“Some boats make it around the pond, some spin around in little circles and some sink — designing, building and racing an autonomous (self-guided) vessel is quite difficult,� says Jacqueline Sullivan ’87 ’91MS, instructor of the Introduction to Engineering course that culminates with this final project.

Beyond a passing grade, a coveted grand prize is up for grabs for the team of the fastest vessel: a four-year McGraw book, e-book and software scholarship for each team member.

The race, in its 29th year, has all the components for innovation and potential for a mess. The classes of budding engineers have grown to nearly 2,000 students who form hundreds of teams. They’re using advanced technology and more components.

With this in mind, perhaps the most amazing aspect of the event is that it has become more orderly than ever, with races starting every 10 minutes for nine straight hours. There is no waste, in terms of time or materials.

“Sustainable engineering,� Sullivan calls it, before admitting, “but it wasn’t my idea. Race day used to be a bit chaotic until Mason [Clewis] came along.�

It’s been only two years since Clewis, a senior photonic science and engineering student, recognized an opportunity to create a perfectly tuned e-waste recycling system, a timeline even he can hardly believe.

“The students are doing at this level what SpaceX and NASA are doing at the highest level — reusing and recycling.� — Jacqueline Sullivan, instructor

“At first, I thought I’d run a recycling booth by myself and maybe reuse the boat parts or sell them on eBay,� he says. “But it’s grown beyond me, to multiple departments and a network of volunteers. It’s all happened fast and naturally.�

The magic begins as each race ends. Participants who don’t advance to the final rounds take their boats to a tent where students disassemble each craft with the speed of NASCAR pit crews. They pull out batteries, computer chips and servomotors. Stainless steel screws and hardware are also collected. Whatever is left of the hulls is crushed and deposited into recycle bins.

The oranges are saved for other races.

As the day progresses through dozens of races, the lawn around the Reflecting Pond never changes from its original condition: a green carpet, in perfect spring form.

“The students are doing at this level what SpaceX and NASA are doing at the highest level — reusing and recycling,� Sullivan says. “That’s why I say Mason is my hero.�

A Village Beyond the Tent

Clewis watched his first GNOR as a curious freshman. He’d been working on his own capstone project — developing a temperature-controlled fan. During the races, a few of his internal wheels started turning when he noticed boat carnage spilling from trash cans and onto the lawn.

“Some of the parts on the boats were the same parts I needed for my own project,� he says. “I know plenty of students like me who don’t want to shell out $100 for the same perfectly good batteries, chips and sensors that are being thrown away. Plus, I’m interested in entrepreneurship and keeping the environment clean. So, I took the basic idea for a recycling booth to Miss Sullivan.�

“That’s the most rewarding aspect for me: the lasting impact — a positive, mutually beneficial impact. The campus looks better. Students can access free parts for their projects. Everyone has fun. There is no downside.â€� — Mason Clewis, student

The power of organic growth took root when Sullivan put Clewis and his project partner, Chris Lesniak, in touch with Jim Essad, manager of the machine shop sciences program. When students from Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s Robotics Club found out, they offered to disassemble boats on race day and organize parts for future reuse. Word then spread to College of Engineering and Computer Sciences Facilities Operations Manager Pete Alfieris, who offered recycle containers and golf carts. Don Harper ’88, manager of the Texas Instruments Innovation Lab, said he’d gladly take the discarded wood and barely-used hardware for the next cohorts to access for free.

“I never thought so many people would want to be involved,� Clewis says, “but we’re helping others and there’s something inherently attractive about that.�

Students want to be involved. Faculty and staff want to be involved. In the past 24 months, the savings in money and materials has been incalculable. The cycle feeds itself with the rare combination of sustainability and scale.

“Mason started doing the right thing about a need when no one was looking,� Sullivan says. “Now everyone is looking.�

E-Cycling into the Future

Clewis was in the recycling booth again for this year’s GNOR, but with a slightly different purpose: Teaching freshmen how to run the show.

“I won’t be here in a couple of years, but someone else will keep it going,� he says. “That’s the most rewarding aspect for me: the lasting impact — a positive, mutually beneficial impact. The campus looks better. Students can access free parts for their projects. Everyone has fun. There is no downside.�

During Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Celebrates the Arts 2026, Legally Blonde took the stage with a twist audiences didn’t see coming — one that blurred the line between performance and possibility.

The story still delivered the heart: College student Elle Woods chases love, faces doubt and ultimately discovers her own strength along the way. But this production layered something new into that journey: state-of-the-art robotics. At Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, Florida’s Technological University, innovation shows up in unexpected places — even onstage.

The result was a show that felt both nostalgic and forward-looking, where dynamic musical theater met emerging tech.

Musical theatre major Lyric Stratton played the perfect protagonist, Elle Woods, whose dreams of settling down after college graduation are cut short when her boyfriend, Warner, breaks up with her to attend Harvard Law School. Devastated and determined to get him back, Woods pulls together an unconventional application and charms her way into Harvard Law.

High-energy dance numbers powered the production from start to finish. In one standout scene titled “What You Want,� Woods turns her Harvard application into a full-scale performance, trading a traditional essay for a show-stopping number alongside the UCLA cheer team.

The number featured 25 students on stage and took 13 hours to stage.

Three characters led a Harvard admissions conference room scene, delivering sharp dialogue as they debated Woods’ fate.

From left: Joey Fields as Winthrop, Tristan Haberland as Lowell and Jasper Allen as Pforzheimer.

Just as the audience settled into the story, two robot dogs stepped into the spotlight. During the nine-minute number “What You Want,� they appeared in a Harvard campus scene where engineering students — played by theatre majors Mia Freeman and Isabel Ramos — walked them around as UCLA cheerleaders looked on in awe. In a brief but striking moment, technology wasn’t just a prop — it became part of the story.

Operated live on stage, the robots transformed the moment into a seamless blend of performance and engineering. Freeman and Ramos were trained by Mohsen Rakhshan, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and his graduate teaching assistant, Chinmay Dhanraj Nehate.

“We’re seeing the incorporation of robotics into different things at an accelerated rate, including art. It’s exciting,â€� says Rakhshan, who closely collaborated with the production’s director to bring the robots into the show.

The electrical and computer engineering department houses 15 state-of-the-art robot dogs, nine of which are in Rakhshan’s Laboratory for Interaction of Machine and Brain. There, he and his graduate teaching assistant use them for both instruction and research — teaching an Introduction to Robotics course and training the robots to navigate the uncertainties of real-world environments.

During last year’s annual Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ football Space Game, Michael Jablonski, assistant professor of musical theatre in the College of Arts and Humanities, watched the ECE department’s robot dogs in motion across the field. At that moment, he saw more than entertainment — he saw the potential for storytelling. A way to take something typically confined to classrooms and labs and give it emotion and meaning.

When planning Legally Blonde, a story rooted in breaking expectations, the idea came naturally: why not let innovation share the stage?

Even with its high-tech twist, the show stayed true to its roots — including Bruiser, Woods’ loyal (and stylish) Chihuahua, brought to life by a real dog named Marty McFly.

During “Whipped Into Shape,� fitness guru Brooke Wyndham, played by theatre major Isabel Ramos, led her cellmates through a relentless workout. Accused of murder, Wyndham refused to reveal the truth when Woods visited — unless she could keep up — turning the moment into a high-energy number where actors sang while performing intense jump rope choreography.

In the climactic courtroom scene, Woods took the lead, defending Wyndham and using sharp instincts, wit and confidence to expose the real culprit. It was a defining moment where she proved she belongs, blending intelligence, intuition and boldness to win the case.

Front row from left: Lyric Stratton as Elle Woods, Isabel Ramos as Brooke Wyndham and Jaxon Ryan as Emmett Forrest.

Along the way, Woods stops chasing approval and finds her confidence, purpose and voice. This central theme drew Jablonski, Legally Blonde production director, to the female-driven story.

“This story showcases how a very strong, intelligent woman [Elle Woods] finds her way in a male-dominated world. She initially follows love, but through it, she finds a space where she fits perfectly,� Jablonski says. “Through being misjudged and stereotyped, we come to see that she’s far above the people around her in her thinking and in the way she brings humanity into her work as a lawyer.�

What audiences saw was only part of the story. Behind every scene change, lighting cue, and musical number is a network of students, faculty, and staff working in sync — often just out of sight. Behind the curtain, more than 50 people managed lighting, sound and scene transitions in real time.

The music didn’t just support the story — it drove it. Legally Blonde, presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, featured music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, with 23 total musical numbers. The book is by Heather Hach.

Projection-mapped animations and imagery — created with QLab software and delivered through two high-brightness front projectors — were precisely timed to the music, blending seamlessly with choreography and lighting to shape the show’s visual rhythm.

“Each scene had its own visual identity, with projections adding specific details that help it stand out,� says Tim Brown, associate professor of theatre design and technology. “The goal is to support the show’s fun, colorful world in a clear and energetic way.�

Costuming defined each character with bold color and precise detail. Huaixiang Tan, professor of costume and make-up design in the School of Performing Arts, led the design, with support from assistant costume designers Sabrina Cervilla and Aisha Bader-Ortega. The production featured more than 100 costumes, each the result of hundreds of hours of craftsmanship.

In the Theatre Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ scene shop, students began using hands-on technical skills to build and refine set pieces in January.

Built through layers of paint, planning and precision, the set came together as a large-scale collaboration among more than 40 students.

Designed for transport, much like a touring production, the set added an extra layer of complexity and was built to be assembled at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. It was completed and delivered on March 30.

Now, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has taken notice.

Deneé Lichtenberg was awarded the DOE’s Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship, giving her the opportunity to further her research at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. This premier multidisciplinary research institution is advancing breakthroughs in science and technology to address national security challenges.

The opportunity brings her closer to achieving one of her biggest goals: working at a national laboratory, where she’ll collaborate with experienced researchers and learn how large-scale scientific projects are conducted.

Raised in Titusville, less than an hour away from Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s main campus, Lichtenberg says she always knew she’d attend Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, especially given the strength of its engineering programs. What she didn’t yet know was how far that decision would take her.

“The ability to design and improve materials that impact a variety of fields really motivated me to pursue this discipline.”

She found her path in materials science — a field where physics, chemistry and engineering intersect — which would allow her to study materials from the atomic level to real-world applications.

“Ultimately, everything is made up of materials,� she says. “By changing a material’s structure or composition, you can drastically alter its performance. The ability to design and improve materials that impact a variety of fields really motivated me to pursue this discipline.�

That curiosity has evolved into something bigger: tackling the challenge of sustainably recovering rare earth metals that are vital to the future of energy and technology.

Advancing Sustainable Extraction

Over the past year in the , led by Assistant Professor of Engineering Kausik Mukhopadhyay, Lichtenberg has focused on a breakthrough approach that uses a naturally occurring protein, lanmoudulin.

“The protein can capture rare earth elements from dilute waste streams, and then a small temperature change can trigger the protein to release them so they can be collected,� she says. “This could create a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way to recover valuable materials.�

Those materials are critical to everything from renewable energy systems to manufacturing; however, traditional extraction methods rely heavily on large amounts of energy and chemicals sourced from acid mine drainage, coal byproducts and electronic waste.

Lichtenberg’s work points to a sustainable future.

“By developing protein-based systems that selectively capture and release these elements, we could potentially reduce the reliance on traditional extraction,� she says.

At Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lichtenberg will take that work further, designing modified proteins, producing them in the lab and testing how effectively they bind and release rare earth elements.

“It is a very exciting interdisciplinary project that combines protein engineering, materials science and sustainability,� she says. “I hope to continue this research after the internship ends.�

It Takes a Lab — and a Team

But just as impactful as the research has been, the environment that’s shaped it has been.

“Dr. Mukhopadhyay is a fantastic mentor who creates a very supportive and positive environment that encourages learning [both] in and out of the lab,� Lichtenberg says. “The graduate students in the lab have [also] played a huge role in … helping me learn new techniques and [understand] the experiments and science itself.�

Next, she plans to continue her journey as a Knight by pursuing a doctoral degree at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, advancing her research as a graduate member of the KM Lab.

For Lichtenberg, this internship isn’t the finish line — it’s just the beginning of reimagining how the world sources its most essential materials.

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ and the Big 12 unveiled the 2026 schedule in January, with every game initially scheduled on Saturday. Two of those games are now shifted to Friday:

• Oct. 30 vs. Baylor (Mission X Space Game)
• Nov. 20 vs. Iowa State (Senior Knight)

TV and streaming designations and kickoff times will be revealed at a later date.

2026 Schedule & Game Day Themes

-Home games in bold-

9/3 vs. Bethune-Cookman (Season-Opener)
9/12 at Pittsburgh
9/19 vs. Georgia State (Family Weekend)
9/26 vs. TCU (Big 12 Opener)
10/3 at Houston
10/10 at Oklahoma State
10/24 vs. BYU (Homecoming)
10/30 vs. Baylor (Mission X Space Game)
11/7 at Kansas
11/14 vs. Arizona State
11/20 vs. Iowa State (Senior Knight)
11/28 at Colorado

The Big 12 Championship Game is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 4, and will once again be played at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Dallas, Texas.

Under the direction of head coach Scott Frost, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ carries early momentum into the 2026 season after landing quarterback Alonza Barnett III and a strong group of transfers through the portal. The Knights also secured a pair of four-star high school recruits, highlighting a solid overall class.

TICKETS

Season tickets for the 2026 campaign can be purchased at . Single game tickets are not yet for sale.

WHY WE BOUNCE

The 2026 campaign will mark the 20th season that Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ football plays its home games in Acrisure Bounce House. To recognize Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½’s 20 years of Acrisure Bounce House,  a season-long celebration of the countless memories made inside the place Knight Nation calls home. The 2026 campaign is more than just another season. It is a chance to tell our story.

We want to know why YOU bounce. If you’d like to help us tell our story of the bonds built through game day experiences, , and be ready to include photos.

Under a high-stakes, simulated cyberattack and mounting pressure, the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition (C3) team proved it can defend, adapt and outperform — earning first place at the 2026 Southeast Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC).

The team rose above nine competitors, including Tennessee Tech University, Clemson University, the University of South Florida and the University of Florida. With the win, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ advances to the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, which will be held virtually next month.

Twelve students make up this year’s C3 team: sophomore information technology (IT) majors Gabriel Edwards and Maksim Shostak; junior IT majors Logan Autry, Anthony Donnelly, Joseph Durand, Adam Raczynski and Jonathan Styles; senior IT major Ardian Peach; sophomore computer science major Tyler Waddell; junior computer science major Benjamin Williams; cyber security and privacy master’s student Andy Pompura ’23; and senior prelaw major Noah Magill, who serves as team captain.

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½’s Legacy of Cybersecurity Success

Their stellar performance marks Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s ninth first-place finish at the Southeast CCDC regional since 2013. Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ earned runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2025, along with first-place titles in special at-large CCDC regionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

“Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ has historically maintained high service availability levels while under attack by the red team.” — Tom Nedorost ’02MS, senior instructor and C3 team coach

The team not only clinched the top spot but also swept all three categories, winning Best in Uptime Service, Best in Business and Best in Defense.

“Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ has historically maintained high service availability levels while under attack by the red team,â€� says Tom Nedorost ’02MS, C3 team coach and senior instructor of computer science and IT. “We lived up to that expectation again this year, which resulted in winning the Best in Uptime Service award.â€�

Nedorost adds that the team strengthened its ability to complete technical service requests while hardening systems against vulnerabilities to protect their network, key improvements that led to the two additional category wins.

Putting Cyber Defense Skills into Practice

At each competition, teams are tasked with defending a fictional company’s network against cyberattacks launched by red team members attempting to infiltrate it. All the while, competitors must maintain business operations and respond to customer service requests.

Each obstacle mimics real-world scenarios cybersecurity professionals face, allowing competitors to demonstrate their technical skills, business acumen and ability to collaborate.

It’s fun to go up against people [who, collectively,] would be a force to reckon with in the cyber world .â€� — Noah Magill, prelaw major and C3 team captain

Magill says the Southeast CCDC is among the most competitive, with red team members from leading companies such as Amazon Web Services and Cisco.

“All of them put together make up one of the scariest real-world life adversaries,â€� Magill says. “It’s fun to go up against people [who, collectively,] would be a force to reckon with in the cyber world — and a lot of [them] are [Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½] alumni.â€�

Next Up: Nationals

As the team sets its sights on the national competition, the work is far from over. Magill says a few more 100-hour weeks are likely ahead.

“Everyone on the team is incredibly adept at what they do and world-class [in] their specialty,� Magill says. “Leading this team [and relying] on such amazing teammates with such a diverse amount of skills has been really awesome.�

“Once I realized it wasn’t a mistake, I was thrilled,� says Xhemali, one of the inaugural recipients of the Katherine Crock Memorial Scholarship. “I’m financing this entire experience on my own, so every bit helps. That’s money I can now put toward my future.�

For Xhemali, an aspiring lawyer, college once felt like a distant world reserved for others. Between traveling back-and-forth across the Atlantic Ocean to live with his parents in Albania and relatives in Chicago and Jacksonville, Florida, he constantly balanced family expectations with his own ambitions. Ultimately, Xhemali faced a difficult choice: work to support his family or focus solely on his studies. He chose both, supplementing his scholarship by working as a produce clerk at Publix and a warehouse shipper.

College of Business alum Raymond Smithberger ’02MBA understands that drive. Growing up on a 100-acre farm in Southeast Ohio, Smithberger learned the value of hard work and family obligation early on. The oldest of five, with a father who worked in a factory and a mother who was a receptionist, Smithberger was aware of the financial hurdles facing a first-generation student when he left home to pursue his undergraduate degree and later an MBA at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½.

Now the chief operating officer at Help at Home, a national home care provider, Smithberger credits his late mother, Katherine Crock, for pushing him to blaze his own trail.

“She was the one who really encouraged me to do things differently,� Smithberger says.

Following his mother’s passing, Smithberger honored her legacy by creating the Katherine Crock Memorial Fund. The endowment ensures students like himself, and Xhemali, have the support they need to define their own futures — and pays tribute to someone who valued education more than anything else.

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Day of Giving is Thursday, April 9. Join us during Knight Nation’s single largest day of impact as we support our favorite colleges, programs, student services, research endeavors and more. .

“[My mother] wanted to pursue further education but never had the chance,� Smithberger says. “I feel honored to support other first-generation students in her memory.�

Strategically launched last year on to maximize impact, visibility, and matching opportunities, the Katherine Crock Memorial Fund helps to expand student access, reduce financial barriers,and accelerate academic success. By funding both established and new scholarship initiatives, donors directly enable Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ students to focus on their studies and career-shaping experiences, such as internships and campus involvement, rather than financial stressors.

While the finer points of Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Day of Giving are still new to Xhemali, he understands the significance ofSmithberger’s generosity.

“I’m still fresh, but I’m figuring out this stuff,� Xhemali says. “What I do know is that I want to use this scholarship to put me in a position where I can help someone like Mr. Smithberger has helped me.�

The week-long festival is organized by the Campus Activities Board — a registered student organization focused on fostering student engagement on campus with marquee events including Pegasus Palooza.

The following events are free for Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ students with valid Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ ID.

Monday, April 6

Movie Knight

Pegasus Ballroom (Student Union) | 7:30 p.m.

Please note: due to the expected inclement weather, the location of this event has changed from Memory Mall to the Pegasus Ballroom in the Student Union.

Students can enjoy carnival games, free popcorn and beverages (while supplies last) and a special showing of Disney’s Zootopia 2 with their friends.

Wednesday, April 8

Comedy Knight

Addition Financial Arena | Doors open 7 p.m., event starts at 8 p.m.

Comedian, actress, and celebrity interviewer Ziwe brings her signature humor, fearless questions, and unforgettable stage presence to Comedy Knight! Two students will be selected to be interviewed by Ziwe live on stage during her Hot Seat segment.

Thursday, April 9

KNIGHT-CHELLA

Memory Mall | 6:30–11:30 p.m. 

A music festival inspired by the iconic Coachella, KNIGHT-CHELLA features: five student bands and six DJs across two stages, food trucks, giveaways, live art from students, large-scale attractions including roller skating, mechanical bull, bungee jumping and more.

Monday, April 13

Speaker Knight

Pegasus Ballroom (Student Union) | Doors open at 7 p.m., panel starts at 8 p.m.

Chloé Lukasiak, former dancer on the reality TV show Dance Moms, will share her personal story and take part in a Q&A.

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ civil engineering students sailed to the top of the Concrete Canoe Competition at this year’s American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Southeast Student Symposium. Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s ASCE student chapter clinched first place, defeating a field of 13 teams that included Georgia Tech and the University of Florida, which has placed first for 13 of the past 14 years.

The victory qualifies Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ to compete at the ASCE Civil Engineering Student Championships in June in West Virginia where nearly 20 teams from North America will compete for the top crown.

“Many of the other schools were chanting ‘U-C-F’ with us when we won because of how significant the moment was.â€� — Edward Collazo Borges, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ ASCE chapter president

“Winning first place in the Concrete Canoe Competition was exciting, but doing it in such a competitive region and against a program like UF — which has such a strong history in the event — made it even more meaningful,â€� says Edward Collazo Borges, the president of the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ ASCE chapter. “From the outside, it may not seem like a lot, but this was huge — not just for Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, but for every school in our region. During the awards ceremony, many of the other schools were chanting ‘U-C-F’ with us when we won because of how significant the moment was.â€�

History of the Competition

ASCE is recognized as America’s oldest national engineering society and sponsors student chapters in all 50 states and internationally. Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s chapter was established in 1972 and is the largest engineering organization on campus.

ASCE’s Concrete Canoe Competition was first officially held in 1988, but the history of Concrete Canoe goes back to the 1960s, when a small number of ASCE Student Chapters began holding intramural concrete canoe races.

This elite competition — known as The America’s Cup of Civil Engineering — combines engineering excellence, hydrodynamic design and racing technique as students are tasked with building a canoe from concrete and racing it against their competitors. Students are judged on the final product, race performance, technical design paper and oral presentation.

A Breakthrough Year

Jacob Quinones, the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ ASCE vice president and project manager for the Concrete Canoe Competition, says the team’s performance at this year’s Southeast competition was a result of steady progress from lessons learned during previous races.

“Extra time was poured into every aspect of the project to maximize quality and performance,� Quinones says. “This would not have been possible without the entire team’s passion and dedication. It was apparent that everyone involved wanted to be there and contribute their absolute best.�

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ ASCE took home a total of 12 awards from the symposium, including two additional first-place wins in the Concrete Cornhole and Temporary Traffic Control competitions. The group says they last won the concrete canoe competition in 1995.

In addition to the competitions, the symposium offers professional and personal development opportunities and networking.

“I learned just how much it takes to manage a project through the different ways that it tests you and pushes you past your limits,� Quinones says. “I feel that I grew as a leader and gained so much respect for those in similar positions across the entire industry.�

For Borges, this victory represents a historic win for the university and sets an example for other ASCE student chapters.

“You always have the opportunity to achieve something great,� Borges says. “I think this experience shows if you keep pushing, keep learning and keep striving to improve, you can surprise yourself with what is possible.�

That’s because every dollar ripples far beyond a single day. Every gift opens doors: for students to chase a dream, create unforgettable memories, boldly invent the future and be recognized for their hard work. And every donor does more than give — they ignite potential, spark inspiration and elevate Knights for generations.

With Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Day of Giving 2026 right around the corner — Thursday, April 9 — we’re reflecting on the transformational effects and personal stories of triumph that emerged from last year’s show of support, knowing that shortly, our collective contributions will set another wave of Black & Gold breakthroughs, successes and discoveries into motion.

Prioritizing Unique Opportunities

Area of Support: College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean’s Excellence Fund
Amount Raised: $67,421
Impact: Learning experiences

Growing up in rural Ohio, Jordan Hires, an aerospace engineering major and Burnett Honors College Scholar, often gazed at the boundless night sky, inspired by the astronauts from her home state of Ohio. Moving 1,000 miles away for college was daunting, but manageable. With her sights set on becoming a chief engineer for deep space flights, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ offered two key benefits: a renowned aerospace engineering program and proximity to NASA.

“It’s the best decision I’ve made,� she says.

Since becoming a Knight, she’s done backstage tours at NASA, met with industry leaders from Mitsubishi, Siemens Energy and Lockheed Martin, and even talked to a former astronaut at an awards ceremony. This past summer, she worked alongside Professor Kareem Ahmed in the Propulsion and Energy Research Lab as a U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) fellow, testing a solution to remove heat from engines — research that could make hypersonic aircraft safer and cheaper. It was her second research experience as an undergrad.

“I don’t know if it’s every little girl’s dream to work on classified projects with military and civilian applications, but it definitely was this little girl’s dream,â€� she says. “Thanks to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, I’ve had experiences that most students don’t get until graduate school.â€�

Many of those opportunities are made possible by the College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean’s Excellence Fund, which supports hands-on learning, cutting-edge research equipment and innovative initiatives.

Supporting Lasting Memories

Area of Support: Marching Knights Scholarship Fund
Amount Raised: $14,067
Impact: Multiple scholarships for band members

For Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Marching Knights President Zoie Taverna, two moments define her Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ experience: the rush of running onto the field for her first game and the bittersweet joy of singing the alma mater song alongside her best friend for their final game before graduation.

“For three whole years, we stood next to each other in the stands, screaming, feeding off each other’s energy,� Taverna says. “For her last game, we went all out. We couldn’t even talk by the end of it. We cried while singing the alma mater.�

Taverna is among the Marching Knights whose experiences at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ are bolstered by the Branen Band Endowed Scholarship, which helps cover essentials like textbooks, meals and rent that her Bright Futures scholarship does not. As a mechanical engineering major, band leader and corresponding secretary for the national chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, she packs her days with coursework, practice and student engagement.

During the summers, she works full-time at a summer camp for kids, and she spends her weekends and evenings at Panera Bread to save up enough to cover the expenses to allow her to stay focused while in school.

“Without scholarships, I wouldn’t have the time to do extracurriculars, such as Marching Knights, where I get to represent Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ in Central Florida and around the world,â€� she says. “And I wouldn’t get to spend every Saturday in the Bounce House with all of my friends, immersed in the band life we love.â€�

Illuminating Pathways

Area of Support: College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL)
Amount Raised: $54,880
Impact: $4,880 Went Toward Supporting 19 scholarships for attendees

This summer, high school student Chloe Phung left the bright lights of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to spend a week immersed in the study of light on Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s campus. As part of the third Laser and Photonics Summer Camp hosted by CREOL, she joined more than 50 high school students from across Central Florida — and around the world.

“I had the chance to learn many things, to learn more about optics, lenses and lasers,� Phung says.

In addition to learning opportunities, the camp shines a light on the photonics industry, where more than 10,000 jobs open each year in the U.S., despite only 80 to 100 students in the nation graduating with bachelor’s degrees in photonics annually. A third of those graduates come from CREOL.

Paying it Forward

Area of Support: Dr. Michelle R. Dusseau Communication and Community Impact Endowed Scholarship Fund
Amount Raised: $1,780
Impact: $1,500 scholarship for one communication major, awarded annually

Beatrix Alerte transferred to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ in Spring 2024 with a plan: build community on campus, explore a career in media, stay active in service and say yes to every opportunity.

The first three goals came naturally. She enrolled in classes, mentored two freshmen as part of the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ chapter of Big Sister Little Sister mentoring program and served as a trip coordinator for the Alternative Spring Break Program. Alerte also gained work experience as a marketing ambassador for Project BEST, a Student Support Services project that supports first generation students, and as an intern with Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Athletics.

Her final goal was made easier this summer when Alerte was named the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Michelle R. Dusseau Communication and Community Impact Endowed Scholarship, created this past year by longtime the College of Science‘s Nicholson School of Communication and Media faculty member Michelle Dusseau.

“This scholarship has given me the freedom to say yes to career-building opportunities, many of which are unpaid, while worrying less about covering

personal living expenses,� Alerte says. “That support makes all the difference.�

This Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Day of Giving, we’re launching Knights to new heights! Save the date to on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Check out the to maximize your impact. And get ready to join your Knight Nation family as we Bounce, Stomp, Splash and Cheer our way to more impact than ever before.

Our students are groundbreaking national and global scholarship winners, researchers, athletes, teaching assistants, residence assistants and leaders in campus organizations, including Student Government, LEAD Scholars and the President’s Leadership Council. The honorees include transfer students, those from first-generation and international backgrounds and members of the Burnett Honors College.

Aside from focusing on academics and campus causes, many of the student honorees volunteered at hospitals, schools, parks, food banks, shelters, clinics, youth clubs and with many community service organizations — at times as organizers and coordinators for support drives and campaigns.

“When you look at this group, you see trajectory.â€� — John Buckwalter, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs

“The students we recognize at our Founders’ Day Student Honors Celebration are extraordinary not just for what they’ve achieved, but for how they’ve shaped their time at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½. They’ve pursued opportunities, challenged themselves and lifted others along the way,â€� says John Buckwalter, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “When you look at this group, you see trajectory — students whose experiences here are opening doors in meaningful ways and changing the direction of their futures, the trajectories of their families and the communities they inhabit.â€�

Student award categories highlight new inductees of the Order of Pegasus, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s highest student honor; graduate awards for outstanding master’s thesis and outstanding dissertation; undergraduate awards for honors thesis; and individual college awardees as chosen by the respective college deans. All honorees earned financial awards.

This year’s 37 inductees into the Order of Pegasus mark the 25^th anniversary class of top-achieving Knights. The average GPA of the 2026 class is 3.912.

The campus community is invited to attend the Student Honors Celebration on Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Student Union’s Pegasus Ballroom. A brief reception will follow.

Here are the students to be recognized.

Order of Pegasus Inductees

• Fatima Alziyad, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Andy Ayup, College of Sciences
• Megan Bailey, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Stacie Becker ’23, College of Arts and Humanities
• Akash Hari Bharath ’25MS, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Swati Bhargava ’25MS, College of Optics and Photonics
• Sanjana Bhatt, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Griffon Binkowski ’24, College of Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Ossyris Bury, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Nico Chen, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Kyle Coutray, College of Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Allyson Crighton, College of Nursing and Burnett Honors College
• Nyauni Crowelle-Feggins, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Cameron Cummins, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Andrew “Drewâ€� Hansen ’25, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Andrea Hernandez Gomez, College of Sciences
• Lindsey Hildebrand, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Ariana Johnson, College of Medicine
• Sanjan Kumar ’23, College of Medicine
• Kworweinski Lafontant, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Meera Lakshmanan, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Abrianna Lalle, College of Nursing
• Ilana Logvinov, College of Nursing
• Hannah Lovejoy, College of Business
• Taiel Lucile, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Robin Marquez, College of Sciences
• Shanel Moya Aguero, College of Community Innovation and Education and Burnett Honors College
• Gabrielle “Gabbyâ€� Murison, College of Sciences
• Varun Nannuri, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Natalie Otero, College of Business and Burnett Honors College
• Om Pathak, College of Medicine, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Pritha Sarkar ’24, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Jacob Vierling, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Janapriya Vijayakumar, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Ornella Vintimilla, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Om Vishanagra, College of Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College

Undergraduate Student Awards

College Founders’ Award

• Liam Pivnichny, Burnett Honors College
• Antonella Bisbal Hernandez, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jordan Nell, College of Business
• Jude Hagan, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Ossyris Bury, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Timothy Horanic, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Sun Latt, College of Medicine
• Abrianna Lalle, College of Nursing
• Jacob Silver, College of Optics and Photonics
• Emily Willis, College of Sciences
• Fabian Rodriguez Gomez, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis

• Edwin Garcia ’25, College of Arts and Humanities, Outstanding Honors Thesis in Arts, Humanities and Creative Inquiry
• Eric Haseman ’25, College of Sciences, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Social Sciences
• Shreya S. Pawar ’25, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Natural Sciences
• Andrea C. Molero Perez ’25, College of Medicine, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Health Sciences
• Nicholas Rose ’25, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Outstanding Honors Thesis in Engineering and Technology

Graduate Student Awards

Outstanding Dissertation

• Jessica Moon ’25PhD, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Michael Pierro ’20 ’23MS ’25PhD, College of Engineering and Computer Science