The details mattered.
Every element of Chrissy Fidelus’ wedding in Hawaii on July 24 reflected the same instinct that has quietly shaped her career: an ability to see both structure and possibility. Every decision was intentional, from the visual design to the atmosphere, creating an experience that felt unmistakably personal.
For anyone who knows Fidelus only through her career in laboratory medicine, it might come as a surprise.
Today, Fidelus works as a medical laboratory scientist at Roper St. Francis Healthcare in South Carolina, rotating through blood bank, hematology, chemistry and microbiology. The work demands precision, careful analysis and a commitment to getting every detail right. It also satisfies her curiosity, allowing her to solve new problems every day while helping guide patient care.
Fidelus’ journey to UCF began long before she enrolled. Born in Chicago and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, she grew up in a family that valued education and opportunity. As a teenager, she accompanied her older sister on college tours across Florida, unknowingly beginning her own search.
“I had seen so many schools,” she says. “But there was something about UCF that felt right.”
She enrolled in the College of Health Professions and Sciences to study sport and exercise science, drawn to the connection between movement, health and performance. The demanding coursework challenged her to think critically, communicate effectively and develop the discipline that would shape her professional life.
“It really pushed me,” she says. “I learned how to manage everything and keep moving forward.”
Then one class changed everything.
A microbiology course introduced Fidelus to an entirely new world, revealing a career path she had never considered. After graduating from UCF, she completed an additional medical laboratory science program and discovered a profession that perfectly matched her love of learning and problem-solving.
Inside the laboratory, every sample tells a story. Each test requires close observation, thoughtful analysis and an understanding that even the smallest detail can make a meaningful difference in a patient’s care. It is meticulous work, but Fidelus thrives on its variety and the opportunity to continue learning.
Outside the laboratory, those same instincts take a different form.
Whether she’s designing an event or creating meaningful experiences, Fidelus is drawn to the details that bring individual pieces together into a cohesive whole. Planning her wedding became an expression of that perspective, allowing her to blend organization with imagination in a way that reflected who she is.
“It was important to me that it felt personal,” she says. “I wanted it to reflect who I am.”
On a whim, Fidelus and her fiancé mailed one of their wedding invitations to UCF Alumni. That unexpected gesture became the beginning of this story.
Although laboratory medicine and creative design may seem worlds apart, Fidelus sees common ground. Both require careful observation, thoughtful planning and the ability to bring seemingly unrelated elements together with purpose.
“I don’t feel like I have to choose one or the other,” she says. “I can do both.”
Looking back, Fidelus credits UCF with giving her the confidence to embrace that mindset. The university challenged her academically while encouraging her to explore new opportunities and discover strengths she hadn’t yet recognized.
“UCF gave me the confidence to try different things,” she says. “It made me feel like I didn’t have to stay in one lane.”
Her journey reflects a future increasingly shaped by people who can think across disciplines, combining analytical reasoning with creativity to solve complex problems in new ways. Through Go For Launch, UCF is investing in students and alumni who are prepared to do exactly that, expanding opportunity, accelerating discovery and building careers that aren’t confined to a single path.
For Fidelus, that future is already taking shape.
Whether she’s analyzing a blood sample or designing an unforgettable experience, she approaches every challenge with the same curiosity, precision and intention. It’s a combination that has allowed her to build a career—and a life—where science and creativity don’t compete. They strengthen one another.
The future doesn’t wait, and neither should our students. Through Go For Launch, you can help provide the experiences, mentorship and resources that empower Knights to discover their strengths, expand their horizons and launch into meaningful careers and lives of impact.
