INSPIRING EXCELLENCE U N I V E R S I T Y O F C E N T R A L F LO R I DA • O R L A N D O
Everything starts with the desire to be more than you are today. A CHANCE TO GROW. A BETTER PREPARED STUDENT. A MORE SKILLED RESEARCHER. A BETTER PARTNER. A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE. A MORE STIMULATING PLACE TO WORK. A WORLD’S FIRST. A HIGHLY COVETED BRAND.
we provide the opportunity for students to mature, for faculty to excel and for alumni to contribute in countless ways. AT U C F ,
STUDENT
Solving the Education Equation YUDEYSIS CORES is leveraging her personal experience as a first-generation student to help young people realize the life-changing impact of a college degree. The education major has learned from volunteer opportunities working with children, along with training through the President’s Leadership Council, how to connect with youth and help them believe in their potential — skills that will empower her career path to become an effective math teacher and education leader.
If you have a passion and drive, and you let that shine every single day, everyone around you is going to see it.”
STUDENT
Creating Cultural Context SABRINA JEROME is building an appreciation for diverse cultures at UCF to achieve her goal of becoming an immigration lawyer. The religion and cultural studies major believes that understanding social contexts will improve how she advocates for immigrants and other underserved populations in her future career. And her service as assistant chief justice for the Student Government Association has given Sabrina the practical experience to fuel her professional success.
UCF emphasizes inclusion and diversity. Learning about people from different parts of the world really helps in my decision making. It helps in my leadership. It helps me as a person.�
FACULTY
Targeting Cells that Kill ANNETTE KHALED is attacking cancer with cutting-edge technology. The Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences associate professor’s research is developing drugs that can seek out fast-spreading metastatic cells and kill them with individualized treatments based on specific types of cancer. And by teaming with student researchers, the cancer division head is training a new breed of medical pioneers to continue the fight against the disease.
My biomedical colleagues and I not only do research, we teach undergraduate and graduate students, so we are training the next generation of scientists.�
FACULTY
Communicating Through Crisis TIMOTHY SELLNOW believes that in times of emergency, the right words at the right time save lives. The Nicholson School of Communication professor has collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other national organizations to help improve methods of disseminating crucial information to those who need it most.
My research is dedicated to developing and testing messages in an effort to establish and improve the best practices for communicating clearly and ethically to people who are in danger.�
STUDENT
Finding His Path JOHNATHAN ALLEN developed an interest in marketing at UCF, but it was a cross-country adventure for PBS reality series “Roadtrip Nation” that reinforced the decision to make it his major. For five weeks between his sophomore and junior years, Johnathan drove from Los Angeles to New York in an RV interviewing first-generation college graduates, including CEOs, musician John Legend and the U.S. Secretary of Education. The “lifechanging experience” convinced the College of Business Administration senior to trust and follow his instincts — and know that UCF was the right place to do it.
No one has a map for how his or her life should be planned out. UCF is a place where I can try new things — a place where I can really be me.”
ALUMNUS
Empowering Local Youth PHILLIP GORDON, ’13, is using his drive to serve his community by mentoring at-risk children who need a positive role model. The first-generation student, who utilized the DirectConnect to UCF program to earn his bachelor’s degree, returned to his Parramore neighborhood after graduation to become a youth counselor and is currently earning his teacher certification so he can expand his influence in the field of education.
Working with children has become a passion. I want them to look up to me as the person they can come to when they’re having problems.”
ALUMNA
Asking the Big Questions YBETH BRUZUAL, ’05, keeps hundreds of thousands of Central Floridians informed as a journalist and anchor for News 13. But it’s her weekly talk show, “Political Connections,” that offers the political science alumna the opportunity to use her skills as an interviewer to ask the tough questions of public officials and get the answers her audience demands.
The art of the interview is to listen more and speak less. That really has helped me professionally and privately.”
FACULTY
Teaching Computers to Understand FEI LIU is teaching computers to better understand humans. The assistant professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science is pioneering natural language processing to help machines learn and derive meaning from written text — and generate it as well — with an algorithm that helps identify important details in massive amounts of content and produce summaries that reduce information overload for humans.
Misspellings, abbreviations and slang cause problems in computer translation. By developing an algorithm that converts them into standard English, smartphone apps or car systems could correctly read out text messages while you drive.�
ALUMNUS
Giving a Helping Hand ALBERT MANERO, ’12, leads a team of volunteer engineers providing 3-D printed robotic limbs for children in need around the world. Through Limbitless Solutions, the nonprofit his team started, the doctoral student of aerospace engineering is pushing the boundaries of technology and altruism.
Together we are learning to dream big and make a real impact for those in need in the developing world and at home. We’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible.”
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage
PA I D
U N I V E R S I T Y O F C E N T R A L F LO R I DA
Orlando, FL Permit No. 2543
O F F I C E O F U N D E R G R A D U AT E A D M I S S I O N S ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32816-0111 P 407 823 3000
admissions.ucf.edu
1512ADM367-02/16
A Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services