Writing Stylebook

abbreviations and acronyms Avoid turning stories into alphabet soup. Universities have many buildings, courses, organizations, clubs, programs and titles that often are shortened for casual use, but generally spell them out on first reference. Follow a full name with an abbreviation in parentheses.It is often more clear on following references to say “the department” or “the organization” or use some other identifier rather than use unfamiliar abbreviations and acronyms. Some abbreviations, however, have become so universally known that they can be used on first reference, such as NCAA, SAT, GPA and ROTC.

academic degrees The preferred form is to use “bachelor’s (degree)” and “master’s (degree)” in place of abbreviations. Also acceptable without a possessive in this style: “Bachelor of Arts” and “Master of Science.”

Abbreviations can be used when the use of full terms would be cumbersome, as in a list of people. To abbreviate, use periods and no spaces between letters, such as “B.S.” (Bachelor of Science) or “M.A.” (Master of Arts). For degrees with three or more capital letters, such as “MBA” or “MFA”, omit the periods. However, “Ph.D.” should contain periods. The word “degree” does not follow a degree abbreviation.

An “Associate of Arts” is a two-year post-secondary degree offered by colleges. For students who transfer to UCF, the degree serves as the first two years of work for a bachelor’s degree. “Associate degree” is not possessive.

If mention of degrees is necessary to establish someone’s credentials, the preferred form is to use a phrase such as “John Jones, who has a doctorate in psychology.”

Use such abbreviations as “B.A.,” “M.A.,” and “Ph.D.” only when identifying many individuals by degree on first reference would make the preferred form cumbersome. When necessary, use these abbreviations only after a full name — never after just a last name.

academic departments Capitalize as part of an official name as in “Department of Political Science” and “Department of History,” but lowercase when referring to them generically as in the “political science department” or “history department.”

Academic Health Sciences Center Organizational structure that includes the College of Medicine, College of Nursing, and College of Health Professions and Sciences. Not to be confused with the Academic Health Sciences Campus.

academic titles Capitalize and spell formal titles (president, provost, dean, chancellor, vice president, professor) when they precede a name: “Dean Jane Doe.” Lowercase job titles elsewhere, such as: “John Doe, dean.” When used as descriptors, lowercase titles when they identify something else: “dean’s list,” “provost’s office.” Do not abbreviate “assistant” or “associate.”

accents Use tildes and other accent marks when spelling proper names and other words as needed.

accreditation The University of Central Florida (UCF) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. UCF received initial accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in 2025. Refer to UCF’s certification of accreditation from HLC for official documentation. From 1970 to 2026, the university was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

There is no reason to qualify accreditation: “fully accredited.”

Acrisure Bounce House UCF’s on-campus football stadium. Never use “the” before.

ACT Use only the initials when referring to the previous American College Testing.

add/drop

Addition Financial Arena UCF’s on-campus arena, which hosts basketball games, commencement ceremonies, concerts and other events. Never use “the” before.

administration Lowercase and spell out unless part of a proper name. Do not use “admin.”

advisor Varies from AP’s “adviser.”

AI Abbreviation for artificial intelligence. Acceptable on first reference. This differs from AP style.

AI for All An initiative that aims to ensure that students obtain vital AI fluency skills to succeed in the workforce post-graduation. It also encourages faculty and staff to keep current with ethical uses of modern technology. Not to be confused with the Institute of Artificial Intelligence.

Alafaya Trail UCF’s main entrances are along this roadway, also known as State Road 434. (Refer to roads entry.)

alma mater

alum, alumna, alumnae, alumni, alumnus

• “alum” — catchall term for someone who attended or graduated from the university. This is the preferred term to refer to graduates.
• “alumna” — a woman who has attended UCF (“alumnae” is the plural)
• “alumni” — a group of men and women collectively
• “alumnus” — a man who has attended UCF (alumni is the plural)
  Note, people who attended UCF but did not graduate with a bachelor’s or graduate degree should be referred to as former student or Knight.

alumni association Capitalize only if part of a proper name. (Refer to UCF Alumni entry.)

American Association of State Colleges and Universities

America’s Partnership University and America’s Leading Partnership University UCF trademarks registered in 2013.

and For internal uses, including degree, school, unit, etc. names, use “and” and avoid “&.”

Anheuser-Busch Beer & Wine Lab

Aramark UCF’s food-service provider.

Artemis NASA’s campaign to return humankind to the moon during the 2020s. Use “Artemis program” when referencing the overall initiative. Use “Artemis mission” when referencing the individual launches. Use Roman numerals, such as “Artemis I” and “Artemis II” when referencing specific missions, rather than Arabic numerals.

Association of American Universities Use “AAU” or “the association” on following references.

Associate of Arts (Refer to academic degrees entry.)

baccalaureate The degree of bachelor conferred by universities and colleges, a sermon to a graduating class, or the service at which this sermon is delivered.

bachelor’s/bachelor’s degree Refer to academic degrees entry.

Barbara Ying

Barnes & Noble bookstores on campus.

Barry S. Miller College of Business New name effective July 1, 2026. Miller College of Business acceptable on following references.

Big 12 UCF’s athletic conference — joined July 1, 2023.

Blackstone LaunchPad

Board of Governors Capitalize when referring to the State University System’s board. The panel that oversees operation and management of the State University System of Florida. The board has 17 members, 14 of whom are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate for a term of seven years. Other members are the chair of the Advisory Council of Faculty Senates, the commissioner of education and the chair of the Florida Student Association.

Board of Trustees Capitalize when referring to the UCF board. Each state university has a 13-member panel responsible for budgeting, implementing programs and maintaining education standards. The governor appoints six members and the Board of Governors appoints five. All are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate and serve a term of five years. The remaining two members are the chair of the Faculty Senate or its equivalent, and the president of the student body of the university.

Bounce House Nickname for UCF’s football stadium. Avoid using on first reference. Use formal name “Acrisure Bounce House” on first reference, but never with “the” before.

BRIDG Acronym for “Bridging the Innovation to Development Gap,” a consortium led by UCF, Osceola County, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council to conduct research on next-generation sensors.

building numbers Use Roman numerals when identifying buildings that have the same name: “Classroom Building I” and “Classroom Building II.”

buildings Capitalize the official name of buildings on first reference but lowercase the type of building in subsequent generic usage. “Nicholson Fieldhouse,” “John C. Hitt Library,” “the fieldhouse,” “the library.” The main campus updated building names in 2013. A master list of all building names is at spaceadmin.provost.ucf.edu/buildinglist.asp.

Burnett Honors College Capitalize Burnett Honors College and Burnett Honors Scholars. Lowercase “honors” in other uses such as “honors courses” and “honors classes.”

Burnett House UCF president’s residence on campus.

campus UCF’s four campus locations: main campus (refer to main campus entry), UCF Downtown (refer to UCF Downtown entry), Rosen College of Hospitality Management (refer to Rosen College of Hospitality Management entry) and Academic Health Sciences campus (refer to Academic Health Sciences campus and Academic Health Sciences Center entries).

Carl Black & Gold Cabana Specialty seating area in Acrisure Bounce House.

Cartwright, Alexander N. UCF’s sixth president. Capitalize “President” before his name on first reference, “President Alexander N. Cartwright.” Use “President Cartwright” in following references. Lowercase title when standing alone or used after name. Do not add “Dr.”

Cartwright, Melinda President Alexander N. Cartwright’s wife should be referred to as “UCF First Lady Melinda Cartwright” or “Melinda Cartwright, UCF first lady.” Include middle initial “K.” if listing her name with his in an invitation.

catalog Not “catalogue.”

Celeste Hotel, The Name of the only hotel on campus, at the main UCF entrance.

Center for Distributed Learning

Center for Multilingual and Multicultural Studies

Center for Student Care and Advocacy

Central Florida Do not use as a name for the university. Capitalize when referring to the region. Also, “South Florida,” “North Florida.”

Central Florida Research Park Use full formal name on first reference. Research Park acceptable on following references. Do not add “UCF’s” or “at UCF.”

Centsible Knights

CEOWorld magazine

chair Capitalize as a title before a name. Use the person’s preference.

Charge, The UCF’s student media outlet, which is operated by journalism majors.

Charge Latino, The UCF’s student media outlet for journalists who speak Spanish and for those interested in the Latino media market.

Charge On Air, The UCF’s campus TV newscast, which is a division of the radio/TV program.

cities Add and spell out state names to identify cities other than Orlando in a UCF-produced story. Use judgment about whether to include “Florida” if it is clear the cities are in the state.

• These U.S. cities should not be followed by a state name, as per AP style: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, New York City, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tallahassee, Tampa, Washington. If unclear whether referring to District of Columbia or state of Washington, use: Washington, D.C.
• These international cities should not be followed by a country name: Amsterdam, Baghdad, Bangkok, Beijing, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Cairo, Djibouti, Dublin, Geneva, Gibraltar, Guatemala City, Havana, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Islamabad, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, Kuwait City, London, Luxembourg, Macau, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Monaco, Montreal, Moscow, Munich, New Delhi, Panama City, Paris, Prague, Quebec City, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, San Marino, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Vatican City, Vienna, Zurich.

Citronaut An early unofficial mascot of Florida Technological University that was reintroduced by UCF Athletics in 2014. Don’t add “the” before — “Citronaut” is his name (like “Knightro”). When referring to this as a plural mascot, use “the Citronauts” (like “the Knights”).

class/course titles Capitalize and italicize specific classes and those with numerals: “Evolution of Dance,” “Biology II,” “Journalism 3100.” Lowercase as a general reference: “dance class,” “biology.”

class standings Lowercase designations of “sophomore,” “junior” and “senior.” Where possible, use “first-year student” instead of “freshman.” Avoid “upperclassman.”

college Lowercase unless part of a formal name for a specific college: “College of Sciences.” Avoid use as a synonym for university.

colleges UCF has 12 colleges. Prefer “UCF’s College of ___” over “the UCF College of ___”, except for “the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management”.

• Barry S. Miller College of Business Miller New name effective July 1, 2026. College of Business acceptable on following references.
• Burnett Honors College Burnett acceptable on following references.
• College of Arts and Humanities
• College of Community Innovation and Education Includes the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, which was created in 2025 after the program moved from the
  former College of Undergraduate Studies
• College of Engineering and Computer Science
• College of Graduate Studies
• College of Health Professions and Sciences
• College of Medicine
• College of Nursing
• College of Optics and Photonics (Refer to CREOL entry.)
• College of Sciences
• Rosen College of Hospitality Management Rosen College on following references

Collegiate Cyber Defense Club @ UCF Also known as Hack@UCF. The name for this club varies from the AP spelling of cyberdefense.

Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition Team Also known as C3.

commencement Preferred term for the event instead of graduation.

Common App Use “App” not “Application.”

Communication Disorders Clinic

Communication and Media Building Formerly the Center for Emerging Media. Home to the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy; Center for Research and Education in Arts, Technology and Entertainment (CREATE); and other programs at UCF Downtown.

Counseling and Psychological Services Use on first reference. Use CAPS on following references.

CREATE Center for Research and Education in Arts, Technology and Entertainment.

Creative Village Development by a public/private partnership for retail, commercial, office, residential and educational space (including UCF Downtown) west of Interstate 4, generally the area near where the Amway Arena formerly stood on Livingston Street.

CREOL Acronym for “Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers,” one of the research centers in the College of Optics and Photonics. Acceptable on first reference but spell out the name in the story. CREOL is often used on campus as the name of the college because of its cachet within the industry, but stories should make clear that CREOL is part of the college. Other research centers in the college are the Florida Photonics Center of Excellence, Townes Laser Institute, and Institute for the Frontier of Attosecond Science and Technology. Never use “CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics.” “CREOL, the College of Optics and Photonics” is acceptable.

cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude

Curriculum Materials Center

curriculum vitae A summary of one’s personal history and professional qualifications.

CWEP Abbreviation for the UCF Lockheed Martin College Work Experience program. Use full formal name on first reference.

Cypress Dome, The Literary journal produced by The Cypress Dome Society undergraduate literary organization.

cyber Follow the general rules for prefixes and do not hyphenate, such as “cyberattack,” “cyberdefense” and “cybersecurity.” Exceptions: “Cyber Monday” and when “cyber” is used as a separate modifier as in “cyber shopping.”

Day of Giving, UCF Always include “UCF” in the name, never “UCF’s Day of Giving” or “our Day of Giving.”

deaf, Deaf When used as a label for the audiological condition, use “deaf.” When used as a cultural label, use “Deaf” in writing, and reference “big D Deaf” in speech and sign.

dean Capitalize when used as a title before a name. Lowercase in other uses.

dean’s list

department, division, center Capitalize as part of a formal name. Lowercase for other uses. “Department of Philosophy,” “the political science department.” “Office of Research,” “the research office.”

DeVos sport business management program

DirectConnect to UCF No space between “Direct “and “Connect.” Always use full name.

disabled, handicapped In general, do not use these terms to describe someone unless it is pertinent to a story. If a description of an illness or condition is needed, use language that is specific and refers to the person first and the disability second. “Sara, who has multiple sclerosis, works at the center.” Don’t use descriptions that connote pity, such as “afflicted with” or “suffers from.” For a more comprehensive list, visit the National Center on Disability and Journalism’s style guide: ncdj.org/style-guide.

Division of Student Learning and Academic Success

Dixon Career Development Center Acceptable on following references. Use full formal name “Kenneth G. Dixon Career Development Center” on first reference.

doctoral is an adjective. Doctorate is a noun. “He earned his doctoral degree. He earned his doctorate.”

Dr. Avoid using, even for medical doctors.

Dr. Phillips Academic Commons

Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion Opened in Fall 2025 in Lake Nona Medical City. Home to UCF’s College of Nursing. If needing to establish this is a UCF facility, use “the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion at UCF.”

Dr. Phillips School of Real Estate

Duke Energy University Welcome Center Consider including “at UCF” on first reference for clarity.

email, emailed and emailing

email addresses Use all lowercase letters. If it’s written at the end of a sentence, put a period afterward.

emeritus (for a man), emerita (for a woman), emeriti (plural) Use after their title. For example, “professor emeritus.”

English Language Institute The university’s provider of English-language programs for international students and professors.

exempt / nonexempt The federal Fair Labor Standards Act requires that employers classify jobs as exempt or nonexempt. Exempt positions are typically executive, supervisory, professional or outside sales positions excluded from minimum wage, overtime regulations and other rights provided to nonexempt workers. Employers must pay a salary rather than an hourly wage for a position to be exempt.

Nonexempt employees are not exempt from FLSA requirements and must be paid at least the federal minimum wage and given overtime pay.

Exolith Lab A Florida Space Institute space hardware and regolith simulant research facility. When necessary to establish that this is a UCF-based entity, use “UCF’s Exolith Lab.” Note: Exolith Lab no longer manufactures space regolith simulants. Refer to Space Resource Technologies entry.

Experiential Learning Capitalize when referencing the office. Lowercase when referencing the general experience.

faculty Lowercase when not part of a title. “The Faculty Senate,” “the faculty met to vote.” If not cumbersome to the sentence, use “faculty members” instead of “faculty.”

Faculty Cluster Initiative Established in 2015, the effort links faculty members from UCF’s colleges, institutes and centers to solve today’s toughest challenges. Capitalize when referencing the overall program. Lowercase when paired with the specific cluster initiative names. For example, the “Biionix faculty cluster initiative.” The full list of cluster initiatives:

• Biionix
• Cyber Security and Privacy
• Disability, Aging and Technology (DAT)
• Genomics and Bioinformatics
• Learning Sciences
• Renewable Energy and Chemical Transformation (REACT)
• Resilient, Intelligent and Sustainable Energy Systems Center (RISES)
• UCF Coastal: Center for Integrated Coastal Research
• Violence Against Women (VAW)

FAFSA Acronym for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Spell out on first reference. Acceptable as an abbreviation on first reference in marketing materials where space is limited.

FAIRWINDS UCF’s student banking partner. Capitalize and italicize in “UCF FAIRWINDS Alumni Center,” “FAIRWINDS Credit Union” and other uses.

fellow, fellowship When used alone, lowercase. But capitalize in combination with the name of a granting organization: “a Fulbright Fellow,” “U.S. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships,” but “a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.”

FERPA Acronym for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Spell out first reference.

Ferrell Commons

FIEA Acronym for Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy at UCF. Acceptable on following references but use the full name on first reference.

fintech Stands for financial technology.

first generation, first-generation Meaning can vary based on context, but this term is often used to describe a person who is the first in their family to achieve a milestone, such as attending college or earning a four-year degree. For example, “first-generation student”, “first-generation graduate.”

Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center

Florida Center for Students With Unique Abilities

Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities Comprised of UCF, the University of South Florida and Florida International University.

Florida High Tech Corridor and Florida High Tech Corridor Council

Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy Spell out on first reference, but do not include “the” before. “FIEA” acceptable on following references. Consider including “at UCF” on first reference for clarity.

Florida Prepaid College Plan

Flying Horse Big Band

Flying Horse Editions

Flying Horse Records

Florida Space Institute FSI acceptable on following references.

Florida Technological University Original name of UCF. FTU was created on June 10, 1963, by the Florida Legislature. Classes began in 1968. The university changed its name to UCF in 1978.

Florida’s Technological University A brand positioning statement that highlights UCF’s strength in infusing technology and human ingenuity across all disciplines. Use this positioning statement only when relevant to the content.

Founders’ Day Not “Founders Day” or “Founder’s Day.” When context is needed, use “UCF’s Founders’ Day” or “Founders’ Day at UCF.” Occurs annually on the first Wednesday in April.

Fraternity and Sorority Life Office Do not use “Greek Life” when referencing the office.

game day Two words, unless referring to a proper name such as “ESPN’s College GameDay.”

Go For Launch UCF Advancement and Partnership’s $3.5 billion comprehensive philanthropic campaign designed to accelerate discovery, expand opportunity and position UCF to lead Florida and the nation into the next era of impact.

Go Knights, Charge On! Use this punctuation and capitalization when writing out in a sentence. If using alone as a headline, use “Go Knights! Charge On!” “Charge On!” can also be used alone as a salutation.

Golden Rule, The A compilation of university policies and procedures outlining student rights and responsibilities.

Gordon Rule A Florida requirement for college and university students to complete at least four courses of writing and two courses of mathematics.

GPA Acceptable on all references. Do not use “grade-point average.”

grades Place single quotation marks around grade letters: “She earned an ‘A’ in history.”

Graduate Record Examination GRE acceptable on following references.

Graduation Success Rate An NCAA-developed metric used to measure academic progress and degree completion among Division I college student-athletes.

graduated from Do not drop “from.” For example, use “She graduated from UCF.” Not “She graduated UCF.”

graduate school Lowercase unless part of a proper name.

graduation honors Lowercase “cum laude,” “magna cum laude” and “summa cum laude.”

graduation years and degrees When identifying someone’s graduation years and degrees from UCF, use the appropriate style depending on a variety of factors: where the person’s name is used, type of degree, where it was earned, etc.

Greek, Greek life Capitalize when referring to fraternity and sorority organizations, which take their names from Greek letters.

Hack@UCF No spaces around the @ symbol. Refer to Collegiate Cyber Defense Club @ UCF entry.

headlines For stories on UCF Today, or a college or unit’s news site, capitalize the first word and all other words in the headline except the articles “a,” “an” and “the,” and the conjunctions “and” and “but.” Use numerals for numbers and single quotes for quotation marks. In subheads, write in a complete sentence, capitalizing just the first word and proper nouns, and ending with a period.

healthcare

Healthcare Corporation of America Acceptable to use HCA on first reference.

high-tech

Hitt, John C. UCF’s fourth president, who died on Feb. 20, 2023. Capitalize and use emeritus title with full name on first reference, “President Emeritus John C. Hitt.” Use “Hitt” on following references. Lowercase title when standing alone or used after name.

Homecoming Capitalize when referring to UCF’s annual event.

Housing and Residence Life

housing sites operated by UCF Apollo, Lake Claire, Libra, Nike and Hercules, Neptune, Northview, Rosen College Apartments and Towers at Knights Plaza are on-campus communities. Knights Circle, The Pointe at Central and UnionWest at Creative Village are UCF-affiliated off-campus housing communities.

Institute for Economic Forecasting

Institute for Simulation and Training Spell out on first reference. IST acceptable on following references.

Institute of Artificial Intelligence A university-wide initiative that unites renowned faculty who advance AI across disciplines and colleges. Also referred to as “IAI.” Not to be confused with AI for All.

instructor A non-tenured faculty rank.

intermural, intercollegiate, intramural Competitive teams from different universities are “intermural” or “intercollegiate.” Competitive teams at a single community or institution are “intramural.”

international students Not “foreign students.”

internet

iSTEM Acceptable on first use. Stands for Initiatives in STEM.

John C. Hitt Library

John Euliano Park UCF’s baseball stadium.

John T. Washington Center, John T. Washington Center Breezeway Use full name on first reference. The “breezeway” is acceptable on following references.

Joust New Venture Competition

Kennedy Space Center Use full formal name on first reference. KSC acceptable on following references. Consider including “NASA” before full name in contexts where recognizing the space agency could be beneficial.

Kenneth G. Dixon Career Development Center Use on first reference. Acceptable to use “Dixon Career Development Center” on following references.

Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting

Kiplinger / Kiplinger’s Kiplinger is a financial-advice company. “Kiplinger’s” is the acceptable style to use for the company’s magazine “Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.”

kNEXT/ Knight Experience Team

Knightro The mascot of UCF Athletics.

Knightro’s An all-you-care-to-eat campus restaurant near Addition Financial Arena.

Knights The team name of UCF Athletics.

Knights Plaza Knight-Thon A student-organized dance marathon, including other philanthropic events, held to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network.

L3Harris Engineering Center Lake Claire and Lake Claire Recreation Area

Lake Nona Site of the College of Medicine and Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion. When referencing the Academic Health Sciences campus, Lake Nona Medical City is acceptable.

LBR Acronym for Legislative Budget Request, the formal process by which UCF requests state funding for strategic initiatives.

lectern A speaker stands “behind a lectern,” “in a pulpit” or “on a podium.”

LEED Acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Acceptable on first reference but spell out the name somewhere in the story.

Legislature Capitalize when referring to the Florida Legislature even when not preceded by “Florida.”

Let’s Be Clear Campus program to aid in finding help for victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship violence or stalking.

Leisure Pool A Recreation and Wellness Center facility.

Limbitless Solutions UCF-based nonprofit organization started by students to create 3D printed arms for children with limb differences. The group has developed other engineering projects for medical causes.

Lockheed Martin College Work Experience Program Use on first reference. “CWEP” acceptable on following references.

Lockheed Martin/UCF Academy Acceptable on first reference for the Lockheed Martin/University of Central Florida Academy for Mathematics and Science.

Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government This office at UCF, along with the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida, make up the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship, a civic-education partnership.

Lynx Central Florida’s regional transportation system. Not “LYNX.”

main campus Lowercase in all uses.

majors Do not capitalize majors, programs, specializations or concentrations of study if they are not part of an official department name or title. For example, “He majored in economics. She is an English major.”

manikin An anatomical model of the human body used during healthcare simulation training.

mannequin A model of the human form for fitting or displaying garments.

Marching Knights UCF’s marching band.

Market Day Held each Wednesday on the patio adjacent to the Student Union for student organizations and vendors to promote products, causes or services.

Marriage and Family Research Institute

master’s degree (Refer to academic degrees entry.)

Math Launch

Math Success Center

Medical City Acceptable on first reference for the healthcare-focused area of Lake Nona that includes the College of Medicine, Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Orlando VA Medical Center, Nemours Children’s Hospital, and the University of Florida’s Research and Academic Center. The official name of the UCF presence at Lake Nona is the UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona, but use only when needed for clarification.

Memory Mall

Michelle Akers Alumni Award Presented to outstanding graduates. Named after the UCF graduate, Olympic gold medalist and professional athlete.

midterm Acceptable to use as a noun without “exam.”

military student Current student who is actively enlisted in the armed forces.

million, billion Use numerals along with the words “million” or “billion.” Use decimals to show fractions: 2.5 million people. Don’t go beyond two decimal places: $1.75 billion. Do not use a hyphen: $2 million grant.

Morgridge International Reading Center

motto UCF’s official motto is “Reach for the Stars.”

myUCF The site for personalized information and applications for faculty, staff and students.

NanoScience Technology Center

National Center for Forensic Science

2017 National Champions Declared by UCF after ending the football season as the only NCAA school to finish undefeated (13-0), culminating in beating Auburn University in the 2018 Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day.

National Merit Scholarship Program and National Merit Scholar

National Science Foundation, U.S. Use full formal name on first reference. Use “NSF” on following references.

NCAA Acceptable in all references for the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Nicholson Fieldhouse

Nicholson School of Communication and Media

NID Network identification number (from “network identification”). Acceptable to pronounce as “nid” or “N-I-D.”

NorthView Student housing complex adjacent to the north edge of UCF’s main campus.

Office of Military and Veteran Student Success

Office of New Student and Family Programs Formerly First Year Experience.

Ombuds Office

OPS Abbreviation for Other Personal Services employment classification. Acceptable on first reference, but spell out the full name somewhere in the story.

Orlando Tech Center

Oviedo Refer to UCF’s location as Orlando, not Oviedo. The main campus is located in unincorporated Orange County with an Orlando mailing address.

Oxford comma Per AP style, generally avoid them unless needed for clarity, like when items in a list include internal conjunctions. Oxford commas often make the reader pause unnecessarily, hindering the flow and pace of the sentence.

page When referencing page numbers, lowercase and spell out. For example, “To read more, go to page 44.” This differs from AP style.

Park and Ride A campus service in conjunction with campus shuttles.

Partnership I, Partnership II, Partnership III, Partnership IV and Partnership V Buildings in Central Florida Research Park

PedsAcademy UCF’s pediatric school program at Nemours Children’s Hospital to provide children with educational opportunities. Pronounced “Peeds Academy.”

Pegasus UCF’s flagship publication. Italicize. Not “Pegasus Magazine.”

Percent Always use the symbol “%,” as per AP style. Do not use a hyphen. For example, “An increase of 35%. A 35% increase.”

Ph.D., Ph.D.s In a sentence, the preferred form is to say a person holds a doctorate and include the area of specialty. (Refer to graduation years and degrees entry.)

phone numbers Use area code and hyphens in news stories, not parentheses and/or periods. For example, “407-823-1234.”

PID Personal identification number (from personal identification). Acceptable to pronounce as “pid” or “P-I-D.”

Pineapple Ball, The Annual event hosted by the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at which new members are inducted into the Central Florida Hospitality Hall of Fame.

postdoc, postdoctoral, postdoctorate Do not use a hyphen.

postgraduate Do not use a hyphen.

Power Four conferences UCF is the youngest Power Four member university by three decades.

presidents UCF’s presidents:
Charles N. Millican, 1965-78
Trevor Colbourn, 1978-89
Steven Altman, 1989-91
John C. Hitt, 1992-2018
Dale Whittaker, 2018-19
Thad Seymour Jr., 2019-20 (interim)
Alexander N. Cartwright, 2020-current

President’s Honor Roll

President’s Leadership Council Group of students selected by the UCF president to serve as advisors and official ambassadors of the university.

Pride Commons

professor Capitalize and do not abbreviate as a title before a name. Capitalize and do not abbreviate “assistant” or “associate” when used with the title before a name. (This differs from AP style.) Capitalize “Professor Emeritus” as a title before a name. Do not capitalize the title when used alone. Avoid using “professor” to generally refer to faculty members as many hold varying forms of this title.

Quadrangle Office park west of UCF and north of University Boulevard where UCF Health’s Orlando facility is located.

Reach for the Stars UCF’s official motto, which should only be capitalized when referencing this fact: “Reach for the Stars is UCF’s motto.” Generally, lowercase when used in stories: “She continues to reach for the stars.”

Recreation and Wellness Center Spell out on first reference. Acceptable to use “RWC” or “the rec center” on following references.

Reflecting Pond Not “Reflecting Pool,” “Reflection Pond” or “the Fountain.”

Research Pavilion

Registrar’s Office

residence hall Preferred term instead of “dorm” or “dormitory.”

resident assistant Not “residents’ assistant” or “resident’s assistant.”

roads Road names on and near the main campus: https://spaceadmin.provost.ucf.edu/buildinglist.asp

• Alafaya Trail (Also known as State Road 434.)
• Andromeda Loop
• Aquarius Agora Drive
• Ara Drive
• Centaurus Boulevard
• Central Florida Boulevard Colonial Drive (Also known as State Road 50.)
• East Plaza Drive
• Gemini Boulevard
• Greek Court
• Greek Park Drive
• Home Run Court
• Hydra Lane
• Ken Dixon Way (As of 2024. Formerly North Orion Boulevard.)
• Knights Victory Way
• Lake Claire Way
• Leo Lane
• Libra Drive
• Lockwood Boulevard
• McCulloch Road
• Mensa Lane
• Pegasus Drive
• Perseus Loop
• Pictor Lane
• Pyxis Lane
• Research Parkway
• Scholarship Drive
• Science Drive
• Scorpius Street
• Technology Parkway
• Triangulum Court
• University Boulevard
• Ursa Minor Street
• West Plaza Drive
• A list of all campus addresses

Robinson Observatory

room numbers When referencing room or suite numbers in a sentence, lowercase and spell out. For example, “The meeting is in room 23.”

ROTC Acceptable in all references for the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. There are two branches at UCF: Air Force and Army.

Roth Tower

’63 South A campus restaurant in Ferrell Commons. Make sure the apostrophe faces left, which is in the direction of the missing part of the year.

SAT Use only the initials when referring to the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Do not use a comma in scores.

School of Communication Sciences and Disorders

School of Global Health Management and Informatics

School of Interdisciplinary Studies

School of Kinesiology and Physical Therapy

School of Performing Arts

School of Politics, Security and International Affairs

School of Public Administration

School of Social Work

School of Teacher Education

School of Technology, Leadership and Innovation This is a university-wide initiative that provides executive education to industry professionals, not academic degrees to undergraduate and graduate students.

School of Visual Arts and Design

semesters Lowercase “fall,” “spring” and “summer” when used with semester without a specific term. For example, “summer semester.” Capitalize when referring to a specific term. For example, “Spring 2027.”

service-learning

Siemens Energy A UCF Pegasus Partner. Make sure to include “Energy” with the name.

Siemens Energy Center

ShanghaiRanking No “s” at the end.

shuttles The “Pegasus Express” and “Knights Express” are the on-campus shuttles available to take students, employees and guests around campus.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Use full formal name on first reference and SACS on following references.

space In any writing, use only one space after ending punctuation.

SpaceU Nickname for UCF. Do not add a space between “Space” and “U.” Do not add “America’s,” unless it’s “America’s Space University,” which is another acceptable nickname. Only use a nickname if it’s relevant to the story or marketing piece.

Space Game Most often refers to the football team’s annual matchup, but other teams also have Space Games, including baseball, and men’s and women’s basketball. The softball team has the SpaceU Classic tournament.

Space Resource Technologies An independent UCF alumni-led company that manufactures space regolith simulants, based in the Exolith Lab.

Space Week, UCF Always include “UCF” in the name, never “UCF’s Space Week” or “our Space Week.” As of 2025, held annually in the fall in conjunction with the football team’s Space Game. A university-wide celebration that highlights UCF’s vital role in advancing space research, supporting Florida’s fast-growing space economy, and preparing the next generation of leaders and innovators across the space sector.

Spirit Splash

spring break

staff member(s) If not cumbersome to the sentence, refer to “staff members” instead of “staff.”

State University System of Florida Comprising 12 institutions:

• Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Florida Atlantic University
• Florida Gulf Coast University
• Florida International University
• Florida Polytechnic University
• Florida State University
• New College of Florida
• University of Central Florida
• University of Florida
• University of North Florida
• University of South Florida
• University of West Florida

states Always spell out state names in sentences or headlines. Include “Florida” with cites located in the Sunshine State except “Lake Nona,” “Miami,” and “Orlando.”

STEM Acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Acceptable to use on first reference. The STEAM initiative adds “A” to incorporate art with STEM fields.

Student Academic Resource Center SARC acceptable on following references.

student-athlete

Student Financial Assistance, Office of

Student Government Formerly Student Government Association. Use full formal name on first reference.

student-veteran Former member of the military who is currently enrolled. Current students who are actively enlisted in the military are “military students.”

Symphony Under the Stars

Student Success and Well-Being

Student Health Services

Student Union In communications and marketing writing, do not refer to as “the union” or “the Union.”

3D Not “3-D.”

30 Under 30 UCF awards program that recognizes outstanding young alumni whose professional achievements, leadership and service reflect the bold spirit, values and impact of the university.

TeachLivE Lab Mixed-reality classroom of simulated students that provides situations for teachers to develop educational practices.

TEFL Abbreviation for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Use full name on first reference for this degree.

TESOL Abbreviation for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Use full name on first reference for this degree.

theatre/theater Use “theatre” when referring to the program or degree. Use “theater” in all other instances. Varies from AP.

Theatre UCF

Thomas L. Keon Testing Center

times Follow this style:

midnight Do not use to avoid confusion of whether it refers to the beginning or end of a day.

titles Italicize the names of newspapers, magazines, books, movies, plays, songs, works of art, courses, lectures and video games. Do not italicize the names of websites, events or campaigns.

™ or ® Do not include trademark or registered symbols in communications and marketing writing when referring to brand names licensed by the university.

Timothy R. Newman Pavilion

Townes Laser Institute

UCF Acceptable on first reference for all internal uses. For external uses, consider using “the University of Central Florida” on first reference, or at least somewhere in the piece, and “UCF” on following references.

UCF Abroad The university office that provides access to study abroad programs.

UCF Advancement and Partnerships The official fundraising and gift beneficiary for the university.

UCF Alumni Acceptable on first reference or “UCF Alumni Association.” Do not capitalize if referring to a general group of graduates.

UCF Arboretum Capitalize when referring to the set-aside natural area on the east side of campus that provides research, education and outreach opportunities. The “arboretum” acceptable on following references.

UCF Athletics Uses a singular verb. For example, “UCF Athletics has” and “UCF Athletics is.”

UCF Connect Division that includes the university’s 11 regional campuses, DirectConnect to UCF, continuing and corporate education, personal enrichment, and opportunities for faculty consulting.

The campuses are: Altamonte Springs, Cocoa, Daytona Beach, Leesburg, Ocala, Palm Bay, Sanford/Lake Mary, South Lake, Valencia East, Valencia Osceola, Valencia West.

Distinct from the UCF Connect campuses are several off-site locations including: the Center for Emerging Media, Executive Development Center, Florida Solar Energy Center, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Academic Health Sciences Campus and UCF Downtown.

UCF Downtown Not Downtown UCF, UCF’s downtown campus or any other variation. A project of UCF and Valencia College in Creative Village, a development by a public/private partnership for retail, commercial, office, residential and educational space. Facilities include UnionWest at Creative Village, Dr. Phillips Academic Commons, UCF’s Communication and Media Building, and Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy.

UCF Global A program for international students.

UCF Health The umbrella organization of UCF clinical healthcare services including Student Health Services, Faculty Physician Practice, Physical Therapy Clinic and Communication Disorders Clinic.

UCF Lake Nona Hospital A partnership academic hospital between the College of Medicine and HCA Healthcare located on UCF’s Academic Health Sciences Campus.

UCF Libraries The wholistic name for all of the university’s library locations and services.

UCF Online

UCF RESTORES Clinical research center that studies anxiety, trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, and is committed to helping active military, veterans, first responders and civilians who have experienced traumatic events.

UCF Space Week Always include “UCF” in the name, never “UCF’s Space Week” or “our Space Week.” As of 2025, held annually in the fall in conjunction with the football team’s Space Game. A university-wide celebration that highlights UCF’s vital role in advancing space research, supporting Florida’s fast-growing space economy, and preparing the next generation of leaders and innovators across the space sector.

UCF Student Health Services

UCF Technology Product Center

undergraduate A student who has not yet earned a four-year degree.

UnionWest at Creative Village A 15-story building for UCF Downtown classrooms, residence halls, offices and restaurants. Use formal name on first reference and “UnionWest” on following references

United Faculty of Florida Use formal name on first reference and UFF on following references.

university Lowercase unless it’s in a full formal name. Do not capitalize when referring to UCF. For example, “This is the university’s official policy. Attendees will include university leaders.”

University Innovation Alliance Composed of UCF, Arizona State University, Georgia State University, Iowa State University, Michigan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Oregon State University, Purdue University, Temple University, University at Buffalo, University of California Riverside, University of Colorado Denver, University of Illinois Chicago, University of Maryland Baltimore County, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of New Mexico, University of South Carolina, University of Utah and Virginia Commonwealth University.

University of Central Florida Use the full formal name on first reference for external publications. For in-house publications it is acceptable to use “UCF” on first reference. Do not abbreviate any of the words, use periods or spaces, or use the term “Central Florida.”

University Press of Florida Official book publisher for the State University System of Florida.

University Tower

university-wide

University Writing Center

Universal School of Experience Leadership and Innovation

University Testing Center

upperclassman / upperclassmen Avoid using these terms.

UpStarts Student Venture Accelerator

U.S. News & World Report Italicize. Never spell out “and.”

U.S. National Science Foundation Use formal name on first reference and use NSF on following references. When space is limited, such as in headlines, using NSF is acceptable.

Venue, The Facility adjacent to Addition Financial Arena for concerts, sports, banquets, trade shows and other events.

Veterans Commemorative Site On the south end of Memory Mall.

VPK Acceptable to use the abbreviation on first reference for Voluntary Prekindergarten Program but spell out somewhere in the story.

Wayne Densch Center for Student-Athlete Leadership

Wayne Densch Sports Center

website Use all lowercase letters, even when containing a title or an acronym. Do not use “https://www.” or “www.”

White Coat Ceremony College of Medicine tradition of welcoming first-year medical students as colleagues in healthcare.

-wide No hyphen in campuswide, citywide, countywide, nationwide, statewide, worldwide. Hyphenate university-wide, though.

Workday The enterprise resource planning system for campus administration processes.

WUCF FM

WUCF TV

Zora Neale Hurston Institute for Documentary Studies

ZORAfest!