburg Health Sciences Library UCF operates libraries at nine of its regional campuses throughout Central Florida 165 The student newspaper the Central Florida Future at one time was housed on the upper floor of the library before moving to the Central Florida Research Park In 1984 a complete renovation of the original library was undertaken as well as an addition that more than doubled the size of the building University president Trevor Colbourn dedicated the newly remodeled and expanded library in February 1985 A 64 4 million expansion of the Hitt Library which would add 212 400 square feet 19 730 m2 of space as well as an Automated Retrieval System was recently approved by the university s Board of Trustees but may be delayed due to budget cuts 166 Currently the library is working on its 21st Century Library Project a multi phased plan designed to create additional space for student learning technology collaboration and research expansion 167 The project upon completion will include the construction of a four story automated retrieval center increased quiet study space and the creation of additional research and writing facilities on the fifth floor 168 Research Edit Further information University of Central Florida research centers The University of Central Florida fosters research among its thirteen academic colleges and schools partnerships with corporations such as Lockheed Martin Boeing and Siemens and through partnerships with local community colleges 169 170 171 UCF also houses a satellite campus at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida UCF is also a member of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council 172 The university has made noted research contributions to optics modeling and simulation digital media engineering and computer science business administration education and hospitality management citation needed UCF is classified among R1 Doctoral Universities Very high research activity 77 According to the National Science Foundation UCF spent 215 3 million on research and development in 2018 ranking it 107th in the nation 173 In 2009 UCF directly influenced 26 000 jobs and 1 96 billion in economic activity 174 When UCF s economic impact is combined with that of the Central Florida Research Park the university and park influenced 46 000 jobs and 3 84 billion in economic activity in 2009 174 The new College of Medicine which opened in August 2009 will create more than 30 000 local jobs and have an economic impact of 7 6 billion in its first few years 175 needs update Metropolitan Orlando sustains the world s largest recognized cluster of modeling simulation and training companies 47 Located directly south of the main campus is the Central Florida Research Park which is one of the largest research parks in the nation providing more than 10 000 jobs Research Park is the 7th largest research park in the nation with 2 700 Department of Defense personnel and direct support contractors Collectively those defense organizations manage 5 2 billion in contracts every year 176 Many of the employees in Research Park work with UCF researchers and students on projects in the sciences engineering photonics and optics modeling and simulation and health related fields The university also conducts research through numerous institutions and centers including the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers Florida Solar Energy Center Institute for Simulation and Training and Institute for Economic Competitiveness Student life EditUCF has over 400 registered student organizations 177 intramural sports and an active Student Government Association The university encourages student activism through organizations such as the Office of Student Involvement the Multicultural Student Center the Campus Activities Board Volunteer UCF and Learning and Interacting with New Knights LINK an organization that fosters freshman involvement In 2011 UCF was ranked as the 9th best party school in the country by Playboy 178 In 2006 High Times magazine ranked UCF among the top five counterculture colleges in the nation 179 Traditions Edit Students in the Reflecting Pond during Spirit Splash Spirit Splash is a homecoming tradition at UCF and is traditionally the only time during the year that students are allowed into the Reflecting Pond It has been named the best college tradition in Florida by Florida Leader magazine 180 and among The 20 Best College Traditions by Business Insider 181 182 Spirit Splash occurs the Friday before the Homecoming game and serves as a pep rally where students descend into the pond to demonstrate school spirit Spirit Splash began in 1995 when then Student Body President Miguel Torregrossa was pushed into the Reflecting Pond by one of his cabinet members and fellow students followed suit 183 Along with the thousands of students who attend there are members of the community local dignitaries alumni children and even dogs who come to join in on the festivities Knightro the Marching Knights cheerleaders student athletes and dancers all participate in the pep rally usually followed by a concert Spirit Splash was made possible in part by weight testing performed on the Reflecting Pond in preparation for President Richard Nixon s visit to the university to speak at its 1973 commencement It was determined that the best way to protect the president would be to hold commencement in the pond itself after being drained so that Secret Service agents could be stationed on the roofs of the adjacent buildings 184 One of the newest traditions on the UCF campus pertains to the Pegasus seal in the center of the main floor of the Student Union From their first day on campus for orientation new students are told to never walk on the Pegasus As the tradition is told those who step on the seal will never graduate from UCF Usually the seal is roped off with heavy black velvet ropes but when the ropes are not in place students can be seen carefully avoiding the seal In 2005 Florida Leader magazine named this new tradition the best college superstition in Florida 185 Recreation Edit Recreation and Wellness Center Many different recreational organizations and facilities are available on the UCF campus Lake Claire is an on campus lake with canoes kayaks and pedal boats available for rent free to UCF students and a small beachfront 186 187 In addition UCF s Challenge Course is one of only five in the country to contain a high elements course 188 UCF s main campus also boasts two Recreation and Wellness Centers The main center is located on the south side of campus adjacent to the Academic Village The second gym is located in Knights Plaza on the north side of campus The Centers are open to all students and paid memberships are available for non students 189 The Wellness Centers offer programs to boost students understanding of their health provides discounted blood and STD testing staffs certified personal trainers and teaches methods to maintain good health The main UCF Recreation and Wellness Center which opened in 2002 is a 150 000 square feet 14 000 m2 building that comprises five programs Intramural Sports Sport Clubs Outdoor Adventure Fitness and Aquatics 190 The main recreation center includes a custom climbing wall with more than 20 different routes as well as tennis courts sand volleyball courts a disc golf course numerous intramural sports fields a leisure pool and an outdoor lap pool 191 The Recreation and Wellness Center at Knights Plaza which opened in 2013 is a 8 700 square feet 810 m2 facility It houses a cardio workout area a circuit area and a mind and body studio designed for group exercise 192 Student government Edit Main article University of Central Florida Student Government Boardwalk behind UCF Student Union The University of Central Florida s Student Government UCF SG is an advocacy group for the students who attend the university representing the university s approximately 70 000 undergraduate graduate and professional students It is the largest Student Government within the state of Florida and one of the largest in the United States 193 It also often places in the top ten student governments nationally for the services and outreach it provides for the students it serves citation needed UCF SG operates within a multimillion dollar budget 194 It funds and operates five campus departments the Recreation and Wellness Center the Office of Student Involvement Student Legal Services the A amp SF Business Office and the Student Union while also providing around 1 million in funding to nearly 600 registered student organizations 195 196 UCF SG was officially established in 1976 and consists of an executive judicial and legislative branch The executive branch is headed by the student body president and student body vice president Within the executive branch are between 15 and 20 appointed and paid cabinet members that oversee everything from safety and transportation on campus to governmental affairs The student body president by mandate of Florida law serves on the university s board of trustees for a period of one year The student body president and student body vice president are elected in annual elections held in the spring and both receive a paid salary that ranges from 15 000 to 19 000 per year 197 The legislative branch is composed of 70 senators elected each spring and senators serve a one year term in which they represent students in their respective colleges 198 Student senators annually elect a Speaker of the Senate who receives an annual salary between 10 000 and 12 000 per year 199 and a Senate President Pro Tempore Under state law the Student Senate allocates the university s activity and service fee budget which was 21 1 million in fiscal year 22 23 200 The judicial branch consists of a paid Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices who preside over student conduct hearings and parking appeals 201 Media Edit KnightNews com is the only digital student newspaper serving the UCF community and it operates without oversight from the university administration 202 KnightNews com won the College Press Freedom Award in 2016 for its work fighting for open government A print newspaper the Central Florida Future was shutdown in August 2016 The Future which also ran without university oversight was one of the largest student run newspapers in the United States It focused on campus and local news coverage but also featured national and international stories The university itself publishes two magazines Centric and Pegasus Centric is the official student magazine of the university and Pegasus is the official university magazine The university has operated WUCF FM a NPR station since 1978 The station broadcasts Jazz that reaches Orange Seminole Osceola Brevard Lake and Volusia counties in central Florida They broadcast an Internet program that is heard worldwide 203 In 2011 the university purchased WUCF TV which is Central Florida s only Public Broadcasting Service PBS television station As the region s sole PBS affiliate the station broadcasts to an estimated population of 4 6 million people in its aerial viewing area 204 205 One limited access program at UCF is the Jazz Studies program which launched a professional recording label for the university Flying Horse Records The program s faculty group The Jazz Professors and their student group The Flying Horse Big Band have both issued professional recordings since 2011 for the university label and all of which have charted in the top 50 The faculty group album Do That Again charted in the top 10 206 207 208 Residential life Edit Tower One at Knights Plaza The university currently houses 11 000 beds on campus in eight different housing communities 209 Residence hall style suites are available in the Libra Apollo Hercules Nike and Neptune communities All of the residence hall suites have bathrooms shared between 2 or 3 rooms as opposed to communal bathrooms Apartment style housing is available in the Academic Village Nike and Hercules communities the Towers at Knights Plaza the Lake Claire Courtyard Apartments Community and NorthView UCF also has 400 beds at the Rosen College Apartments Community located on the Rosen College of Hospitality Management campus The majority of all on campus housing is occupied by freshman though The Towers at Knights Plaza house mainly upper classmen student athletes and honors students 145 210 211 Residents of the Towers Communities and Rosen College Apartments sign annual contracts to rent their apartments for a full academic year fall spring and summer whereas residents of all other standard housing communities on the main campus sign academic contracts to rent their rooms only for one or two semesters at a time 212 Housing on the main campus typically fills to capacity well before the start of the Fall semester and cannot accommodate everyone who applies In addition about 3 750 beds are available at the university affiliated housing communities of Knights Circle and The Pointe at Central which are off campus apartment communities owned by The University of Central Florida Foundation Inc 213 214 and managed by Asset Living 215 These communities contain many UCF services such as Resident Assistants UCF Police service reduced rent and offer shuttle service to and from campus on class days 216 The university also administers NorthView which is owned and operated by UCF and located directly north of the main campus in Oviedo NorthView houses 600 students and includes a Hillel Jewish Student Center a Catholic Student Center and a common space for other faith based organizations to use 217 Greek housing is also available on the main campus in the Greek Park community which consists of close to 500 beds 218 There are ten sororities and three fraternities housed on campus with eleven fraternities offering housing off campus 218 Greek life Edit The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at The University of Central Florida is separated into five divisions UCF Greek Council Interfraternity Council National Pan Hellenic Council Panhellenic Council and the Diversified Greek Council 219 The Order of Omega has a chapter at the university 220 The Interfraternity Council IFC comprises 18 fraternities and the Panhellenic Council is made up of 12 sororities 221 In addition there are also many multicultural and honor Greek organizations The Diversified Greek Council consists of 9 cultural organizations four fraternities and five sororities 221 The National Pan Hellenic Council comprises nine historically black organizations five fraternities and four sororities 221 There are now also three recognized fraternal organizations for Christian students 222 223 224 Greek life at the University of Central Florida involves more than 3 000 students in over 45 chapters 225 Approximately 11 of current undergraduate males and 9 of undergraduate females are members of either a sorority or fraternity 226 The average GPA of Greek Life is higher than the overall university average 227 UCF s Greek Life won the inaugural Mid American Conference Grade Point Average Award which is given to the university with the highest Greek GPA above their campus non Greek GPA In 2003 Florida Leader Magazine named UCF the university with the best Greek academics program in the state 228 Mr amp Miss UCFSince 1984 the Mr amp Miss University of Central Florida Scholarship Program has been providing scholarships and opportunities to UCF students The program is open to all service fee paying students at UCF who have at least a 2 5 UCF GPA Auditions are held each year in September shortly after the fall semester begins and new titleholders are chosen in February Mr amp Miss UCF make appearances all over Orlando and the Central Florida area promoting their individual platforms as well as spreading school spirit and pride Athletics EditMain article UCF KnightsThe University of Central Florida features a large variety of intercollegiate athletics teams known as the UCF Knights which compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA and the American Athletic Conference The American note 1 229 230 UCF fields 15 varsity teams 6 men and 9 women Men s sports include baseball basketball football golf soccer and tennis Women s sports include basketball cross country golf rowing soccer softball tennis track and field and volleyball 231 UCF s Football stadium The Knights varsity teams have won numerous conference titles and two national titles UCF as members of Conference USA C USA between 2005 and 2013 were conference champions in football in 2007 and 2010 and women s basketball in 2009 and 2010 The women s volleyball team won the AIAW Small College Division national championship in 1978 at the time the women s sports equivalent of NCAA Division II the NCAA did not sanction women s sports until the 1980s and the men s basketball team reached the Division II Elite Eight the same year 232 233 The Knights only other national championship was in 2017 when they were named national champions in football by the Colley Matrix While they did not play in that season s College Football Playoff they finished the 2017 season unbeaten The Colley Matrix was the only NCAA recognized selector to name UCF the national champions The UCF cheerleading team which is a club sport has also captured national titles They have won three at the College Cheerleading and Dance Team Nationals in 2003 2007 and 2020 234 235 236 As the reigning national champions the cheerleading team was followed by WE tv s cheerleading show Cheerleader U in 2008 237 The UCF varsity athletic program began during the 1969 70 academic year Then known as the Florida Technological University Knights of Pegasus the university was a charter member of the Sunshine State Conference in 1975 Since the 1970s the UCF athletic programs have become a major competitor in college athletics Their development culminated in the mid 2000s when the Knights joined C USA in 2005 and debuted a new athletic village in 2007 Advertised as Bringing the Knights home the newly developed athletic village on the north end of campus known as Knights Plaza consisted of a new 10 000 seat indoor sports venue now known as Addition Financial Arena a new 44 000 seat football stadium known as FBC Mortgage Stadium a new softball complex and the only Division I indoor football practice facility in the state 238 The debut of the athletic village made UCF the first university to ever open a new stadium and arena during the same year 239 The athletic complex surrounding Knights Plaza also includes Jay Bergman Field the UCF Soccer and Track Stadium and numerous practice facilities To coincide with the opening of the athletic village the university also debuted new athletic logos and an update to mascot Knightro 240 The Knights football program began in 1979 UCF competed in the playoffs three times before ascending to the FBS level in 1996 The Knights have won two conference championships and four division titles In UCF s first year in C USA the team experienced the fourth best turnaround in NCAA history by winning the conference s eastern division and earning its first bowl berth in the 4th Annual Hawai i Bowl 241 Celebrating their inaugural year in their new on campus stadium the 2007 UCF Football team won the C USA Championship for the first time in the school s history and the eastern division for the second time in three seasons securing a berth to the school s second bowl game the 49th Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl During the 2010 season for the first time in school history the Knights garnered national rankings finishing the season with a top 20 ranking 242 243 The Knights won the 2010 C USA Championship game securing a berth to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in which the team earned their first ever bowl victory a 10 6 win over Georgia 244 245 In 2013 the Knights joined the American Athletic Conference AAC as a full member won the conference s inaugural football championship and upset the sixth ranked Big 12 Conference champion Baylor Bears in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl In 2017 the Knights finished with the only undefeated season in the FBS after a third AAC Championship win and a victory over the eighth ranked Auburn Tigers in the 2018 Peach Bowl The UCF men s basketball team started in 1969 under head coach Torchy Clark The Knights have advanced to the NCAA tournament ten times including a trip to the Final Four in 1978 233 The program has won seven conference regular season championships and five conference tournament titles The 2008 09 UCF men s team featured senior Jermaine Taylor who was one of the nation s top scorers averaging over 20 points per game 246 Following a 10 0 start to the 2010 11 season and being one of nine unbeaten teams the Knights led by coach Donnie Jones and guard Marcus Jordan were nationally ranked for the first time in program history 247 In the 2016 17 season newly hired head coach Johnny Dawkins took the Knights to a semi final berth in the NIT for the first time in school history UCF was a layup away from advancing to the Sweet Sixteen and beating Duke the consensus number one seed in the 2019 NCAA tournament as Coach Dawkins with his son on the team faced off against his own previous coach Mike Krzyzewski Notable alumni EditSee also List of University of Central Florida alumni Nicole Stott Fernando Caldeiro Graduates include a prime minister a Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers a United States assistant secretary of state a Deputy assistant secretary at the Department of the Treasury a Director of the National Reconnaissance Office and a Director of the Secret Service in addition many members of the Florida Cabinet Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate two National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA astronauts along with various NASA leadership positions Many officers in the armed forces have come through the Army and Air Force ROTC programs Army Navy Marine Corps and Coast Guard Officer Candidate School Air Force Officer Training School Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School and Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class 47 248 249 250 251 UCF graduates have held leadership positions in the United States Congress United States Department of Defense Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency 252 Olympian Phil Dalhausser Alumni have also achieved success as executives for many Fortune 500 companies including Google Boeing Lockheed Martin Northrop Grumman Busch Entertainment Corporation Harris Corporation Darden Restaurants Ericsson the Orlando Magic and Texas Rangers Sun Sports and Fox Sports Florida Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Yahoo citation needed As a leader in technological education UCF graduates are contributing greatly to Global innovation including Taylor Gerring co founder of Ethereum and Jason Eichenholz Co founder of autonomous driving pioneer Luminar Technologies UCF graduates have founded and contributed greatly to numerous successful companies including George Kalogridis President of segment development and enrichment The Walt Disney Company Chris Marlin Founder Lennar International Christopher Tomasso CEO First Watch restaurant chain Jason DiBona CEO AreoClean Technologies UCF graduates have also made notable contributions in the entertainment industry including Cheryl Hines widely known for her role as Cheryl David on the HBO television series Curb Your Enthusiasm Daniel Tosh host of Tosh 0 on Comedy Central and Chris Fuller the independent filmmaker behind Loren Cass In addition The Blair Witch Project which is considered one of the most successful independent films produced 253 was filmed and directed by UCF alumni Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez 254 As a major competitor in college athletics UCF has had notable student athletes coaches and staff members including NFL players Blake Bortles A J Bouye Daunte Culpepper Shaquill Griffin Shaquem Griffin Brandon Marshall Latavius Murray Matt Prater Asante Samuel and Kevin Smith NBA players Jermaine Taylor and Tacko Fall wrestler Parker Boudreaux woman s soccer player and Olympic gold medalist FIFA Female Player of the Century Michelle Akers As of 2019 more than 70 UCF alumni compete in professional sports like basketball football baseball golf and soccer Several UCF alumni work as professional journalists for both local and national outlets Christal Hayes covers the US Congress for USA Today Derek Lowe covers South Florida for WPTV NewsChannel5 255 Ryan Bass is the main anchor at WTSP in Tampa 256 The three journalists worked at the student media outlet KnightNews com while they were UCF students 257 Notable faculty EditMain article List of University of Central Florida faculty and administrators The faculty at UCF includes many notable and prestigious members including two former United States ambassadors a former member United States congressman and a former vice president of Walt Disney Creative Entertainment to name a few Other faculty include winners of the Pulitzer Prize and Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize the developer of the Flesch Kincaid readability tests and the authors of the Mathematical Circles and Political Analysis series 258 As a result of the work of professors and the Florida Space Institute UCF will become the first Florida university to lead a NASA mission 259 See also Edit Education portal Florida portalGreater OrlandoNotes Edit In football UCF competes in the NCAA NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision FBS still often referred to by its former designation of Division I A Other consists of Multiracial Americans amp those who prefer to not say The percentage of students who received an income based federal Pell grant intended for low income students The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum References Edit As of June 30 2022 U S and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 Report National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA February 19 2021 Archived from the original on February 21 2021 Retrieved February 20 2021 a b UCF Facts 2019 2020 Archived from the original on July 30 2017 Retrieved July 9 2020 a b UCF Facts University of Central Florida Archived from the 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National Universities U S News amp World Report Archived from the original on January 5 2011 Retrieved September 13 2011 Forbes Lists UCF as a Top 50 College Buy University of Central Florida August 10 2011 Archived from the original on September 12 2011 Retrieved September 13 2011 UCF a Top School in Awarding Degrees to Diverse Students University of Central Florida August 19 2010 Archived from the original on August 21 2010 Retrieved August 20 2010 UCF Facts 2020 2021 UCF Facts 2020 2021 2020 Archived from the original on July 30 2017 Retrieved March 28 2021 University of Central Florida Admissions Information CollegeData College Profile CollegeData College Profile Archived from the original on October 1 2011 Retrieved November 22 2011 UCF Today Most Accomplished Incoming Class University of Central Florida Archived from the original on August 26 2018 Retrieved August 25 2018 UCF Earns a Top 5 U S News Ranking University of Central Florida September 13 2011 Archived from the original 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Archived from the original on August 31 2009 Retrieved July 7 2009 UCF dental school wins trustees approval Orlando Sentinel May 26 2011 Archived from the original on May 30 2011 Retrieved May 27 2011 College of Medicine News Release UCF Trustees Approve Dental College UCF College of Medicine May 26 2011 Archived from the original on October 4 2011 Retrieved May 27 2011 Admissions Overview Archived from the original on June 4 2009 Retrieved July 7 2009 About UCF University of Central Florida Archived from the original on July 16 2011 Retrieved September 18 2010 a b Towers at Knights Plaza UCF Housing and Residence Life Archived from the original on May 16 2010 Retrieved June 13 2010 College of Medicine About the College University of Central Florida College of Medicine Archived from the original on July 18 2009 Retrieved July 28 2009 Med students receive white coats begin class Central Florida Future August 3 2009 Archived from the original on July 8 2011 Retrieved August 3 2009 a b 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Archived from the original on September 10 2011 Retrieved February 10 2011 UCF Libraries Homepage University of Central Florida Libraries Archived from the original on July 6 2009 Retrieved July 9 2009 Resources for UCF Statistics amp History University of Central Florida Archived from the original on April 14 2005 Retrieved October 12 2010 Flame Of Hope To Light UCF s Path Orlando Sentinel July 22 1986 Archived from the original on September 2 2012 Retrieved October 12 2010 New Library Name a Hitt with UCF Board of Trustees University of Central Florida March 15 2012 Archived from the original on May 31 2012 Retrieved May 14 2012 2010 2011 UCF Libraries Annual Report Regional Campus Libraries PDF University of Central Florida Archived from the original PDF on May 25 2013 Retrieved May 14 2012 UCF seeks higher fee to fund 64 4M library upgrade Orlando Business Journal June 8 2012 Archived from the original on June 27 2012 Retrieved March 11 2013 21st Century Library UCF Libraries University of Central Florida Retrieved October 27 2022 John C Hitt Library UCF Libraries University of Central Florida Retrieved October 23 2019 UCF Lockheed Martin Work Experience Program University of Central Florida Career Services Archived from the original on June 16 2009 Retrieved July 28 2009 Boeing Announces Educational Partnership with U S Air Force UCF and FIT Boeing Archived from the original on April 30 2001 Retrieved July 28 2009 UCF Siemens expanding energy turbine research Orlando Business Journal October 17 2008 Archived from the original on June 27 2015 Retrieved July 28 2009 About Florida High Tech Corridor Florida High Tech Corridor Archived from the original on September 7 2010 Retrieved June 13 2010 Table 20 Higher education R amp D expenditures ranked by FY 2018 R amp D expenditures FYs 2009 18 ncsesdata nsf gov National Science Foundation Archived from the original on June 11 2020 Retrieved July 21 2020 a b UCF s Economic Impact University of Central Florida 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Recreation and Wellness Center Challenge Course University of Central Florida Student Government Association Archived from the original on May 8 2012 Retrieved October 28 2007 Roth Amethyst January 12 2011 65 000 square foot expansion pumps gym Central Florida Future Archived from the original on July 22 2011 Retrieved January 14 2011 New Green Gym Expansion Officially Opens its Doors to UCF Public KnightNews January 10 2011 Archived from the original on January 12 2011 Retrieved January 10 2011 UCF Recreation and Wellness Center Facilities UCF Student Government Association Archived from the original on August 27 2007 Retrieved October 28 2007 New semester new services Central Florida Future January 9 2013 Archived from the original on February 3 2013 Retrieved January 23 2013 April 2009 headcount Florida Board of Governors Archived from the original on October 30 2010 Retrieved June 13 2010 ASF Budget Committee Fiscal Bill 53 43 Budget Bill University of Central Florida Student 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Band 2 7 Housing Data and Analysis University of Central Florida Archived from the original on August 3 2004 Retrieved June 4 2009 Housing and Residence Life Towers at Knights Plaza University of Central Florida Department of Housing and Residence Life Archived from the original on May 16 2010 Retrieved April 3 2012 Student Living Towers at Knights Plaza University of Central Florida Athletics Association Archived from the original on May 14 2011 Retrieved April 3 2012 Rates UCF Housing and Residence Life Archived from the original on June 9 2010 Retrieved June 13 2010 UCF Affiliated Housing UCF Housing and Residence Life Archived from the original on August 24 2010 Retrieved June 13 2010 2 7 Housing Data and Analysis PDF University of Central Florida Archived from the original PDF on November 28 2009 Retrieved June 13 2010 Our Portfolio Asset Campus Housing Archived from the original on July 7 2011 Retrieved February 2 2011 Housing Communities Affiliated Housing UCF Housing and Residence Life Archived from the original on May 16 2007 Retrieved July 28 2009 NorthView A Unique Campus Community NorthView Archived from the original on January 28 2011 Retrieved April 3 2012 a b 2 7 Housing Data and Analysis PDF University of Central Florida Archived from the original PDF on November 28 2009 Retrieved July 17 2009 Housing Communities UCF Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Archived from the original on July 19 2009 Retrieved July 28 2009 Order of Omega Greek Leadership Society UCF Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Archived from the original on June 22 2009 Retrieved July 28 2009 a b c UCF Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Chapter Directory UCF Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Archived from the original on June 24 2009 Retrieved July 28 2009 Kappa Upsilon Chi University of Central Florida WordPress Archived from the original on July 23 2012 Retrieved June 22 2012 Sigma Phi Lambda UCF Archived from the original on January 11 2012 Retrieved June 22 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Archived from the original on October 13 2010 Retrieved October 11 2010 J Greg Hanson Ph D Chief Information Officer of the United States Senate University of Central Florida Archived from the original on March 7 2013 Retrieved June 24 2014 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Rovello Jessica July 29 2009 Still Nauseous After All these Years Blair Witch Turns 10 Huffington Post Archived from the original on August 1 2009 Retrieved July 31 2009 Student amp Alumni Sites University of Central Florida School of Film Archived from the original on August 8 2007 Retrieved October 28 2007 Derek Lowe WPTV Archived from the original on December 23 2020 Retrieved December 25 2020 Ryan Bass wtsp com Retrieved December 25 2020 dead link About KnightNews com Archived from the original on December 24 2020 Retrieved December 25 2020 UCF Faculty Directory University of Central Florida Archived from the original on April 7 2014 Retrieved July 31 2009 UCF receives 55 million grant from NASA Orlando Sentinel April 12 2013 Archived from the original on August 12 2014 Retrieved June 24 2014 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to University of Central Florida Official website UCF Knights website Coordinates 28 36 06 N 81 12 02 W 28 6016 N 81 2005 W 28 6016 81 2005 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title University of Central Florida amp oldid 1134130844, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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