WIXLIB

O r der o f P egas u sClass of 2014

2014 order of pegasusPRESIDENT ’S LETTERSpring 2014Dear Friend of the University:It is my pleasure to introduce the 2014 Order of Pegasus awardees.The Order of Pegasus is the highest honor the university gives tostudents. It recognizes outstanding graduating seniors and graduatestudents who have demonstrated exemplary university and communityinvolvement, leadership, academic achievement, and service.This year, 20 students were selected to receive the prestigious award.The biographical sketches in this handbook provide information onthe academic accomplishments, leadership experiences, and UCF andcommunity involvement of the individual awardees.We are extraordinarily proud of the outstanding achievements of thesestudents, and we hope you join with us in offering our congratulationsand best wishes.Cordially yours,John C. HittPresidentuniversity of central florida

2014 order of pegasusgraduate studentsTracy BeckerPh.D. Candidate, PhysicsCollege of SciencesAvianne BunnellCandidate for Doctor of Medicine, M.D. ProgramCollege of MedicineCourtney BuzanMA Student, Educational LeadershipCollege of Education and Human PerformanceStacey HardinPh.D. Candidate, Exceptional EducationCollege of Education and Human Performanceintegrity scholarship communit y creativity excellence

2014 order of pegasusTracy BeckerTracy is pursuing her Ph.D. in Physics on thePlanetary Sciences track in the College of Sciencesand received her B.S. in Astrophysics from LehighUniversity. She is a graduate research assistant in thePhysics Department, a NASA Florida Space GrantConsortium Fellow and a UCF Graduate ResearchExcellence Fellow. Her current research uses datafrom the Cassini spacecraft to study Saturn’s rings.She is a recipient of the UCF Student GovernmentAssociation’s Extreme Leadership Scholarship andis the current president of the Physics WomenSociety which helped organize the 2013 SoutheastConference for Undergraduate Women in Physics.Demonstrating her commitment to bringing scienceto the community, she acts as special tours directorfor the Robinson Observatory where she coordinatestelescope nights for children, and volunteers with theAstronomy Society. She also helped implement theProfessional Development Workshop on Gravity andMotion for middle and high school teachers in theOrlando area.Tracy’s UCF Experience:At UCF, I have been afforded the opportunityto engage in exciting research exploring theunderlying physics of Saturn’s rings. I have traveledto international conferences to present my research,exchange ideas with experts from around the globe,and establish a network for future collaborations.I regularly interact with UCF faculty, some of theworld’s foremost experts in their fields, and I amconstantly learning from them and developing asa scientist. Campus facilities like the RobinsonObservatory have allowed me to explore my passionfor teaching and generate educational opportunitiesfor the public. The overwhelming support theConference for Undergraduate Women in Physicsreceived from university leaders was one of mymost memorable UCF experiences. Despite its size,UCF showcases a close community spirit, whichhas enhanced my time as graduate student. UCFhas enabled me to become a leading scientist andeducator. Participation in cutting-edge research,exceptional faculty mentorship, and innovativeleadership opportunities have created a solidfoundation on which to build my career.university of central floridaTracy BeckerFreehold, New JerseyFuture Plans:After earning my doctorate, I intendto continue my career in academiaas a professor, conducting researchand actively contributing to ourgrowing understanding of the solarsystem while teaching and remaininginvolved in public outreach.

2014 order of pegasusAvianne BunnellAvianne BunnellMesa, ArizonaFuture Plans:My pathway to become a vascularsurgeon will begin in the next fewmonths. I eagerly look forward totreating the most complicated diseasestates and providing both palliativeand curative care. I plan to remainactively involved in the academicgrowth of students and traineesthroughout my career.Avianne is a senior medical student at the College ofMedicine and has spent the last four years exemplifyingthe role of a young pioneer. Starting her tenure as cofounder in the establishment of the local StudentNational Medical Association chapter propelledher to become a member of the national board ofdirectors. During her past two years as chairpersonfor community service, she managed initiatives forover 150 chapters and represented UCF on a nationallevel. She maintains a passion for mentorship, assistingin organizing pre-health outreach programs andconferences dedicated toward undergraduates andhigh school students. As a liaison for the MedicalStudents Providing Care Across Continents, shehelped establish UCF’s first medical mission to theDominican Republic. She has kept a keen eye forresearch, partnering with local and national physiciansto conduct clinical research focused on surgicalintervention, intraoperative imaging, and critical caremanagement. She has contributed to the UCF legacyby presenting her work at international conferencesand publishing in national journals.Avianne’s UCF Experience:At the UCF College of Medicine, I was welcomedand made to feel at home. I was made a promise,not a guarantee of easy success, but a pledge thatif I worked hard and kept an open mind, I wouldcontribute to the development and progression of anew type of physician equipped to lead in the 21stcentury. I have studied under faculty interested insetting new and improved precedence for training,not limited by traditions set in stone. UCF and theOrlando community collaborated to invest in me, viathe financial support of the Florida Heart Institute,providing a scholarship and eliminating my tuitiondebt. I have been encouraged and provided with theresources to contribute back to the field of medicine.The College of Medicine has enhanced my leadershipskills by presenting opportunities to participate inthe development and management of universityand national organizations. UCF has provided methe unparalleled opportunity to become a successfulphysician and future vascular surgeon.integrity scholarship communit y creativity excellence

2014 order of pegasusCourtney BuzanCourtney is pursuing a degree in EducationalLeadership as a member of the Higher Education &Policy Studies Program in the College of Education andHuman Performance. For the past two years, she hasserved as graduate assistant for student organizationsand as advisor for the Knights of the RoundTable, astudent agency in the Office of Student Involvement.In addition, she served as a graduate assistant for theinaugural Knight Camp program for incoming andtransfer students. She served as an intern for SharonEkern, associate vice president, Student Developmentand Enrollment Services. Before coming to UCF, shereceived her B.S. in Applied Meteorology from EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach.Courtney’s UCF Experience:The moment I first set foot on the UCF campus,I was flooded with extraordinary experiencesthat would shape the next two years of my lifeand beyond. The majority of my opportunitiesat UCF have been a direct result of my work inthe Office of Student Involvement. The staff,programs, and most importantly students havehelped broaden my experiences as a professionaland provided me with a wide array of irreplaceableleadership opportunities including the President’sLeadership Council. As a student planning to gointo higher education administration, this has beenan experience that changed my future. I have hadtremendous opportunities to interact with someof the most influential individuals in my field,from the phenomenal faculty of my program tothe outstanding leadership that makes up UCF’sadministration. I feel extremely privileged to havelearned from and been mentored by some of thegreatest leaders in academia. Looking back onmy experience, I am proud to say UCF has neverfailed to challenge me as a leader and has providedextraordinary opportunities which have shapedmy college career and future as a student affairsprofessional.university of central floridaCourtney BuzanReading, PennsylvaniaFuture Plans:I plan to make an impact at variousinstitutions of higher educationthroughout the country. My ultimatedream is to become a strong femaleleader and administrator at a majorSTEM institution.

2014 order of pegasusStacey HardinStacey HardinCharlotte, North CarolinaFuture Plans:I plan to continue researching andproviding a voice for females withemotional and behavioral disabilities.I have received a position at IllinoisState University, which will allowme to pursue my goal of preparingpreservice and inservice teachersto adequately and effectively teachstudents with disabilities andstudents from diverse backgrounds.Stacey Hardin is a Ph.D. candidate in the Collegeof Education and Human Performance, exceptionalstudent education track. She is a Project LEAD Scholar,a Holmes Scholar, and a recipient of the McKnightDoctoral Fellowship. She received her Master’s in SpecialEducation and her Bachelor’s in Mass Communicationsfrom North Carolina Central University. Prior toentering the doctoral program at UCF, she served K-12students in various settings, including teaching readingand mathematics in Spanish in Orizaba, Mexico. Herresearch interests and dissertation focus include thedisproportionality of females labeled emotionally andbehaviorally disabled, culturally responsive teachingpedagogy, and the effectiveness of STEM curriculumdelivery to students of diverse backgrounds. As thedirector of University and School District Partnershipsfor TLE TeachLivE , a classroom simulation used toprepare inservice and preservice teachers at UCF, sheassisted in expanding the client base from 10 nationalpartners to 38 national and one international partner.She also serves on the executive board of UCF’sStudent Council for Exceptional Children and thenational Teacher Education Division of the Council forExceptional Children and has facilitated STEM campsfor middle school students from diverse backgrounds.Stacey’s UCF Experience:Growing up in a gang-infested neighborhood inCharlotte, NC, I have always desired to help peopleadvance from a place similar to my own. At the age of18, I became pregnant and was discounted by many.I was a statistic. In 2010, a UCF professor providedme with the unique opportunity to study here. Iwas introduced to rigorous research activities, whichcontinue to shape my future helping students withdisabilities. I collaborated with other students acrossdisciplines to help underserved Central Florida studentsand enhance technologies in teacher preparation.Exposure to national and local opportunities hasadvanced my thinking in policy, advocacy and service.With each professional experience, my personal growthhas been visible, and I have learned how strong I amand how to balance school, work and family. As a singlemother from an underserved neighborhood, I havebeen completely overwhelmed and humbled by theopportunities gained at UCF. They have influenced myeducational journey exponentially and will continue toimpact my life forever.integrity scholarship communit y creativity excellence