On Friday, we celebrated 12 of our doctoral candidates in a pre-commencement ceremony recognizing their hard-earned achievement. Now newly minted #UCFCCIEKnights alumni, they have dedicated countless hours over the past few years to their studies — and to conducting impactful research that is close to their hearts and communities.
From dissertations to doctorates, these grads have always dared to make an impact. Congrats on an accomplishment that will launch you to new heights! 💫
Commencement is always a cause for celebration, and our School of Interdisciplinary Studies recognized its graduates last week with a special medallion ceremony prior to university-level festivities! 🏅
Friends, family and faculty gathered to cheer on graduates as they were honored for their achievements. Fun fact: Culmination of the Spring 2026 semester also marked the school’s first full academic year as part of CCIE.
Congratulations, #UCFCCIEKnights! 🎉
It’s a big month for Latrell Sam-German. Yesterday, he graduated from @orlandopolice ’s officer academy. Tomorrow, he’ll cross the stage at @ucf.edu as the inaugural graduate of the bachelor’s in criminal justice program’s professional track. And next week will be his first as a sworn police officer. 🚔
Sam-German, who earned a full academy sponsorship from OPD, has been in training full-time since December. He now leaves UCF with a degree, state certification and a job — the ultimate goal of the professional track.
Head to the link in our bio to see Sam-German’s journey and how the criminal justice program helped him reach for the stars — and how it can help you do the same! 💫
✅ Pick up cap and gown
✅ Pass finals
✅ Prepare to graduate!
Happy commencement weekend to our Spring 2026 #UCFCCIEKnights graduates! You’ve put in the work, and now it’s time to celebrate. Remember that our commencement ceremony is at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 9. 🎓
Need more graduation info? Head to the link in our bio 👆
Ashley Brevil ’10 ’11MSW has served in many different capacities in her professional career, from case manager and social worker to care coordinator and social work supervisor. That dedication to serving others has also fueled her latest accomplishment: This week, the soon-to-be triple Knight is adding a PhD in public affairs with a concentration in social work to her résumé. 🎓
Brevil’s decision to pursue her doctorate was inspired by the clients she served during her time as a care coordinator, many of whom faced hardships brought on by financial constraints and limited community resources. Coupled with engaging in volunteer work in the community, she began considering how public policy influences social work.
“It made me start to think that maybe there was more I could do here. One thing I learned is that you truly can serve at any level and advocacy can happen at all stages, even if you are not face-to-face with that person.”
Brevil has juggled a lot over the past few years: her research on maternal health and pregnancy loss inspired by her own, motherhood, becoming an adjunct instructor at @ucf.edu , and her job as a social work supervisor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The intersectionality of her academic background and professional experience boils down to a common thread — uplifting others as they navigate life’s challenges.
“It’s important to me to be active in helping to address things that people in our community are struggling with. I’m taking the lessons learned from the things that happened to me, looking at how I can leverage my skills, and using them to inform my work in supporting others who are going through hardships.” 🖤💛
Congratulations to our UCF Legal Studies students on completing Honors Research this year! Your dedication, scholarship, and commitment to academic excellence continue to raise the bar!
We are proud to celebrate your accomplishments and the impact of your research. Keep reaching for the stars and Charge On! ⚔️🖤💛
Honors Researchers:
Giray Uzen,
Emily McGuigan,
Natalia Borges,
Will Hamman,
Jaiden Haggiag
Once unsure if college was the right fit, Nina Johnston forged her path at @ucf.edu through the Inclusive Education Services program, housed within @tjeeiofficial . It's here where she built independence, gained work experience, emerged as a leader among her peers, and even met her future husband!
Getting involved in campus organizations. Earning her driver's license. Preparing for life after graduation, including planning a wedding. All of it reflects the impact of a supportive community in helping students work boldly toward their future endeavors.
So, what's next on the horizon for her? Find out at the link in our bio! 🖤💛
Our @ucfteachered students get invaluable teaching experience every day through internships. Today, we are spotlighting elementary education senior Natalie Ferguson, who got to hone her teaching skills through an internship with @nemours PedsAcademy!
At PedsAcademy, students provide one-on-one instruction to children receiving inpatient and outpatient care at Nemours. From developing individualized lesson plans to supporting school re-entry, Ferguson played a pivotal role in ensuring that a hospital stay doesn't have to mean falling behind in learning.
The most rewarding part for her? Watching the students grow — and then seeing them go home.
Her passion for this unique intersection of education and pediatric care started long before her college career. In high school, she volunteered with Give Kids the World Village, helping make the dreams of Make-A-Wish kids come true. @ucf.edu helped her turn that passion into real-world job experience. Now, she’s completing the second half of her internship in a traditional classroom setting before she graduates in a couple of weeks.
Discover what internship opportunities await you at the link in our bio! 🖤💛
Did you know the Boots on the Ground program puts @ucfteachered majors in real classrooms from Day One? 🍎
By volunteering in the classroom, our students gain hands-on experience working directly with young learners and supporting teachers by assisting with lessons and classroom management — all while practicing skills that prepare them for future teaching roles. The program now spans nine local schools and involves nearly 200 student volunteers each semester.
Want to learn how Boots on the Ground can give you a head start in working with K-12 students? Check out the link in our bio 🔗
Public affairs doctoral student Bikash Adhikari has been passionate about strengthening communities since his first experience with disaster response in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Nepal in 2015. Now, he turning that passion into impactful research, becoming a 2026 Fellow of the Public Administration Theory Network and joining scholars from across the globe to advance public administration research. His work focuses on building resilience in the emergency management workforce. Read how he is already leaving a mark on his field at the link in our bio! 📝
Looking for a way to grow your leadership skills while helping shape the student experience at @ucf.edu ? The Student Leadership and Engagement Council (SLEC) is your opportunity to serve as a peer ambassador while advising university leadership and strengthening the campus community.
For Bryan Salamanca ’24, joining SLEC was a natural way to stay connected and continue serving others while pursuing graduate studies at UCF. Having earned his bachelor’s degree in public administration, Salamanca — pictured here with @ocfl Mayor Jerry Demings — now works as an urban planner for Orange County while pursuing a master’s degree in urban and regional planning.
“I’ve always wanted to serve the community that raised me. Through an internship with Orange County, I learned how local government works and realized I could make a difference by pursuing this opportunity while continuing my education.”
Salamanca adds that one of the most rewarding parts of SLEC has been connecting with people outside his field and collaborating with fellow students to support campus initiatives.
“SLEC is a great space to meet motivated students, build connections across majors and develop leadership skills outside the classroom."
Want to get involved? Apply now to be part of SLEC at the link in our bio! 👆
Imagine being able to say that you completed a teaching internship at the @kennedyspacecenter (KSC). That’s exactly what elementary education major Ashley McBee did earlier this spring as the inaugural @ucfteachered intern to participate in the @nasa Internship I opportunity. 🚀
In partnership with the Astronauts Memorial Foundation and NASA KSC Exploration Station, this new internship experience allows teacher education students to create and implement lesson plans for local schools during their field trips to KSC in a classroom setting. It was the perfect experience for McBee, who even built a new NASA-approved lesson plan on moon craters for elementary students with guidance from her supervising teacher, Steve Portz.
“It was very eye-opening for me to see what a non-traditional classroom format looks like, and how you can still apply your degree to the needs of students in other educational settings.”
McBee says one of the highlights of her internship involved teaching a lesson on the solar system and UV rays to first-graders. That included a hands-on activity in making bracelets using UV-reactive beads before going outside to watch their beads change color in sunlight.
“For me, the most rewarding part was to see the kids experience a hands-on STEM activity and then apply it to the real world. It was mind-blowing for them because they can see the sun but not the UV rays. Getting to see that ‘aha!’ moment of a lesson is why I love teaching and working with students.”
Discover more about the NASA internship and other placement possibilities at the link in our bio! 🌎
