A quiet observer delicately holds a bouquet of flowers in her hand while she listens intently to the ceremony for Nicole Ganguzza; others hold small tissues and prayer cards. Family members, friends and strangers came together Sunday night for one common purpose: to remember the life of Nicole Ganguzza.
University officials announced Tuesday night to faculty and staff that the school will be cutting even more of its budget, which will result in the elimination of some academic programs and activities. Terry Hickey, UCF provost and executive vice president, said that he will be turning to the deans of each department to make recommendations for what programs they think would least impact student day-to-day life.
For Homecoming 2008, UCF has taken school spirit to a completely different level with the theme of A Knight's Quest: It's Our Journey. This theme idea came from the Executive Board Retreat, where the board members tossed many alternative ideas around. A medieval theme has not been done since 1984 and holds the potential to boost the school spirit.
A new club forming on campus hopes to revive the fighting art of UCF's namesake Knights. The Knights Melee club is led by senior Jon Wolfe, 22, and will focus on the study of medieval combat. Wolfe said the club will begin by working with longswords, eventually progressing into swords and bucklers, daggers, unarmed combat and other facets of medieval warfare.
Recently back from a service-learning trip to the Caribbean islands of St. Kitts and Nevis, students from the President's Scholars Program described the experience as successful and enlightening. "This year we focused on environmental issues and policies," said Martin Dupuis, assistant dean at the Burnett Honors College and the coordinator of this year's service learning trip.
On Jan. 24, 2006, UCF alumna Jennifer Kesse vanished. More than two years later, her family continues the search for their daughter. On Tuesday night, CBS aired an episode of 48 Hours that focused on the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse and Tara Grinstead, titled "Stolen Beauty.
The UCF Arboretum is planning for the construction of the university's first LEED Platinum building. The Environmental Center is an auspicious assignment, considering that the university is committed to only a LEED Silver standard. The Environmental Center, which will be primarily built of earth, reinforced concrete, glass and steel, is planning to house administrative offices, graduate classrooms, wet and dry laboratories, an auditorium, an herbarium and a library.
During the weekend of June 29, two guide towers stood on the edge of the UCF Memory Mall, which were operated by UCF students for an event called Field Day. Field Day is an annual event that is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, where competitors from across the country attempt to communicate through radio with as many people as possible as a means of practicing emergency preparedness.