H

ome to UCF, Orlando has long been a global center for themed entertainment. As immersive attractions, museums and themed entertainment experiences continue to grow in scale, complexity and cultural impact, the industry faces a critical challenge: preparing the next generation of professionals with the real-world skills needed to bring immersive experiences to life.

Spanning storytelling, architecture, engineering, media, operations and production, today’s themed experiences and attractions demand skills that rarely live within a single academic discipline.

For many aspiring professionals, the pathway into themed entertainment remains unclear, with limited visibility into professional workflows, real-world timelines and the cross-functional dynamics that ultimately determine a project’s success.

A new partnership between UCF and AOA — a leading immersive experience design, production and project management company — aims to change that to better support the future of the industry.

Ideal Partnership

�����’s themed experience graduate programs at the College of Arts and Humanities and AOA have launched the AOA Scholars Program, a hands-on practicum designed to give graduate students direct exposure to the real-world processes behind themed entertainment design and production.

Ů��AV introduced a theatre Master of Fine Arts track in themed experience in 2018. In 2021, the university offered a stand-alone degree program in themed experience. Both programs are  the first of its kind at a public university.

The program’s focused curriculum in themed experience and attractions makes it an ideal partner for AOA.

The scholars initiative will address a common challenge in the field: while demand for immersive attractions, museums and experiences continues to grow, there is an expanding need for practical training and field work for emerging talent.

“Florida is home to some of the most sophisticated themed entertainment work in the world, but the way people enter the industry hasn’t kept pace,” says Tom Acomb, co-founder and chief creative officer of AOA. “This program is about opening the door earlier and giving students a clearer view of how these projects actually come together.”

Each semester, a select cohort of students will participate in workshops led by AOA professionals, visit active project sites and production facilities, and learn how creative, technical and operational decisions intersect in real projects.

“AOA has always believed in investing in early-career talent, starting with a strong internship program that’s been part of our culture since the early days,” says Mike Ostendorf, co-founder and CEO of AOA. “This partnership with Ů��AV is an evolution of that long-standing commitment — because seeing the full lifecycle of a project up close matters.”

“This partnership gives students access to professional workflows with one of the top firms in the themed entertainment industry.” — Peter Weishar, UCF director of themed experience

What’s Next

UCF will oversee academic structure and accreditation, while AOA will contribute funding and industry expertise.

“This partnership gives students access to professional workflows with one of the top firms in the themed entertainment industry with diverse project and a global reach” says Peter Weishar, director of themed experience at UCF. “It strengthens Florida’s role as a global talent pipeline for themed entertainment.”

The AOA Scholars Program is expected to begin Fall 2026, reinforcing Central Florida’s position as a training ground for the next generation of immersive experience professionals.

Since 2017, the KB Foundation has supported Philadelphia’s youth through educational experiences and mentorship. This immersive Orlando trip combined two of the organization’s programs to advance learning for its KB Foundation mentees, including youth from 20 high schools who have participated in college prep or lunch and learn programs since middle school. Founder and CEO Kirk Berry says that he wants the students who participate in the program to learn about careers through immersive experiences and make the right choices for their future.

“At the KB Foundation Inc., our approach to career exploration activities is about exposing our youth to what it is like for a day in the life of any given career,” Berry says. “Hearing about a career is one way to learn, but spending time doing a small part of the career is a more impactful way to learn about it.”

College Possible, an organization working to broaden educational opportunities for youths, also attended this exploratory Orlando field trip for KB Foundation mentees.

Tyler Cholminski, a high school junior and mentee, says the KB Foundation and College Possible programs are helping him prepare for his future.

“I just started with the program a month ago,” Cholminski says. “They have already taught me so much. More than just preparing for college, I’ve learned about life.”

The KB Foundation recognizes �����’s strong ties to the gaming industry through its successful FIEA alumni, which inspired them to visit the university.

“This partnership came about because our vice president of operations and programming, Justin Fishman,” Berry says. “He saw it as an opportunity to give our youth an opportunity to experience an extremely specialized career field. Since the Ů��AV has a direct career path to the gaming industry, it will show our youth what is required to pursue such a skilled profession.”

Berry says the trip will give students a fresh perspective on gaming, which already plays a significant part in many of their lives.

“This trip will have a tremendous impact on our youth because many of them play games and only participate as consumers,” Berry says.  “The opportunity to learn about the pathway into this specific industry will be life-changing for the students.”

During the students’ trip to FIEA, they had the opportunity to listen to executive director Ben Noel speak about what their future could look like with a career in gaming.

“FIEA has one of the top graduate programs in gaming for the past six years,” Noel says. “Electronic Arts, Microsoft, and Iron Galaxy are all up the street from us. Twenty years ago, game development was not prevalent in Downtown Orlando. Today, there are 2,500 developers working in Orlando. Things like this happen in cities when they really focus on doing things.”

After Noel finished his talk with the students, they had the opportunity to tour FIEA to immerse themselves in the technology utilized for game development and education.

Students learned about the technology and work that goes into creating virtual reality games and, through a demo, stepped onto the sets of popular shows, movies, and games such as Mario Kart, Harry Potter, and Stranger Things.

Students went behind the scenes to learn more about the magic behind motion capture and try it for themselves. They geared up in motion capture suits and showcased their basketball skills on the court and the big screen.

Rahim Gardner, a sophomore attending high school in South Philadelphia, shares why this trip means so much to him.

“This experience means the world to me because I was granted the opportunity to come here,” he says. “I’m learning a lot, and I get to see what is outside of Philadelphia in the world.”

Universal Creative is responsible for bringing to life the most relevant stories and popular characters through innovative attractions, immersive destinations and more at Universal Destinations & Experiences locations around the world.

Each semester, students join the Universal Creative team on-site at Universal Orlando Resort, where they learn first-hand what it takes to develop theme park rides and experiences, including the upcoming new Universal Epic Universe theme park.

Universal Creative Team Members also participate as speakers and as part of panel sessions where they share their areas of expertise. These focus areas include storytelling, design, engineering and safety, legal, budgeting, business analytics and other key skills needed when creating an attraction. Over 90 speakers from Universal Creative have participated since the program’s inception.

“Universal has gone above and beyond what I had originally proposed for the class,” says Peter Weishar, founding director of . “They’re showing us projects in progress like Epic Universe. They’re talking to us transparently about challenges they had and things they would have done differently. That kind of access is invaluable.”

“One of the benefits of the program being in Central Florida is that this is the epicenter for themed entertainment,” says Chris Oliver, vice president of engineering and safety for Universal Creative. “The students are learning from those who are creating the future of this rapidly growing industry. We try and show them everything that’s involved in creating and building attractions, to get holistic exposure from ideation to completion.”

At the end of each semester, students have the unique opportunity to present their original design concepts to a panel of Universal Creative leaders. The students receive productive critiques of their creative thinking, project design, management and presentation skills.

“I have a better understanding of how rides are designed [and] how theme parks are created,” says Christopher Harris, a current engineering student in the class. “I’ve gained so much knowledge and connections. To be able to talk to Chris Oliver and all the other professionals — I think that’s the best part of this class.”

“[Universal Creative has] brought in  professionals [with] 30 years experience. The exposure to those professionals is incredible.” — Karlyn Leander, themed experiences student and Universal Creative intern

Throughout the course, students meet with esteemed Universal Creative professionals from all different backgrounds and disciplines at Universal, such as engineering, operations, guest experience, ride design, finance and more. Many students — including Karlyn Leander, a current themed experiences student and intern with Universal Creative — say the networking opportunities are one of the top benefits of the class.

“Universal is investing in this program — training a new generation and finding a place for us,” Leander says. “They’ve brought in professionals that have 30 years of experience creating theme parks all over the world. The exposure to those professionals is incredible. It’s an industry of mentorship.”

Since UCF Creative Lab launched in Spring 2023, Universal has hired almost 40% of students who have participated in the class. Leander is one of those students. Through this program and partnership with UCF, Universal Creative strives to promote knowledge of careers in themed entertainment and inspire students who may not have originally considered it as a potential career path.

“When [students] start this program, they start to see it as an aspirational goal to work at [Universal Creative],” Weishar says. “It’s one of those classes that really confirms your passion for what you want to do for the rest of your life.”

The Creative Lab is offered through the themed experiences program in the UCF College of Arts and Humanities. Two courses are currently offered annually: a graduate-level spring course and a six-week summer course open to graduate and upper-level undergraduate students from any accredited college or university.

And there’s a plan to broaden the concept and expand the program into additional disciplines.

“This is the start of something bigger. I look forward to seeing it grow and exposing more students to what we do,” Oliver says. “It is important to all of us at Universal Creative who are involved in this program to teach the next generation what we do, and have what we built here continue on.”

UCF launched the Center of Excellence in Hypersonic and Space Propulsion — HyperSpace Center for short — on Wednesday alongside leaders of the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, one of the university’s main partners in hypersonic research.

The HyperSpace Center will advance the research and innovations of world-renowned faculty members like Kareem Ahmed, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, whose team has received multiple U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) grants to develop hypersonic technology.

“What we create here and across UCF will define the aerospace and defense industries for generations.” — Alexander N. Cartwright, Ů��AV president

UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright and Col. Janelle T.H. Jackson, deputy director of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and detachment 14 commander, spoke at the launch ceremony at the new center in the Central Florida Research Park adjacent to the UCF main campus. They were joined by U.S. Reps. Darren Soto and Daniel Webster and State Rep. Susan Plasencia.

“What we create here and across UCF will define the aerospace and defense industries for generations,” Cartwright says. “UCF has always been an institution for people who have dared to invent a better future. We are also an institution that recognizes no one builds the future alone.

It takes strong partnerships, shared vision, and a relentless commitment to be bold together. UCF and the Air Force have an incredible history of collaboration, and I am excited about our dedication to continuing to build, innovate, and lead together.”

Col. Jackson celebrated the significance of the HyperSpace Center bringing together the DOD, UCF  and cutting-edge technology.

“Today, the Ů��AV is not only opening a new, top-notch facility where leading-edge research in hypersonics and space propulsion will take place,” Col. Jackson says. “You are also opening doors and opportunities to students from various backgrounds.”

“They are gaining the opportunity to realize their dreams, to work towards expanding the scientific frontier and disciplines that are of great importance to the Department of Defense and also to the larger DoD ecosystem. The hyperspace hub is a place where these students can become the thought leaders and problem solvers of tomorrow.”

Ahmed’s research team includes 40 graduate students and 25 undergraduates. The team’s research will transition from other labs on campus into the new facility and will benefit from a unique and upgraded testing environment for hypersonic materials, aerodynamics and propulsion. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research has supported Ahmed’s team through multiple research grants.

Hypersonic propulsion allows for air travel at speeds of Mach 6 to 17, meaning six to 17 times the speed of sound, or more than 4,600 to 13,000 mph.

Advanced hypersonic propulsion systems are a national priority and are essential to maintaining U.S. national defense as global technological advancements continue to evolve. High-speed propulsion research requires hypersonic facilities that can generate the representative flight Mach numbers.

For space travel, hypersonic technology holds promise for opening up the boundaries of space exploration as it fuels flights through the Earth’s atmosphere at very high speeds and allows for safe and efficient entries and exits through planetary atmospheres.

On Earth, flying at hypersonic speeds means going from New York to London in less than 15 minutes — making it much more convenient to travel to close an important business deal, attend a best friend’s wedding or see a bucket-list sporting event.

Ahmed’s research holds promise in all of those areas — and also is preparing students on his team to be innovators and leaders in the field after they graduate, demonstrating why Ů��AV is both Florida’s premier engineering and technology university, and the nation’s No. 1 supplier of graduates to the aerospace and defense industry for six years in a row, according to Aviation Week Network.

“It’s important that UCF lead this research, primarily because of the student talent that we have,” Ahmed says. “Industry is interested in our top talent. Once they graduate, they are already hired by industry, pretrained on the topics they would explore and they become the next generation of leaders in this technology.”

The DoD is providing more than $20 million in funding to support Ahmed’s research, including for developing the first hypersonic rotating detonation rocket engine and creating a morphing hypersonic engine.

�����’s longstanding partnership with the U.S. Air Force extends beyond hypersonics.

“�����’s history, and our commitment to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible, have helped to position us as Florida’s premier engineering and technology university.” — Alexander N. Cartwright, Ů��AV president

UCF and Air Force ROTC Detachment 159 were recipients of the DoD ROTC and Educational Institution Partnership Excellence Award in 2021-22, when the UCF Air Force ROTC program ranked first out of 145 nationwide.

The Air Force also has funded other UCF research projects outside of hypersonics, including how to make semiconductors immune to radiation from the sun and other celestial bodies and also how to ensure reliability and design consistency in semiconductors.

“�����’s history, and our commitment to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible, have helped to position us as Florida’s premier engineering and technology university,” Cartwright says. “Our geographic location — surrounded by industries eager to collaborate on research and workforce development — puts Ů��AV in a unique position to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

We are thinking beyond theory … we are establishing the foundation for revolutionary technology and innovation that will shape both the defense and civilian sectors.”

What’s uncommon is for these students to pair with trained hospital nursing staff instead of �����’s faculty instructors. That’s what happened recently for six weeks when a group of 30 undergraduate UCF students participated in a new kind of clinical rotation called dedication education units, or DEUs, at AdventHealth East Orlando and Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC).

The DEU model is gaining in popularity across the U.S. for its proven benefits to nursing schools and healthcare organizations — and ultimately benefiting the community.

Research has found that DEUs provide nursing students with a more realistic preparation for clinical practice, leading to improved patient care. In hospitals, DEUs engage staff in educating the next generation of nurses, which has shown increased job satisfaction and reduced nurse burnout and turnover.

“In order to capitalize on the benefits of a DEU initiative, it cannot be underestimated the importance of a true academic and healthcare organization collaboration,” says Kate Dorminy ’06BSN ’10MSN, undergraduate clinical education coordinator at �����’s College of Nursing.

For months before the DEU launch, UCF worked closely with AdventHealth and Orlando Health to identify units with higher levels of patient care to maximize learning opportunities for students. More than 25 nursing staff members in the identified units across both systems then received training to become a preceptor for undergraduate students.

“Collaborative strategy, training, and communication are all required well before the students arrive onsite for their first day,” Dorminy says. “The effort is worth the valuable outcome at the end, which is a positive long-lasting learning experience.”

Progress in Patient Care

Senior nursing student Emilee Meeks can attest to that.

“This clinical experience was much different than my previous clinicals in many ways,” says the traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student.

In DEUs, students work in the same unit alongside the same preceptor and colleagues for six weeks. Students take care of several patients as part of a team instead of taking care of one patient as a guest on a unit. In addition, students participate in rounds and communicate with all healthcare team members. As a result, they learn workflow on a unit, time management, communication and organizational skills, and the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork.

At AdventHealth East Orlando, Meeks paired with Jason McRoberts ’22BSN in the progressive care unit.

“It was always so welcoming to walk on the unit and to be greeted with a smile from the same preceptor each morning. He was invested in my learning and pushing me to strive for excellence,” Meeks says. “From the first day, Jason helped guide me through multiple experiences such as medication administration and patient assessment. He also asked questions to ensure I understood the reasoning behind what we were doing.”

“Being a preceptor in the DEU model of learning allowed me more time to focus on developing my student’s hands-on clinical and critical thinking skills, which are required to be a successful nurse,” says McRoberts, who previously has been a preceptor for nursing students in a traditional clinical model. “It is important to mentor future nurses, to introduce them to the profession, and to be a role model to exemplify how a nurse should conduct themselves.”

“I am proud to be a part of this new partnership,” says instructor Sotos Djiovanis ’20MSN ’15BSN, who is the DEU liaison at AdventHealth East Orlando. “The students made incredible progress in patient care, and the team at AdventHealth — the leadership, unit managers and educators — all worked tirelessly to provide an engaging clinical learning experience for our students.”

Immersive Clinical Learning

Taylor Floyd, an accelerated second degree BSN student, had a similar experience across town at Orlando Health ORMC.

“By being able to work with the same nurse each week, we were able to develop a relationship and I truly gained an understanding of what a day in a nurse’s life is like,” she says.

Floyd, like Meeks, was welcomed as part of the team at Orlando Health. In addition to providing patient care with her preceptor, Floyd participated in team huddles, morning reports, charting, and spoke with other healthcare providers about her patients’ care.

“In the DEU, I truly felt like the nurse while taking care of my patients,” Floyd says. “I was able to really thrive in the trust and relationship I had with my preceptor.”

DEU preceptor Samantha Pearson ’21BSN, a nurse on the vascular step-down unit at Orlando Health ORMC, agrees. “The DEU model is active learning, and the students and preceptors get to rely on each for support for patient care.”

“I am very happy to see this model come to life from the ground up,” says Sarah Rose Thornton ’18BSN ’21MSN, DEU instructor at Orlando Health. “This was an amazing opportunity for our students to become a part of a unit.”

Collaborating for the Community

“This first cycle of DEUs was overwhelmingly successful,” says College of Nursing Dean Mary Lou Sole.

“We are incredibly thankful to the teams at both AdventHealth and Orlando Health who invested time and energy to ensure its success,” Sole says. “It is a true testament to how all of us, at UCF, AdventHealth and Orlando Health, are working together to ensure a brighter, healthier future for our Central Florida communities.”

Orlando Health and AdventHealth have been longstanding supporters of UCF and the College of Nursing. The partnerships have continued to expand and evolve to innovate learning, meet the changing healthcare needs of the community, and help address the nursing shortage.

Most recently, the healthcare systems pledged a combined $10 million to support nursing education at UCF and the new building at Lake Nona. This investment, together with PIPELINE funding, supported the DEU initiative.

DEUs will replace one traditional clinical opportunity for nursing students at UCF Orlando. Based on the launch’s success, the college is exploring additional opportunities to expand the program in Orlando and at regional campuses.

“I am beyond thankful for this amazing opportunity,” says Meeks, who is expected to graduate in Summer 2024. “It has helped myself, and other students in this clinical rotation, become more confident, knowledgeable and optimistic for the future as we prepare for our nursing careers.”