PEGASUS HOW UCF’S PROGRAMMING TEAM BECAME AND BEAT HARVARD, MIT AND STANFORD. SUMMER SCENE August heralds the start of classes, the return of students and dark, afternoon Florida storm clouds. They are rife with electricity but also heavy with raindrops that revive and offer cool respite — not unlike the feelings of trepidation and promise that come with a new semester. Inbox CHIEF OF STAFF AND Contents VOLUME 25 • ISSUE 1 • FALL 2018 VP FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING Grant J. Heston ’13MBA AVP FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING 6 In Focus Patrick Burt ’08MA 12 Briefs University of Central Florida EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 14 On Campus Orlando, FL • 205,040+ Alumni • 270,460 Followers Laura J. Cole 16 Sea Change CREATIVE DIRECTOR What was your favorite part about the Student Union Ron Boucher ’92 18 The Imperfect Storm when you went to UCF? STAFF WRITERS 19 The Feed Bree (Adams) Watson ’04 20 All In Nicole Dudenhoefer ’17 Jenna Marina Lee 24 The Strategists ART DIRECTORS 28 We Need to Talk Lauren (Haar) Waters ’06 32 Believe the Heup Steve Webb 34 Now Trending DESIGNER Mario Carrillo 36 Timeline Traveler COPY EDITOR 38 Class Notes Peg Martin 42 Weddings & Births MULTIMEDIA 46 Why I Teach Journalism What the Student Union Will Look Like in Spring 2020 Katie Arcic I ALMOST DROPPED OUT OF UCF DUE TO FINANCES, bit.ly/ucf-student-union Thomas Bell ’08 but [former President] Hitt made it possible for me to stay. Nick Leyva ’15 437 Likes • 91 Comments Austin Warren It was 2015, and my mom was deep in the trenches of a cult. PRODUCTION MANAGER I wasn’t old enough to be independent, and I wasn’t able to Rob Hunter Sandy Pouliot complete [a new] FAFSA because my mom wouldn’t give me Wackadoo’s! I have fond memories of convincing professors ONLINE PRODUCER her information. I was also slowly coming up on the end of to hold class there! Roger Wolf ’07 how many loans a dependent student could take out. Corey Ford WEB PROGRAMMERS I remember 9/11. I watched the events unfold in the Student Jim Barnes I petitioned for my independence and was denied. They Union with all the other students. I’ll always remember where Cadie Brown said it wasn’t because of my situation, but because of my old I was. RJ Bruneel ’97 FAFSA still being in the system. I emailed Hitt, and someone Jayme Wright Jo Dickson ’11 got back to me the next day. The rest of the semester was a Same here. CONTRIBUTORS blur of tears and work, but in the end, my independence was Austin Dawson Jeffrey C. Billman ’01 ’10MA approved, and I graduated the summer of 2016. Same for me. I will never forget that day. Richard Brunson ’84 Ana Lucia C. Wells Collins Before that moment I never believed Hitt cared about each The Pegasus in the middle :) Edmon de Haro student, but he put stock into my badly worded, desperate Gene Kruckemyer ’73 cry for help and gave me hope. I was reading the recent Pashen Black Marcus Smith Pegasus issue and thought I should reach out to tell you When it first opened during my senior year. Before the union, Robert Stephens we gathered at the Wild Pizza. that I’m so thankful for him and what he’s done. PEGASUS ADVISORY BOARD » ALISSA SMITH ’16 Matt Randall Chad Binette ’06MPA Being there from the very beginning. You knew that UCF was Richard Brunson ’84 going to be special. Cristina Calvet-Harrold ’01 ’03MBA John Gill ’86 A MORE PERFECT I MUST COMMEND YOU ON YOUR LAST ISSUE. IT WAS Jasmine Checchi Michael Griffin ’84 UNION informative and entertaining. Can I say it? It was a Hitt! A place to not only sit down and eat but also reconnect with Mike Hinn ’92 I was a student at UCF when it was FTU. The campus was friends — that really helped us motivate each other. Gerald McGratty Jr. ’71 ’72MBA The Student Union may look pretty big but nothing like it is now. Michael O’Shaughnessy ’81 Scott Morrison different the next time you’re on Dan Ward ’92 » BRUCE EVERSON ’78 I used to love studying at the tables near the windows on the campus. A renovation is adding third floor. There was very little noise, great lighting and a an additional 15,000 square feet nice view. to the heart of campus, which I LIVE OUT OF STATE, AND PEGASUS MAGAZINE Richard J. Cross means more space to gather, allows me to keep up with what’s going on at UCF. Though The fact that every time you walked through, you almost INBOX SUBMISSIONS study, eat and find relief from I’ll always be connected, my connection to the university and always ran into someone you knew. the Florida heat. other alumni feels that much stronger after reading an issue. Emails to the editor should be sent with the » DOUGLAS LEE ’98 writer’s name, graduation year, address and daytime phone number to [email protected]. Letters may be edited for length and clarity, and may be published in any medium. Due Pegasus is published Email: [email protected] to volume, we regret that we cannot reply to by UCF Marketing in Mail: UCF Marketing every letter. partnership with the PEGASUS P.O. Box 160090 UCF Foundation, Inc. Orlando, FL ©2018 University of Central Florida. All MOVED RECENTLY? NEED and UCF Alumni. 32816-0090 rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or TO UPDATE YOUR INFO? Opinions expressed in Pegasus are Phone: 407.882.1238 in part without permission is prohibited. not necessarily those shared by the Pegasus is a registered trademark of UCF Update your contact information: University of Central Florida. Alumni. ucfalumni.com/contactupdates 4 | FALL 2018 In Focus FIRST CLASS Fifty years ago, Central Florida changed forever when UCF — then known as Florida Technological University — opened for classes on October 7, 1968. During a morning convocation and dedication ceremony, President Charles Millican welcomed 1,948 students who became responsible for upholding the university’s motto of “Reach for the Stars.” These students would pursue studies to fulfill the region’s high demand for scientists, engineers, business professionals and teachers. “As members of the charter class, you will help establish the traditions and the reputation of an entirely new university. An opportunity and a responsibility such as this comes to only a few, but by working together we can make this a great university, one of which we can be proud.” — Charles Millican, founding president of UCF 1,227 Acres made up the campus 300 Seats in the auditorium 90 Instructors taught the first classes. Today, UCF has more than 12,500 faculty and staff members. 55 Degree programs offered. Today, students can select from more than 215 degree programs. 7 Buildings on campus: a library, a science building, an auditorium, a village center, a utility plant and two residence halls 5 Founding colleges: Business Administration, Education, Humanities & Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Engineering & Technology PHOTOS COURTESY OF UCF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES 6 | FALL 2018 UCF.EDU/PEGASUS | 7 In Focus EXPANDED VIEWS UCF continues to “Reach for the Stars” with its new commitment to manage the second-largest single- dish radio telescope on the planet — the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Featured in films like Contact and GoldenEye, AO has played a vital role in many significant scientific discoveries and is responsible for finding and tracking potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids. Scientists from around the world will continue to use the telescope to conduct radio, planetary and atmospheric science research. Over the next five years, UCF will work to acquire more funding and partners for the observatory to advance the future of space exploration. “The kind of science we can conduct with this observatory is important, and we didn’t want to see it go dark.” — Elizabeth Klonoff, vice president for research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies 1963 Year Arecibo Observatory opened 1,000 feet Diameter of the telescope’s reflective dish 18.3464° Distance north of the equator $15 million Awarded to UCF-led consortium by the National Science Foundation to help manage the observatory 2 Consortium partners with UCF, the Universidad Metropolitana and Yang Enterprises 1 Nobel Prize awarded to scientists working at the observatory To view more photos of President Dale P Whittaker’s recent trip to Arecibo, visit ucf.edu/pegasus. 8 | FALL 2018 UCF.EDU/PEGASUS | 9 In Focus CHARGED UP Designed with purpose, UCF’s newest District Energy Plant debuted its color-coded piping system in May to help teach engineering students how to build a cleaner world. Located near the Arboretum, DEP IV joined three other energy plants in providing chilled water for air conditioning and cooling processes to 64 buildings on campus. The new facility is the first to also produce hot water, which is used for heating, air conditioning and ventilation processes in the Research I building. By using energy-efficient materials and processes, the plant helps to reduce the university’s impact on climate change. “As UCF strives to become a preeminent research university, the need for a robust district energy system like DEP IV is integral. Energy is not optional at UCF but how we manage and use it is.” — Curt Wade, director of UCF’s Utilities and Energy Services 33,000 kilowatt hours Energy DEP IV uses on a daily basis. The average homeowner uses 30 kilowatt hours per day. $121,000 Annual savings the new plant generates for the university compared to a base efficiency plant 25,500 tons Chilled water generated daily by UCF’s four energy plants at full capacity.