A new educational partnership between 166su and the U.S. Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) is creating opportunities for research, student training and workforce development in one of the country’s most specialized scientific fields. The collaboration strengthens critical scientific capabilities, facilitates the sharing of resources and expertise, helps build the radiochemistry talent pipeline and positions 166su at the forefront of nuclear chemistry research that supports national security missions.

“Through collaborative research projects and summer internships, UCF students gain hands-on experience working alongside federal scientists and access to AFTAC’s facilities and instrumentation for research supporting national security missions,” says Vasileios Anagnostopoulos, associate professor of chemistry in the 166su College of Sciences and principal investigator of the partnership.

Only a small number of universities nationwide have established this type of relationship with AFTAC, the Department of the Air Force responsible for monitoring nuclear treaty compliance and detecting nuclear events worldwide.

A Nationally Recognized Program

“The fact that we were invited by AFTAC to be one of their official academic partners says a lot about the recognition of our program and the important role chemistry and radiochemistry play in the national security landscape.”

According to Anagnostopoulos — director of ±«°äčó’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission Fellowship and 166su principal investigator for the multi-institutional NNSA-funded Consortium for Nuclear Forensics — ±«°äčó’s growing reputation in radiochemistry and analytical chemistry helped distinguish the university as a strong academic partner.

The collaboration also reflects ±«°äčó’s broader role in supporting Florida’s rapidly growing aerospace, defense and national security ecosystem through research, workforce development and federal partnerships.

“Our radiochemistry program is gaining national recognition through multiple research grants and collaborative proposals,” Anagnostopoulos says. “The fact that we were invited by AFTAC to be one of their official academic partners says a lot about the recognition of our program and the important role chemistry and radiochemistry play in the national security landscape.”

The partnership builds on ±«°äčó’s advanced research infrastructure, including radiochemistry laboratories, mass spectrometry capabilities and materials characterization resources. Together, these facilities enable researchers to analyze complex nuclear materials and conduct detailed characterization studies for national and international security applications.

“We have cutting-edge facilities and instrumentation for sensitive and precise analysis,” Anagnostopoulos says. “The combination of radiochemistry, advanced analytical capabilities and access to radioactive materials allows us to address complicated real-world problems and provide technical information that can support our federal partners’ missions.”

Unique Opportunities for Students

For students, the partnership opens the door to hands-on experiences rarely available in a traditional academic setting.

Through internships and collaborative research projects, students will work alongside multidisciplinary teams of chemists, engineers and scientists while gaining exposure to federal laboratory environments and national security protocols.

Few universities nationwide offer students direct pathways into operational nuclear security environments, making the partnership a unique training opportunity for 166su students interested in chemistry, national security and federal science careers.

“Beyond the technical training, they gain exposure to mission-focused work, interdisciplinary collaboration and communication skills that are essential in federal and defense environments,” Anagnostopoulos says.

Building the Future Workforce

The agreement also addresses a national need for trained experts in radiochemistry and nuclear chemistry, highly specialized disciplines offered at only a limited number of institutions nationwide, Anagnostopoulos says.

As federal agencies and national laboratories work to strengthen expertise in nuclear security, treaty monitoring and advanced nuclear technologies, partnerships like this help ensure a pipeline of future highly skilled scientists is ready to contribute.

“This partnership helps prepare the next generation of scientists while keeping the country at the forefront of nuclear security and global safety,” Anagnostopoulos says.

As the collaboration grows, it’s expected to expand opportunities for faculty, researchers, and students in other fields, such as big data analytics and cybersecurity, while further establishing 166su as a hub for radiochemistry, defense-related chemistry, and national security research.

“The Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation unites creativity, technology and the practical application of business, marketing, and guest service to develop tomorrow’s leaders in themed entertainment and immersive experiences.” — Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences

The first-of-its-kind Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation is housed within the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, ranked No. 1 nationally. With the addition of Universal’s new school and the college’s School of Hospitality Leadership, students now have access to a dual-school model that brings together experience-focused education with business strategy, operations, and service leadership.

“The Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation unites creativity, technology and the practical application of business, marketing, and guest service to develop tomorrow’s leaders in themed entertainment and immersive experiences,” says Chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences Mark Woodbury.

“166su was built to power what’s next for our students, for industry, and for the State of Florida,” 166su President Alexander N. Cartwright says. “This collaboration with Universal Destinations & Experiences represents our mission at its best, creating an environment where students are learning in direct connection with the people and ideas shaping the future of immersive experiences.”

A First-of-its-Kind Model for Experience Education

The Universal and 166su partnership will also support research through a new Hospitality Technology Lab, designed to be a creative sandbox for students to collaborate, test ideas, and gain practical hands-on experience working alongside 166su faculty, Universal professionals, and industry stakeholders. Students will gain timely insight that reflects industry needs as part of their education. Built around innovation and interdisciplinary teaming, the lab embeds coursework, student projects, and faculty research in a shared space, equipping graduates with both current skills and the adaptability to lead in a constantly evolving technology ecosystem.

The new school’s research will build on ±«°äčó’s existing strengths, applying university expertise to one of the world’s most dynamic industries. Focus areas for teaching, learning, and research will include:

• Service robotics and human-centered approaches to shape guest and employee interactions
• AR and VR simulation technologies for training, operations, and immersive environments
• AI and digital twins for optimizing and personalizing the guest experience

This work extends a decades-long partnership between 166su and Universal rooted in collaboration and shared success. For more than 20 years, Rosen College has served as a key talent pipeline for Universal, with thousands of graduates contributing across its parks, experiences, and operations, alongside hands-on learning opportunities like the 166su/Universal Creative Lab.

“Together with 166su we have opened doors for students and helped strengthen our industry with valued talent — and the next chapter will be even better,” Chief Administrative Officer of Universal Destinations & Experiences John Sprouls says. “We’re creating a distinctive academic home that will expand pathways into fulfilling and dynamic careers.”

“Rosen College has long been a global leader in hospitality education, and this next step reflects how our industry is evolving,” says 166su Rosen College of Hospitality Management Dean Cynthia Mejia. “By strengthening our relationship with our longtime partners at Universal Destinations & Experiences, we are creating a first-of-its-kind two-school model that blends creativity, technology and leadership, preparing students to lead the future of guest experiences.”

Pegasus Partners: Scaling Impact Through Collaboration

As ±«°äčó’s first entertainment-sector Pegasus Partner, Universal Destinations & Experiences joins a group of industry leaders working with the university to solve real-world challenges, accelerate discovery, and strengthen the workforce talent pipeline. Universal is also the first Pegasus Partner to enter into a master research agreement with 166su, enabling collaboration at scale and unlocking new opportunities for applied research.

The Pegasus Partners program offers opportunities for select partners to engage across the university in ways that create meaningful value for both organizations. That engagement includes talent development and recruitment, shared research projects, joint ventures and collaborations, strategic philanthropy, and co-location at 166su.

As the first Pegasus Partner since the start of , ±«°äčó’s $3.5 billion campaign to accelerate its next era of impact, Universal’s commitment is a powerful model that combines philanthropy and strategic industry investment to drive innovation, expand opportunity, and fuel shared success.

166su has made a name for itself globally in programming and cybersecurity thanks to student-run clubs that deliver championships year after year. They now have company in another area of technology — robotics.

The Robotics Club of Central Florida (RCCF) witnessed two teams, Knightmare and Daydream, dominate with an impressive number of wins over this past academic year. The teams won a total of 83 head-to-head matches against more than 40 universities, and ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for individual robotic skills at the VEX University Robotics Competition (VURC) 2025-26, besting teams from Georgia Tech, Purdue and Texas A&M.

Kushal Patel, an aerospace engineering major and a member of the Knightmare team, says the secret to the teams’ success this year has been their experience and passion for competitive robotics.

“Combined, the team has over 50 years of VEX robotics experience, with our most senior member competing since third grade,” Patel says. “We don’t just participate in this project for bullet points on our resumes — our team competes for the love of competition.”

The team structure intentionally empowers all students to gain valuable experience during these robotics competitions. Daydream is a beginner friendly team focused on students without prior experience while Knightmare is suitable for more advanced students.

“Unlike other design teams, where new members typically participate in internal competitions, those who join Daydream are able to hit the ground running and compete against other schools right away,” says Kapri O’Brien, a mechanical engineering major and the project lead for RCCF. “This structure allowed for both project teams to naturally grow and strengthen, and created the unique opportunity for us to compete against each other for awards at times this season, leading to the fantastic achievement of both Knightmare and Daydream qualifying for this year’s world championship.”

Both teams also participate in outreach events, volunteering at VEX competitions around the country. They also recently hosted the VEX IQ challenge for middle school and high school students on the 166su campus to great success. Patel also works for the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation, which logistically and operationally runs the VEX robotics competitions.

With Central Florida’s reputation as a leader in dynamic, high-tech fields, they envision the next phase of success and growth for their program in industry partnerships. 166su is known as one of the nation’s most innovative universities and is responsible for one out of every four of Florida’s engineering and computer science graduates.

“Our team provides a space for engineers to grow the skills you need outside of the classroom to be a skillful engineer in industry,” O’Brien says. “Support, whether it’s through financial or material donations, allows that space to survive. We regularly prototype with computer vision and machine learning algorithms, gaining hands-on experience with the technology that will power our future.”

Industry partners or students who are interested in learning more about RCCF and its competition teams can email outreach@rccf.club.

Designed to accelerate innovation, the Orlando Health Strategic Innovations group connects real clinical and operational challenges with student and academic talent, creating a healthcare environment where ideas are tested, informed by feedback, and continually improved. The space serves as an extension of the system’s downtown headquarters and is jointly funded by Orlando Health Ventures and the Orlando Health Innovation teams.

Orlando Health’s presence within SPRK aligns with ±«°äčó’s broader co-location strategy, which brings industry partners onto campus to catalyze innovation through proximity. The approach emphasizes shared space, shared challenges and shared outcomes to accelerate problem-solving, support experiential learning and speed the translation of ideas into practice.

The co-location marks the latest milestone in Orlando Health’s long-standing partnership with 166su.

“By working side by side at SPRK, we are accelerating innovation and moving real-world healthcare solutions more quickly into the communities we serve.”  — Alexander N. Cartwright, UCF president

The Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute provides comprehensive, year-round care for 166su student-athletes, including on-field coverage, primary care sports medicine, and specialized imaging. As a Pegasus Partner, Orlando Health pledged $5 million toward the , which supports nursing internships, scholarships, and hiring, helping to address the state’s nursing shortage. In addition, Orlando Health and 166su collaborate on advanced technology projects — such as the AI for Medical Surgery system — jointly offer specialized residency programs and collaborate in many additional ways.

“Orlando Health has been an exceptional partner, demonstrating what is possible when industry and academia come together with shared purpose. This next phase of co-location builds on that foundation,” says 166su President Alexander N. Cartwright. “By working side by side at SPRK, we are accelerating innovation and moving real-world healthcare solutions more quickly into the communities we serve.”

Healthcare Innovation at the Center of Campus

Located in approximately 2,649 square feet within SPRK, the Strategic Innovations group was intentionally placed, here, to foster continuous collaboration with faculty and students across disciplines.

This co-location enables a new operating model. Orlando Health brings real health system challenges directly into the academic environment, and interdisciplinary teams of students, faculty, and Orlando Health innovators rapidly design, test, and refine solutions.

Early collaboration has already begun to generate impact in areas such as cancer research, digital health, creation of AI models and various orthopedic innovations.

“The opening of an Orlando Health Strategic Innovations space at 166su represents our shared commitment to advancing healthcare delivery through bold new ideas,” says Jamal Hakim, M.D., chief physician officer, Orlando Health. “Through this partnership, we are creating a collaborative environment where clinicians, researchers, students and industry leaders can generate real-world solutions and drive innovations that will shape the future of how we care for patients.”

Built to Go For Launch

The latest milestone in , this co-location represents 166su’s deep commitment to the ecosystem of support powering our vision for the future.

Through a collective effort — combining philanthropy and transformational giving with corporate partnerships, research commercialization and other revenue-generating endeavors — 166su is charting a bold new path forward and building a future the world has only begun to imagine.

“This co-location with Orlando Health exemplifies the kind of partnership that powers Go for Launch, bringing industry and academia together to create real-world impact,” says Rod Grabowski, UCF vice president for Advancement and Partnership, and CEO of the 166su Foundation. “By aligning visionary partners with ±«°äčó’s innovation ecosystem, we are accelerating discovery, expanding opportunity and advancing solutions that improve lives.”

The realization hit him one day on the job. This project’s legacy and impact were going to outlive him.

“When I think back on every cool thing I’ve gotten to do so far in my career, it does all kind of lead back to Orlando Family Stage,” Lowe says.

Lowe was 6 years old when his cub scout troop attended a show at the stage, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary — the last 25 of those years in partnership with 166su.

He eventually went through its Youth Academy, interned as a 166su theatre student on site, made industry connections and now regularly contracts work at the stage as a full-time lighting designer for Clair Global, a tech company that specializes in live production services.

Lowe’s story is just one example of the countless ripple effects that have materialized from ±«°äčó’s longstanding, collaborative partnership with a nationally recognized leader in the theater industry.

“I’ve watched kids come in and they’re so shy and they can’t do anything. But by the time they leave, they’re not only signing up for the next show, they’re leading the next show,” says Paul Lartonoix, assistant dean for the College of Arts and Humanities and longtime Orlando Family Stage board member. “Sometimes it’s amazing at what it does. There’s no reason to not be proud of it. It’s doing great things for families. It’s doing great things for kids. It’s doing great things for our students, and it’s awesome that it’s being run by Knights.”

A Partnership That Builds Community

Orlando Family Stage, founded in 1926 as part of the City of Orlando’s Recreation Department, has evolved over the past 100 years while persevering through historic challenges including the Great Depression, World War II, the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.

166su entered the picture in 2000 when former Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood and 166su President John C. Hitt formed a community coalition to bring the stage under ±«°äčó’s oversight. At the time, the theater needed a major overhaul — both to its physical home at Loch Haven Park and in programming — to ensure it could thrive in the new millennium.

“I know with great confidence we would not be sitting here today without 166su on board. We wouldn’t have survived.” — Chris Brown ’05, Orlando Family Stage executive director and 166su theatre alum

“We wanted it because we thought that space was an exceptional, it had tremendous potential, and 166su should be a part of it. That really was the driving force,” says Lartonoix, who served as executive director on-loan and was instrumental in leading the early years of the partnership. “And when things worked, it was fantastic.”

The intervention proved to be a major catalyst for its impact in the community today, and for the world at large through the countless children and 166su graduates who have been affiliated with its programming and education.

“I know with great confidence we would not be sitting here today without 166su on board. We wouldn’t have survived,” says Chris Brown ’05, Orlando Family Stage executive director and 166su theatre alum. “To think that leaders came together and said, ‘We don’t want to lose a vital theater organization in our town, and we want to create an active and engaged partnership with the university where we can collectively do good things to serve young people in the world.’ It’s very special.”

Florida’s Only Professional Theatre for Young Audiences

A major part of that partnership is ±«°äčó’s MFA in theatre for young audiences program, which launched in 2004. The program has operated for the past two decades as Florida’s only professional theatre for young audiences and is one of the most distinctive programs in the country with its unique graduate-training residency.

In addition to learning from the university’s esteemed faculty, students gain practical experience with opportunities to work with professional artists and teach in Orlando Family Stage’s award-winning Youth Academy, which offers camps, classes and experiences for every age level from infancy through teens.

The MFA program has seen graduates go on to work at some of the most prestigious theaters in the country, become educators at universities as far as Dublin and help run community theaters across the United States.

In addition to his leadership role, Brown teaches theatre management courses on ±«°äčó’s campus. He says he believes an important part of his responsibility as an educator is to expand his students’ idea of where a career in the arts can take them.

“We’re helping them recognize that arts administration is creative work,” he says. “Writing a grant narrative, crafting a brand voice, planning a touring route or stewarding a donor relationship all require the same storytelling skills they bring to performance and production roles.”

Instilling Bravery in Children

The stage’s mission is to empower young people to be brave and empathetic.

Sure it sounds good, but more importantly, there’s truth to the claim. Recent research by the 166su Department of Psychology provides evidence to support it.

The Orlando Family Stage’s education team collaborated with associate professor Valerie Sims and senior lecturer Matthew Chin and more than a dozen undergraduate students from the Applied Cognition and Technology Lab along with associate professor of musical theatre Tara Deady ’07MFA on a study, which they are currently working on publishing. The study aimed to determine if the stage’s programming delivers on its promise to promote creative engagement and bravery in children ages 1-5.

Because of the young age of the participants, traditional survey tools and written questionnaires wouldn’t work. The team needed to get creative in a research approach that matched how children experience theatre.

The research team meticulously observed second by second footage of children and parent engagement during performances of Yo, Ho, Ho! Let’s Go! — an interactive, multi-sensory original production created by the stage’s senior director of education Jennifer Adams-Carrasquillo ’11MFA.

“We have evidence that theater participation really is beneficial to these very young kids.” — Matthew Chin, UCF psychology senior lecturer

They logged and quantified data through body language and audience responses. Early on, Sims and Chin say, children needed to be prompted by their parents to participate. However, as the show progressed, you can clearly see children initiating the participation on their own and parental involvement decreasing.

“With this study we are able to say that it isn’t just this thing that we think is true — we have evidence that theater participation really is beneficial to these very young kids,” Chin says.

In 2024-25 alone, more than 4,770 audience members attended Theatre for the Very Young productions like Yo, Ho, Ho! Let’s Go!. Multiply those numbers year after year and the impact to the youth in our community is monumental.

The Next 100 Years

As the stage commemorates this special milestone in its history, it also acknowledges the scope of possibilities and impact ahead.

This year, when Gershwin Entertainment Group, who owns the theatrical rights for A Charlie Brown Christmas, needed a national touring partner to bring the show to life on stage around the country, they turned to the Orlando Family Stage to deliver. It became the highest revenue-generating show in the history of the organizatoin’s performances in Orlando —without counting the 32 cities it visited from New York City to Vancouver, Canada.

A partnership with the 166su Department of History is enabling the stage to create an archive of its materials from the last century as part of the RICHES Mosaic Interface, an online resource dedicated to collecting and sharing the stories of Central Florida.

Another is the inaugural Florida Children’s Book Festival in partnership with Writer’s Block Book Store and W166su, which they hosted in February and plan to host annually to celebrate literature and the link between books, storytelling and live theater.

“We all need to be aware of how special this place is. And we need to be so proud that our community has something like this.” — Chris Brown ’05, Orlando Family Stage executive director and 166su theatre alum

They look to expand the reach of Mind Matters, a program the stage initiated with ±«°äčó’s psychology department and national playwrights to produce 10 original short plays about geared for teens about depression, anxiety, loneliness, isolation and other mental health challenges they face today. The plays serve as an educational resource for teachers to spark honest conversations on these topics with their students.

Brown envisions one day expanding the footprint of the building with more theater space, new classrooms and offices to help alleviate their bursting-at-the-seems infrastructure, so they can keep delivering on all the dreams they want to turn into reality and continue creating meaningful experiences for children and the audiences of tomorrow.

“I can’t get past the energy and the faces of busloads of kids coming in here every day,” Brown says. “We all need to be aware of how special this place is. And we need to be so proud that our community has something like this.”

Celebrates the Arts Programming

You can catch live performances from the Theatre for Young Audiences program during April’s 166su Celebrates the Arts festival at the Dr. Phillips Center in downtown Orlando.

Thursday, April 2 – 7:30 p.m.
Hosted by Ashley Eckstein (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Her Universe, HypeFriend!), this concert features performances that span musical styles and theatrical traditions, reflecting the many creative paths that begin at Orlando Family Stage.

*Featuring Micheal James Scott (Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway), Leslie Carrera-Rudolph (Emmy Award-winning performer for Abby Cadabby, Sesame Street), Jack Griffo (Nickelodeon’s The Thundermans), Davis Gaines (Broadway’s longest running Phantom of the Opera), Michael Andrew (Composer and one of America’s greatest interpreters of the American Songbook), Paul Vogt (Broadway’s Hairspray and Chicago). Video appearances by Mandy Moore (This Is Us), Jasmine Forsberg (Broadway’s Six and Here Lies Love), Clayton and Bella Grimm (Blippi), Broadway legend Norm Lewis and more.

*Artist lineup is updating and is subject to change.

Tuesday, April 7 – 10 a.m.
When best friends Squiggle and Square move away from each other, they must find creative ways to keep communicating! Told through clowning, puppetry and music, Pen Pals is a 30-minute interactive play designed for 5 to 10-year-olds.

Saturday, April 11 – 10 a.m.
Yo, Ho, Ho! Let’s Go! is a 30-minute adventure designed especially for children ages 1 to 5 as a multi-sensory experience that invites them to help a pirate navigate the high seas. Together, they follow a treasure map, solve clues and chart the course forward.

H

ome to 166su, Orlando has long been a global center for themed entertainment. As immersive attractions, museums and themed entertainment experiences continue to grow in scale, complexity and cultural impact, the industry faces a critical challenge: preparing the next generation of professionals with the real-world skills needed to bring immersive experiences to life.

Spanning storytelling, architecture, engineering, media, operations and production, today’s themed experiences and attractions demand skills that rarely live within a single academic discipline.

For many aspiring professionals, the pathway into themed entertainment remains unclear, with limited visibility into professional workflows, real-world timelines and the cross-functional dynamics that ultimately determine a project’s success.

A new partnership between 166su and AOA — a leading immersive experience design, production and project management company — aims to change that to better support the future of the industry.

Ideal Partnership

±«°äčó’s themed experience graduate programs at the College of Arts and Humanities and AOA have launched the AOA Scholars Program, a hands-on practicum designed to give graduate students direct exposure to the real-world processes behind themed entertainment design and production.

166su introduced a theatre Master of Fine Arts track in themed experience in 2018. In 2021, the university offered a stand-alone degree program in themed experience. Both programs are  the first of its kind at a public university.

The program’s focused curriculum in themed experience and attractions makes it an ideal partner for AOA.

The scholars initiative will address a common challenge in the field: while demand for immersive attractions, museums and experiences continues to grow, there is an expanding need for practical training and field work for emerging talent.

“Florida is home to some of the most sophisticated themed entertainment work in the world, but the way people enter the industry hasn’t kept pace,” says Tom Acomb, co-founder and chief creative officer of AOA. “This program is about opening the door earlier and giving students a clearer view of how these projects actually come together.”

Each semester, a select cohort of students will participate in workshops led by AOA professionals, visit active project sites and production facilities, and learn how creative, technical and operational decisions intersect in real projects.

“AOA has always believed in investing in early-career talent, starting with a strong internship program that’s been part of our culture since the early days,” says Mike Ostendorf, co-founder and CEO of AOA. “This partnership with 166su is an evolution of that long-standing commitment — because seeing the full lifecycle of a project up close matters.”

“This partnership gives students access to professional workflows with one of the top firms in the themed entertainment industry.” — Peter Weishar, UCF director of themed experience

What’s Next

166su will oversee academic structure and accreditation, while AOA will contribute funding and industry expertise.

“This partnership gives students access to professional workflows with one of the top firms in the themed entertainment industry with diverse project and a global reach” says Peter Weishar, director of themed experience at 166su. “It strengthens Florida’s role as a global talent pipeline for themed entertainment.”

The AOA Scholars Program is expected to begin Fall 2026, reinforcing Central Florida’s position as a training ground for the next generation of immersive experience professionals.

Spanning multiple years, Go For Launch is the most ambitious revenue-generating effort in ±«°äčó’s history. The campaign builds on decades of momentum and reflects a clear-eyed understanding of what it will take for a modern, metropolitan research university to deliver at the scale the future demands.

Founded to power America’s space race, UCF has always been an institution built for moments of possibility. Go For Launch draws directly from that legacy, reaffirming ±«°äčó’s role as Florida’s Technological University and calling on Knights, partners and visionaries to help shape what comes next.

Campaign Goals and Timeline

The Go For Launch campaign seeks to generate $3.5 billion over a multi-year period through philanthropy, partnerships and aligned revenue strategies, advancing priorities that will shape ±«°äčó’s trajectory for decades. Funds will fuel innovation across the university, from breakthrough research and talent development to infrastructure and partnerships that extend ±«°äčó’s impact far beyond campus.

The campaign follows a successful pre-launch phase that quietly engaged donors, volunteers and community partners around a shared vision. As of Feb. 21, UCF has secured more than $2 billion in early commitments from individuals, families and partners who believe in the university’s bold future.

“This campaign is about matching ±«°äčó’s ambition with the resources required to deliver on it,” says 166su President Alexander N. Cartwright. “It is an investment in discovery, talent and solutions that will shape Florida’s future and improve lives far beyond our campus.”

Four Pillars Driving a Transformational Vision

Go For Launch is anchored by four integrated campaign pillars, each essential to ±«°äčó’s ability to deliver impact at scale.

Elevating Student Success
Elevating Student Success ensures every Knight has the support, resources and opportunities to thrive, from enrollment through graduation and beyond. Campaign investments will expand scholarships, strengthen proactive advising and success coaching, enhance career preparation and sustain innovative support systems that remove barriers before they derail progress. This pillar reflects ±«°äčó’s commitment to access and outcomes, preparing graduates who are confident, career-ready and equipped to lead in a rapidly changing world.

Fueling Discovery and Innovation
Fueling Discovery and Innovation accelerates ±«°äčó’s role as a driver of breakthrough research and real-world solutions. Support will advance faculty-led research, interdisciplinary collaboration and student-driven discovery across areas such as space, cybersecurity, health, energy and advanced technologies. With strong industry partnerships, a thriving research ecosystem and a culture of commercialization, UCF is poised to move ideas faster from lab to impact, creating jobs, improving lives and addressing the world’s most urgent challenges.

Advancing Future Frontiers
Advancing Future Frontiers positions 166su at the forefront of what’s next, including artificial intelligence, digital twins, space exploration, immersive technologies and aerospace medicine. Commitments will support research infrastructure, interdisciplinary institutes and bold experimentation that push beyond today’s limits and shape tomorrow’s industries. As technology and humanity converge, UCF is not waiting for the future to arrive. The university is actively inventing it, translating discovery into global impact and economic vitality.

Maximizing Competitive Excellence
Maximizing Competitive Excellence positions 166su to compete and win at the highest levels nationally. Campaign investments will strengthen faculty recruitment and retention, expand university-wide technology integration, enhance athletics and academic competitiveness, and continue building a destination campus that attracts top talent, industry partners and research opportunities. As Florida’s Next-Generation Preeminent Research University, UCF is focused on translating ambition into sustained performance, elevating our standing, sharpening our edges and ensuring excellence is not episodic but institutionalized.

Why This Campaign and Why Now

Go For Launch represents a clear evolution from ±«°äčó’s prior comprehensive campaigns, with specific focus on directly addressing the rising complexity and cost of delivering a world-class education and research enterprise. It recognizes that sustained excellence requires continued investment in people, ideas and infrastructure.

“Go For Launch will bring our university community together around our boldest aspirations,” says Rodney Grabowski, senior vice president for Advancement and Partnerships and CEO, UCF Foundation Inc.  “It will empower students, support faculty excellence, fuel innovation that strengthens our region and maximize competitive excellence. This campaign reflects our shared belief in what is possible and our commitment to creating a brighter future for generations to come.”

A Launch Worth Celebrating

The public phase of Go For Launch was unveiled at campuswide launch events that brought together thousands of alumni, donors, faculty, students and community leaders. The immersive experience reflected the campaign’s spirit, featuring interactive installations, storytelling and moments that highlighted ±«°äčó’s impact across research, innovation and student success.

Campaign volunteer leadership was celebrated during the event, underscoring the personal commitment many leaders feel toward ±«°äčó’s mission and future.

Impact in Action

Investments generated through Go For Launch will directly advance research with real-world consequences, from improving health outcomes to accelerating breakthroughs in assistive technologies.

Go For Launch is both a continuation of ±«°äčó’s founding mission and a declaration of where the university is headed next. It signals confidence in ±«°äčó’s people, our ideas and our ability to lead.

To learn more about Go For Launch or to get involved, visit

U.S. Department of Education (ED) Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent meets with Chanda Torres ’98 ’00MA ’08EdD, assistant vice president of the Dixon Career Development Center.

Torres shares an overview of the Kenneth G. Dixon Career Development Center, which empowers 166su students and recent graduates to successfully connect academic and career pathways — often through industry partnerships — that lead toward professional success and fulfillment.

Kent (center), ED Deputy Under Secretary James Bergeron (left) and ED Special Advisor Ethan Good (right) listen to an overview of the Lockheed Martin College Work Experience Program (CWEP).

Launched more than 40 years ago, CWEP provides paid internship experiences to about 500 166su students annually — including about 60% of graduating Knights who are offered full-time jobs after completing the program.

ED and 166su staff in front of the Kenneth G. Dixon Career Development Center welcome sign.

Left to right: Assistant Secretary of Labor Henry Mack; Associate Vice Chancellor of Public Affairs for the State University System Tony Lee; 166su Associate Vice President for Federal Relations Eric “Tubby” Shwedo; Torres; 166su Dixon Career Development Center Program Manager Erica Hutton; Director of Career Services at 166su Lynn Hansen; Director of Experiential Learning at 166su Quynh Dang; and 166su Director of Academic Advancement Programs Michael Aldarondo‑Jeffries.

166su President Alexander N. Cartwright joins Kent, Harding, Senior Campus Recruiter for BNY Tatiana Manzanares and Shwedo as they tour BNY’s Next‑Gen Client Technology and Operations Center in the SPRK building on ±«°äčó’s main campus.

In Fall 2025, UCF and BNY, a leading global financial services company, launched a groundbreaking $5 million Pegasus Partnership that established a co-located educational innovation hub on ±«°äčó’s main campus — the first-of-its-kind in Florida.

Kent also had the opportunity to meet and interact with students in the current BNY cohort.

At the heart of this collaboration is the 8,400 square-foot Next-Gen Cybersecurity Technology and Operations Center Lab, which reimagines how universities and global enterprises can work together to prepare the workforce of the future.

ED and 166su staff at the BNY Next-Gen Cybersecurity Technology and Operations Center Lab.

Left to right: ED Special Assistant Cristian Clementi, Good, Associate Vice Chancellor of Public Affairs for the State University System Tony Lee, Mack, Kent, Cartwright, Manzanares, Harding and Dang.

Vice President for Research and Innovation Winston Schoenfeld discusses ±«°äčó’s research enterprise and emphasizes the benefits of its adjacency to Central Florida Research Park, where defense‑focused organizations support research collaborations and workforce development.

Institute for Stimulation and Training (IST) Interim Director Carolina Cruz‑Neira offers an in‑depth overview and demonstration of IST advanced technological capabilities, with lab visits that included the Virtual and Augmented Reality Lab (VARLab).

Kent explores the CAVE system — a technology Cruz-Neira pioneered in the 90s — at the VARLab, where IST demonstrates how it develops immersive simulation systems for industry, government and research collaborators.

Cruz‑Neira provides an in‑depth demonstration of IST’s VARLab and overview of how 166su is preparing the next generation through modeling, simulation and training.

Organizations interested in partnering with STLI should contact Tiffany Hughes in the College of Business or Michael Harding  in 166su Corporate Partnerships to explore collaboration opportunities.

Drawing on ±«°äčó’s strengths as Florida’s Technological University, STLI will serve as the university’s hub for developing deep corporate partnerships through custom executive education, professional credentials, applied research and data-driven solutions. The school will provide expertise across engineering and computer science, business, psychology and related disciplines to help businesses and organizations adapt to technological change while improving leadership capability.

“166su plays a critical role in helping address the challenges shaping the future of industry,” says 166su President Alexander N. Cartwright. “The School of Technology, Leadership and Innovation strengthens our ability to work alongside organizations as they navigate change and turn emerging technologies into leadership capability, organizational performance, and real-world impact.”

Serving Future-Focused Organizations

Unlike traditional academic units, STLI will draw on faculty expertise from across the university rather than hiring new faculty. The school will create new opportunities for 166su scholars to engage directly with organizations through executive programs, professional certifications, consulting engagements and applied research collaborations. In addition to a slate of proprietary offerings, STLI will work with organizations to develop custom solutions to meet a company’s specific needs.

The school, which is designed to generate revenue for the university, will create new opportunities for 166su scholars to engage directly with organizations through executive programs, professional certifications, consulting engagements and applied research collaborations.

“Technology is changing the nature of work and the structure of organizations,” says College of Business Dean Paul Jarley. “STLI connects ±«°äčó’s excellence in engineering, computing business and the human sciences to help leaders understand not just how technology works, but how to lead organizations through technological change. This initiative is the next logical step in ±«°äčó’s long-standing commitment to partnering with technology-driven organizations that power Florida’s economy and beyond.”

“This initiative is the next logical step in ±«°äčó’s long-standing commitment to partnering with technology-driven organizations that power Florida’s economy and beyond.” — Paul Jarley, College of Business dean

Initial development of STLI is being coordinated by the College of Business in collaboration with faculty leaders from the College of Engineering and Computer Science and with strategic oversight from the Provost’s Office.

The launch of STLI represents the next phase of ±«°äčó’s strategy to expand collaboration with the technology-driven organizations shaping Florida’s future like Pegasus Partner Addition Financial Credit Union.

“As a financial institution that prides itself on innovating to better serve its members, Addition Financial is honored to partner with [the] 166su 
 School of Technology Leadership and Innovation,” says Kevin Miller, president and CEO of Addition Financial. “This is an exciting evolution of the future-facing collaboration 166su is known for, and we are looking forward to working alongside the school to unlock the promise of advancing key areas from AI strategy to workforce readiness.”

By connecting faculty expertise with real-world challenges, the school extends the university’s impact beyond campus while preparing leaders who can guide innovation responsibly and effectively.

“Our engagement with 166su provides highly valuable insights that helped us look at our operational challenges from a fresh perspective,” says Mohamed Hassan, head of business excellence North America, Siemens Energy. “The collaboration is both rigorous and forward leaning, and it enables us to translate ideas into tangible next steps for our business.”

How to Partner

Organizations interested in partnering with STLI should contact Tiffany Hughes (Tiffany.Hughes@ucf.edu) in the College of Business or Michael Harding (Michael.Harding@ucf.edu) in 166su Corporate Partnerships to explore collaboration opportunities.

166su is the only institution in the state of Florida selected to address the U.S. Department of Education’s civil discourse priority as part of its Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education initiative.

The department from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). Following a record number of applicants, UCF was among the honorees with a four-year $3.4 million grant for our proposal — Civil Interactions and Viewpoints for Interpersonal Competence (CIVIC): A Campuswide Model — which seeks to protect and promote civil discourse on campuses.

“The future demands graduates who can collaborate effectively, navigate complex conversations and lead with integrity within varied professional environments, even when they don’t always agree.” — Andrea Guzmán, UCF vice president for access and community engagement

“The future demands graduates who can collaborate effectively, navigate complex conversations and lead with integrity within varied professional environments, even when they don’t always agree,” says Andrea Guzmán, UCF vice president for access and community engagement and CIVIC principal investigator. “This grant allows us to prepare students not just academically, but to be thoughtful citizens and professionals. By integrating civil discourse skills throughout curricular and co-curricular experiences, we are helping students develop the communication and critical thinking skills that employers, communities and our democracy depend on.”

What is the Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)?

FIPSE is a discretionary grant initiative that supports innovative projects to address urgent national needs in postsecondary education. The funds awarded from this specific program competition empower institutions to develop and scale solutions that improve educational outcomes, strengthen institutional capacity and align education with workforce demands.

In November, the Department of Education announced four FY 2025 competition priorities focused on expanding innovative teaching and student success initiatives, promoting civil discourse on campuses, advancing accreditation reform, and building capacity for high‑quality, workforce‑aligned short‑term academic programs eligible for Workforce Pell Grants.

While 166su was Florida’s lone representative selected for the civil discourse priority, the state saw Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic University, and its Commission for Public Higher Education, Inc. earn grants in accreditation. Hillsborough Community College earned funding for AI.

What is civil discourse?

±«°äčó’s defines civil discourse as constructive conversation or dialogue which intends to enhance understanding, be productive and requires taking responsibility for truly listening and talking about important local, national and global topics/issues.

“Civil discourse is about understanding the other person’s viewpoint so you can come together to make thoughtful decisions in spite of having different viewpoints,” Guzmán says.

GuzmĂĄn says she often hears students today are hesitant to share their own perspectives. She hopes that through this intentional framework, students will begin to feel more confident engaging civilly with those around them.

“Whether students are in the classroom or just having a conversation with a peer, we want them to have the skillset and emotional intelligence needed for constructive conversations,” Guzmán says. “They should still be able to walk away and respectfully say, ‘I still don’t agree with you, but let’s go get a burger and fries afterward.’ Too often, we’ve seen relationships fracture because the skill of civil discourse has been lost.”

How will 166su use these funds?

±«°äčó’s priority with this $3.4 million grant is to intentionally embed civil discourse and constructive communication skills into the everyday experience at the university through four main strategies.

Strategy 1: Faculty Learning Communities

The first strategy is geared toward . 166su Director of Civil Discourse and Engagement Haley Winston ’17·Ą»ć¶Ù and a faculty fellow, yet to be named, will partner to create a curriculum to offer paid learning experiences via faculty learning communities each semester and a track at the Summer Faculty Development Institute. This curriculum will inform faculty on strategies and methodologies for building civil discourse opportunities into their classes. There are also plans to develop and implement civil discourse modules in new faculty orientation.

Eventually, ±«°äčó’s course catalogue will recognize classes — much like it does now with service-learning courses — with a civil discourse designation.

Strategies 2 and 3: Student Orientation and Training

Two additional strategies are student-focused. One will collaborate with ±«°äčó’s to include civil discourse modules at orientation.

“From the very start of a student’s journey at 166su, we set the expectation that we are an institution where people can express their views freely and constructively, in a respectful way,” Guzmán says.

The other will partner with to offer civil discourse training for both student employee onboarding training as well as a supervisor-specific training via its , preparing students to carry on these skills into the workforce after graduation.

Strategy 4: Mini-grants for Learning Opportunities

The fourth strategy is geared toward expanding co-curricular opportunities through the 166su Ginsburg Center – Office of Civil Discourse and Engagement. Mini-grants will be offered to units and colleges who want to offer learning opportunities within their department or classrooms.

“This grant builds on work already underway at 166su and allows us to scale it intentionally.”
— Andrea Guzmán

“This grant builds on work already underway at 166su and allows us to scale it intentionally. It also enables the development of a pilot program designed to be replicated across the state university system,” Guzmán says. “The reason we are choosing to bolster programs like orientation and faculty learning communities are because these are existing infrastructures that almost every institution will have and can seamlessly incorporate.”

What happens next?

The funding takes effect immediately. 166su will invite faculty applications for the faculty fellow position during the Spring 2026 semester, with the appointment beginning in August.

±«°äčó’s will also organize an internal implementation team to confirm year-one priorities, which includes aligning timelines, refining deliverables and establishing the infrastructure needed to support the work.

“With every project we implement, we think about scale and long-term impact. The goal is always for meaningful, transformative work to live on beyond the grant,” says Cyndia Morales Muñiz ’13EdD, senior director of grant initiatives and partnerships, and CIVIC project director.

In addition to Muñiz, GuzmĂĄn and Winston, the project includes activity coordinators Joel Cramer, interim vice provost for Faculty Excellence; Chanda Torres ’98 ’00MA ’08EdD, assistant vice president of the Dixon Career Development Center; and Ryan Goodwin, assistant vice president for Strategic Initiatives.

In years three and four of the grant, UCF will develop and host two symposiums for Florida’s State University System institutions and state colleges to share implementation strategies and lessons learned, providing a model that can be replicated at their own campuses.

“This is yet another example of 166su leading the way to best serve our students and faculty and we look forward to getting started,” Muñiz says.

Note: 100% of ±«°äčó’s Civil Interactions and Viewpoints for Interpersonal Competence (CIVIC): A Campuswide Model is being financed with this federal funding and 0% of the program is being financed with non-federal funding.