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Burnett Honors College Renovated Computer Lab
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Dear BHC Community,
Welcome to a new academic year unlike any other we have experienced. This fall has challenged us to be creative and innovative as we welcomed a class both in person and virtually. BHC Scholars are fortunate because, unlike many other institutions, UCF has been a leader in digital learning environments since the 1990s. In this changing environment, at both UCF and BHC, we are creating and innovating, while others are learning and adapting. UCF and BHC are committed to educational opportunities and progression to graduation even in the most unusual of times.
I’d like to take a few moments to update you on our incoming class. Some of the more notable highlights this year include welcoming our largest class of 534 freshmen from 31 states, who speak 30 different languages, and have an average SAT of 1467. We have over 100 incoming National Merit and National Hispanic Scholars. We also welcomed our first class of InSpire Scholars. For the fall 2020 semester, BHC is “home” to approximately 2,400 accomplished and active Honors Scholars. For the first time in the history of the Honors Undergraduate Thesis program, we have almost 500 UCF students conducting their own original honors research under the guidance of faculty. There have been over 600,000 downloads of theses published by our BHC Scholars. Our reach is global. We couldn’t be prouder of all of our BHC Scholars and their journeys!
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Burnett Honors College New Hallway Furniture
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You might have noticed that we have changed the name of our newsletter from Inspire to Envisage. This year we have seen and experienced the world as we never could have imagined. While ‘inspire’ is what we aim for our scholars, ‘envisage’ means to imagine what does not yet exist. This requires visionary thinking and a deep awareness of your landscape which is our aim for the Burnett Honors College. It is only with the generosity of our partners that is it possible to bring what we envisage to reality. This issue highlights Addition Financial and the depth and breadth of what can be accomplished through generosity. Ever wonder just what the Dean’s Excellence Fund supports? In a nutshell, it directly supports students through scholarships, engagement, and of course, food! This year we awarded more scholarships to BHC Scholars than in the past by encouraging students to take advantage of opportunities and as we recognized the additional financial stress. Our students demonstrated incredible creativity, innovation, and dedication as they found virtual internships, made PPE equipment, visited remotely with senior citizens, learned new skills on their own, and developed new hobbies.
Our events this fall maintain the core values of engagement and opportunity. We expanded Monday Morning Breakfast while adding Thursday Afternoon Treats and Kicking Back with the Koi to encourage students to stop by the BHC. If truth be told, there are always snacks to be found in the lobby. We are here every day and enjoy assisting them as they navigate the new normal. Once policies allow, we will return to larger events such as Frito Pie Friday, Winter Wonderland, Spring BBQ, and Family Field Day--to name a few.
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Burnett Honors College Reading Room
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Our collaboration with the community and local partners is key to the future of our BHC Scholars. In this issue we spotlight the generous and long standing support of Addition Financial. Their annual gift to the Dean’s Excellence fund allowed us to refresh the Reading Room with couches comfortable enough for a nap and furniture that encourages group study. Addition Financial traditionally sponsors the parent orientation welcome reception while also funding six scholarships as part of Honors Symposium. They are our partners as we guide our scholars through the complexities of financial literacy, planning, and, most importantly, managing their credit score. Addition Financial’s commitment to BHC Scholars extends beyond annual giving to include internships and career opportunities. Every year they look to BHC Scholars to fill internships often leading to a career in the banking sector. In this issue you will meet Chief Development Officer of Addition Financial, Linh Dang, who also serves on the BHC Advisory Board. She is an active member of the UCF and BHC community. Valerie Moses is an active BHC Alum and Senior Relationship Manger at Addition Financial.
Key to the success of our BHC Scholars is the commitment of our community. Thank you for all you do to ensure our scholars have access to the resources and opportunities that will assist them as they grow into the leaders who will define our future. I leave you with this final thought. Together we will set the stage for prominence and innovation in ways higher education and society cannot yet imagine. Envisage.
Sheila Amin Gutiérrez de Piñeres, Ph.D.
Dean, UCF Burnett Honors College
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Linh Dang, Chief Development Officer for Addition Financial, discusses how her life experiences and impressive career have shaped her thoughts about how engaging with, and providing resources and opportunities for students helps them to thrive, grow, and learn.
“It’s fulfilling to give back my time and my finances to an institution that has given me so much and has shaped me into who I am today. So, giving back, whether it’s monetary or our talents or our time, it helps support the next generation of students and alumni. When we give back, it advances programs at UCF such as research programs, scholarships, among many other things, which will elevate UCF throughout the nation.”
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Valerie Moses is the Senior Relationship Manager at Addition Financial and a 2013 Graduate from UCF and the Burnett Honors College. As a student, Valerie benefitted from many internships and work experiences from a diverse group of community partners—which ultimately helped her land her first job at Addition Financial.
“I think that when you are in college, it is the perfect time to try out new things and see what you like and what you do not like and adjust from there. All those experiences combined have really shaped some of the skills that I take with me into the jobs that I have, but they also helped me to build my network.”
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We asked students what having access to the Burnett Honors College during the pandemic meant to them, and here is what they told us:
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Daryl Urbina
Political Science
"I don’t have access to any software programs or a strong computer. I need them to do my research. Getting these resources in BHC is paramount to me being able to succeed properly in my classes. Also, I get distracted easily, so studying at home isn’t an option. I feel that the BHC is a safe place to study during the pandemic."
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Lara ZambranoBiology
"This is a great quiet space to study and do work in. I love being able to sit here by the window and do my work and look outside! This is a great space. There’s so much natural light. I don’t get much natural light in my apartment and so I really like coming here!"
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Jacey Koo
Health Sciences
“I like coming to the building. There is always food and snacks out for us. Food is a good way to get me to keep coming back to the Honors College during the pandemic. Every time I’m here, I pick up a snack and there’s always someone I run into that allows me to catch up with them. I like food!”
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Madison StemplesPhilosophy
"I appreciate that everyone keeps their masks on in this building! The only other space like this on campus that I can study at is the Student Union. I also like that people are using the sanitizing wipes to clean down their areas more here than anywhere else on campus. It makes me feel safe. And, oh, I also take naps in this room in between classes!"
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Lauren Brown
Biomedical Sciences
“This is actually my first time in this room. I was starting to feel cooped up in my apartment so I decided to come here. It’s much quieter than my place and I don’t hear noise like cars driving by, people talking or other noises to distract me.”
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