List of University of Central Florida alumni
Notable alumni -- Civic , education , and journalism
Table:
Alumni

Class year

Notability

Reference(s)

Gisele Bennett

1987 (B.S.),

1989 (M.S.)

Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology and Director of the GTRI Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory

[86]

John C. Bersia

1977

Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing, 2000

[87][88]

Olga Calvet

1971

Charter member of the UCF Board of Trustees

[89]

Luther "Fred" Carter

1972

President of Francis Marion University

[90]

Isabel Escobar

1991 (B.S.),

1996 (M.S.)

2000(Ph.D)

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellow and renowned environmental researcher.

[91]

Cindy Elavsky

1996 (B.A.),

2001 (B.A.)

Syndicated columnist

[92]

Stuart Fullerton

—

Professor and entomologist, Founder of UCF's "Bug Closet"

[93]

Michael Grindstaff

1978

Former chairman of the UCF Board of Trustees

[94]

Jim Huber

-

Sports anchor for CNN Sports Illustrated, and sports commentator for Turner Sports.

Jin Kang

1996

Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University

[95]

Hector Perez

—

National commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America, member of the executive board of its National Council, former member of the Florida Board of Governors

[96]

Steven Sotloff

—

TIME journalist

[97]

Nancy Yasecko

1997

Educator, filmographer

[98]

Based on the tabular data together with the supporting text below.

State the answer to the question: Which graduate was part of an organization with the stated goal to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices ? Return your answer as JSON: {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

Gisele Welch Bennett is an American professor of electrical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Director of the GTRI Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory at the Georgia Tech Research Institute ( GTRI ) . She is also the founder of the Logistics and Maintenance Applied Research Center ( LandMARC ) at GTRI .
The Georgia Institute of Technology , commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or , in the state of Georgia , as Tech , is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta , Georgia . It is part of the University System of Georgia and has satellite campuses in Savannah , Georgia ; Metz , France ; Athlone , Ireland ; Shenzhen , China ; and Singapore . The school was founded in 1885 as the Georgia School of Technology as part of Reconstruction plans to build an industrial economy in the post-Civil War Southern United States . Initially , it offered only a degree in mechanical engineering . By 1901 , its curriculum had expanded to include electrical , civil , and chemical engineering . In 1948 , the school changed its name to reflect its evolution from a trade school to a larger and more capable technical institute and research university . Today , Georgia Tech is organized into six colleges and contains about 31 departments/units , with emphasis on science and technology . It is well recognized for its degree programs in engineering , computing , business administration , the sciences and design . Georgia Tech is ranked tied for 5th among all public national universities in the United States , tied for 4th in the Best Undergraduate Engineering Schools ranking , tied for 29th among all collegiate institutions in the National Universities category by U.S. News & World Report as of the 2020 rankings , and 34th among global universities in the world by Times Higher Education as of the 2019 rankings . Student athletics , both organized and intramural , are a part of student and alumni life . The school 's intercollegiate competitive sports teams , the four-time football national champion Yellow Jackets , and the nationally recognized fight song Ramblin ' Wreck from Georgia Tech , have helped keep Georgia Tech in the national spotlight . Georgia Tech fields eight men 's and seven women 's teams that compete in the NCAA Division I athletics and the Football Bowl Subdivision .
The Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory ( EOSL ) is one of eight labs in the Georgia Tech Research Institute and one of three labs under the Electronics , Optics , and Systems directorate . It conducts basic and applied research into electro-optical topics and supports electro-optical education at the university level . EOSL develops technology in the areas of electro-optical modeling and analysis , nanotechnology , microelectronics and phosphor development , remote sensing , acoustics , and mechanical systems . EOSL has numerous technology areas of preeminence that include LIDAR systems development , hyperspectral and multispectral imaging , ultraviolet/infrared stimulator development , countermeasures technology , microelectronics , and electro-optical modeling and analysis .
John C. Bersia ( November 23 , 1956 - March 21 , 2019 ) , a Pulitzer Prize winner in 2000 , was a global educator and commentator . He served as Special Assistant to the President for Global Perspectives , as Director of the Global Perspectives Office and as a University Professor at the University of Central Florida . Bersia previously served as an adjunct professor in the Hamilton Holt School at Rollins College where he taught classes in international affairs . He was also the Executive Producer and host of the weekly Global Perspectives Show on WUCF-TV/PBS , and wrote on foreign affairs . Bersia previously served as a Foreign-Affairs Columnist for McClatchy-Tribune Information Services and the Orlando Sentinel , as well as on the latter 's Editorial Board . He won the first Pulitzer Prize of the 21st century for the Orlando Sentinel , as well as for its parent organization , the Tribune Company . Additionally , he was the recipient of the Walker Stone Award of the Scripps Howard Foundation , the first-place Green Eyeshade editorials award of the Society of Professional Journalists , the annual Media Award for Editorial Excellence of The National Association of Consumer Advocates and other national awards . Before his journalism experience , Bersia worked in the global political-risk analysis and publishing businesses , as well as for the U.S. government . He is the author of World War 4 : Confronting Terrorism ( 2003 ) , serves as Editor of the Worldviews for the 21st Century monograph series , is Interim Co-Chair of The India Center at UCF ; co-chairs the UCF Middle Eastern Studies Program ; chairs and directs UCF programs on human trafficking awareness and small countries ; and chairs and co-directs UCF programs on China-Taiwan issues , global peace and security , and Kurdish political studies . Further , he was the Chair ( a voluntary position ) of the Global Connections Foundation , a non-profit , non-ideological , non-political , regional , educational network that promotes international awareness and understanding . Bersia pursued undergraduate studies at Clark University and the University of Central Florida , receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/International Relations and French from UCF ; was awarded a Master of Arts in Government/Foreign Policy from Georgetown University 's Graduate School ; completed a Master of Science in Public Information Administration at The American University 's College of Business Administration ; and received a Master of Science in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science , University of London . Bersia died on March 21 , 2019 at the age of 62 .
The Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing is one of the fourteen American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Journalism . It has been awarded since 1917 for distinguished editorial writing , the test of excellence being clearness of style , moral purpose , sound reasoning , and power to influence public opinion in what the writer conceives to be the right direction . Thus it is one of the original Pulitzers , for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes , four of which were awarded that year . The program has also recognized opinion journalism with its Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning from 1922 . Finalists have been announced from 1980 , ordinarily two others beside the winner . One person ordinarily wins the award for work with one newspaper or with affiliated papers , and that was true without exception between 1936 ( the only time two prizes were given ) and 1977 . In the early years , several newspapers were recognized without naming any writer , and that has occasionally happened recently . Several times from 1977 , two or three people have shared the award for their work with one paper .
The University of Central Florida is a space-grant metropolitan public research university located on a 1,415-acre ( 5.73 km2 ) main campus in Orlando , Florida , United States . UCF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida and is the second-largest university in the United States . UCF consists of a 59,770 member student body and employs more than 10,000 people , including over 1,900 teaching faculty and adjuncts . University of Central Florida faculty and administrators include those who are currently serving and have formerly served the university as professors , deans , administrative officials , or in other notable educational capacities .
The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees is the governing body of the University of Central Florida , a space-grant university located on a 1,415-acre ( 5.73 km2 ) main campus in Orlando , Florida , United States . UCF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida and is the largest public university in the United States . The Board of Trustees is the governing body of UCF , setting policy for the university , and serving as UCF 's legal owner and final authority . Overall , the Board of Trustees hold the institution 's resources in trust , is responsible for selection of the university president and administrators , and are responsible for university resources and for implementing the rules and policies of the Florida Board of Governors .
Francis Marion University ( formerly Francis Marion College ) is a public liberal arts university located six miles ( 11 km ) east of Florence , South Carolina . It is named in honor of American Revolutionary War hero Brigadier General Francis Marion .
Isabel C. Escobar is a professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Kentucky in Lexington , Kentucky . Escobar has spent more than 20 years in testing biological stability of distribution systems and developing material chemistry for membranes .
The Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) is an independent agency of the United States federal government for environmental protection . President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9 , 1970 ; it began operation on December 2 , 1970 , after Nixon signed an executive order . The order establishing the EPA was ratified by committee hearings in the House and Senate . The agency is led by its Administrator , who is appointed by the President and approved by Congress . The current Administrator is former Deputy Administrator Andrew R. Wheeler , who had been acting administrator since July 2018 . The EPA is not a Cabinet department , but the Administrator is normally given cabinet rank . The EPA has its headquarters in Washington , D.C. , regional offices for each of the agency 's ten regions , and 27 laboratories . The agency conducts environmental assessment , research , and education . It has the responsibility of maintaining and enforcing national standards under a variety of environmental laws , in consultation with state , tribal , and local governments . It delegates some permitting , monitoring , and enforcement responsibility to U.S. states and the federally recognized tribes . EPA enforcement powers include fines , sanctions , and other measures . The agency also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts .
Cindy Elavsky is a syndicated columnist who writes the Celebrity Extra column for King Features . Elavsky was born in Massillon , Ohio . Her family moved to Orlando , Florida in 1987 . She graduated from Oviedo High School in 1990 and earned a bachelor 's degree in English in 1996 and a second degree in theater in 2001 from the University of Central Florida . She was a member of Sigma Tau Delta and Alpha Psi Omega honor societies . Elavksy started her career as a proofreader with Reed Brennan Associates of Orlando , later becoming Assistant Managing Editor and Syndicate Editor .
Print syndication distributes news articles , columns , political cartoons , comic strips and other features to newspapers , magazines and websites . The syndicates offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own and/or represent copyrights . Other terms for the service include a newspaper syndicate , a press syndicate , and a feature syndicate . The syndicate is an agency that offers features from notable journalists and authorities as well as reliable and established cartoonists . It fills a need among smaller weekly and daily newspapers for material that helps them compete with large urban papers , at a much lesser cost than if the client were to purchase the material themselves . Generally , syndicates sell their material to one client in each territory . Typical syndicated features are advice columns ( parenting , health , finance , gardening , cooking , etc . ) , humor columns , editorial opinion , critic 's reviews , and gossip columns . Some syndicates specialize in one type of feature , such as comic strips .
A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series , creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions . Columns appear in newspapers , magazines and other publications , including blogs . They take the form of a short essay by a specific writer who offers a personal point of view . In some instances , a column has been written by a composite or a team , appearing under a pseudonym , or ( in effect ) a brand name . Some columnists appear on a daily or weekly basis and later reprint the same material in book collections .
Stuart M. Fullerton ( March 8 , 1940 - April 5 , 2014 ) was an American entomologist and academic . Fullerton was the founder of the Bug Closet , officially known as The Stuart M. Fullerton Collection of Arthropods at the University of Central Florida , which houses a collection of more than 500,000 mounted specimens of insects and other arthropods . Fullerton was born in Modesto , California , on March 8 , 1940 . His interest in insects began while working as a staff member at a summer camp in the Sierra Nevadas . He later served in the United States Air Force . He was a graduate of the University of Central Florida . He became a curator for a number of museums after leaving the Air Force , including institutions in Boston , Montreal , San Antonio and South Carolina . Fullteron also served as the curator of education for the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens . He made frequent appearances on television news or children 's shows with his animals . Fullerton retired from the museums in 1990 . He continued to amass a large collection of insect specimens after retirement . He relocated his collection a larger facility at the University of Central Florida ( UCF ) in 1993 at the invitation of David Vickers , the chairman of the Department of Biology .
Entomology ( from Ancient Greek ἔντομον ( entomon ) , meaning 'insect ' , and -λογία ( -logia ) , meaning 'study of ' ) is the scientific study of insects , a branch of zoology . In the past the term insect was vaguer , and historically the definition of entomology included the study of terrestrial animals in other arthropod groups or other phyla , such as arachnids , myriapods , earthworms , land snails , and slugs . This wider meaning may still be encountered in informal use . Like several of the other fields that are categorized within zoology , entomology is a taxon-based category ; any form of scientific study in which there is a focus on insect-related inquiries is , by definition , entomology . Entomology therefore overlaps with a cross-section of topics as diverse as molecular genetics , behavior , biomechanics , biochemistry , systematics , physiology , developmental biology , ecology , morphology , and paleontology . At some 1.3 million described species , insects account for more than two-thirds of all known organisms , date back some 400 million years , and have many kinds of interactions with humans and other forms of life on earth .
Jim Huber ( August 28 , 1944 - January 2 , 2012 ) was an American sports commentator , writer , and essayist . He worked as a sports anchor for the former CNN Sports Illustrated , before joining Turner Sports in 2000 . Huber was raised in Ocala , Florida . He attended Presbyterian College , but graduated from Central Florida . Huber began his career in sports journalism as a sportswriter for the Miami News and The Atlanta Journal . He joined WXIA in Atlanta , before moving to a relatively new cable news network called CNN . Huber was Public Relations Director for the Atlanta Flames from 1972 until 1975 . Huber had a long history with the Turner Broadcasting Corporation . Huber in 1984 first joined CNN , where he hosted a sports show called The Sporting Life With Jim Huber . He also contributed to CNN Sports Illustrated , a sister network of CNN , as an anchor and sports announcer . In 2000 , Huber became a full-time on-air announcer and commentator for Turner Sports , which allowed him to cover both golf and the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) in greater depth . During the 1990s , Huber was awarded an Emmy for an essay , Olympic Park Bombing , which he wrote and delivered in response to the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing during the Atlanta Olympics .
In sports broadcasting , a sports commentator ( also known as sports announcer , sportscaster or play-by-play announcer ) gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time , usually during a live broadcast , traditionally delivered in the historical present tense . Radio was the first medium for sports broadcasts , and radio commentators must describe all aspects of the action to listeners who can not see it for themselves . In the case of televised sports coverage , commentators are usually presented as a voiceover , with images of the contest shown on viewers ' screens and sounds of the action and spectators heard in the background . Television commentators are rarely shown on screen during an event , though some networks choose to feature their announcers on camera either before or after the contest or briefly during breaks in the action .
CNN/Sports Illustrated ( CNN/SI ) was a 24-hour sports news network . It was created by Time Warner , bringing together its CNN and Sports Illustrated brands and related resources . It was launched on December 12 , 1996 .
Turner Sports ( TS ) is the subsidiary of AT & T 's WarnerMedia responsible for sports broadcasts on channels including TBS , TNT , AT & T SportsNet , TruTV , and for operating the digital media outlets NCAA.com , NBA.com , PGATour.com and PGA.com , as well as Bleacher Report , and its streaming service , B/R Live . Turner Sports also operates NBA TV on behalf of the NBA , and owns a minority share in the MLB Network . In August 2012 , Turner Sports bought the sports news website Bleacher Report for an estimated $ 200 million . In March 2018 , Turner Sports announced to launch B/R Live , a subscription video streaming service , featuring live broadcasts of several sports events . Turner also owned WPCH-TV , the former WTBS , which was the longtime television home for Major League Baseball 's Atlanta Braves . This relationship ended after the 2013 season . WPCH-TV was itself sold to Meredith Corporation in 2017 . Following AT & T 's acquisition of Time Warner in 2018 , it was announced in March 2019 that the Turner Broadcasting System would be dissolved , and its assets dispersed into Warner Bros. and two new units . Turner Sports will be combined with CNN and AT & T SportsNet into a new division known as WarnerMedia News & Sports , led by CNN president Jeff Zucker .
The G.W.C . Whiting School of Engineering , is a division of the Johns Hopkins University located in the university 's Homewood campus in Baltimore , Maryland , United States .
Johns Hopkins University is a private research university in Baltimore , Maryland . Founded in 1876 , the university was named for its first benefactor , the American entrepreneur , abolitionist , and philanthropist Johns Hopkins . His $ 7 million bequest ( approximately $ 147.5 million in today 's dollars ) - of which half financed the establishment of Johns Hopkins Hospital - was the largest philanthropic gift in the history of the United States up to that time . Daniel Coit Gilman , who was inaugurated as the institution 's first president on February 22 , 1876 , led the university to revolutionize higher education in the U.S. by integrating teaching and research . Adopting the concept of a graduate school from Germany 's ancient Heidelberg University , Johns Hopkins University is considered the first research university in the United States . Over the course of several decades , the university has led all U.S. universities in annual research and development expenditures . In fiscal year 2016 , Johns Hopkins spent nearly $ 2.5 billion on research . The university has additional graduate campuses in Italy , China , and Washington , D.C. , in addition to its main campus in Baltimore , Maryland . The university has been ranked by numerous major education publications as among the top universities in the world . Johns Hopkins is organized into 10 divisions on campuses in Maryland and Washington , D.C. , with international centers in Italy and China . The two undergraduate divisions , the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering , are located on the Homewood campus in Baltimore 's Charles Village neighborhood . The medical school , the nursing school , and the Bloomberg School of Public Health are located on the Medical Institutions campus in East Baltimore .
Hector A. Tico Perez is an American attorney at law and an administrator . He was the 9th national commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America ( BSA ) , serving from 2008 to 2016 .
Commissioner Service is the group within the Boy Scouts of America that provides direct service to each Scouting unit ( pack , troop , team , crew or ship ) . Commissioners are experienced Scouters who help chartered organizations and unit leaders to achieve the aims of Scouting by using the methods of Scouting . They help to ensure that each unit has strong leadership and they encourage training , promote the use of the unit committee and encourage a relationship with the chartering organization .
The Boy Scouts of America ( BSA ) ( colloquially , the Boy Scouts ) is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States , with about 2.3 million youth participants and about one million adult volunteers . The BSA was founded in 1910 , and since then , about 110 million Americans participated in BSA programs at some time in their lives . BSA is part of the international Scout Movement and became a founding member organization of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1922 . The stated mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law . Youth are trained in responsible citizenship , character development , and self-reliance through participation in a wide range of outdoor activities , educational programs , and , at older age levels , career-oriented programs in partnership with community organizations . For younger members , the Scout method is part of the program to instill typical Scouting values such as trustworthiness , good citizenship , and outdoors skills , through a variety of activities such as camping , aquatics , and hiking . To further these outdoor activities , the BSA has four high-adventure bases : Northern Tier ( Minnesota , Manitoba , and Ontario ) , Philmont Scout Ranch ( New Mexico ) , Sea Base ( Florida , US Virgin Islands , and Bahamas ) , and Summit Bechtel Reserve ( West Virginia ) , as well as nearly one hundred separate camps and reservations specifically dedicated to scouts . The traditional Scouting divisions are Cub Scouting for ages 5 to 11 years , Scouts BSA for ages 11 to 18 , Venturing for ages 14 through 21 , and Sea Scouts for ages 14 through 21 . The BSA operates traditional Scouting by chartering local organizations , such as churches , clubs , civic associations , or educational organization , to implement the Scouting program for youth within their communities . Units are led entirely by volunteers appointed by the chartering organization , who are supported by local councils using both paid professional Scouters and volunteers . Additionally , Learning for Life is a non-traditional affiliate that provides in-school and career education . On February 1 , 2019 , the Boy Scouts of America renamed their flagship program , Boy Scouts , to Scouts BSA to reflect their change of policy to allow girls to join in separate , gender-specific troops .
The National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America governs the Boy Scouts of America organization . One source reports that there were 72 members of the board in 2001 . The board is led by the national chair , a volunteer elected by the National Council . Board members include regular elected members , regional presidents , and up to five appointed youth members . The Chief Scout Executive is the board secretary and non-voting member . The National Executive Board has a number of standing committees that correspond to the professional staff organization of the National Council .
The Florida Board of Governors is a 17-member governing board that serves as the governing body for the State University System of Florida , which includes all public universities in the state of Florida . After its predecessor , the Florida Board of Regents , was abolished by an act of the Florida Legislature that was signed into law by Governor Jeb Bush in July 2001 , United States Senator Bob Graham , who objected to the abolition of the statewide higher education body ( Board of Regents ) , responded by leading a ballot initiative to restore it . The Board of Governors was established in 2003 after the successful passage of the constitutional amendment heralded by Graham in 2002 . A statewide board of education , also appointed by the governor , oversaw kindergarten through higher education , but focused mostly on K-12 education and community colleges . The Board of Governors , as part of the Florida Constitution , can not be abolished without another constitutional amendment . During the 2017-2018 academic year , the State University System enrolled roughly 341,000 total students .
Steven Joel Sotloff ( Hebrew : סטיבן סוטלוף ; May 11 , 1983 - c. September 2 , 2014 ) was an American-Israeli journalist . In August 2013 , he was kidnapped in Aleppo , Syria , and held captive by militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ( ISIS ) . On September 2 , 2014 , ISIS released a beheading video , showing one of its members beheading Sotloff . Following Sotloff 's beheading , U.S. President Barack Obama stated that the United States would take action to degrade and destroy ISIS . President Obama also signed an Executive Order dated June 24 , 2015 , in the presence of the Sotloff family and other hostage families , overhauling how the U.S. handles U.S. hostages held abroad by groups such as ISIS . The capture and beheading of Steven Sotloff , and of fellow journalist James Foley a month prior , initiated broad public awareness of ISIL/ISIS after the beheadings were shown on the Internet and then on international television . Sotloff 's legacy is , in part , that he broke the Benghazi story to CNN , that there was no protest , and that he foresaw the massive Syrian Refugee Crisis as he reported on the everyday people 's suffering in Syria , thus earning him the reputation as The Voice for the Voiceless .
Time is an American weekly news magazine and news website published in New York City . It was founded in 1923 and for many years it was run by its influential co-founder Henry Luce . A European edition ( Time Europe , formerly known as Time Atlantic ) is published in London and also covers the Middle East , Africa , and , since 2003 , Latin America . An Asian edition ( Time Asia ) is based in Hong Kong . The South Pacific edition , which covers Australia , New Zealand , and the Pacific Islands , is based in Sydney . In December 2008 , Time discontinued publishing a Canadian advertiser edition . Time has the world 's largest circulation for a weekly news magazine . The print edition has a readership of 26 million , 20 million of whom are based in the United States . In mid-2012 , its circulation was over 3 million , which fell to 2 million by late 2017 . Formerly published by Time Inc. , since November 2018 Time has been published by TIME USA , LLC , owned by Marc Benioff who acquired it from Meredith Corporation two months earlier .
A journalist is a person who collects , writes , or distributes news or other current information to the public . A journalist 's work is called journalism .
Nancy Yasecko is a media artist and educator who grew up and is still living on the Space Coast of Florida . She graduated from Cocoa Beach High School in 1972 and received her B.A . from the University of South Florida in 1975 , and her M.A . in Instructional Technology from the University of Central Florida 1997 .