University of Central Florida

Founding Following President John F. Kennedy 's September 1962 speech "We choose to go to the Moon" , in which he described his goal of accomplishing a crewed space flight to the Moon by the end of the decade, the space program grew in importance and scope in Central Florida because of its proximity to Cape Canaveral . [ 16 ] Prominent residents and local leaders began lobbying the Florida State Legislature to increase access to higher education on the Space Coast . With the help of former state senate president William A. Shands and Senator Beth Johnson , on June 10, 1963, the legislature passed and Governor Farris Bryant signed into law Senate Bill No. 125, which authorized the Florida Board of Regents to create a new state university in East Central Florida. [ 17 ] The university was founded as a non-segregated and coeducational university, with the mission of educating students for space-age careers in engineering and other technological professions. Defense scientists and NASA met with students, [ when? ] recruiting for the space program. [ citation needed ] On January 24, 1964, the board of regents purchased 1,000 acres (400 hectares) of remote forest and pasture land along Alafaya Trail (SR 434) in northeast Orlando for $500,000 as the site of the new university. [ citation needed ] Local residents donated another 227 acres (92 hectares) , and raised more than $1 million in funds to secure the land acquisition. [ 17 ] In December 1965, the board of regents appointed Charles Millican the first president of the new university. [ 18 ] With the consultation of a citizen advisory group, Millican chose the name Florida Technological University, as well as co-designed the school's distinctive Pegasus seal.

[ 19 ] Millican is also responsible for the university's slogan, "Reach for the Stars", for the two key principles of the school, "accent on excellence" and "accent on the individual", and for the campus's unique pedestrian-oriented concentric-circle layout, which was based on plans by Walt Disney and has become a model for other universities. [ 20 ] Millican and then-Governor Claude Kirk presided over FTU's groundbreaking in March 1967. On October 7, 1968, the inaugural classes were held in the school's first academic building. 1,948 students were enrolled in 55 degree programs within five colleges, led by 90 instructors and aided by 150 staff members, during the university's first year. [ 21 ] FTU graduated its first class of 423 seniors on June 14, 1970, with astronaut and Orlando native John Young giving the commencement address. [ citation needed ] Millican selected the university's official colors, and had a role in selecting its first mascot, the Citronaut , a mix of an orange and an astronaut. [ 22 ] The Citronaut proved unpopular, so in 1969 the student newspaper, The Central Florida Future , encouraged mascot suggestions from students and faculty. The search for a replacement proved unsuccessful until 1970, when Judy Hines, a night nurse, proposed Vincent the Vulture. He served as the university's unofficial mascot for more than a year. In late 1971, students voted and selected the Knight of Pegasus as the school's official athletic mascot. [ 23 ] The nickname later evolved to the Golden Knights and eventually to the Knights. After retiring as president in 1978, Millican identified his proudest moment leading the school as when President Richard Nixon delivered the university's spring 1973 commencement address. [ citation needed ]

Entering office in 1978, the university's second president, Trevor Colbourn , recognized the diversification and growth of UCF's academic programs away from its strictly technological and scientific beginnings. [ 24 ] As the university developed strong business, education, and liberal arts programs, Colbourn recognized that the university's name no longer reflected its mission. From its establishment the university was known as Florida Technological University, nicknamed Florida Tech, until December 1978 when Governor Reubin Askew signed legislation changing the school's name to the University of Central Florida. [ 5 ] Colbourn established the university's honors program , and started the university's first satellite campus [ where? ] . In addition, he was responsible for constructing the Central Florida Research Park adjacent to the UCF campus, founded in 1978. The park serves as a major focus of simulation for space and defense -related research. It was part of Colbourn's plan to make UCF a world-class partnership university. Among the university's first partners were Lockheed Martin and the United States Navy , and Colbourn led the push to found both the Institute for Simulation and Training and the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers in 1986. [ citation needed ] During his tenure, enrollment increased from 11,000 in 1978 to over 18,000 in 1989. [ 25 ] Colbourn also supported the university's athletic programs. He was responsible for establishing the school's football program in 1979, which began an era of growth for the university. [ according to whom? ] In April 1979, UCF awarded its 15,000th degree. [ citation needed ]

In March 1992, John C. Hitt became UCF's fourth president. Once known mainly as a small commuter and technology school, UCF administrators began to increase its academic and research standing while also evolving into a more traditional research university. When Hitt took office, UCF's enrollment was 20,302. As of 2014, 60,821 students attended classes on 12 campuses spread across central Florida. The university consisted of 13 colleges and employed more than 10,150 faculty and staff. [ 5 ] During this time, UCF raised admissions standards, increased research funding, built new facilities, and established notable partnerships with major research institutions. [ 26 ] The university's athletic program also grew with an on-campus football stadium , new basketball arena , more on-campus housing, and the development of the UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona. [ citation needed ] Until 1999, the Knights were represented by a jouster from the Medieval Times dinner show in nearby Kissimmee, Florida . That same year, Knightro was introduced at the staple homecoming event, Spirit Splash. During its spring 2010 graduation ceremonies, UCF awarded its 200,000th degree, [ 27 ] less than five years after awarding its 150,000th. [ 28 ] Colbourn Hall scandal In August 2018, the state university system's Board of Governors and the Florida Legislature opened an investigation into the university for misuse of state funds. On September 13, 2018, UCF admitted to misappropriating money intended for educational and operating expenses to build the new $38 million Trevor Colbourn Hall, leading to the resignation of CFO Bill Merck. [ 29 ] In January 2019, UCF severed ties with President Emeritus John Hitt after the investigation proved that UCF had misspent or planned to misspend over $85 million between 2013 and 2018.