December's Alumni Shout Out!

Our Alumni Shout-Out for this month is Barry Bonzack. Barry graduated in 2009, and he majored in Finance and also received a Certificate of Investments. He graduated from the Burnett Honors College with a 4.0 GPA. Barry was a member of 4EK, Delta Epsilon Iota, and the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space at UCF. Barry works for Lockheed Martin Global Training and Logistics as a Financial Analyst, and has volunteered over 500 hours with the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition in 2010. Barry is a huge UCF fan and is often found at the football and basketball games wearing a black and gold wig.  His brother and he enjoy traveling to at least one away game a year, and this year the cameras zoomed in on them at the Kansas State game.  When he graduated from Harmony high school in 2005 he received the 2 Plus 2 Scholarship from the Valencia and UCF alumni associations. When asked what he would say to students, Barry said, “I have always loved the Orlando area and believe that I can accomplish my life goals right here in Central Florida. The alumni associations supported me, and I am thrilled to continue to live and work in the area while contributing to my community.”

Barry has volunteered at FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition events since 2004, and proudly mentors a local team called Exploding Bacon which is made of 10 schools over 3 counties in Central Florida. FIRST's goal is to inspire high school students about the exciting world of Science and Engineering by having them work with professionals to design, build, wire, and program a robot within six weeks. Students on Exploding Bacon also learn many non-engineering skills such as public speaking, marketing, essay writing, website development, and 3D animation. After the exhausting build season is over, the robot is sent to competition, the first being the Florida Regional held in the UCF Arena. The Florida Regional is a large event with over 50 teams competing, and the game that is played changes every year so the experience is different every time. During this event Barry volunteers as the Game Announcer, giving the play by play for the 3 vs 3 robotic game.  Barry says,  "I consider it my job to make sure the competition is lively and fun, and this is shown by the students in the stands cheering as hard as one would expect at any sporting event. I invite anyone to learn more about FIRST at www.usfirst.org, and Exploding Bacon at www.ExplodingBacon.com. And of course come to the FREE robotics competition March 11th and 12th 2011, say "hi" to me, I'll be in the UCF Hawaiian shirt and umbrella hat."  

We are so thankful to have Barry as our featured alumnus this month!  He has done many great things during his career and will go on to do many more!

December's 4EK Superstar!

Our 4EK Superstar for this month is Michelle Messina.  Michelle is currently a senior and is working towards a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, as well as a minor in Leadership Studies and English: Writing.  Michelle has a very colorful resume, including being a part of the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-law Fraternity and President’s Leadership Council, as well as being Miss UCF Homecoming Queen Spring 2010.  When asked about her experience at UCF, Michelle said, “I love UCF because of opportunity it provides. The staff and faculty of UCF truly care about you and want you to succeed. They are extremely willing to help and set you up to be the best you can be. I have had every opportunity to do everything that I have wanted to do. I would not change my college experience for anything.”  

Some honors which Michelle have achieved include the Order of Omega Honor Society and the Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Society.  Michelle is a a student in the Burnett Honors College and was also in the Inspire Women's Leadership Program, as well as the LEAD Scholars Program.  Michelle has received many awards during her time at UCF, including the Student Government Board of Trustees Scholarship and the Student Government Campus Involvement Scholarship.  A few of the places where Michelle has gained invaluable work experience are UCF's Board of Trustees where she worked as a Student Assistant; Edge Public Affairs, LLC./Tico Perez Solutions, LLC, where she worked as an intern for Tico Perez Solutions, LLC; and MyRegion within the Central Florida Partnership, where she worked as an intern for MyRegion.org.

Besides being on President's Leadership Council and in the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, Michelle is involved in a lot of activities, such as being a Student Government Association Justice, being on the Student Conduct Review Board Undergraduate Studies Advisory Board, and being in the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.  

We are so honored to have Michelle as our 4EK Superstar, she is such a wonderful member of the UCF community!

4EK Superstar!

Our 4EK Superstars for the month of November are two four-year members of the 4EVER KNIGHTS organization, Chris Robinson and Michael Holleran. Both Chris and Michael volunteered their time and skills this year to help 4EK participate in the traditions of Homecoming Week. Chris is the artist who exemplified his talents through the drawing of the 4EK Spirit Banner and Splash Guard. Michael worked his magic and put his editing skills to the test by creating our one minute Movie Knight Commercial.



Chris Robinson is only a freshman at UCF but already his veins bleed black and gold. Chris takes UCF pride to a completely different  level. His passion first began when his older brother, Dan, transferred to UCF from FGCU. Chris has always looked up to his brother and would visit on weekends to attend UCF football games. Once he stepped foot into Brighthouse Stadium and heard the roar of the student section jumping to the sound of zombie nation, Chris knew he was home. Chris is currently majoring in Business at UCF, but graphic design and drawing are huge hobbies of his. While putting those hobbies to work, Chris has been an extreme asset to 4EK, always willing to help in any way possible. Chris hopes to become a 4EK Ambassador in the near future and will continue to make his brother and family very proud.

Michael Holleran is currently a sophomore at UCF and an intern for the UCF Alumni Association within the Digital Media and Design team. Michael has many aspirations in life, two being basketball and coaching. He is currently employed by the National Basketball Academy as a coach/instructor in association with the Orlando Magic. Michael hopes to one day inspire players through coaching using video editing. 4EK has witnessed Michael’s talents with digital editing and we can proudly say any team would be lucky to have him. Michael’s skills enhanced 4EK’s Homecoming Commercial where he took hours of filming and converted it into a one minute fan favorite full of humor and suspense.

We are very thankful for both Chris and Michael’s volunteerism and only hope they will consider one day joining our leadership team of Ambassadors. Their passion is contagious and UCF is very lucky to have such talented students.



Alumni Shout Out!

I graduated from UCF in 2004 with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. In 2007 I also graduated from UCF with my MS in Criminal Justice.  While pursuing my undergraduate degree I took classes such as Sex Crimes and various Women's Studies classes and quickly realized what I wanted to do: assist victims of crime.

 

While working on completing my undergraduate career I volunteered for an on campus agency, Victim Services. Through my experience there I was able to work with victims and really able to see what goes during the aftermath of a victimization. After graduation, I was offered a full time position as a Victim Advocate. Some of my responsibilities have included presenting information on various topics to classes, clubs/ organizations, staff meetings, trainings, etc., working with victims of crime on a 24/7 basis, supervising the Intern/ Volunteer program and event planning. All of which has given a great basis for my upcoming job as an Advocate for the Office of the Attorney General in their Child Predator CyberCrime Unit.

 

I am originally from England and moved to sunny Florida in 2000. I love to travel and spend as much time as possible with my family and friends.

 

When asked what advice she would give to students, Charlotte said: "one of the most important things that students at UCF should know is that having an Internship and/ or volunteer hours on their resume are essential into finding a job after graduation. Employers will look for this as it shows commitment and interest. Good luck!"



Hey 4EKers!
Come out and join us for Knight of Success on November 3, at 6 p.m.  When you attend the event you can enter to win a pair of tickets to the UCF vs. UF basketball game!  Here are some of the speakers who will be present at the event:

Todd Woodard: Entrepreneurship

Todd Woodard is the president and founder of Mosaic Wealth Management

Group, Inc. Todd is a 1995 graduate of the University of Central Florida College of

Business. He presently serves as Chairman for the UCF Alumni Association

Board of Directors, is on the Board of Directors for the Walt Disney

Florida Children’s Hospital, the CEO Council for the Florida Baptist

Children's Home and he and his wife volunteer their time with various

nonprofit organizations.

Todd currently resides in Winter Springs with his wife Ashley, daughter

Morgan (12) and son T.J. (10). He enjoys spending his spare time with

family, playing golf, reading and anything/everything UCF!

Trace Trylko: Networking

Trace Trylko graduated from UCF in 1994 with a degree in Radio/TV and has

highlighted his resume with experiences in newspaper, radio, television, media relations and marketing. He currently works as the Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator for Longwood-based NDI Recognition Systems.

In his spare time, Trace proudly serves on the Board of Directors for the UCF Alumni

Association and is the immediate past Chair of that organization's Community Volunteers Chapter. Trace is active at All Souls Catholic Church and is a Board Member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Further, Trace is Chair of the Seminole Action Coalition Serving Our Needy (SACSON) and was just named to the Citizens Advisory Board for the City of Sanford. Trace writes a column for The Sanford Herald and is a proud member of the Golden Knights Club and has season tickets to UCF football, basketball and baseball.

Mark Nation: Ethics

Mark A. Nation is a civil trial lawyer who limits his practice to wrongful death, personal injury, and insurance cases. Before becoming a lawyer, Mr. Nation was a police officer and a deputy sheriff. Mr. Nation graduated with Honors from the University of Florida College of Law where he was an editor of the Law Review.

Mr. Nation is married with four children. Over the years, he has served on the board of directors of many organizations, including: Ronald McDonald House, Seminole County Bar Association, Volie Williams Inns of Court (a national organization dedicated to professionalism and ethics in the practice of law).

In 2009, Mr. Nation was selected as one of the University of Central Florida’s recipients of its Alumni Professional Achievement Awards. Mr. and Mrs. Nation support Hospice of the Comforter, Christian Help, and Orlando Union Rescue Mission.

Joseph Mera: Presenter

Joseph Mera graduated from UCF in 2003, with a bachelor's degree in Accounting. Upon leaving UCF, Joseph worked for the Bank of New York, but is now back in Central Florida and is currently the associate director of accounting and financial management services for the UCF Foundation. Joseph was born and raised in Orlando, Florida, and has enjoyed watching the city evolve.  When he is not working, he is heavily involved in tennis, participating in a doubles league and playing tournaments.  He also maintains a close relationship to UCF through the Alumni Association.  He was the Chair Elect, and then Chair for Fiscal Years 08 and 09 for the UCF Young Alumni Chapter.  He has also been inducted as a member of the Alumni Association Board.  Aside from that, he likes to get involved with smaller foundations and volunteering efforts and is a member of the University Club of Orlando.

A message from Nicole Cruz, our Vice Chair of Campus and Community Involvement, about Homecoming!

Hi 4EKers!

Homecoming week has been such a blast! I hope you've all been attending all the fun events this week! We've been really busy competing in several homecoming events to show our UCF spirit and pride, such as fountain guard and spirit banner painting, making a UCF commercial, and even collecting aluminum cans for the campus-wide drive last week. Thanks to a fellow 4EK member, Chris Robinson, our spirit banner and fountain guard are looking pretty awesome with Knightro clobbering Sammy the owl with a dodgeball to go along with our homecoming theme: DodgeBall- A True 4EK Story! Be sure to check out the fountain guard at this Friday's Spirit Splash--UCF's best tradition starting at noon! Also, be sure to go to our Facebook page to see our movie commercial that shows exactly how things are going to go down at Saturday's homecoming game against the Rice Owls!!! Last but not least, come walk with us in Saturday's traditional Homecoming Parade and help us pass out UCF inspired silly bands!!! Afterwards, head on over to the Fairwinds Alumni Center where we will be hosting an indoor tailgate that you and a friend can enter with your 4EK keyring!

Hope to see you all there! Let me know if you have any questions at ncruz@knights.ucf.edu.

GOOOOO KNIGHTS!!! :)

Vote for Ambassador Sasha Dookhoo for Homecoming Queen!

Sasha Dookhoo is a senior, Advertising/Public Relations major with minors in Marketing and English Writing. Sasha chose to attend UCF because she enjoyed the diversity on campus and the scholastic atmosphere it provided. During her tenure at UCF, Sasha has been involved with numerous cultural, academic and service organizations.

Sasha began her campus involvement by serving as the Public Relations Officer for Sangam – The Indian Student Association during her freshman year. This was a life-changing experience for Sasha as she realized her passion for public relations and decided to change her major from Marketing to Advertising/Public Relations. Sasha also served as Secretary and Executive Vice President of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and is currently the President of the society.

Sasha is also a very active member of the Caribbean Students’ Association and even founded an Indian-Caribbean dance team called the Masala Ladkis. She previously sat on the Multicultural Student Center’s Funding Board and the Student Development and Enrollment Services (SDES) Advisory Board.

Sasha is proud to serve as a 4EVER KNIGHTS Ambassador and currently works as the Marketing and Alumni Services intern for the UCF Alumni Association.

Sasha was born and raised in Guyana, South America and moved to Florida five years ago. She enjoys reading, shopping, dancing, listening to music and meeting new people.



4EK Superstar!

Our second 4EK Superstar for 2010 is Ambassador Tom Whitcomb. Tom is a senior at UCF and is currently in his last semester, majoring in Economics. This is Tom's second year as an Ambassador and already every member of the team as well as the staff at the Fairwinds Alumni Center know exactly who he is. Tom's dedication and passion towards 4EK shine through the amount of time and energy he puts into the organization. Tom tends to always be in the running for the "Most Hours" award each semester. Last Spring, he took home the trophy with over 100 hours for the semester. His relaxed and laid back personality tends to bring a sense of calmness to stressful situations. Tom likes to think of himself as the mood lightener. He certainly is great at making every situation a lasting memory, bringing fun and smiles every where he goes. Tom has many passions in life, one at the top of his list being his family. He originally began his college career at Florida Gulf Coast University; however, after his third semester he received word that his older brother whom he has looked up to for so many years, had become ill. From that moment forward, Tom made it his mission to transfer to UCF where his brother was in order to be there for him. Now, here we are two years later, Tom a senior and his brother, Chris, still fighting but stronger than ever. Many who know the two brothers feel that their strong bond and heavy faith is what brought them to where they are today. As a past Ambassador for 4EK, Chris encouraged Tom to join the organization and now here Tom is making his family and friends very proud. Tom is a huge asset to the organization and we are exceptionally greatful to have him on board.

Fun Facts about Tom:

-4EK Ambassador for 2 years
-Volunteered with Junior Achievement & Relay for Life
-UBS Financial Services Intern
-Co-chair of Membership & Oozefest for 4EK
-Die hard fanatic for the Buffalo Bills & the Boston Red Sox

Alumni Shout Out!

Joe Mera graduated from UCF in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in Accounting.  His current position is the Associate Director of Accounting and Financial Management Services.  There are three primary roles in this position:  manage the Endowments for the foundation, manage five pools of investments valued at $138 Million, and serve as the Liaison between the Finance and IT departments. Shortly After graduating UCF, he worked for the Bank of New York.  There he worked with many UCF graduates.  Joe later moved on to work for CFI Westgate as a senior financial analyst and was contacted by a former co-worker of the bank who was currently working for the UCF Foundation.  She informed him of the position at UCF and when the position was presented to him, he thought there would be no better way to give back to his alma mater than to work for them.  It was one of the best decisions he has made.  "Being a fiduciary of the endowments for UCF is a very gratifying experience.  I see firsthand the meaningful impact of donors’ gifts on UCF students, faculty, and programs."

General information about Joe Mera: 

• Joe was born and raised in Orlando, Florida.  When talking about Orlando, he says, "I have seen the city’s evolution from the many orange groves that dotted the area to the new downtown skyline and neighborhoods that now dominate the area.  It is also wonderful to have seen how UCF has grown in the small time since I graduated 7 years ago."
• When Joe is not working, he is heavily involved in tennis, participating in a doubles league and playing tournaments.  He also maintains a close relationship to UCF through the Alumni Association.  Joe was the Chair Elect, and then Chair for Fiscal Years 08 and 09 for the UCF Young Alumni Chapter.  He has also been inducted as a member of the Alumni Association Board.  Aside from that, Joe likes to get involved with smaller foundations and volunteering efforts and is a member of the University Club of Orlando.  

When asked what advice he would give to students, Joe said:

 Networking is very important!  Ten years ago the phrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” rang true.  Today, with social media, it is very easy to connect with just about anyone, so if I could modify that quote, it would be, “it’s not who you know, but rather, it’s who you know that will advocate for you.” In today’s world, connecting with someone is as easy as poking them on Facebook or following them on Twitter.  There are plenty of people on Facebook that have a million friends.  But, out of those millions of “friends," how many of them can you reach out to in order to move forward with an initiative?  How many of those friends can influence you getting hired when you have been downsized?  It isn’t a bad thing to know everyone in the world, but it might serve your professional career better to know a few key individuals that can advocate on your behalf and make an actual impact.

4EK Superstar opportunity

Hey 4Ever Knights!

If you would like to be the next 4EK Superstar, then let us know about it!  Each month we will feature a new 4EK Superstar in the newsletter and on our blog.  This is someone who is a 4EK member and who has done something extraordinary within the UCF community.  If this sounds like you or someone you know then tell us!!  Just e-mail our Vice Chair of Marketing, Elouisa Hewkin, at ehewkin@knights.ucf.edu.  We can't wait to hear all about what you Knights do to make our campus so great!!

A message from our President

Hello 4EKers,

Welcome to all of our new members and welcome back to all of our returning Knights!  We hope you had a fantastic summer and are ready for an action-packed 2010- 2011 school year.  We are extremely honored to have you be a part of the organization and hope that you will utilize all of the benefits that are offered to you as a 4EK member.  This year we will be adding new events to the calendar and are very excited to get things rolling!  There are a total of 23 Ambassadors this year who are enthusiastic about making 4EVER KNIGHTS even better, for you and for the UCF community.  So please take advantage of every opportunity!  We are excited to have you as a part of this organization and look forward to meeting you.  Best of luck for the upcoming school year and GO KNIGHTS!

Sincerely,

Leah Maxwell

President

4EVER KNIGHTS Student Alumni Association

Alumni Shout-Out!

Our first Alumni Shout-Out is from our 4EK Advisor, Karen Monteleone.  Karen has always loved being a part of organizations, which is why she loves her job and working with 4Ever Knights.  In her high school years, she was president of her class, a band member, a community volunteer, and a swim instructor at the YMCA.  Karen always dreamed of becoming a television anchorwoman, but when it came to deciding which degree track she would follow at UCF she decided the advertising/ public relations program would present more opportunities than broadcast journalism.  After graduating in 2005 and working in several marketing positions, she came full circle to UCF as program coordinator and adviser for the alumni association.  Alongside her job, she worked up the ranks of the American Marketing Association's Central Florida Chapter, first by helping to coordinate events, then becoming vice president of marketing to eventually being president.  Karen said she came to realize she's doing what she loves: helping people.

Some great facts about Karen are:
- She was born in Pittsburgh
- Her family includes her husband, Anthony, and her miniature dachshund, Cooper
- Her education is a Bachelor's degree in Ad/ PR from UCF
- Her motto is "don't bite off more than you can chew"
- Basic business philosophy: It's important to take small opportunities, because they'll lead to bigger ones
- Greatest challenge in the workforce: realizing you can't make everyone happy
- Favorite part of the job: helping to connect students with alumni
- Best advice: find a mentor

Karen's office is located on the second floor of the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center on campus.  She's always up for a conversation and says "stop by any time!"
Karen can be reached at kmonte@mail.ucf.edu.

4EK Superstar!

Our current 4EK Superstar is our 4EK Ambassador President, Leah Maxwell.  Leah received her Bachelor's degree in social work and a minor in education from UCF in May 2010, and is now pursuing a graduate degree from UCF in Nonprofit Mangement.  She lives by the motto: "I'm just a girl who walks by faith, dreams big, & hopes to help change the world by helping someone in need one person at a time." Her passion in life is to help others.  She hopes to make an adventurous move one day in her life to perhaps somewhere in the northern United States, to experience a different culture.  She loves kids and hopes to pursue a career working with them,  but she doesn't have any exact plans on what organization she plans to work for one day.

Some awesome facts about Leah are:
-While at UCF she was a Patient Services Intern with the American Cancer Society
-She served as Relay for Life Team captain for 4EK Spring 2010
-She was Vice President of Campus and Community Involvement for 4EK 2009-2010 fiscal year
-She volunteered with Junior Achievement
-She was a nominee for the 2010 Jefferson Awards as UCF Student Volunteer of the Year
-She loves going to church, working out, playing and watching sports, and reading
-She is a huge family girl; her family and friends are her foundation and they keep her going 

Leah is such an inspiration to all of the 4EK Ambassadors and we are so glad she is our President.  She is a great person and is always open to talking if you have any questions.  We all hope that you get to see what a wonderful person she is by attending all of our events and functions this year!