¹ó´Ç°ùÌýseven consecutive years, theÌýRosen College of Hospitality ManagementÌý°ù²¹²Ô°ì²õÌýNo. 1 in the nationÌýfor Hospitality and Tourism Management Programs, according toÌýShanghaiRanking’s 2026 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.

“The ranking recognizes what Rosen College has accomplished over the past two decades,â€� Rosen College Dean Cynthia Mejia says. “What excites me most is how we build on that foundation. Our goal is to influence the future of hospitality through the students we educate, the research we produce, the partnerships we create and the solutions we help develop for the industry’s most important challenges.â€�

Additionally, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ ranksÌýNo. 2 in the nationÌýfor Transportation Science and Technology — and in the top 10 for the seventh year in a row. The recognition reflects the breadth of research underway across Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ to develop solutions and advancements for the future of the transportation industry while improving safety and mobility on the nation’s most critical and busiest roadways.

“I am happy that our hard work and expanding our transportation faculty have paid off in this continuous recognition,â€� Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Pegasus Professor Mohamed Abdel-Aty says. “We have opened new fronts in transportation systems, technology and ideas looking to the future. We balance traditional transportation research with cutting-edge and high-impact new directions.â€�

The rankings represent significant industries that drive international economies with travel and tourism contributing to a global GDP (gross domestic product) of $11.6 trillion and supporting about one in every nine jobs around the world, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council’s 2025 report.

The ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects evaluates universities by academic discipline using research-focused indicators, these include measures related to research output, research quality, international collaboration and academic influence.

A Global Leader in Hospitality and Tourism Research

Located in the nation’s top tourism destination, Rosen College students, faculty and staff are embedded in industry, allowing them to directly explore emerging areas in the field.

“This ranking reflects the depth, quality and consistency of the research being produced by our faculty,â€� Manuel Rivera, associate dean of research at Rosen College says. “To be recognized once again among the world’s leading hospitality and tourism programs is a testament to the collective efforts of our faculty, students, alumni and industry partners. The ranking recognizes the foundation Rosen College has built over the past two decades. Building on that foundation, Rosen College is helping shape the future of hospitality through impactful research, innovation, industry partnerships and the development of future leaders.â€�

Faculty research spans areas including tourism, lodging, events, food service, consumer behavior, technology, and the management of destinations and hospitality organizations, including:

• HFTP Professor of Hospitality Financial Management and Technology Mehmet Altin’s study on entrepreneurial ecosystems in hospitality and tourism with a comparative analysis across economic contexts, which was published in Tourism Economics.
• Associate Professor Yun Ying Zhong, a research faculty member of ±«°ä¹ó’s Disability, Aging and Technology faculty cluster initiative, completed a systematic review of 30-year research on hospitality in healthcare, which was published in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
• Assistant Professor Frank Badu-Baiden’s study of the factors influencing consumers’ acceptance of drone food delivery, including the role of usefulness, emotions and perceived risk, which was published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management.

The No. 1 ShanghaiRanking placement builds on Rosen College’s continued excellence in curriculum, research and workforce impact as Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDX) joined Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ as a Pegasus Partner in June to establish the Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation. Through this partnership, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ and UDX will further explore:

• 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

Advancing Transportation Safety and Technology

With more than 23.4 million residents in 2025, Florida is the nation’s third most populated state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In the same year, the Sunshine State welcomed 143.3 million visitorsÌýas America’s No. 1 domestic travel destination, according to Visit Florida.

As residents and tourists navigate around the state, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ researchers are working to improve transportation challenges related to roadway safety, emerging mobility technologies and other areas.

Abdel-Aty and Associate Professor Shaurya Agarwal lead multiple projects funded by U.S. and Florida Departments of Transportation to develop safety plans and demonstrate technologies across various Florida counties.

One examines Florida’s Regional Advanced Mobility Elements, or IFRAME, project along Interstate 4 between Orlando and Tampa. The study is evaluating the performance of advanced transportation technologies to inform decisions about future investments to enhance safety and mobility.

Research Assistant Professor Zubayer Islam and Abdel-Aty’s Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) project — the first of its kind in the Southeast — evaluates the effectiveness and enhancements of the agency’s Flex Lanes Program on sections of its expressway. It is the latest development in ±«°ä¹ó’s longstanding partnership with the CFX.

For nearly 14 years, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ has worked to make highways safer by tackling wrong-way driving, one of the nation’s deadliest roadway hazards. An international expert in transportation engineering, planning and operations, Professor Haitham Al-Deek, in partnership with CFX, designed, implemented and evaluated wrong-way driving and prevention system technology to detect and deter wrong-way driving on high-speed roads. Deployed across the CFX system, it has achieved an 88.5% driver self-correction rate, the highest known worldwide, which is well supported by the largest amount of data collected on the performance of the invented technology.

Al-Deek and his students also invented the nation’s first algorithm to help transportation agencies identify wrong-way driving hotspots and prioritize improvements for greatest safety impact with maximum economic efficiency. Through competitively won contracts at state and national levels, this algorithm was implemented for five transportation networks throughout Florida and Idaho.

“According to the data we collected, the deployed lifesaving technology on CFX transportation network helped 2,541 out of the detected 2,870 wrong-way drivers self-correct and turn around safely as of June 2026,� Al-Deek says.

Research That Translates to Daily Impact

±«°ä¹ó’s performance in transportation science and technology and hospitality and tourism management reflects two distinct research strengths while also demonstrating how the university is improve daily life across the region, state and nation. The 2026 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects also show Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ is making an impact in Public Administration as the No. 11 program in the nation and Law as the No. 25 program across the U.S.

When was growing up, she struggled so much in mathematics that a teacher once told her she would never make it in life.

Today, the double Knight — a graduate of both the and the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½-OCPS Noyce Teacher Leader Academy — is one of six finalists nationwide for the 2026 Toyota Family Teacher of the Year award.

As part of a 30-year partnership between Toyota and the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL), the award honors extraordinary educators nationwide whose approach to teaching focuses on building strong, multigenerational family-school partnerships that support student learning outcomes. Winners and runners-up receive grant funding toward their innovative, teacher-led projects.

For Malahoo, it’s a full-circle moment that started with her decision to take a chance on herself.

A Change in Mindset

Malahoo remembers being kicked out of that same mathematics teacher’s class for not completing homework she didn’t understand. For years, she internalized the belief that she wouldn’t be successful.

But after her daughter was born, Malahoo decided to go back to school to better her own understanding of math so she could one day help her children with it. While at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, she finally began to deconstruct what she’d spent most of her life believing about herself.

“My professors spoke life into me,â€� Malahoo says. “Going through LMA made me realize it is OK to make mistakes, and it is OK to persevere. They broke down the work in a way that made it conceptual, meaningful and applicable to me. They were the type of teachers I never had.â€�

While at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, she was a recipient of the Order of Pegasus — the highest honor a Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ student can receive. She also got involved with the professional organization NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics Education and went on to present at its annual conference. In finding mentors and professors who built her up, Malahoo’s growth as a mathematics educator was exponential.

“I started emulating my professors’ way of teaching. Because of them, I became the teacher that I never had… â€� — Nisha Phillip Malahoo

“What one teacher broke, another one fixed,â€� she says. “My mindset changed, and I started emulating my professors’ way of teaching. Because of them, I became the teacher that I never had, and then I was able to turn around and help children develop positive relationships with math at an earlier age. I owe everything to them, and to the LMA and Noyce programs. They’ve given me leadership capabilities and an example of what to follow.â€�

, professor of K-12 STEM education, met Malahoo eight years ago during her first semester pursuing a master’s degree in K-8 mathematics and science education through LMA. Later, as principal investigator of the Noyce grant, Bush would help Malahoo take her knowledge to the next level in emerging as a teacher leader.

“Watching her growth from a dedicated classroom teacher to a transformative leader has been incredibly rewarding,� Bush says. “Today, she is taking that leadership even further in her new role — empowering others to see and strengthen the powerful connections among mathematics learning, families and communities.�

Creating Mathematicians, Empowering Communities

That experience further primed her to become a champion for her own third-grade students at Pinewood Elementary School. For the past seven years, Malahoo has also served as a partner-in-education coordinator with local nonprofit Above and Beyond for Change, which educates and empowers local youth by connecting them with community resources.

She recently transitioned out of the classroom and into a full-time leadership position with the nonprofit. As its director of education programs and community engagement, she is now able to expand school-community partnership and educational programming, as well as access to resources for students and families. She even gets to stay at Pinewood in a liaison role.

“It is the most amazing nonprofit that’s giving me the space to do this work,� she says. “They gave me a platform where I could share the needs of our school, leverage connections, and tap into those resources to bring it back to our students and families.�

The impact has been substantial. Through Malahoo’s work and partnership with Above and Beyond for Change, family engagement at Pinewood grew from a handful of families attending school events to hundreds. Her passion for mathematics has driven multiple initiatives to make it more relatable for her students and more conducive to family and community involvement.

One such program, Monster Math Night, takes place in partnership with the local Publix each year around Halloween. Parents, teachers and students dress up in their costumes and meet at the local Publix, where they work together on learning to use math in a real-life situation with a budget worksheet and finding the best deals.

“If you make learning conceptual, something that makes sense to them and in their lives, trust me, they’re going to learn,â€� Malahoo says. “The kids are seeing math in real life, with their parents and even random shoppers doing math with them. It’s bringing back that wonder, joy and beauty of math. It validates everybody’s background and their math knowledge, and now the whole community is getting involved.â€�

Such moments make the effort that goes into them even more important. With the national spotlight now on Malahoo’s work in her recognition as a Toyota Family Teacher of the Year finalist, she hopes to be able to create more spaces and educational opportunities that bridge gaps between families, communities and schools — and invites anyone who would like to collaborate in doing so to reach out to her.

“Being in this space where I can bring all these pieces together brings me such joy, but by no means do I do this on my own,” she says. “There’s a network of community helpers, volunteers and teachers who support our efforts. This recognition makes me feel like the work that we do at Pinewood is seen, valued and appreciated. It just reiterates the importance of pouring your heart and soul into something.â€�

For more information on Malahoo’s work or to engage in potential community-school partnerships, contact her at Nisha.Phillip-Malahoo@ucf.edu.

For more than a decade, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Emergency Management Professor has helped shape conversations about what the standards for emergency management education should look like.

Now, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ is helping set them.

This summer, ±«°ä¹ó’s online Master of Emergency and Crisis Management (MECM), which Knox founded and directs, became the first emergency management graduate program to earn accreditation from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ is one of six programs nationwide — and the only emergency management program — to be newly accredited by NASPAA, recognizing its commitment to high-quality education that prepares skilled emergency management leaders.

NASPAA is considered the global standard for public service education, accrediting programs that prepare students to become leaders, managers and analysts in public service. Earning accreditation requires a rigorous, years-long process that includes self-study, site visits and peer review.

“… this accomplishment is not just for us and our program. We did it to advance our discipline …” — Claire Connolly Knox, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ emergency management professor

For Knox, a professor in it’s a milestone years in the making for a growing discipline she and other emergency management scholars have helped build.

“Talking about accreditation has been a very eye-opening conversation considering that this is still a relatively new discipline, and one we are collectively building and shaping for the next generation as we go,â€� Knox says. “It’s a huge milestone, but this accomplishment is not just for us and our program. We did it to advance our discipline, and I’m excited to see how NASPAA accreditation elevates that.â€�

Creating the Blueprint

As natural and human-caused disasters become more frequent, educated emergency management professionals play a critical role in assisting communities with mitigating risks, preparing for crises, responding when disaster strikes and supporting recovery afterward.

±«°ä¹ó’s MECM program prepares students to protect and lead communities through those processes with advanced coursework, research, and embedded real-world experience. For the past three years, the program has also held the distinction of being the nation’s No. 1-ranked emergency management graduate program by U.S. News & World Report.

That success didn’t come by chance.

Before the program launched in 2018, Knox and colleagues designed its curriculum with the discipline’s future in mind. They created a framework anchored by NASPAA’s universal required competencies and FEMA’s Next Generation Core Competencies, with the hope that it could one day help establish a national standard.

Knox credits Mary Ann Feldheim, associate professor emerita in the School of Public Administration, with paving the way for both the program’s design and its path toward accreditation.

“For a long time, NASPAA only accredited public administration, public affairs and public policy programs,â€� Knox says. “Under Mary Ann Feldheim’s leadership and strategic planning, ±«°ä¹ó’s master’s in nonprofit management program was the first of its kind to be NASPAA-accredited. She set the bar and opened the door for other sub-disciplines of public administration. So much of what I’ve been able to create for my program has been because I watched and learned from her.â€�

Achieving a Common Goal

A significant portion of the accreditation process was a two-year self-study evaluation that required Knox, program faculty, and the MECM advisory board to collect data, review materials, and assess the program’s curriculum.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to communicate both our successes and room for improvement, and to see the program differently,� Knox says. “Our goal is [to] prepare students to positively impact the profession and create practical, relevant, evidence-based knowledge to advance it.�

That work extends well beyond the classroom. Knox says faculty conduct community-based research that informs course design, while the program draws on experts across many sectors in Central Florida, as well as its extensive alumni network and advisory board.

“Between … teaching, research and service, [the MECM advisory board is] involved in all of it … It was great to see them come together and rally behind this goal.” — Claire Connolly Knox

The comprises representatives from all levels of government, career stages and emergency management specializations, as well as the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

From mentoring students and fundraising to reviewing the curriculum annually and connecting students with experiential learning opportunities, Knox says the board is critical to the program’s success, ensuring it keeps pace with the evolving profession.

“Our advisory board is very invested and hands-on, and many of them are also program alumni,â€� Knox says. “They meet with us to review learning objectives to make sure we’re still relevant and current with a very dynamic profession. Between the three major buckets of teaching, research and service, they are involved in all of it, and we couldn’t do it without them. It was great to see them come together and rally behind this goal.â€�

Raising the Standard

Steven Lerner ’13, a Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ public administration graduate, chair of the MECM advisory board and division manager at Seminole County’s Office of Emergency Management, says the achievement further positions Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ and Central Florida as national leaders in the discipline.

“This distinction signals to students, employers and community stakeholders that our graduates are prepared to lead the charge in advancing community resilience, safety and security.” — Brad Heim, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ School of Public Administration director

“Emergency management revolves around relationships and building trust among community partners and those we serve during emergencies and crises,� Lerner says. “Developing a strong, accredited master’s program in emergency management enhances the credibility of the daily efforts emergency managers make to keep our communities safer and more resilient.�

, director of the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ School of Public Administration, says the accreditation also reinforces the growing importance and value of an advanced degree in emergency and crisis management.

“This distinction signals to students, employers and community stakeholders that our graduates are prepared to lead the charge in advancing community resilience, safety and security,â€� Heim says. “It’s also a testament to the dedication of our faculty, staff and advisory board — and especially to the visionary leadership and sustained investment of Dr. Knox, whose commitment made this accomplishment possible.”

“To lead this amazing team and help change the lives of people with disabilities,� Marino says, summarizing the impact of his work before emphasizing the impact it’s made on him, “I feel like I’m living a dream every single day.�

A number of factors, personal and professional, feed Marino’s enthusiasm.

He was once given only a slim chance to walk again. He knows how it feels to vanquish doubt and has witnessed dramatic changes in others because someone believed in them, perhaps for the first time.

He funnels all of this — passion, teamwork and life experiences — into his why: Discover better strategies to help more people read, learn and find meaningful employment.

“People with learning disabilities are all around us,� says Marino, a professor of special education in the College of Community Innovation and Education. “There isn’t a moment that goes by when I’m not thinking about how I can make a difference for them.�

His resolve has led to $75.5 million in funding for 18 research projects since 2011. The most recent months, however, have been stunning, with technology unlocking so many doors that Marino can hardly believe what’s happening.

“We’re in a spot with AI that I never thought I’d see in my lifetime,� he says. “It means our opportunities to give people hope are growing.�

Using Tech to Better Serve People

The field of special education is complicated. Disorders, spectrums, challenges that change with age, processing delays, they’re all part of a giant melting pot.

Marino boils his work down to the largest group: those who have specific learning disabilities — about 2.4 million students in the United States.

“Most of them face a constant battle to identify letters and translate them into sounds and words,� he says. “The same is true with math symbols and numbers. It takes a ton of persistence to do basic classwork.�

Unfortunately, frustration often leads capable, intelligent people to give up.

“But our work with AI is changing everything,� Marino says. He puts us in the shoes of a student to illustrate. “You’re studying the complexities of cells, trying to read cumbersome texts about mitochondria and osmosis. Now we can show you how to use AI to code words, phrases or symbols and translate them into understandable text.�

The material can be converted to slide decks, podcasts and videos. A process that used to take five days to complete can be done in one minute.

“What matters most is that students can learn,� Marino says. “It’s a gamechanger for teachers, too. Instead of spending an hour presenting information, they can focus on the reason they love teaching: to give students a better future.�

This far exceeds the futuristic vision Marino brought to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ in 2011.

He didn’t even intend to accept a position when he came from Washington State University for an interview.

“I’m an early adopter of technology,â€� he says. “On that trip, I was introduced to ±«°ä¹ó’s work in VR, AR and . I told my wife, ‘I think we need to come here.’â€�

He immediately dove in, earning research grants and contracts from agencies like the U.S. National Science Foundation, the Office of Special Education Programs, and Institute of Educational Sciences. He’s layered the newest advancements into each project.

The progress made, according to Marino, has mostly come from a force more powerful than technology alone: the team of experts at TJEEI.

“They have siblings who never thrived because of dyslexia or they’ve cared for a family member with memory loss,� he says. “When a student comes in with a story, at least one of us can relate to it.�

Turning Obstacles into Impact

As for Marino’s own story, he recites the date as easily as his birthday: Sept. 23, 1990. Marino, 19, was playing rugby for Keene State College in New Hampshire.

During a breakaway, two opponents hit him so hard his head snapped back and he landed on his neck. In the hospital, he was told a spinal cord injury would prevent him from walking and his life expectancy will shorten.

“I laid in that hospital bed for a long time,� Marino says, “and had a moment with God where I made a promise: ‘If I get up and walk out of here, I’ll change my life and give back to others.’ �

“I laid in that hospital bed for a long time. … I made a promise: ‘If I get up and walk out of here, I’ll change my life and give back to others.’ â€�

That’s exactly what he did, walking out the door and leaving plans for an architecture career in the past.

For his first job, he mentored students with extreme behavior challenges. Marino’s dad, an educator, opened his son’s eyes to an unfortunate truth: They hired you because no one else wants to work with those kids.

“He was right,� Marino says. “That experience made me realize how much it means to a kid when someone takes the time to help, without judging. I also knew the field of special education is where I’m needed most.�

There are too many stories for Marino to recount. Each carries its own weightiness, so he shares a recent one: “We heard from a graduate who was named employee of the month at Amazon. When we first met, he was living in a poor area of Orlando, riding a bus two hours to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½. But he committed to learning and improving his life. We gave him the same commitment. And now look how he’s doing.â€�

The daily inspiration Marino finds in people he helps at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ is part of why he doesn’t dwell on the near-tragic accident or the limitations it still causes at times. Instead, he focuses on the benefits that continue to grow from it.

“I walked when doctors said I wouldn’t,� he says. “I made it to 30 years old, to 40 and to 50. I’m still going, still keeping my promise, and I have no intention to stop.�

“It’s a perfect day to bounce in Orange County, Florida.�

The Roth Tower project, made possible by a $90 million commitment of Tourist Development Tax revenues from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, represents a pivotal addition to the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village that strengthens Orange County as a premier destination for sports tourism and community engagement.

When the investment was greenlit in 2023, university and athletics administration knew they wanted to add to the stadium’s art collection, which already features several installations around the concourse that include Knightro, wings of Pegasus (the university’s official seal), ±«°ä¹ó’s Big 12 ties and Orlando.

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ commissioned Harry Foreman ’18 to deliver two murals that pay homage to the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ story and the university’s relationship to Orlando and Orange County. To execute the installation in the week leading up to the tower’s unveiling, Foreman utilized virtual reality technology as part of his process and enlisted the help of fellow alumni: Nicole Lind ’11, a Burnett Honors Scholar who graduated with a degree in an elementary education, and Paulaiden Minerva ’15, who earned his bachelor’s in marketing through the program.

Foreman studied graphic design and emerging media management and previously completed murals for the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Downtown and the Rosen College of Hospitality Management campuses.

“When I was a student I always had so much fun on games days,� Foreman says. “It’s magic being back here.�

The Florida native, who now splits his time between Orlando and Denver, has been an active contributor to the Central Florida’s arts scene for years. He recently was selected to be part of the City of Orlando’s Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge, Art Pollination — a prestigious opportunity as Orlando was one of eight cities selected for the $1 million grant out of more than 150 submissions from around the country.

Acrisure Bounce House is his third football stadium mural project. He previously completed installations for the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars.

“I always knew I wanted to paint big,� he says.

Here he shares more about his latest creation.

What excited you about this project?

The campus personnel were so willing and excited about my ideas and style that I brought into this that it was almost a perfect match. I led with fun first and then presented some safer ideas. And they said, “Nope. We want the fun.�

I’m grateful and appreciative that I’m creating in a way that is so well received by so many people. Especially with the way we’re doing these murals with minimal color and a gold approach, I think it’s a style that has an elevated look while also having this fun, bubbly, childlike feeling, which is perfect for a football stadium on game day.

Where did you pull inspiration from for the two murals?

A staple in a lot of my mural work is my “orange blossom gang.� They are fun, smiling orange characters that I will sprinkle in throughout a lot of my murals. They act almost as the glue that keeps other imagery and assets like together. They appear in both murals.

For the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½-themed mural, we have my signature doodle collage style. We’re in the Bounce House, baby. So I tried to have this flowy, bubbly movement with the clouds. I wanted it to feel like it was light and airy.

With regards to Easter eggs, when I was a student, I did artwork around Orlando and I would do this little emanating whoopsie daisy flower. I snuck it into a postcard stamp. The manatee celebrates Central Florida’s natural springs, which is in my opinion, one of the most magical parts about the entire state. I also snuck in a variation of the rubber duck for Spirit Splash.

For the Orange County mural, it is centered in an Art Deco theme and is an ode to how the university is entwined with Orlando. From the downtown corridor to our relationship with the hospitality sector around I-Drive to space and ±«°ä¹ó’s engineering and technology roots. And we wanted to include a message to what helped make this possible: “In appreciation of Orange County, Florida, whose continued belief, support and investment will welcome millions through these gates to bounce.â€�

How do you apply virtual reality technology in your process?

I first started using the VR headset to project my artwork on walls last year. There are many different ways to get your art on your walls through grid systems, sketching freehand, projectors and now through headsets. In this circumstance, I have another mural next week. I’ve got to get in and out. I didn’t want to wait till the nighttime to use a projector. What’s great about the headset is no matter the time of day, you are able to work and operate, and forecast your artwork on a wall.

It’s a really weird, immersive and amazing technology. If you got vertigo like I do, tread lightly. As I’m wearing it, I’m constantly thinking, ‘We are in the future.’ â€�

How did your Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ experience help you hone your craft?

“Being at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ pushed me to be great.â€� — Harry Foreman ’18, muralist

My Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ experience was not just a four-year degree. I used nearly every offering Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ had — I was in different clubs, at the gym all the time. I was in the engineering lab using the laser cutter for a lot of my school projects. My experience was almost competitive nurture in a sense, learning in a school setting with so many talented creatives around me. Being at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ pushed me to be great and taught me how to be a shape shifter.

I already was running a business while in school. I immediately graduated and went right into freelancing, and the Orlando community and Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ network at large welcomed me right when I needed it. I booked amazing jobs right out of school. The Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Downtown project, I would say, is still some of my most impactful work that gets me jobs to this day.

I never in a million years thought murals would allow me to be traveling all over the nation. I’m about to buy my wife a house. It’s a great time to be a muralist. It’s the best job in the world.

What does it mean to you to be able to give back to your alma mater and Orlando in this way?

It’s so special. As a student, and even as an artist, there’s no textbook for success, no single game plan for how to do things. The fact that I get to paint and create in spaces like this, I hope it can inspire the next student. I hope they see this and they say, “That is so cool. I want to do that,� because whenever I saw someone doing it, that was my first response.

If you’re a student that is worried about the creative world that we’re entering into, as long as you’re pushing yourself to make great work, everything you could ever want is already there waiting for you. Orlando as a canvas is the best place to blossom. It was for me.

Instructor: Gregg Buckingham, aÌý adjunct instructor and retired associate lecturer.

During his 28-year NASA career, Buckingham served in various roles in Washington, D.C., and at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), including positions in the NASA Administrator’s Office, the Space Shuttle Logistics Program and external relations at KSC.

When is the class offered?

The class will be offered fully online in Fall 2026.

What is the class about?

For many people, astronauts and engineers are among the first things that come to mind when thinking about space exploration. What they may not picture is the host of professionals working behind the scenes whose jobs are crucial to managing and implementing space policy.

±«°ä¹ó’s Space Policy and Management course offers graduate students — as well as select undergraduate students — a historical overview of the policy and administrative issues surrounding space exploration, from presidential initiatives and congressional oversight to governance, infrastructure, international competition and cooperation, and commercial participation.

From the Instructor

Gregg Buckingham

What is space policy?

A policy is simply a direction that an organization wants to go in. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy stood before Congress and proposed that the United States should land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth in a decade — and Congress agreed. That’s a policy statement.

Over NASA’s history, the United States has shifted direction from the moonshot to the Space Shuttle and International Space Station, and now to increased commercial involvement in space, while also carrying out a host of scientific missions. Each direction was sponsored by a president, funded by Congress and implemented by NASA. Many variables drive these policy and management changes, including national prestige, efficiency and technology development.

How do public administration and public policy intersect with the space industry?

NASA is a government organization, and like any organization, it has administrative needs involving budgeting, procurement, organizational structure and leadership. With 10 primary field centers nationwide, various components of NASA’s mission are carried out across the centers.

When people think about space, they often think about rocket launches, engineers, scientists and astronauts — and they are certainly very important. But behind that technical work are contract specialists, finance and accounting professionals, public affairs professionals and many other necessary roles to support the agency’s technical work.

Emergency management is crucial, too. NASA has valuable facilities and hardware to protect during events such as hurricanes, and for launches, public-safety planning and preparation in case something doesn’t go as planned.

What will students learn in this course?

This course uses NASA as a case study for government infrastructure and governance in space exploration. We’ll discuss the organization and structure of the NASA network over the last 70 years, from policymaking and implementation to collaborative governance and communication.

In the space policy arena, students will learn about the many stakeholders that affect policy in one way or another. The president and Congress set policy and determine the budget, but other organizations — including commercial firms such as SpaceX and Boeing — also have an ongoing interest in NASA’s work.

Some of the resources we’ll use include NASA’s oral histories with astronauts and administrators, as well as recordings from the Presidential Library system of presidents discussing the space program with NASA administrators and engineers. The goal is for students to gain a sense of different approaches to and perspectives on space policy and space management. They’ll also look at leaders from around NASA and the impact they’ve had on programs and policy.

Who should take this course?

This graduate-level course is open to students across the university, including those studying engineering, business, political science and public administration. It’ll also be available to outstanding undergraduate students.

Anyone interested in working in the space industry or government in some capacity could benefit from gaining perspective on policy and management, especially those who plan to move up from a technical position to a managerial one. Many of the variables that affect policy are similar whether you’re at NASA, the Department of Defense or another government agency.

What do you hope students take away from the experience?

My goal is to convey the excitement, innovation and creativity that goes into the space program and the role policy, management and administration play in making it possible. The course focuses on the space program, but students will also gain a broader understanding of the relationship between industry and government and how it can be applied to whichever sector they choose to pursue.

Madison Young always knew she wanted a career in law. What she didn’t know was where that path would lead.

That became clearer during the Spring 2026 semester when the student landed an internship with Judge Christopher Sprysenski, a family law judge and Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ adjunct instructor in the College of Community Innovation and Education. The courtroom became a classroom, where for more than 200 hours, she observed family law proceedings, watching the legal system work in real time before debriefing directly with the judge who decided the outcomes.

This internship helped solidify that she’s meant to be here.

The opportunity began after Young took Sprysenski’s Domestic Relations Law course. After learning about her career goals, volunteer work with the Legal Aid Society and growing interest in family law, he encouraged her to apply for the judicial internship program he facilitates.

It proved to be the perfect match.

By the end of the semester, Young had accepted a job offer as a legal assistant and set her sights firmly on law school.

More Than a Front-Row Seat

What made the experience unique wasn’t just observing cases — it was understanding the reasoning behind them.

After court sessions, Young had the opportunity to discuss cases with Sprysenski, gaining insight into how judges evaluate witness credibility, weigh evidence and how attorneys present and advocate for a strong case.

“That was definitely a big difference between doing an internship at the courthouse versus at a law firm,â€� she says. “I got to see his perspective on what he found important about someone’s argument, what didn’t weigh into his decision and how he came to make his decisions. It gives me perspective for when I become an attorney.â€�

The internship also introduced her to a side of the legal profession many undergraduates never experience. Sprysenski invited Young to professional networking events with practicing attorney groups such as Central Florida Collaborative Divorce and the Seminole Inns of Court. She’s also pursuing volunteer opportunities with the Central Florida Collaborative Divorce group thanks to these connections.

“Now, I’ve grown a community,â€� she says. “I got to meet some cool people working in the field I want to go into, and it’s been really inspiring.â€�

Finding Her Calling

As she watched family law cases unfold and the weight the outcomes carry for real families, Young became increasingly interested in helping families navigate conflict outside the courtroom through mediation, collaborative divorce and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

That interest led her to enroll in Lecturer ‘s mediation practicum and pursue Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½’s graduate certificate in conflict resolution and analysis while preparing for the Law School Admission Test.

“[Madison] was one of the most dedicated students I have had the pleasure of working with.” — Christopher Sprysenski, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ adjunct instructor

Her work ethic alone speaks for itself — a testament to her dedication to making a mark in the field. While carrying a full course load, participating in Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½’s Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society and completing her internship, Young also worked full time as a bartender and volunteered with the Legal Aid Society as a court-appointed advocate for children involved in active cases.

“I have to say she was one of the most dedicated students I have had the pleasure of working with,� Sprysenski says. “On top of my internship, Madison actively attended many social events with me where she met lawyers in our community, and she is already receiving job offers.�

One of those connections led directly to her first professional role. Young recently joined Bernal-Mora & Nickolaou, a family law firm in Maitland, Florida, where she works as a legal assistant, drafting legal documents, managing case deadlines and filings, communicating with clients and learning what goes into preparing family law cases.

Opening the Door

For Young, the most important lesson from her Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ experience is simple: get involved.

“The classes at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ [gave me a strong] foundation, but being able to observe [family law] in real life [gave] me a completely different understanding.” — Madison Young, legal studies student

±«°ä¹ó’s legal studies faculty — many of whom are practicing attorneys, judges and mediators — provided valuable mentorship and connections in the profession, but it was Young’s initiative to build relationships, seek opportunities and step outside the classroom that transformed those opportunities into a career.

“I don’t think I would have realized I wanted to do family law and be a lawyer if I didn’t make those connections,â€� she says. “The classes at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ [gave me a strong] foundation, but being able to observe [it] in real life [gave] me a completely different understanding. Getting experience early opened up a lot of opportunities that I wouldn’t have had if I [hadn’t] engaged [with] and connected through them.â€�

Worth noting among this graduating class:

• Roughly 30% of the undergraduate students receiving their degrees are the first in their families to earn their diploma.
• More than 25% of this term’s degrees are tied to STEM majors.
• About 30% of the undergraduate graduating class are Pell Grant recipients.

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ is the leading producer of talent among Florida’s universities, awarding roughly 19,000 degrees annually to Knights who go on to work in high-demand industries. About 85% of our alumni stay in Florida because of the ample opportunity to thrive as part of our state’s workforce.

Graduates will hear fromÌýthreeÌýesteemed speakersÌý— all Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ graduates —Ìýwhose leadership and impactÌýhaveÌýbenefitedÌýour region:

• Psychology alumÌýAllen JohnsonÌý’81,ÌýchiefÌývenueÌýofficer forÌýCityÌýforÌýOrlando Venues
• Journalism alum Tanya (Easterling) Hill ’97, market president for Central Florida for Florida Blue
• CriminalÌýjusticeÌýalumÌýFred Kittinger ’80, ±«°ä¹ó’s formerÌýsenior associate vice president for government and community relations

Commencement Festivities

Held in the Addition Financial Arena, summer commencement will take place over three ceremonies spanning Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1.

All guests, including children and infants, need a ticket for admission. All graduates who have filed an intent to graduate will receive five commencement ceremony tickets when they pick up their regalia packet.

Guests who do not have tickets may watch the live ceremony via a simulcast viewing in the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center and the Student Union. Ceremonies will also be .

Commencement Photo-ops Across Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½

Graduating Knights are unable to take photos at the Acrisure Bounce House football stadium this semester due to ongoing construction.

Grad Walk

On Thursday,ÌýJulyÌý30,Ìý4:30-7 p.m. (doors close at 6 p.m.),ÌýsummerÌýgraduates are invited to a photo-op — Grad Walk — within the Addition Financial Arena. This will be a first-come, first-served occasion for graduates and up to 10 of their well-wishers to take photos and videos on the ceremony stage. GraduatesÌýare required toÌýregister atÌý.

Commencement Schedule

Graduates and guests can review the below commencement ceremony schedule, listing colleges, ceremonyÌýdatesÌýand streaming links:

Friday,ÌýJulyÌý31

6Ìýp.m.

College of Arts and Humanities

College of Community Innovation and Education

College of Graduate Studies

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Saturday,ÌýAug. 1

9 a.m.

Barry S. MillerÌýCollege of Business

College of Health Professions and Sciences

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

2:30Ìýp.m.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

College of Optics and Photonics

College of Sciences

For more details and FAQs aboutÌýSummerÌý2026 commencement celebrations, visitÌýucf.edu/graduation.

Commencement Speakers

Allen Johnson ’81

Chief Venues Officer, City of Orlando Venues

Allen Johnson ’81 has served as chief venues officer of Orlando Venues since 2004, overseeing the City of Orlando’s diverse portfolio of Kia Center, Camping World Stadium, Tinker Field, Leu Gardens and the Mennello Museum of American Art.

Johnson brings decades of venue management experience from leadership roles across Florida. Under Johnson’s leadership, Orlando Venues has evolved into a premier, globally recognized destination for sports, entertainment and culture, welcoming millions of guests each year while strengthening Central Florida’s reputation as a world-class destination.

A proud Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, he has earned numerous honors, including the 2025 International Association of Venue Managers Foundation Legacy Award, the SPORTYS Executive of the Year Award and the Downtowner of the Year Award.

He remains active in the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), serving as past chairman and trustee of the foundation board, while also contributing to organizations that include the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, Florida Citrus Sports, Victim Service Center and the .

Tanya (Easterling) Hill ’97

Market President for Central Florida, Florida Blue

Tanya Hill ’97Ìýis Florida Blue’s market president for Central Florida,Ìýresponsible forÌýregional business and community engagement in a 9-county region.

Throughout her more than 25-year career, she has worked with reputable brands including Chick-fil-A, Target and Walt Disney World to drive business results through strategic partnerships.

Hill is passionate about investing time in the community and has been involved withÌýnumerousÌýcommunity and civic organizations. She currently serves on the board of directors for theÌýAfrican American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, 4Roots Foundation, Orlando EconomicÌýPartnershipÌýand the Winter Park Health Foundation.

Hill holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½.

Fred Kittinger ’80

Former Senior Associate Vice President for Government and Community Relations, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½

A native of central Florida, Fred Kittinger ’80 recently retired as senior associate vice president for government and community relations at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, where he served for more than 22 years.

He worked alongside local and state leaders to help foster some of Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½’s most transformative achievements, including the approval of ±«°ä¹ó’s College of Medicine, the creation of the world-class Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, the development of Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Downtown, the expansion of the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Business Incubation Program and investments that enhanced the student experience and advanced regional impact.

Prior to his career at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, Kittinger served as chief of staff to Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood and previously as vice president of government relations for the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce. He began his career as a legislative aide to state Senator George Stuart of Orlando.

Reflecting his commitment to the community, Kittinger currently serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Central Florida (past chair), Central Florida Council for Scouting America and Legacy Pointe at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½.

Kittinger graduated from ±«°ä¹ó’s criminal justice program and earned his master’s degree in public administration from Florida State University.

Few people lose the career that defines them and manage to rebuild it in an entirely new arena. For Mondeson “Moe� Mondesir ’17, that reinvention began with a life-altering diagnosis and grew into a global platform for education and advocacy.

After the elementary education grad’s chronic kidney disease diagnosis prevented him from teaching in his fourth-grade classroom, Mondesir redirected his passion and expertise into a podcast that helps connect people affected by chronic illness across the globe.

“If you’re living with a chronic illness, your life can become a masterpiece — as long as you keep painting.�

“If you’re living with a chronic illness, your life can become a masterpiece — as long as you keep painting,� he says.

Identity Shifts

Mondesir was a criminal justice administration major at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ when he discovered his was instead meant for a life in education while working at a summer camp in Belize. He found a mentor in senior lecturer ’94 ’98MEd ’12EdD, for whom he once interned at Red Bug Elementary.

“Right before my final exam, I lost my mom,� Mondesir says. “Lee-Anne Spalding was the coach I needed to get me through that. She has been the catalyst to my success as a teacher and a major inspiration for my outlook on life.�

After graduating with his bachelor’s degree, Mondesir worked as a fourth-grade mathematics and science teacher at Seminole County and Lake County Public Schools.

Just a few years into his career, Mondesir’s life took another major turn.

While the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging enough to navigate for classroom teachers, Mondesir faced the added hurdle of recurring pneumonia, which prompted his doctor to recommend weight loss in hopes of mitigating his symptoms. After losing over 100 pounds through diet and exercise, Mondesir became ill again and went to the hospital. There, he got bad news.

“The doctor told me my kidneys were filtering at only 24%, which is stage 4 chronic kidney disease,� Mondesir says. “I also had malignant hypertension, when you have high blood pressure without feeling any symptoms. When I was working out, my high blood pressure had been damaging the tissue in both kidneys, and I’d had no idea.�

“I taught fourth grade for seven years. When that was stripped away, I had to look in the mirror and ask, ‘Who am I anymore?’�

Mondesir’s condition worsened when his left kidney atrophied and his right one suffered further damage. A renal stent and a partial nephrectomy stabilized his health, but a kidney transplant remained his long-term goal.

During this time, he faced the painful realization that he could no longer work as a schoolteacher.

“When my doctor told me I couldn’t keep taking the demands of the classroom, my grief was astronomical,� Mondesir says. “I taught fourth grade for seven years. When that was stripped away, I had to look in the mirror and ask, ‘Who am I anymore?’�

Figuring Out a Way Forward

Inspired by his wife, who encouraged him to share his story with others, Mondesir made an account on Instagram under the name Mr. Cool Beans (a reference to the kidneys’ shape) and introduced himself as a CKD patient.

Combining his newfound interest with his teaching skills, Mondesir began to research and publish informative posts about kidney health while relaying his personal experiences. Before long, his channel drew the attention of fellow CKD patients eager to connect. His platform has since expanded to be inclusive of anyone living with chronic illnesses — and there are a lot of them.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three in four American adults have at least one chronic condition and over half have more than two.

In February 2025, Mondesir started his podcast, The Chronic Brew, to explore topics of chronic illness and invite people to share their own perspectives. He’s welcomed patients, caregivers and medical professionals, reaching audiences as far away as Ireland, the Netherlands, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

By fostering conversations about chronic illness, Mondesir seeks to deepen public understanding and build community among those affected. He says he also hopes to ease people’s anxiety by helping them navigate complex medical information.

“If I can help break down complex terms and concepts, listeners will be more confident walking into any medical situation,� he says.

Always an Educator

Eager to expand his work beyond digital spaces, Mondesir earned a kidney health coach certification through the American Kidney Fund as well as a health and wellness coaching credential from the American Fitness Professionals and Associates. Equipped with these qualifications, he began teaching CKD-focused classes at a local community center.

His efforts drew the attention of the Marion County Kidney Foundation, leading to broader community involvement.

Nearly 10 years since Mondesir first interned in her classroom, Spalding says he is just as much an inspiration to her for his tenacity and continued dedication to educating others.

“Moe’s kind disposition is infectious,� she says.

As Mondesir now waits to qualify for a kidney transplant, he continues to reflect on how living with chronic illness has reshaped his sense of identity and purpose. His motto centers on embracing the good and the bad equally because both lead to growth.

“In a lot of ways, a chronic illness refines us,� Mondesir says. “While it takes some things away from you, it also brings you closer to the center of who you are. In that center, you find your strength, your passion and a renewal of your purpose.�

Those first introductions to STEM in the classroom — whether through simple pattern recognition, launching water balloons across a football field or the classic “egg drop� project — all serve as formative learning experiences that lead children to shape the future of engineering.

For Borowczak, it’s why she’s been passionate about developing new ways to incorporate early introductions to engineering education in the classroom and beyond.Ìý In honor of her 20-plus years of this work, Borowczak was peer-nominated and selected for the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society for Engineering Education’s (ASEE) Pre-College Engineering Education (PCEE) division.

The Lifetime Achievement award is given to a PCEE Division member who has provided a high standard of service in support of pre-college engineering education, and who has made significant and sustained contributions to the field. In her 20 years with PCEE, Borowczak held multiple leadership roles for PCEE, served as associate editor for ASEE’s Computers in Education journal for six years, and led and published many research studies on engineering education.

“Winning this award was very humbling, and I’m extremely grateful,â€� she says. “There’s still a lot of work that I want to do, but I’m so incredibly appreciative of all the mentors that I’ve had who gave me the support that’s allowed me to do the work that I’ve done with teachers and students.â€�

Borowczak’s research centers on integrated STEM education, often focusing on how engineering, technology and math can be woven into the classroom at all levels. That work has earned her more than $11 million in grant funding over her career, including support from the National Science Foundation.

“To really understand any subject, you have to understand the adjacent subjects,� she says. “Engineering education is a fantastic way of bringing real-world application front and center. I was already doing engineering-like projects before I even realized I was doing engineering education.�

The contribution she’s most proud of is demonstrating that teachers across subjects and grade levels can integrate STEM disciplines into their existing instruction plans without it becoming extra work. She believes that giving students the opportunity to see themselves in STEM starts with teachers.

“Whether we’re talking about kindergarten or a university class, there are ways to integrate different subjects effectively,â€� she says. “I think I’m most proud of showcasing how that’s happened and having the evidence and the data to back it up.â€�

That same systems-level thinking now informs her leadership of Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½’s School of Teacher Education. For Borowczak, a lifetime achievement award is far from the finish line. She plans to keep building partnerships across disciplines and is currently exploring how AI should be integrated into classroom teaching and learning.

Her work continues this summer through the School of Teacher Education’s inaugural “Eclipseâ€� STEM Summer Camp, which will be hosted at Orange County Public Schools Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) in Downtown Orlando. The camp is dedicated to learning through STEM, including two engineering education-focused sessions each day of the two-week experience.

“Our whole country is beholden to our pre-K-12 teachers,â€� she says. “They’re at the front lines of every engineering education movement and every STEM movement. Every time we as a society decide something is important, teachers are the ones who make it happen.â€�