Now it’s time to hear from Cierra who’s studying business. With a focus on earning an affordable degree, she knows just how important philanthropy is to the campus culture at UCF. She’ll share how scholarships and financial aid were easy to access and have helped her during her time at UCF. Cierra, please take it away.
– Thanks, Alex. Hi, guys. The power of philanthropy can truly be life-changing for a college student. It certainly was for me. 50% of first time and college students at UCF graduate with no educational debt, which is far better than the national average. Access to scholarships and financial aid are a big reason why UCF remains an exceptional and affordable university. In my time at UCF, I’ve been able to join many student organizations, connect with mentors at the College of Business, interact with top Orlando business leaders and gain impactful marketing internship experience. None of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for the financial support I received from UCF and the donors who help ensure our success. One of the tenants of the UCF creed is community. And that is embodied in the backing that our students receive from their own classmates, our 335,000 alumni, and from our biggest supporters from companies like EA who help endowed a scholarship to encourage inclusion in gaming, to a facility funded by Lockheed Martin dedicated to training the next generation of cybersecurity programmers, to record-breaking gifts, resulting in transformational impact. Every year, UCF distributes millions of dollars in scholarships, and on our annual day of giving in the spring, we see the impact that every donor and every dollar can have. By opening doors and removing obstacles through philanthropy, we empower our students to rise to their potential and achieve their dreams. I believe in community and supporting those who support me. One day, I plan to give back to UCF as a tribute to those who helped me achieve my goals. Thanks for listening. Now back to you, Alex.
– Thank you, Cierra. You did amazing. It’s great to see how UCF instills the importance of giving back and paying it forward in its Knights and how the emphasis provides students with the support to succeed. Thanks again, Cierra.
Next, we’ll catch up with Christina. She’s a senior working towards her degree in advertising and public relations. She’ll tell us all about what it’s like as a Knight, including some of her favorite things to do around campus. We can’t wait to hear about the vibrant student life at UCF. Christina, the floor is all yours.
– Thanks, Alex. Hey, everyone. The vibrant campus atmosphere is one of the best parts about the college life. With 650 clubs and organizations, and a robust Greek life community, there’s something for everyone to get involved in at UCF. No matter which of our four campuses you’re on, there’s always something to do or see here. Growing up 15 minutes from UCF, I knew before I was a student, I was a Knight. M family and I would attend football games and I would get to dream of what life would be like as a UCF student. So when the time finally came to pick a college, UCF wasn’t just the obvious choice, it was the best choice for me because of everything that campus has to offer. I spend most of my time on main campus. And when I’m not in class, you can find me outdoors, soaking up the Florida sun. From lounging by the pool, to playing volleyball, to relaxing on the hammocks at Memory Mall. At UCF downtown you’re in the heart of the city Beautiful and close to businesses that one day you may intern or even work at. Colorful murals and street art are staples on campus. Plus there’s Downtown Market Day, 5K Races, The Taste of Downtown and many other events happening throughout the year. The UCF Rosen College is located in Orlando’s hospitality and tourism district down the road from major theme parks like Disney and Universal also has many opportunities for students to get involved. Events like Movie Might, the Taste of Hospitality and Spring Fest are all great ways to make new friends. Our Academic Health Sciences campus is in Lake Nona’s Medical City. Their biggest event is Match Day where medical students find out about their residencies. Plus there are many health-specific clubs, organizations, and volunteer opportunities for students. The atmosphere at UCF is unlike any other. I’ve created lifelong friends and lasting memories. You too can discover all the hidden gems UCF has to offer, once you become a Knight, of course. Back to you, Alex.
– Wow, Christina, I can’t believe all the nightlife has to offer, clubs, organizations, events, outdoor life, UCF has it all. There’s definitely no shortage of ways to get involved around here. We appreciate your insight. Take care, Christina. Next, we have Daniela Garcia. She’s a first-generation student who’s had a couple bumps in the road on her way to college.
Now let’s hear from Alison, an instructor of kinesiology in UCF’s College of Health Professions and Sciences. From the main campus in the city, Beautiful, to the College of Medicine in Central Florida’s Medical City. She’s going to share how UCF is training students to become the next generation of health care experts.
– Thanks Alex, here at UCF, we’re rethinking how to best deliver healthcare and we’re redefining what healthcare is. As a faculty member, I exposed students to wide variety of health professions, and I help them gain knowledge in both the classroom and in clinical internships so they can impact individuals and communities on day one. We know that often personal experiences drives the student’s desire to work in healthcare, much like my own story of playing soccer here at UCF, fueled my passion for wanting to learn more about the human body and what it was capable of. And no matter what fuels you from nursing and physical therapy, to speech language pathology and medicine, UCF has a program that can help you achieve your goals. One of the biggest advantages of studying healthcare at UCF is our anchoring connection with Lake Nona Medical City, the medical hub of Central Florida. It started with and is home to the UCF College of Medicine, the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences and our UCF Lake Nona Cancer Center. It’s also where you will find the UCF Lake Nona Medical Center, our teaching hospital in partnership with HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading providers in healthcare services. And with neighbors like Nemours Children’s Hospital and the Orlando VA Medical Center, UCF’s Academic Health Sciences campus is the place to be if you dream of becoming a doctor or medical researcher. On the main campus, students in the College of Health Professions and Sciences gained foundational knowledge in areas like health sciences and kinesiology. And thanks to a world-class faculty and high-tech simulation, the College of Nursing prepares nurse leaders to meet the world’s ever-changing healthcare needs. From studying muscle function to helping cure cancer, our faculty and students are contributing to impactful research and are at the forefront of great scientific discovery. In fact, UCF’s high level of research earned it the ranking of one of the top 50 public research universities in the nation. From bachelor’s degrees all the way up to the doctoral level, UCF gives you the expertise and experience to empower you to become a contemporary clinician. Back to you, Alex.
– Wow, Alison, that was impressive. What a special place to learn how to provide quality care for people. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of what UCF has to offer students interested in health and medicine.
Let’s head over and talk with Jillian. She’s a senior who’s working towards completing an Aerospace Engineering degree. You’ve already heard about UCF’s history in helping launch a booming space industry. And now Jillian will share all of the opportunities she’s had that are truly out of this world. Jillian, please tell us about it.
– Thanks, Alex. And hey, everyone. Growing up right here in Orlando provided me a unique vantage point of being able to watch the space shuttle skyrocket into orbit from my own backyard. It was this early exposure to engineering brilliancy, which fueled my passion for space exploration to this day. And it’s something very few get to experience in their lifetime. UCF has not only propelled my opportunities to participate in space-related research and internships, but they’ve supported me in my astronomical pursuits along the way. My experience at UCF has provided me with both the direction and skills necessary to pursue the career I’ve always dreamed of, becoming an astronaut. During my time here, I’ve also co-authored a paper that proves how water evolves on the surface of the moon due to solar radiation. And my most recent project was interning at the Florida Space Institute where I provided engineering support on spacecraft hardware for a sensor that launched on a real rocket. Through every part of my journey, UCF has helped me find the specific niche of space exploration that fits with my unique skillset. As an engineering student, you’ll develop industry sought out skills. This involves participating in projects like building and launching cube sets into space or even conducting research on a zero gravity flight. The Senior Design Capstone Project is also a great way to take what you learned in the classroom and apply it to real-world problems for entities, such as Boston Whaler, Coca-Cola, Mitsubishi, the Orlando Utilities Commission and Steelcase. There are even opportunities to participate in global programs like working with the German Aerospace Center to conduct advanced research on the next generation propulsion capabilities or hypersonic suborbital vehicles and reusable space vehicles, which I’m currently participating in. Right now, I’m tailoring my resume to fit the needs of a NASA astronaut program. Understanding how I can contribute to the mission is the first step in becoming an expert on it. Here at UCF, the opportunities are boundless and some might even say out of this world. That’s all for me, Alex, over and out.
– Copy that, Jillian. From your hands-on opportunities with local industry leaders, to taking part in innovative research projects, your story shows firsthand how UCF programs go above and beyond for its students. You are well on your way to achieving your dream of becoming an astronaut. That is so impressive. Cheers, Jillian.
Next, let’s head over to this high tech machine shop on campus, here, you’ll meet twins, Vanessa and Victoria. They’re juniors, both majoring in electrical engineering. And if that somehow surprising you, just wait. They’re also working at welcoming a more diverse peer group to their field. Vanessa and Victoria, the tour is all yours.
– [Ladies] Thanks Alex.
– We are first-generation college students from Panorama city, California.
– We’ve always enjoyed learning about math and science, but our interest in electrical engineering sparkled when we took a robotics class in middle school.
– We began taking the same classes, studying together and even helping each other understand concepts. That continues today since we chose the same major. So I guess you can say we have permanent study buddies. Being Hispanic women in a male dominated field, we didn’t know what to expect in regards to rigor, diversity and support in a college environment. Since freshman year, we struggled to feel connected to our engineering community and at times we felt like we didn’t belong. These are common emotions among minorities in fields where diversity hasn’t always existed. There weren’t many women in electrical engineering and there were even fewer Latinas in our classes. So spring quarter of our freshman year, we decided to step out of our comfort zone and become more involved in the College of Engineering. We both started joining organizations that promoted diversity, and that would benefit us in our field of study, such as the Society of Women Engineers, Chicanx and Latinx Engineers and Scientist Society and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. These organizations were great for professional development and inclusiveness, but we felt like women in electrical engineering needed more than that. That’s how the Club of Future Female Electrical Engineers also known as COFFEE, came about. Being a support system for future generations of women who want to pursue electrical or computer engineering is our biggest motivation to keep improving COFFEE and building it to its fullest potential. We hope to create a larger, more comfortable community within a department and achieve our goal of retaining and encouraging more women to pursue male dominated fields.
– Aside from being involved with organizations, we also became engineering ambassadors. The Engineering Ambassador program allows us to represent the College of Engineering while developing leadership skills and furthering our personal and professional growth. There are many resources provided by the College of Engineering and UC Davis that allow students to succeed such as the Internship and Career Center, office hours, tutoring, study sessions, and that Diana Brian Engineering Student Design Center, which is a university’s primary manufacturing facility for students teams and research groups.
– The College of Engineering also has the Leadership in Engineering Advancement, Diversity and Retention program, whose mission is to recruit, retain, and graduate a diverse population of students from the College of Engineering. We’ve also had the opportunity to work on some cool projects during our time here. A few of these projects include building and programming, a robot to follow a sound source, designing a digame using combinational logic, a pong game on an LCD screen and one of our personal favorites, an interactive game queue that uses to say capacitive sense technology to create a competitive memory game, Four Face. We are so thankful for the new experiences and opportunities we receive within the College of Engineering and at UC Davis.
– [Ladies] Back over to you, Alex.
– Two cheers for Victoria and Vanessa. What a team you both make. I’m never gonna think of coffee the same way again, or engineering for that matter. I know that you’ll be building cool stuff and breaking barriers wherever you go. Thanks again, Victoria and Vanessa. Great job.
Next let’s head over to Hart Hall built in 1928 and meet Akshita. She’s a senior majoring in cognitive science. In 2019, she was just one of a thousand or so students named Forbes Under 30 Scholar and she’s gonna talk about her journey in raising awareness of the issues she cares very much about you might too, after you hear her story. Okay, Akshita this segment is all yours.
– Thank you, Alex. Hi everyone, I am so excited to share my college experience with you all. Coming to UC Davis was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. I first enrolled as a biochemistry and molecular biology major in the College of Biological Sciences before in my sophomore year, I realized that my interest was most piqued by cognitive science and switched my major over to cognitive science with a computational emphasis in the College of Letters and Science. UC Davis is the most comprehensive university in the university of California system. This means that it has the most majors and minors available for students and the College of Letters and Science has 110 of them. This college specifically is such an intellectually diverse community with countless opportunities for mentorship, research and involvement available for students. The faculty is very experienced and was a great resource to ask questions to and reach out to as well as this great source of academic inspiration for me. I’ve always been passionate about women empowerment, equality, and human rights. After coming to UC Davis, I was able to immensely further my education about socio-political and cultural issues, advocacy and activism. I had so many conversations with people of incredibly diverse backgrounds which all opened up my mind and made me much more aware. Despite such diversity, I still felt like there wasn’t an adequate platform for underrepresented students, especially women. So I founded the Revival Zine, an intersectional feminist publication and college community. I put together a team of student writers, interns and officers, as well as faculty advisors. Together we grew Revival from a small website into a national movement with multiple university chapters, as well as hundreds of articles about important issues that had over 100,000 readers. And it wouldn’t have been possible without the support that I’ve gained here at UC Davis, especially from the student community that constantly uplifts one another. I also co-founded Davis Period, through which other students and I were able to reduce stigma around menstruation, hosted workshops about periods, hosted drives to collect period products, as well as worked with the university to stock campus bathrooms with free products for students that cannot not afford them or didn’t have access to them. I remember the day that I committed to go to UC Davis, I was sitting at one of the benches near a bike path watching students go pass me on their way to classes and I absolutely fell in love with that atmosphere. From the beautiful campus to the genuinely supportive student culture, there’s so much to enjoy here. At UC Davis whether you want to immerse yourself and delve deeper into your passions, or even just figure out what they might be, there’s so much opportunity. Go Aggies, Alex, what’s next?
– Akshita, your leadership is truly an inspiration. It’s incredible that you’re studying not only how we think, but also how to spread powerful ideas. Good luck on your way to making the world a more equitable and understanding place. Thanks again, Akshita.
Are you ready for some extra curricular activity? Let’s head to downtown Davis and meet Mahiri. He’s a freshman majoring in communications with a minor in psychology. Now, there’s a lot of California universities in cities large and small, but Mahiri is gonna tell you why the city of Davis is truly California’s college town. Mahiri, it’s all yours buddy.
– Thank you, Alex. Just the other day I was walking off from a lecture caught a glimpse of the blue sky, felt the sun my face and thought to myself, wow, it’s another beautiful day at UC Davis. I’m beyond excited to share with you my experience as a first year Aggie. Early on, my friends and I decided that having a car and paying for a car in Davis just wasn’t worth it. Now, if you live in a car town you may be asking, well Mahiri, how else do students get around? This is one of the most bike friendly places in the nation. I personally take my bike wherever I go. Students also have Unitrans, a student run bus system that is designed to serve all of Davis. When it’s time to go shopping, my friends and I ride our bikes into town, grab a cup of coffee, head over to Target or Trader Joe’s and then catch a ride home on the Unitrans with our groceries, hassle free. One of my favorite places to go is the farmer’s market in Central Park, it’s open year round, rain or shine and everything there is grown, raised or made locally. I’m told it’s even one of the best in the entire country. I remember being amazed by the variety of food options, both on campus and around town. I mean there’s sushi, Indian food, pizza, burgers, crepes and the list goes on and on. And on one day after class, my friends offered to take me out to dinner. They told me it was going to be a surprise and to just trust them and so I did. As we biked downtown, we came across Thai Nakorn restaurant and wow, I remember being amazed and riding back near midnight, super happy that I took the chance, tried new food and had fun. One time I came downtown with my friends to take my mind off of my biology midterm. It also happened to be Halloween time. One of my buddies asked if we wanted to go to a thrift store and try on new costumes. And I remember trying on these costumes and laughing if a particular suit was too tight or small and saying that this was like my childhood, but I remember saying that this is different than my childhood, this is college, my college experience. If you ever want to explore further outside of our campus, UC Davis is in the middle of everywhere. I mean, we’re less than a 20 minute drive from Sacramento, which is big compared to Davis and has tons of great places to go. Ever want to get to the coast, we’re less than a two hour drive from the beach and the San Francisco Bay Area. And if you go the other direction, you’re rolling up into the beautiful Sierra and you cannot attend UC Davis without going on a camping trip at least once. Once again, my name is Mahiri Moore Junior and I had a wonderful time showing you the best of Davis, California’s college town. Over to you Alex.
– Thank you Mahiri, it sounds like you’re having a pretty great year. I wish I could live without a car, it’d be cheaper, safer, and a lot more fun than sitting on the 405 in California that’s for sure. After we wrap this, you’ve got to tell me where’s the best dinner in town. I have absolutely loved being in Davis since we’ve gotten here. Great job, cheers Mahiri.
All right everybody, who’s ready for some sports? I think this guy is, that’s Gunrock, the UC Davis mascot. Now let’s go to UC Davis Health Stadium and meet Kyla. She’s a junior majoring in psychology. She’s also the women’s gymnastics team co-captain and you’re gonna see, she approaches her sport and studies with equal intensity. And she’s gonna tell us about the student athlete experience at UC Davis. Kyla, the floor is all yours.
– Hey everybody, to be an Aggie is to be surrounded by people who are kind, hard-working, perseverant and successful. Not only is UC Davis one of the top academic programs in the country, it is also known for its excellent athletic programs. It was always a dream of mine to continue my gymnastics career at the collegiate level, but it was most important for me to attend to college with academic rigor, our 25 Division 1 programs put us on a national stage, allowing for students from all over the country to bring their talents to the Aggie platform. The experience of game day at UC Davis is unlike any other, whether you’re watching gymnastics or basketball in the Pavilion, football at the UC Davis Health Stadium or any of our other sports, you are guaranteed to have a great time. Our free entry for students make sporting events essential for a fun, social weekend with all of your friends. There are even opportunities for students to play games against their fellow Aggies on the courts during halftimes for fun prizes. Meet days at UC Davis are the best days. The lights are shining down in the Pavilion, sparkles are twinkling on our faces and leotards the music is loud and the crowd is even louder. The energy in the arena is tangible and the crowd loves to learn our floor routines and dance along with us. There is no comparable feeling other than sticking a dismount in front of the whole Pavilion and hearing the roar of your best friends and teammates cheering you on. Over my time at UC Davis and my gymnastics career, I have gone through many injuries. While rehabbing back from these various injuries I learned a lot about myself and what kind of impact I wanna have on the world. Our amazing coaching and athletic training staff throughout my ACL rehabilitation played a vital role in catalyzing my passion for wanting to help other athletes recover from similar injuries, which has led me to pursue a career in physical therapy. My choice career has primarily been driven by the education I have received at UC Davis. There are so many opportunities for student athletes to connect with future employers through career fairs and Aggie EVO, a program designed to help student athletes prepare for future success and learn about post-graduation life. The people at UC Davis are some of the best people I have ever met. The relationships I’ve made with my teammates, coaches, professors, academic advisors and other athletes are truly one of a kind. Everyone on campus wants their athletes to succeed both academically and athletically. So thank you UC Davis, and to everyone I’ve met along the way, there is no other college I would rather be at. As always go Aggs. That’s my story, now back to you, Alex.
– Kyla, you nailed the landing on that one. Thank you, congratulations on all your success in the sports arena and in the classroom, working that closely with teammates or classmates builds lifelong bonds and it doesn’t hurt your career either. I know you’re gonna make an amazing physical therapist. Thanks again for telling us your story. Great job, Kyla. She crushed it, huh?
Okay everyone let’s first head over and meet the chancellor of UC Davis. Now, most university chancellors don’t have an affectionate following from their students but most universities don’t have Gary S. May. He’s an accomplished scholar and engineer in his own right, and he’s gonna give us a bird’s eye view of a campus that covers a lot of ground. Okay chancellor May, the floor is all yours, please take it away.
– Hello everyone, welcome to UC Davis. I’m Chancellor Gary May and I’m thrilled to introduce you to our Aggie community. At UC Davis choice is abound, we have more than 100 undergraduate majors, and more than 90 graduate programs. We’re the most comprehensive school in the University of California system with four colleges and six professional schools. No matter what you study, you’ll find a world-class education and a diverse community. People who come to UC Davis wanna make the world a better place. We’re on the front lines of critical issues like managing climate change, bettering the health of humans and animals and seeking a more sustainable future. When COVID struck, UC Davis helped lead the way to solutions. You may have seen the New York Times story that highlighted UC Davis as a role model in keeping not just our university safe but the whole Davis community. Located in the heart of California just west of Sacramento, Davis is California’s college town is a place of big ideas and innovation in a friendly small town setting. Our icon isn’t a the bell tower, or an Eiffel Tower, but a water tower. Think of Davis as the middle of everywhere. The outdoor adventures of Lake Tahoe, tourist spots in San Francisco are just a short drive away. UC Davis attracts students and faculty from all over the world, walk around campus or the city and you might hear people speaking, French, Farsi, Mandarin, and so many other languages. We’re an active community where biking is the preferred mode of transportation. We’re committed to sustainability and healthy living. Our farmer’s market is among the oldest in California, and it’s the place to be on Saturday mornings. We’re known for having one of the worlds best agriculture and veterinary medicine programs, but we’re so much more. Our region is thriving with technological development and entrepreneurship. Opportunity is everywhere. My goal is for each of our students to graduate with a job offer and with as few financial burdens as possible. In fact, 55% of our students graduate without student loan debt. Looking back, I remember how excited I was to plan for college, but I had a lot of questions too. UC Davis graduates consistently say their favorite aspect of life here is how welcomed and supported they felt. We take our academics seriously at UC Davis but we’re not afraid to be eccentric, make others smile and help in times of need. Today you’ll meet several students who are eager to share their experience with you. Thanks again for joining us and I hope you enjoy learning more about UC Davis. Go Aggs, back to you Alex.
– Chancellor Gary May I can see why you’ve got such a following. I love how pragmatic your approach is, graduating with more career opportunities and less debt is something I know is on the minds of many. I have a feeling that’s not the last surprise we’ll get out of UC Davis. Thanks for giving us the big picture. Take care of chancellor May.
Now let’s go to the greenhouse on top of the Sciences Laboratory Building to meet Jeremy. He’s a junior majoring in genetics and genomics plus a minor in psychology. And he’s gonna talk about his studies at the College of Biological Sciences and his journey towards helping everyday people better their own family genetics. We can’t wait to hear what you have to say, Jeremy, take it away.
– Thanks Alex. I originally applied to UC Davis as a mathematics major, but in AP biology class my senior year really sparked my interest in molecular biology and DNA. Growing up, I knew some of my own family members have been personally affected by genetic issues. So I decided I wanted to become a genetic counselor so that I could help other families who have had similar experiences. Luckily, one of the four colleges at UC Davis is dedicated to biological sciences with 10 majors and disciplines ranging from ocean life, to the human mind and the molecular mechanisms behind them. One of the best aspects here is the chance to really learn hands-on. I remember how excited I was in my first campus visit exploring the labs and the greenhouses, just like this one on top of the Sciences Lab building and seeing all the plants and animals I’d get to work with, especially the ancient horseshoe crab. My first biology class sealed the deal. Although we’re introduction courses tend to be large, we break them down into discussion and lab sections each with about 24 students and the teaching assistant, all of my teaching assistants have been so helpful and are a big part as to why I love lab sections so much. But my number one reason for why I love lab sections so much are for the people you get to meet. I know at other elite schools, class can be pretty cutthroat, but at UC Davis that was not the vibe at all. I immediately saw students push each other to succeed and I met two of my best friends, Hailey and Tori, who had also become one of my housemates. We’d walk to class, eat together in the dining commons and coordinate which classes to take next. I needed help switching my major from math to genetics, keeping a psychology minor and graduating in four years. And actually I’m on track to graduate a quarter early. The staff and peer advisors at the Biology Academic Success Center helped me by recommending classes and organizing my class schedule. Participating in research as an undergraduate has been a real privilege and there’s so much exciting work being done in the College of Biological Sciences. I know work in the Genome Center where my lab manipulates epigenetic mechanisms to find the therapy for neurological genetic diseases like Angelman syndrome, which causes problems like intellectual disability and speech impairment. Also the Genome Center played a major role in developing the rapid saliva-based COVID-19 testing that is now widely used by students and staff. I’ve been getting tested twice a week now and it’s been a major part of preventing the spread of COVID here in Davis. Well, that’s my experience here at UC Davis, back to you, Alex.
– Jeremy, that’s super impressive. I knew UC Davis is a research leader, but it must be exciting to personally be on the front lines. I don’t know much about genetics but it sounds like as a genetics counselor, you’ll help improve the lives of a whole lot of people. And that’s amazing. Thanks again, Jeremy.