Highlights

  • Leading immersive experience design, production and project management company AOA is partnering with UCF’s reputable themed experience program to better support the future of the industry.

  • The AOA Scholars Program will cultivate a select cohort of UCF graduate students through workshops led by AOA professionals, visits to active project sites and production facilities and exposure to how creative, technical and operational decisions intersect in real projects.

  • The initiative is expected to begin in Fall 2026, reinforcing Central Florida’s position as a training ground for the next generation of themed experience professionals.

H

ome to UCF, Orlando has long been a global center for themed entertainment. As immersive attractions, museums and themed entertainment experiences continue to grow in scale, complexity and cultural impact, the industry faces a critical challenge: preparing the next generation of professionals with the real-world skills needed to bring immersive experiences to life.

Spanning storytelling, architecture, engineering, media, operations and production, today’s themed experiences and attractions demand skills that rarely live within a single academic discipline.

For many aspiring professionals, the pathway into themed entertainment remains unclear, with limited visibility into professional workflows, real-world timelines and the cross-functional dynamics that ultimately determine a project’s success.

A new partnership between UCF and AOA — a leading immersive experience design, production and project management company — aims to change that to better support the future of the industry.

A portrait of two men and two women standing in warehouse with technical equipment behind them as the two men shake hands.
From left to right: AOA chief creative executive Tom Acomb, managing director Denise Hatcher, UCF director of themed experience graduate programs Peter Weishar and  instructor and producing concentration lead Adora English.

Ideal Partnership

UCF’s themed experience graduate programs at the College of Arts and Humanities and AOA have launched the AOA Scholars Program, a hands-on practicum designed to give graduate students direct exposure to the real-world processes behind themed entertainment design and production.

UCF introduced a theatre Master of Fine Arts track in themed experience in 2018. In 2021, the university offered a stand-alone degree program in themed experience. Both programs are  the first of its kind at a public university.

The program’s focused curriculum in themed experience and attractions makes it an ideal partner for AOA.

The scholars initiative will address a common challenge in the field: while demand for immersive attractions, museums and experiences continues to grow, there is an expanding need for practical training and field work for emerging talent.

“Florida is home to some of the most sophisticated themed entertainment work in the world, but the way people enter the industry hasn’t kept pace,” says Tom Acomb, co-founder and chief creative officer of AOA. “This program is about opening the door earlier and giving students a clearer view of how these projects actually come together.”

Each semester, a select cohort of students will participate in workshops led by AOA professionals, visit active project sites and production facilities, and learn how creative, technical and operational decisions intersect in real projects.

“AOA has always believed in investing in early-career talent, starting with a strong internship program that’s been part of our culture since the early days,” says Mike Ostendorf, co-founder and CEO of AOA. “This partnership with UCF is an evolution of that long-standing commitment — because seeing the full lifecycle of a project up close matters.”

Woman in blue long sleeve shirt stands over a man kneeling with a paint brush in his hand in a workshop
Visiting Instructor of Themed Experience Adora English advises on a group project for an installation that will be featured at UCF Celebrates the Arts.

“This partnership gives students access to professional workflows with one of the top firms in the themed entertainment industry.” — Peter Weishar, UCF director of themed experience

What’s Next

UCF will oversee academic structure and accreditation, while AOA will contribute funding and industry expertise.

“This partnership gives students access to professional workflows with one of the top firms in the themed entertainment industry with diverse project and a global reach” says Peter Weishar, director of themed experience at UCF. “It strengthens Florida’s role as a global talent pipeline for themed entertainment.”

The AOA Scholars Program is expected to begin Fall 2026, reinforcing Central Florida’s position as a training ground for the next generation of immersive experience professionals.