University of Central Florida
| Location: | Orlando, Florida |
| President: | Dr. John C. Hitt |
| Founded: | 1963 |
| Information: | 407.823.2000 |
| Web site: | www.ucf.edu |
Established in 1963 as Florida Technological University, the University of Central Florida is a diverse metropolitan research university that ranks as the sixth-largest in the country with more than 48,000 students.
UCF is an academic and research leader in numerous fields, such as optics, modeling and simulation, engineering and computer science, business administration, education, the sciences, hospitality management and digital media. A record 43 National Merit Scholars enrolled at the university in fall 2007. A new College of Medicine will open in 2009 and will be part of a burgeoning “medical city” in Central Florida.
Building on the traditions established by founding president Dr. Charles Millican and two successors, President John C. Hitt arrived in 1992 and established five major goals for UCF. They are:
- Offer the best undergraduate education available in Florida
- Achieve international prominence in key programs of graduate and research study
- Provide international focus to the curricula and research programs
- Become more inclusive and diverse
- Be America's leading "Partnership University"
