Anyone who’s ever been part of a chamber of commerce will tell you that it’s not enough to simply “join.” To get the most from your membership, it’s necessary to get involved.

At a basic level, that can mean attending events and exchanging business cards. At a more engaged level, it may mean joining a weekly networking group, volunteering for a committee or helping with an event.

UCF practices a higher level of involvement and has representatives serving on boards throughout Central Florida guiding major chamber initiatives.

Division Vice President Helen Donegan serves on the executive committee of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Associate VP Diane Trees chairs the West Orange Chamber; associate VP Cynthia Sucher is president-elect of the Oviedo-Winter Springs Chamber; and director Maritza Martinez is immediate past chair of the East Orlando Chamber. Martinez and assistant VP Karen Jans respectively serve on the boards of the Winter Park and Halifax chambers.

One of UCF’s five goals is to be the nation’s leading partnership university. Partnering with chambers is an important element of that effort.