With the end of the semester approaching, 230 second-year students of the LEAD Scholars Academy graduated from the two-year academic component of the program.

A graduation ceremony was held in the Student Union on April 13  and all in attendance were presented a certificate of completion and a LEAD Scholars Academy academic program pin.

Special recognition was paid to those who served as REEL Retreat counselors, peer mentors, Leadership Excellence Board members and LEAD Students Association members.

Sophomore industrial engineering major Brandon Ikeman was the recipient of a special award, the “Henry Landwirth Heart of UCF Award” for exemplary community service and leadership within the LEAD Scholars Academy.

Sophomore business management major Kristina Cornuet said, “Time sure does fly. It’s weird to think that I’ve already graduated the program when it seems like just yesterday I was running around the house with excitement about my acceptance letter.”

After the graduation ceremony, a presentation similar to an Open House was held where students could walk around and learn about the newly available third- and fourth-year tracks for the LEAD Scholars Academy. The LEAD Scholars Academy includes programs such as:

  • LEAD Out Loud (LOL) is an experiential program that focuses on the leadership development of multicultural students at UCF. This program promises to enhance leadership skills, strengthen life skills and encourage positional leadership in this population of students at UCF.
  • Inspire Women’s Leadership Program aims to provide leadership enhancement and empowerment opportunities for UCF women students. Through networking, mentoring, personal development, and experiential training, these students will be prepared to hold various leadership positions on campus and in the work arena.
  • Campus Engagement Leaders is a program that assists students in achieving high profile leadership positions and awards on campus.
  • Civic Engagement Scholars is a track intended for students who have a passion for the community, civic engagement and/or civic responsibility.
  • Clinton Global Initiative University builds on the successful model of the Clinton Global Initiative, which brings together world leaders to take action on global challenges and seeks to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world.
  • Undergraduate Research is a program created to connect students with faculty and administrators in a meaningful mentoring relationship as well as to provide concrete experience to students in their area of interest and career choice.

    • The tracks are intended to keep third- and fourth-year graduates of the main academic track of LEAD Scholars involved in the Academy and to involve others in the UCF community, especially incoming transfer students, who did not participate in the two-year academic component to gain a better understanding of and more experience in leadership.

    LEAD Scholars Academy is an office in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.