{"id":13930,"date":"2018-05-21T16:17:58","date_gmt":"2018-05-21T16:17:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/pegasus\/?p=13930&post_type=story"},"modified":"2024-08-27T13:02:10","modified_gmt":"2024-08-27T13:02:10","slug":"ill-always-knight","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/pegasus\/ill-always-knight\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I’ll Always Be a Knight"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summer 2018 | By John C. Hitt<\/em><\/p>\n

On my first visit to UCF, I knew this was a special place.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s something about the particular combination of being in\u00a0Central Florida, the kind of students we attract and the people who choose to work here. There\u2019s something, too, about the qualities we share that make us Knights.<\/p>\n

When I think about our mascot,\u00a0I think about how it could have gone another way. Sure, people talk about Vinnie the Vulture and the Citronaut<\/a>, but those were never real contenders. Former president Charlie Millican assured me of that. But there was a fairly serious discussion early in my presidency about changing our mascot from the Knights to the Sharks.<\/p>\n

You see the Knights everywhere now, but you didn\u2019t back then. And if the idea of becoming the Sharks had attracted enough attention, we might have made the switch.<\/p>\n

But we didn\u2019t. We are not Sharks. We are Knights. And I\u2019ve done a lot\u00a0of thinking over the years about what that means, and why I\u2019m proud to call myself one.<\/p>\n

Knights look for opportunities to serve.<\/h2>\n

Our students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters are some of the most remarkable people you\u2019ll ever meet. From teaching to research to community service, Knights are changing lives here at home \u2014 and around the world.<\/p>\n

I think of Pulse and Hurricane\u00a0Irma as examples of this. Knights\u00a0were there helping in the immediate aftermath of the shooting at Pulse \u2014 from our own police department to nurses and doctors<\/a> \u2014 and continued\u00a0to help victims heal in the months that followed. After Hurricane Irma, we opened our campus to the National Guard<\/a> so members could easily reach people who needed assistance. Knights were also emergency staff on call, they were neighbors helping neighbors, friends helping friends. I\u2019m continually impressed by the UCF community, but never more so than when you\u2019re willing to help during a moment of need.<\/p>\n

Knights are hardworking.<\/h2>\n

Throughout our work, it\u2019s as if each of us is asking, \u201cWhat is the right thing to do? And what do I need to do so that the next person can succeed in his or her job?\u201d There\u2019s something about the qualities we all have in common \u2014 working together to do what\u2019s right \u2014 that make us Knights.<\/p>\n

Knights are courageous.<\/h2>\n

Courage means doing the right thing even when you\u2019re scared. I remember attending a Board of Regents meeting many years ago, and Martha commented about how I had spoken out. She asked me, \u201cHow was it you weren\u2019t afraid to speak up in a tough situation?\u201d And I said, \u201cWhat do you mean, wasn\u2019t afraid? I was scared to death! But I had to say it.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the modern-day version of a knight: You do what has to be done, and you try to do what\u2019s best for all.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m proud to have always tried to do the right thing for UCF, and as I move on from the presidency, I\u2019ll remain a part of the university. I\u2019ll have an office in Research Park and will be working to successfully close out our $500 million IGNITE\u00a0campaign. My focus will be on raising funding for more faculty positions and support\u00a0for our faculty members. Faculty are the lifeblood of great universities, and that\u2019s especially true for UCF. With them, we increase our excellence in teaching, research and reputation.<\/p>\n

When I arrived in Orlando, UCF\u00a0was a place full of potential. It still\u00a0is \u2014 because our students, faculty,\u00a0staff and alumni are full of potential. We turn big dreams into reality. We challenge what has been by pioneering what\u2019s next. We know that if we put our minds to it, anything is possible.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s why I will always be a Knight. No matter what.<\/p>\n

Charge on!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":14102,"template":"","categories":[1000],"tags":[775,865],"class_list":["post-13930","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-why-i","tag-john-c-hitt","tag-knightro","issues-1242","issues-summer-2018"],"yoast_head":"\nPresident John Hitt on Why He'll Always be a UCF Knight<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As President John C. 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