As a 67-year-old retiree, Amy Lendian wants you to know it’s never too late. Never too late to start over; to go for your dream career; to earn your college degree.

When the UCF Online history student assumes her spot at the console at Kennedy Space Center to lead the facility systems engineers for the upcoming historic Artemis II launch, that affirmation will echo within her once more.

“I always believed in myself and felt that I could do this,” she says. “It really is never too late.”

Turning a Setback Into a Comeback

Lendian spent the majority of her adult life building her career as a fire protection engineer, helping design sprinkler systems and other fire safety infrastructure.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. The construction industry came to a screeching halt. In her 60s, she suddenly faced unemployment.

“I thought, ‘Who is going to want to hire me in my 60s?’ ” she says. “But I made it my job to find a job. And not just any job. I set out for my dream job in the aerospace industry.”

She logged in every day on her home computer to research job listings, dressed as if she was headed to an office. She sought career counseling. She joined virtual seminars to learn new software and online tools she knew she’d need to master if she wanted to break into the field. She learned how to rework her resume to leverage her relevant skills.

Her strategy and persistence paid off. She got a call back for a fire protection systems engineer position on base at Kennedy Space Center.

Finding Her Place in Space

On her first day at KSC, she attended a briefing where they discussed etiquette while serving on the console. She says it took her a moment to process what she was hearing.

“I stayed up to watch Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. I have a photo of myself as a kid standing in front of an Apollo rocket. And you’re saying you want me to be on the console during a launch?!” she says. “I thought, ‘I’m here. I arrived.’ ”

Lendian served on the console for the Artemis I launch in November 2022.

Although she has since retired from her formal position with KSC and moved to Chicago, she is still employed as a part-time consultant and will be there again for Artemis II managing the fire protection systems on the launchpad.

Finishing What She Started

Her late-stage career change inspired her to consider other dreams she had yet to realize. A big one has been nearly 50 years in the making.

Lendian was 19 years old when she attempted college the first time. She enrolled in the University of South Florida’s electrical engineering program in the late 1970s. But after three years, she stopped her studies because she got married and needed to support her new family.

In 2021, she decided to resuscitate her dream of a college degree. She transferred her old credits into the program at Eastern Florida State College, earned her associate’s degree and looked to enroll in one of UCF Online’s degree programs so she could manage school with her full-time job.

The history degree she is working toward is affiliated with one of the top online institutions. UCF ranks No. 6 for Online Bachelor’s Programs nationally according to the U.S. News & World Report.

“I want that bachelor’s degree,” Lendian says. “I am doing this for me. I am going to do something that I love (history). And I am going to graduate.”

“I didn’t apply to many schools because out-of-state or even dorm living just wasn’t an option for me,” says Blanco, a civil engineering alum. “I had to work, I had to stay close and I had to keep costs down.”

Blanco enrolled at Seminole State College in 2013. Like thousands of students before and after him, he discovered DirectConnect to UCF — a guaranteed admission pathway to the university for students who earn their associate degrees at partner state colleges. For Blanco, it was nothing short of a lifeline.

“DirectConnect to UCF gave me confidence,” he says. “I didn’t have to worry if my credits would transfer or if I’d be accepted. I knew I had a guaranteed pathway, and that let me focus on finishing my degree while balancing school and work.”

A National Model with Proven Impact

This year marks the 20th anniversary of DirectConnect to UCF, which began in 2005 with four partner colleges and has since expanded into a nationally recognized model for student success. In Fall 2025, Indian River State College became the seventh partner to join the consortium, which now includes College of Central Florida, Daytona State College, Eastern Florida State College, Lake-Sumter State College, Seminole State College and Valencia College.

The premise is simple but powerful: earn your associate degree at one of the seven state colleges and you are guaranteed admission to UCF. Along the way, students benefit from cost savings by attending a state college — about 25% on average—as well as personalized guidance from the DirectConnect to UCF Success Team.

The impact is clear. Since its launch, more than 79,000 UCF degrees have been awarded to DirectConnect students. Each year, more than 5,000 more students take advantage of the program, improving access to higher education and fueling the region’s workforce.

“Opportunity should be within reach. DirectConnect to Ů��AV provides students a guided path, dedicated support and the momentum they need to thrive at UCF,” says Kim Hardy, assistant vice provost for UCF Connect.

Kristina Lavallee ’13, a Valencia transfer who went on to build a thriving business with her husband, Kirby, puts it this way: “DirectConnect makes college possible for students who might not otherwise see it within reach. It takes away the unknowns.”

Many Students, One Path

The experiences of DirectConnect students are as varied as Central Florida itself. For Blanco Gavillan, the smaller class sizes at Seminole State provided the breathing room he needed to adjust to college life. For others, like Merritt Island, Florida, native Trevor Rigby ’08, the program provided flexibility and options when his music career complicated his studies.

“I don’t know if I ever would have graduated without DirectConnect,” says Rigby, a music alum. “With DirectConnect you can create a tangible plan. It’s a map to see where you’re going so you’re not just wandering in the dark.”

For alumna Doris Vega Baez ’09, DirectConnect’s affordability and smooth transfer process made the difference between stopping at an associate degree and moving on to a career at a global firm.

“Without it, I might have just done a certificate here or there,” says Vega Baez, a management grad. “Instead, I have UCF on my resume and a career I love.”

A Promise for the Future

As the program celebrates 20 years, UCF and its partners see the addition of Indian River State College as a sign of what’s to come: expanding access and opportunity with transfer student success.

From first-generation students to working parents, from aspiring musicians to future business owners, DirectConnect to UCF has helped transform thousands of lives. And for students like Blanco, the message is simple.

“If you think college is out of reach, DirectConnect shows you it’s not,” he says.

Reality, however, isn’t always so simple.

“It can be a real struggle when you’re in that gap,” says Esteban Baez Sola, referring to the transfer process. The gap for him loomed large after he’d completed his associate’s degree from Valencia College in April 2023.

“I found myself suddenly facing a lot of questions. … It was kind of overwhelming until I found .” — Esteban Baez Sola, transfer student

“I found myself suddenly facing a lot of questions,” says Baez Sola, an integrative general studies major. Where could I go from there and feel humanized and not like a number? Would my credits transfer? What would I major in? Where would I live? It was kind of overwhelming until I found DirectConnect to UCF.”

Baez Sola will soon become a UCF alumnus, joining graduates around the world who are grateful for the DirectConnect to Ů��AV program and how it streamlined their transfer process, guiding them along the path to earning a UCF degree. The program, launched in 2006, guarantees admission to UCF for any student with an A.A. or A.S. from one of six partner state colleges, consistent with university policy. However, with approximately 4,200 degrees awarded each year to DirectConnect to UCF students say it’s much more than the guaranteed admission. It’s the simplification of the life transition. It’s the peace of mind knowing the journey to graduation will be more focused and less time-consuming. Perhaps most important of all are the academic success coaches who come alongside each student when they need it most.

Beth Ganz is one of those coaches in the UCF Transfer Center.

“I can’t tell you how many students every week tell me, ‘I don’t know what to do next,’ ” Ganz says. “You never know what they might be going through. What they need most is a person to make the transition less intimidating so they can graduate in a timely manner.”

Ganz knows first-hand what it’s like. She prefaces conversations by saying, “My own path is different.”

“A lot of universities try to emulate our DirectConnect program, but it works here because students and coaches see it as more than a process. It’s also personal.” — Beth Ganz, academic success coach

After high school, she attended Palm Beach State College and then transferred once, twice, three times, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree from Florida Atlantic University. Ganz never forgot what it was like to be a transfer student. It’s why she accepted a position as an academic success coach shortly after DirectConnect to UCF welcomed its first students. Since then, she’s advised thousands of transfer students, including her own son.

“I bring a ‘mom’ element into this because it’s who I am,” Ganz says. “With each transfer student, I think about how I’d want my own children to be counseled through the obstacles they’re facing.”

There’s a misperception that the obstacles are always related to academics when, in fact, they’re often related to life. Ganz is among a handful coaches who help transfer students navigate housing, paperwork, language differences, selecting a major, even general fear. They’ve helped those same students thrive and go on to careers as doctors, nurses, executives in hospitality, engineers in the space program, business owners, and researchers and developers in the tech sector.

“A lot of universities try to emulate our DirectConnect program,” Ganz says, “but it works here because students and coaches see it as more than a process. It’s also personal.”

Haileigh Galloway ’23 graduated from UCF with a degree in psychology before landing a position as a clinical research coordinator at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) in Ohio — the same hospital where she and her brother and sister were treated for medical issues as kids. Galloway sees her research at NCH as a big step closer to medical school and part of “God’s plan for my life.”

Do not believe, however, that the steps have always been perfectly laid out for Galloway.

“Growing up, I thought my path would be more direct,” she says, “but I’ve learned that education doesn’t necessarily work that way.”

Galloway was homeschooled, earning an A.A. while dual enrolled at Eastern Florida. After accepting her high school diploma and her A.A., she entered a small private university to finish her bachelor’s degree.

“I’d considered UCF my dream school for a long time,” she says, “but my parents and I thought it might be too big for an introverted 17-year-old. As it turned out, the smaller college wasn’t for me, so after a lot of praying I took the leap and transferred to UCF.”

“Growing up, I thought my path would be more direct, but I’ve learned that education doesn’t necessarily work that way.” — Haileigh Galloway ’23, alum and former DirectConnect student

Looking back at her steps, Galloway says it was easily the best decision because two things happened. First, she found a research opportunity at UCF. And second, she became a PeerKnight coach.

“I knew from my own experience what it’s like to go from a smaller school to this physically imposing university,” she says. “Being a coach made me a better listener and made me more empathetic because each situation is unique. Sometimes a student just needs to know they aren’t alone before they’re offered solutions. I really believe being a PeerKnight will make me a better doctor.”

Galloway’s story points to the core value propositions of DirectConnect to UCF beyond guaranteed enrollment. Transfer students are given a clear path to graduation and a relationship. You’d never suspect today, for example, that Baez Sola ever wrestled with either of those. Truth is, he was filled with angst. Shortly after enrolling at UCF through DirectConnect, he started working for ConeXiones, a peer-support program within DirectConnect. He also learned hands-on entrepreneurship through UCF’s Blackstone Launchpad and business practices through the university’s Professional Selling Program. He’s now interviewing for jobs well ahead of his projected graduation. He even has a new vision: to create a business and encourage people facing difficult questions on their own academic and life journeys.

“I want to do for others what was done for me through DirectConnect,” Baez Sola says. “The people in this program made me feel important when I needed that. They helped me find a network of friends and colleagues. They steered me onto a path of success. And I’m sure I speak for thousands of others when I say they made me excited about my future.”

Launched in 2019, the Bachelor of Integrative General Studies (BIGS) program helps students from all fields of study complete their educational journey — enabling them to design their own curriculum on their way to earning a life-changing college degree.

“We’ve had a bank vice president who wanted to finish his degree, retirees, individuals launching into education, business, computer science and even musicians come through our program,” says Danielle Pratt, interim director of UCF’s interdisciplinary studies program, and associate lecturer. “So, really, the entire spectrum is represented; there are no limits.”

Chloe Gordon ’24 began her journey at Ů��AV in 2001 as a liberal studies major, transferring from Valencia College. Gordon’s path took a different turn when she got married and started a family, prompting her to pause her education — a decision that left her with a lingering sense of unfinished business.

“I felt shame that I never finished my degree that I set out on, and I think education is really important,” Gordon says.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 20 years later, Gordon resumed her education online. She integrated the courses she had taken back in 2001 with new ones she completed, culminating in her graduation with a BIGS degree in the spring of 2024.

“I did this because I felt like I could and because I wanted to be an example for my children,” Gordon says. “I see myself continuing my education and staying at UCF to pursue a master’s degree, possibly in social work, and eventually becoming a counselor. And who knows, maybe I’ll even get a doctorate.”

Gordon works at Yoga 4 Change, a nonprofit organization that achieves meaningful change for veterans, incarcerated individuals, youth in need and others. She originally started with the program as a volunteer for her service-learning project required in the BIGS course Contemporary Issues in Leadership (LDR 3115), one of the two required courses for the degree. Volunteering for this program and applying the tools she learned as a student not only helped her secure her current position but also inspired her final thesis, which focused on studies examining the positive mental health effects of practicing yoga.

Karen Haslett, a lecturer in the College of Undergraduate Studies, instructs the Contemporary Issues in Leadership course and served as Gordon’s advisor while she was in her class. She says Gordon’s readiness to engage in the service-learning project and her abundance of ideas for what she wanted to accomplish is part of her success.

“The goal is for the students to find something that they’re interested in and have a passion for, so this was a no-brainer for Chloe, and it was an eye-opening experience for her,” Haslett says.

As part of the BIGS degree, students are also required to Senior Seminar (IDS 4939). Additionally, they must complete 42 credits from any discipline of their choice, provided it is approved by their advisor. Pratt mentioned that each semester, they customize these courses based on the needs of the students, collaborating as a faculty team to ensure they deliver the best version of the course.

For Senior Seminar, students are asked to integrate a multidisciplinary framework into a final project.

Pratt emphasizes that the opportunities for students in this degree program are endless. They can tailor the program to their specific needs or future goals.

“This program ensures that no students are ever left behind,” Pratt says. “That’s one of the reasons I came to work for this institution. Even though it’s a large university, it truly values every student individually, and this program exemplifies that remarkably well.”

Pratt says the BIGS programs must also evolve with students, and the adaptability of the degree offering is an advantage.

“The faculty has to evolve with the students and their needs, so we are collaboratively working on effective ways to integrate AI into our teaching and how to utilize AI tools, especially in career searches,” Pratt says.

Because of this, the faculty actively survey students to understand how they’re utilizing artificial intelligence, learning from their experiences. Additionally, they have been participating in training sessions to become proficient users of AI.

Pratt notes that for some students, pursuing this degree can initially feel disappointing, as they may believe they didn’t achieve their original intentions. However, once immersed in the program, they often wish they had pursued it from the outset. This sentiment rings true for another recent graduate, Nicolas Barth ’24.

Barth joined Knight Nation as a music major after transferring from Eastern Florida State College through DirectConnect to UCF. He recalled switching majors multiple times before transferring. While at UCF, Barth’s advisor informed him that he would soon reach his excess credit hours limit due to the numerous courses he had taken.

“Because the BIGS degree is so flexible, it made sense,” he says. “It took into account all of the music courses I had completed, and I was still able to take music courses and participate in ensembles I enjoyed, such as opera and choir.”

While most choose to complete a research paper, Barth decided to tailor his Senior Seminar project to his interests. Typically, music majors must perform a 30-minute to 45-minute senior recital to graduate. Although the BIGS degree did not require this, Barth wanted to retain the concept of a senior recital.

“I came up with the idea of doing a senior recital, but I integrated a research paper into the program, and that research was the foundation for choosing all the repertoire,” Barth says.

Barth says he got to do everything he wanted to do and more at UCF and is now ready to take on the professional field.

“Just yesterday, I got my audition results from this season of Opera Orlando, and I will be featured in the chorus,” Barth says. “I’m also exploring some educational opportunities as a choral director and participating in the Orlando Choral Society.”

Both Pratt and Haslett agree that their greatest hope is for their students to discover themselves throughout the completion of this degree.

“My favorite aspect is seeing how students perceive themselves as a result of engaging with the coursework in the program,” Pratt says. “They begin to view themselves as leaders, but they also exit feeling like valuable leaders who can share their research. They leave with an understanding of the importance of scholarly resources and the ability to apply that knowledge in the broader world.”

Led by the UCF/Valencia Improving Student Success Task Force, the new pilot program will provide additional support to students before and after their transfer from Valencia to UCF.

“The Helios grant presents a real opportunity for us to improve students’ readiness to transfer to UCF and shorten the amount of time needed to graduate with a bachelor’s degree,” says Valencia College President Kathleen Plinske.

“DirectConnect to Ů��AV is an important pathway to help students earn life-changing bachelor’s degrees and become part of the talent pipeline that fuels Central Florida’s industries,” says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “Thanks to the support of the Helios Foundation, more students will be well-prepared to launch or advance their careers faster, jump-starting innovation and serving our community.”

The new grant will support Valencia College DirectConnect transfer students in the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 semesters, and provide them with Helios-funded incentives for the following:

• $500 toward the completion of up to three courses at Valencia to complete the common program prerequisites aligned with a student’s degree pathway
• $250 for having completed an Associate in Arts degree and the common program prerequisites prior to transfer to UCF
• $500 financial aid award for part-time students to continue their studies at Ů��AV part-time and supplement their financial aid in the transition from Valencia to UCF

Additionally, Valencia students will be encouraged to participate in a S.E.E. UCF tour, which stands for Students Early Exploration, with food and transportation provided. In addition to the financial incentives, the grant will cover program costs, staffing and data analysis for the length of the grant.

Using data from the Central Florida Educational Ecosystem Database (CFEED) and based on a Fall 2022 pilot which focused on students transferring to UCF’s College of Business, Valencia and UCF have identified multiple interventions to increase the success of transfer students between their institutions. The Helios grant will be used to expand the pilot and serve transfer students within all programs.

“Helios Education Foundation’s investment in DirectConnect provides Central Florida students both on-campus and financial supports to ensure completion of their Valencia College degree as the first step toward completion of a bachelor’s degree at UCF,” says Paul Luna, president and CEO of Helios Education Foundation.

The DirectConnect to Ů��AV partnership is recognized as one of the leading transfer programs in the country. Since its inception in 2006, more than 42,000 UCF bachelor’s degrees have been awarded to Valencia College students, accounting  for nearly a quarter of UCF’s baccalaureate graduates.

“Everyone should have access to a high-quality college degree,” says Pam Cavanaugh, associate vice provost for . “Together with our partners, UCF has the opportunity to collaborate and discover ways to strengthen support for transfer students and help them identify the right pathway to earning a degree that will change their lives, and the lives of their families, for generations to come.”

Sixty-four percent of all transfer students completing an associate in arts degree at Florida’s 28 state colleges enroll at FIU, UCF, or USF and each year, over 50,000 transfer students attend one of the three Consortium universities.

Already established leaders in transfer student success, UCF, FIU and USF will utilize the funds to identify and address the barriers to student success, reduce the time needed for students to complete a degree, and increase campus involvement. The Consortium will create solutions in three areas: increased coaching and advising to reduce “transfer shock;” the development of a dashboard to help students with degree planning; and targeted retention strategies to ensure students are engaged and connected to each campus community.

UCF has for years placed a priority on ensuring transfer students have access to resources and support. Last year, 87.5% of the 2019-2020 transfer student cohort returned to UCF to continue their studies, marking the highest one-year retention rate to date. UCF has the largest number of transfer students among all of Florida’s public universities with more than 11,000 transfer students entering during the 2020-21 academic year.

UCF has the largest number of transfer students among all of Florida’s public universities with more than 11,000 transfer students entering during the 2020-21 academic year.

UCF has more than 30 success coaches and peer coaches who assist transfer students from before they enroll at their state college through their graduation from UCF, providing personalized support and guidance along the way. The coaches help students overcome challenges and stay motivated to reach academic, career and personal goals. UCF will use its portion of the grant to enhance its Coaching Academy, which will serve as a training and resource center for other universities and amplify UCF’s model across the state. The Academy will provide customized training to individuals, teams and organizations to further develop a culture of coaching within an institution.

“We know how critical it is for students to have individual, tailored assistance,” says Cavanaugh. “Our coaching model gives every transfer student a ‘go to’ person who serves as a constant and consistent presence for them. We’ve seen what a difference this makes for our students, and we look forward to working with our partners to scale this model across the state.”

More than 30% of new undergraduates enrolled each year at UCF come through the to ��AV program, which guarantees admission to UCF for students with an associate degree or articulated degree from one of six partner state colleges. Since DirectConnect to UCF was established in 2006, UCF has conferred 61,924 degrees to students participating in the program. A national model, DirectConnect to UCF has significantly increased the number of minority, low-income and first-generation students who earn a college degree.

“Helios believes a high-quality education should be within reach of every student. Ensuring students experience a smooth transition between Florida’s state colleges and universities is essential to student success and degree completion,” says Paul J. Luna, president and CEO, Helios Education Foundation.

The Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities and Helios Education Foundation have partnered since 2016 to elevate the success and degree completion of first-generation, minority and underserved students in the most populous metropolitan regions of South Florida, Central Florida, and Tampa Bay.

“I really want to be an addiction counselor, that’s my ambition.” — LeRoy Langston, UCF student

“I really want to be an addiction counselor, that’s my ambition,” says Langston, who has earned a bachelor’s in integrative general studies with a focus in social work. “I realize that is going to be another challenge because I can see how some people may not want to bring a 64-year-old intern into their organization. I’m a learner and I’m still learning how to trust and have faith in God in regard to what it looks like down the road, but I know God got me.”

Part of that faith and trust comes from Langston’s focus on progress over perfection — and knowing that no matter what’s ahead, the future is much brighter than what’s behind him.

Difficult Beginnings

Growing up in DeLand, Florida, Langston says his mother died before he even really knew what a mother was, leaving his father to care for him and his three siblings. Langston’s father held small jobs from time to time, but more often he gambled.

“My dad is my hero. I love him, but he wasn’t educated and he had to go through a lot to keep us because in those times it was a different world then,” Langston says. “He didn’t have much help and he was trying to raise four kids. Uneducated, no skills, he did what he could do. I spent a lot of time in the gambling joint with him to keep up with him and know where he was.”

When it came to school, Langston says he did well academically, usually finishing his homework before he went home, and he loved to play sports, especially basketball in high school.

“I always excelled at sports because I didn’t have anything else to do and that was a way for me to validate myself,” he says. “I always wanted to be the best. None of that was even put on the table, and with my dad being uneducated I had no type of support whatsoever.”

But at the time, Langston felt good grades and athletic performances weren’t enough to compensate for the poverty he had lived with his whole life. Looking for a way out when he was a teenager, he joined his younger sister’s boyfriend in robbing a bar in New Smyrna Beach and they were caught. At 17 years old, Langston was convicted as an adult with a 15-year sentence, before he could even finish the 10^{�ٳ���}grade.

“At the time it didn’t make sense why I was tried as an adult, and now through my classes I’ve learned about the school-to-prison pipeline so I see how I may have been a part of that,” Langston says.

Criminal Past

While in prison, Langston did his best to adapt to his new reality. Whenever there were athletic events, he would compete and win money prizes. Using that, he would use the gambling skills he learned through his father to sustain himself. He also began pursuing his GED, which sparked a new interest.

“I got hooked on reading, novels by Smoke Jensen helped me get through that time,” he says. “I was able to escape through those mountain man stories.”

“I was the description of an addict. You live to use and use to live, that was what I did.” — LeRoy Langston, UCF student

After three years in prison and while on a work assignment outside of the prison, Langston says he was approached by someone who told him he could make good money smuggling and selling marijuana inside. After a few months he got caught and faced his first drug charge, resulting in two years added to his sentence.

“My parole officer said that when looking at my situation that I probably shouldn’t have been in prison in the first place and he did what he needed to do to get me out after five years,” he says.

By the early 1980s, Langston moved to Orlando and began working in a gambling establishment, and after a few years he began using cocaine. In 1989, Langston was caught selling the drug for the first time, but it wouldn’t be his last. During the next 15 years he would continue using and selling, resulting in more than five arrests and congestive heart failure, for which he is receiving disability benefits.

“I was the description of an addict,” Langston says. “You live to use and use to live, that was what I did. I sold to keep using. I was so twisted in the head [using and] selling drugs. [During my last arrest] I’m looking at the undercover officer with a mustache falling off and I ignored that he was the police, that’s how much that thing got to me.”

Making a Change

In 2013, Langston knew he needed to make a change after realizing how his lifestyle impacted his eldest son. He went to the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, located in Orlando’s downtown Parramore neighborhood. After proving he stayed clean for his first three weeks, he enrolled in a rehabilitation program and eventually became a teaching aid for the GED program offered there. One day a representative from Orange Technical College came in and presented about a Pell Grant program that would pay for college. Langston qualified and even tested into accelerated courses at Valencia College.

“Now that I can think clearly, I can recognize that it wasn’t my doing, it was God because there was no way I would have walked away from the situation I was in and do something different,” he says. “That first semester they put me in flex classes, which were accelerated classes at the time, but after being out of school for 40 years and coming back my first semester I flunked every one of those classes. They wanted to know what was going on and I explained I had been out of school for 40 years and they allowed me to continue on.”

After a second failed semester, Langston lost his Pell Grant eligibility, but he says a school counselor recognized his strengths and potential and found a way for him to continue taking classes. During his second year, Langston began doing better in his courses and continued improving his GPA over the next five years until transferring through the program in 2018.

Once a Knight, Langston spent two hours commuting by bus to and from the main campus daily to attend class and to use the library computers to complete his coursework. Through his studies he completed volunteer work at an adult daycare facility in Winter Park, which Langston says was an eye-opening experience as to other ways people can receive support through social work. After the UCF Downtown campus opened two years ago, Langston, who lives in Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood, had easier access to the resources he needed to complete his courses, especially during the pandemic.

“I’m going to help people regardless — because I can show people kindness and do whatever I can to bring them a little joy — but that’s probably why I love social work, for the chance to help others.” — LeRoy Langston, UCF student

“For my final assignment, I’m using things I’ve experienced at the coalition, where I saw the positive impact of their focus on addiction treatment,” he says. “Through my community-engagement course I’ve learned the importance of listening to the community to address their needs. All of these social work classes have given a label to the things I have seen going on throughout my life. I’m going to help people regardless — because I can show people kindness and do whatever I can to bring them a little joy — but that’s probably why I love social work, for the chance to help others.”

As he prepares for job interviews, Langston is optimistic about his next steps. No matter where he lands he’s ready to pass on the life and educational lessons he’s learned to other “scrappers.”

“Don’t give up, keep pushing,” he says. “I learned it isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. And I found out that progress for an addict is not using [drugs] because life can go one way and then another, but as long as you stay clean — which is not an easy journey — you’ll be able to think clearly and take life as it comes.”

Even though it will sit in an inbox unread for the next 16 years and 8 months, she’ll write all about the wonderful, miraculous chaos that has marked the last year-and-a-half of her college experience, and how it made her even more determined to obtain her bachelor’s in elementary education.

On her son Brayden’s 18^th birthday, she’ll hand over the password to the account she created for him where he will discover moments from his childhood captured in photos, videos and emails, including this momentous milestone they shared together.

“In the beginning, I had a mindset of I needed this degree to get the job that I wanted, and then when I found out I was pregnant, there was going to be nothing that stopped me from getting my degree,” she says. “It [the pregnancy] threw a curve ball in my life, but I think it motivated me more.”

Parenthood to PedsAcademy

Palm wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember. As a teenager growing up in St. Cloud, she babysat, nannied and tutored children, and set her sights on getting the college degree her parents never did.

She enrolled in the program at Valencia College and arrived at ��AV in 2018. By that December, she found out she was pregnant. She made it through the spring and summer A sessions before her son was born in August 2019. She took off the fall semester and enrolled in a full schedule of courses for Spring 2020.

She says childcare and time management were a constant struggle, but her husband and extended family were as committed to Palm earning her degree as she was and helped watch Brayden when she needed to get schoolwork done. In a way, becoming a mother helped prepare her for her future profession and her last semester as an intern at UCF’s .

“Everything I thought I knew about kids went out the window when I became a parent,” she says. “I think the biggest thing I learned was how everything is so unexpected. I think with working in a hospital, it’s the same thing. You don’t know what to expect and you just have to be able to adapt and transition into the next thing without looking back. I think having him helped me a lot with that.”

Teaching Moments

Her experience with PedsAcademy made a profound impact on her career aspirations. The pediatric school program is a collaboration between UCF faculty and student teachers and Nemours staff that aims to keep patients engaged academically during their hospitalization through a variety of innovative educational technology tools, including the use of robotics, augmented/virtual reality and 3D printing.

Palm spent six weeks in online modules to learn about the technology she would use with the patients later in the semester. To accommodate COVID protocols, she worked one full day a week at Nemours once face-to-face visits started.

On site, she was assigned a list of patients and worked to schedule sessions with her students between their doctor visits and therapy.

“These kids are in the hospital, which can be stressful and scary, but they would get so excited when we walked into the room,” she says. “It made me realize that this is what I want to do. I remember this day I had with one young girl. We read a story and then we started playing with the robot — she had to launch a ball, and I made up a point system for her. We were adding up the points and she looked at me and she said, ‘I get it!’ I said, ‘What do you get?’ She said, ‘We’re doing reading and math.’ She was so excited and proud of herself that she was learning reading and math. It was awesome to see her connect it all together.”

Rebeca Grysko, school program director for PedsAcademy, says Palm’s kind and supportive demeanor combined with the knowledge she gained from her internship will make her better prepared for her future as an educator.

“Lindsey is positive, willing to work hard and demonstrates all the characteristics of a reflective, competent and caring educator,” Grysko says. “She displays a high level of professionalism, as well as flexibility, adaptability and initiative. I am pleased and proud of the personal and professional growth that Lindsey demonstrated throughout the semester.”

Palm hopes that an assistant position will open up so she has a chance to apply to stay involved with the program. In the meantime, she’s planning to find a job and save up money for childcare so that she can work to get certified as a child life specialist — a healthcare professional who provides additional support by focusing on the mental, emotional and social needs of their patients, rather than their physical health — and of course, continue to care for her family.

She encourages other parents, especially young mothers, to chase after any dream they have.

“I hope there are moms out there, especially young moms, who feel like they can accomplish whatever they want and reach their goals,” she says.

“[Since] then, we basically had a very challenging life emotionally because my father was the breadwinner and glue of our family,” says Eugene, who is studying communication and conflict. “For about a year, we had to travel an hour away to Lakeland Hospital to visit him. I remember my siblings and I often had to do our homework in the hospital.”

Once her father was able to come home, he was still unable to function on his own, and her mother, who is from Dominica, had to become his primary caretaker, leaving Eugene and her two siblings to essentially take care of themselves, she says.

“As a result, my mother went through depression, and my siblings and I had to grow up and mature really fast and basically raise ourselves,” Eugene says. “But I’m very close to my mom and despite these trying times, she always expressed the desire for her children to get an education because she did not have the opportunity to do it and taught us the importance of getting an education.”

“I hope with my degree I can help relieve financial burdens and help take care of them.” – Oneisha Eugene, UCF student

While recovering at home, her father, a former construction manager, has been able to relearn some skills, such as walking, talking and cooking. Now, Eugene enjoys seeing him garden and care for their home, going for ice cream with him, and listening to him sing along to the music on the radio. Her mom has also improved some and she says they remain close and are there for one another.

“My father has gotten better but is still unable to work. Since my mom has dedicated her like to taking care of him, she’s unable to work as well, so I hope with my degree I can help relieve financial burdens and help take care of them,” she says.

Strength Through Support

Using settlement money from the car accident, Eugene’s mother would always buy whatever learning materials the New Jersey native needed when she was younger and enrolled her in tutoring, she says. But when it came to covering costs for college, without aid — such as the Black and Gold Grant, the UCF Scholars Award or the Derrick Sutton Endowed Scholarship — it wouldn’t be possible for the DirectConnect to UCF student to complete her degree and go on to pursue her goal of becoming a teacher.

“I’m studying communication and conflict because I’ve had a lot of failed friendships and relationships due to lack of communication and I can see how being a better communicator can help me in professional and general life settings,” says Eugene, who is also a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, which helps college students build career skills.

First-generation students are those whose parents have not earned a bachelor’s degree. Although her older brother, 27-year-old Greg Eugene ’18, earned a bachelor’s in computer engineering from UCF, she feels like she’s had to navigate her college journey on her own since their fields are so different from one another.

But their strong bond as siblings, including her older sister, 30, has helped her stay strong through their family struggles and whenever she’s felt overwhelmed with coursework.

“Strength in numbers definitely helped. We overcame a lot through laughter and jokes and our faith. Being close in age, we were able to relate to one another a lot,” says the 26 year old.

Focused on a Positive Future

Given her family’s experiences, Eugene has learned the importance of mental health awareness and has made it a priority to maintain her well-being while juggling home life, work and school. She does so by journaling, setting boundaries and taking a step back when needed, while still pushing herself to the best of her ability. She hopes to emphasize mental wellness when she leads a classroom and has already begun preparing for the necessary certification exams for the field.

“I hope to be a teacher who can revolutionize the field of teaching,” Eugene says. “I’m not looking to be a teacher who only supports students’ success in the classroom. I’m looking to connect with students emotionally and mentally to guide them to reaching self-actualization and realize their potential, which will help make them better agents in society.”

“I can’t wait to finish [my degree] and make my family proud.” – Oneisha Eugene, UCF student

Eugene has learned part of being your best self is allowing yourself time to process personal challenges to learn from them, grow and focus on the positive.

“Compared with my parents’ experience, I’m very privileged to be going to school and to be close to completing my degree in Summer 2021,” Eugene says. “I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to go to college and it’s changed my life. I’ve really been able to overcome and evolve as an individual by being persistent with my studies. I can’t wait to finish and make my family proud.”

The moves include UCF’s national-model DirectConnect to Ů��AV program and UCF Global, which among other responsibilities, manages international student recruitment, English language programs for students and the community, and international partnerships in education, research and business.

Other aspects of the realignment involve units that impact online student services, faculty training and development, and continuing education for working professionals.

“At UCF, we strive for constant improvement,” Johnson says. “These changes allow us to continue our focus on student success and the student experience.”

The reorganization by the Division of Academic Affairs will unfold throughout September with the following units and offices:

• DirectConnect to UCF and the UCF Connect Centers move to the Division of Student Learning and Academic Success, reporting to Theodorea Regina Berry, vice provost of Student Learning and Academic Success and dean of the College of Undergraduate Studies;
• UCF Global moves to the Office of the Provost, reporting to Tim Letzring, senior associate provost for Academic Affairs;
• UCF Online Connect Center and UCF Continuing Education move to the Division of Digital Learning, reporting to Tom Cavanagh, vice provost for Digital Learning;
• Office of Instructional Resources Classroom Support, Engineering, Programming and Project Management teams move to UCF Information Technology, reporting to Michael Sink, interim vice president and CIO.

The transitions for DirectConnect to UCF, the UCF Connect Centers and UCF Global coincide with the Oct. 1 retirement of Jeff Jones, vice provost for UCF Connect and UCF Global. Johnson praised Jones for his impactful work during his seven years at UCF and for his suggestions and insights regarding the overall realignment.

“The possibilities for this reimagining are exciting,” Johnson said. “As we move forward, success relies on the creativity and collaboration of our staff, faculty and partners.”