Veterans and a law enforcement agent earning a doctorate are among the more than 3,600 University of Central Florida students who will graduate during two ceremonies on Saturday, August 8.
Veterans Darris James (Navy vet), Rhonda Pullis (Air Force vet), Brian Hosken (vet), along with Bill Hickman, Lindsay Hayes and Sarah Johnson, all nursing students, will graduate from the College of Nursing. The group has been working with military veterans, including homeless vets, for quite some time.
And Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit Agent Jessie Holton is earning a doctorate in Education with a concentration in Organizational Sociology. While at UCF, Holton launched a therapy-dog program at the Sheriff’s Office to help victims of child abuse, the first of its kind in the country. The program is expanding with a training center that opens next month.
Another standout graduate is Kevin DiClemente from the College of Engineering & Computer Science. He’s a member of the team from the College Cyber Defense Club @ UCF that has won back-to-back national championships in cyberdefense. Last week, he and other team members met with top cybersecurity officials in Washington and toured the White House, U.S. Capitol and NSA headquarters. Kevin starts a job with Microsoft in two weeks.
The first graduation ceremony will begin at 9:00 a.m. They are graduates from Colleges of Arts & Humanities, Business Administration, Education & Human Performance, Graduate Studies, Nursing, Undergraduate Studies, and Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
A second ceremony will be held at 2:30 p.m. for students from Colleges of Engineering & Computer Science, Health & Public Affairs, Medicine, Optics & Photonics, and Sciences.
The graduation ceremonies will be held at CFE Arena, 12777 Gemini Blvd. N, Orlando.
