UCF
NEWS
Advancement & Partnerships Event Photos
Explore highlights from UCF’s Go for Launch campaign through a collection of photo galleries capturing the energy, pride, and impact of our signature events. From the excitement of the Pep Rally to the inspiring moments of Liftoff, these galleries showcase the people, partnerships, and shared vision driving UCF forward. Experience how our community comes together to celebrate progress, champion innovation, and support the future of our students and university.
ADVANCEMENT & PARTNERSHIPS NEWS
IMPACT IN ACTION
UCF graduate students are collaborating with faculty and industry experts to solve real-world business challenges with AI and help shape the future of financial technology.
Nisha Phillip Malahoo ’21MEd ’24 EdD is one of six educators and the only representative from Florida to earn the national recognition for this year’s honor.
By examining nearly three decades of state records, UCF RESTORES researchers are identifying patterns in suicide deaths among Florida fire service members — and using those findings to help strengthen prevention and support.
Meet Chanda Torres ’98 ’00MA ’08EdD: alum, mother and leader whose inspired work has transformed thousands of students’ lives and collective UCF’s workforce impact.
Retrace some of Odysseus’ fabled journey in a UCF Study Abroad Summer 2027 program and take courses rooted in themes of the epic poem that still apply to modern life.
The former first lady of UCF leaves a legacy of service, generosity and unwavering belief in the value of education.
The project will engage undergraduate and graduate students to transform the dictionaries into searchable digital editions, preserving the texts that helped define and document American English.
Family influences, career reinvention and lifelong friendships shaped the entrepreneurs behind UCF’s inaugural Ever Upward competition, proving there is no single path to building the future.
VIDEOS
UCF: Maximizing Competitive Excellence | Go For Launch
UCF was founded on one purpose: prepare for and own the future. Discover how our relentless drive toward excellence is propelling us to national and global prominence across the spectrum of student and faculty achievement from science and business to athletics and themed experiences. See what the world is watching. Join our mission today. We are Go For Launch.
UCF: The Avatar Era
Join Carolina Cruz-Neira, Ph. D., University of Central Florida faculty and a member of the National Academy of Engineering as she discusses how UCF is using the power of technology to drive positive change. Explore the VARlab, learn how embodied AI agents can help at home and the workplace and how digital twins can extend human presence beyond the body.
UCF Charles Millican Legacy Society
UCF’s Future Begins: Go For Launch
At UCF, we are building the futures we are just starting to imagine, because the world needs visionaries and problem-solvers who can tackle what’s next. We invite you to imagine what’s possible as we launch together. Join us on our mission from the campus to the stars!
VIDEOS
Meet the Go For Launch Mission Commanders
UCF Fintech Leading the Nation in Emerging IT Developments and Finance
How UCF is Designing Dining for Deep Space
As space tourism accelerates from concept to commercial reality, one essential question remains: What will travelers eat — and how will it elevate their experience?
At UCF, Possibility Begins with You
At UCF, breakthroughs do not happen by accident. They begin with curiosity, courage and the commitment to invest in what comes next. In this video, students, faculty and alumni share the discoveries they are making today and the bold questions they are pursuing for tomorrow.
UCF: Scaling the Future of Space Exploration
Space exploration is entering a new era. The question is no longer whether we can reach orbit — but how we prepare for Mars. In this video, our experts explore what it takes to move from moonshots to Mars — and why the groundwork must be laid now.
UCF: Elevating Student Success
What does it mean to be at the epicenter of opportunity?
At UCF, it means freedom — the freedom to explore, to strive, and to imagine yourself doing what once felt out of reach.
UCF: Fueling Discovery and Innovation
At UCF, anything is possible.
From photonics and nuclear chemistry to AI, theater technology and hearing science, our students and faculty move bold ideas from concept to real-world impact.
UCF: Advancing Future Frontiers
We don’t wait for the future.
We build it.
Through applied research, collaboration and fearless creativity, UCF is advancing the frontiers that will shape our world.
VIDEOS
THE LATEST FROM ALUMNI
Two-time Knight took a leap of faith going back to school after already having a successful career and has kept looking forward. Juan Avilés ’21 ’23MA still remembers the feeling of opening his UCF acceptance letter. “It rocked my world,” he says. “The school thought I was good enough.” It wasn’t simply relief. The letter […]
Once a student searching for a path forward, Thierry Labossiere now embodies the promise of launching futures through education, proving how access, mentorship and determination can change the trajectory of a life. In Lima, Peru, where LabBossiere provided education about the importance of proper nutrition to local children. In a world built on sound, Thierry […]
When CAH alumnus Pedro Turushina ’10 talks about his career, he doesn’t describe a master plan. Instead, the Art graduate describes a series of opportunities, each one teaching him something new. Turushina with his grandparents A retail job helped him become more outgoing. Graphic design taught him how to communicate ideas. Running his own […]
Garrison Cohen ’14 is a litigation attorney at Holland & Knight LLP in Orlando, where he represents companies and business owners in a wide range of matters, including business-to-business disputes, commercial real estate litigation, labor and employment issues, class actions, and consumer-related claims. He earned his bachelor’s degree in legal studies with a minor in […]
Civil engineer by day and one of Orlando’s most recognizable food storytellers by night, Ricky Ly ’08 is building more than infrastructure across Central Florida. He is helping shape a more connected, vibrant community, one story, one meal and one relationship at a time. Growing up in West Palm Beach, Ly’s earliest understanding of community […]
Three UCF degrees helped shape Gonzalo La Cava’s leadership journey, but his true mission has always been creating opportunities for students and communities to thrive. For Gonzalo La Cava ’97 ’01MEd ’09EdD, opportunity has always been earned. It began with two parents who left Uruguay in search of a better life, carrying little more than […]
Seeing What Others Miss Initially, there was little reason to suspect a serious orthopedic injury. But something about the patient’s presentation caught Mason Baker ’17’s attention. There was subtle guarding. Hesitation during weight-bearing. Details that emerged through conversation and movement that didn’t quite fit the patient’s primary diagnosis. As a physical therapist, Baker has learned […]
In the photo above, Demi Colbert ’12 ’16MNM stands with her two daughters, Gabriella and Isabella, and her mother, Ruby McDowell. From first-generation student to steadfast advocate, Demicia Colbert is turning her UCF journey into a mission to open doors for others and teaching the next generation to do the same. Demicia “Demi” Colbert ’12 […]
News
STAY IN-THE-KNOW
Pegasus Magazine
Founded in 1994 by Tom Messina ’84 and Mike Hinn ’92, Pegasus magazine is the official publication of the University of Central Florida, published twice annually. Find the latest in research developments, student success stories, university advancements and alumni news.
KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST
Update your contact information to receive bi-monthly alumni digest emails.
UCF Alumni
