April 6, 2023
A hand holds a medal with a pegasus on it,

UCF’s annual marquee event, Founders’ Day, recognizes the accomplishments of students, faculty and staff for outstanding teaching, advising, mentoring, research, professional service and librarianship.

2023 Founders’ Day honorees from the College of Arts and Humanities include:

Student Awards

Order of Pegasus Students Inductees

Student award categories highlight new inductees of the Order of Pegasus, UCF’s highest student honor; graduate awards for outstanding master’s thesis and outstanding dissertation; undergraduate awards for honors undergraduate thesis; and individual college awardees as chosen by the respective college deans. All honorees earned financial awards.

  • Sebastián Delgado Suárez, History
  • Nathanael Lapierre, Visual Arts and Design & Modern Languages and Literatures
Undergraduate Awards
Founders’ Day College Awards
  • Nathalia Castre, English

Faculty Awards

Pegasus Professor Awardees

Pegasus Professors are selected by the president and provost and are recognized for excellence in the teaching, research and service. This year’s honorees include innovative researchers who have not only made a difference at UCF, but nationally and internationally.

  • Stephen Fiore, Philosophy
Reach for the Stars Awardees

The Reach for the Stars award recognizes early-career professionals with highly successful research and creative activity with a national or international impact.

  • Haidar Khezri, Modern Languages and Literatures

Excellence Awards

Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
College Awardees
  • Stephen Hopkins, English
  • Chiara Mazzucchelli, Modern Languages and Literatures
  • Melissa Pompos, Writing and Rhetoric
  • Emily Proulx, Writing and Rhetoric
Excellence in Research
College Awardees
  • Anastasia Salter, Texts and Technology
Excellence in Faculty Academic Advising
  • Adele Richardson, Writing and Rhetoric

Retired and Retiring Faculty

  • Marcy Galbreath, Writing and Rhetoric
  • Lynn Hepner, Dean’s Office
  • Earl Weaver, School of Performing Arts
Faculty Emeritus and Emerita
  • Madelyn Flammia, Professor Emerita, English
  • Keith Folse, Professor Emeritus, Modern Languages and Literatures
  • Marcy Galbreath, Associate Lecturer Emerita, Writing and Rhetoric
  • Darlene Hadrika, Research Associate Emerita, Visual Arts and Design
  • Scott Hall, Professor Emeritus, Visual Arts and Design

Staff Awards

Nominees for the inaugural Employee Excellence Awards are:

  • Mariana Chao
  • Delia Garcia
  • Neida Mora-Maus
  • Cathy Radzai
  • Eileen Ryan

Service Awards

Faculty 30 Years of Service
  • Robert Reedy, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Ayako Yonetani, College of Arts and Humanities
Faculty 20 Years of Service
  • Michele Adams, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Alma Alacon, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Mason Cash, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Robert Cassanello, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Larry Cooper, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Kenneth Hanson, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Bert Scott, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Bruce Janz, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Theo Lotz, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Deirdre O’Shea, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Julie Pomerleau, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Leandra Preston-Sidler, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Kerry Purmensky, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Vladimir Solonari, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Gergana Vitanova, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Deborah Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Earl Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Mary Wood, College of Arts and Humanities
Staff 25 Years of Service
  • Samuel Waters, School of Performing Arts
Staff 20 Years of Service
  • Delia Garcia, College of Arts and Humanities
Staff 15 Years of Service
  • Mariana Chao, Writing and Rhetoric
  • Eileen Ryan, College of Arts and Humanities
Staff 10 Years of Service
  • Kendra Gilbertson, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Sara Monroe, English
  • Wendy Perez, College of Arts and Humanities
Staff 5 Years of Service
  • Jessica Dorfman, Student Advising
  • Carla Gripp, College of Arts and Humanities