Dear BHC Community,
We are dedicating this issue of Envisage to the faculty and staff who serve as mentors and, often, guiding lights for BHC Scholars. Throughout their careers at UCF, BHC Scholars are impacted by the faculty and staff in ways they couldn’t have anticipated. It might have been the class that sparked their passion for a field of study, the undergraduate research opportunity that ignited their curiosity, advice that encouraged them to reach for the stars, or just the conversation that supported them through a difficult or confusing time. As I thought about my faculty mentor, Dr. Steve Pejovich, and how instrumental he was to my professional path, I decided it would only be fitting to share my tribute to him at his memorial service this March.
“Before I start, I want to thank the Pejovich family. Dr. Pejovich was an amazing man, and he brought a lot of stray cats to y’all. There are a lot of former students who can say they are now part of the family and you really welcomed us with open arms. You didn’t just do it for one year or two — you did it for 30 years and we keep coming back.
To be honest, I really didn’t believe this day would ever come. I think about how different my life would have been if I hadn’t been in that elevator with Chemi and Dr. Jackie Browning. I mentioned that I found my people and wanted to be an economist. She told me then there is only one person you need to get to know: Dr. Pejovich. She said that he knows everyone and (my apologies to the rest of you) that he is the smartest. Brian, I bet you remember that class that for the first month none of us had any idea what he was saying with that thick accent. We would all sit, take notes, and nod but eventually we got the hang of it. Once you figured out what he was saying, you took every class he taught. I also interned in the Center for Free Enterprise while doing undergraduate research under his guidance.
There are so many of us who know that, without a doubt, we are who we are because of the time and energy he invested in us. He challenged us to be more than we ever imagined we could be. I will never forget when he told me, “You have so much potential.” All I could think was, “Seriously? This is going to be one long journey and I hope you have the energy because I am not sure we are on the same wavelength.” He never gave up on any of us — 35 years later. He persevered through our ups and downs, never losing faith that we would eventually arrive at the point he knew we could reach. He did this with everyone who was a part of his life. He was a true risk-taker, and he wasn't afraid to take risks with people. As we look around, it is clear he generated one hell of a return on his investments. He expected us all to have the same courage to invest in others. We will miss his daily emails, his jokes, and his reminders of the importance of freedom. But, most of all, we will miss the man who was always there for us when we needed him. Dr. Pejovich, may you rest in peace knowing the legacy you left behind will live in your image and we will strive to live up to the potential you saw in us. We will invest in all those around us so that they, too, will grow, dream, and reach their potential — like you did in us. We love you and pray you left us with enough wisdom to thrive until we meet again.”
In 2010, I received the UT System Regents Outstanding Teaching Award and, with the award, endowed the Professor Svetozar Pejovich Future Leaders Award which provides scholarships to the top economics students at my alma mater Texas A&M University. Why commemorate him with a named scholarship? Because it is important to support future generations and, also, to recognize that without his influence I would not have become the professional I am today. As you move through life, remember the faculty and staff who impacted you and may have forever changed the trajectory of your life. Keep in touch and share your stories with them. You may think that we don’t remember you, but we do.
Sheila Amin Gutiérrez de Piñeres, Ph.D.
Dean, UCF Burnett Honors College
