uplift

THE MAGAZINE OF THE UCF COLLEGE OF
COMMUNITY INNOVATION AND EDUCATION

2024 Issue

By focusing on people and policy, CCIE researchers are bolstering stronger response systems that make communities in Florida and beyond more resilient.

DEAN’S WELCOME
As we continue to confront society’s most pressing challenges, it is critical for universities and communities to collaborate in creating tangible impact.

IN THIS ISSUE

STORM-READY
TO ROLL

The next time a hurricane or other natural disaster rolls through Central Florida, leaving residents without power, air conditioning and internet reception, those who need help the most can rest easy. New solar-powered and portable structures — known as Resilience, Education and Advocacy Center for Hazard preparedness or REACH hubs — will be deployed to underserved neighborhoods after emergencies to provide critical services, such as cooling, broadband internet and reliable electricity.

solar-powered, portable structure

STUDENTS SHAPING
OUR COMMUNTIES

As Haines City, Florida, experiences a population boom with more residential and commercial developments on the horizon, 21 students in CCIE’s urban and regional planning master’s program gained firsthand experience in advancing a growing city. Using available data and strategies learned from their program, students proposed improvements for the city’s redevelopment area as part of their capstone projects. They then presented recommendations to community leaders and members to gain a deeper understanding of the city’s needs and the complexities of urban development. The proposed improvements to the city’s master plan focused on promoting economic growth and enhancing residents’ quality of life.

people outside looking at development plans
people outside looking at development plans
people outside looking at development plans

PROFILES

Inspired by both his faith and an interaction with someone experiencing homelessness, Eric Camarillo ’16 ’19MNM launched his nonprofit, Service and Love Together Outreach (SALT), in 2011 out of a desire to focus on impactful community service projects that serve Central Florida’s homeless population.

Kristina Childs, associate professor of criminal justice, researches ways to improve the juvenile justice system and help struggling youth. Recently, that included implementing a mobile crisis unit to help Seminole County law-enforcement officers handle youth mental health crises.

One of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida’s Orlando-area clubhouses knew its young members needed support after experiencing the loss of one of its members. L. Trenton S. Marsh, assistant professor of urban education, empowered some of its members by positively supporting the youth in their grief and healing.

NEWS BRIEFS

MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS

An ongoing nationwide school counselor shortage means that some schools might only have one counselor to serve all their students — if they get one at all. It’s a problem that Project STAR (Systemic School Treatment and Response Project) aims to help alleviate by training the next generation of counselors and school psychologists. Over the next five years, Project STAR is placing more than 200 counseling and school psychology graduate students in local high-need schools, where they’ll provide free counseling services to children dealing with stress, trauma and more. “The work that we’re doing is preparing more resilient children,” says Melissa Zeligman ’14PhD, the project’s principal investigator. “By working with our students and having a safe space to process events and learn coping skills, these children are finding new ways to navigate significant challenges and adversity.”

FUELING LAW & ORDER

The Orlando Police Department is investing in the next generation of legal and law enforcement professionals. Through the Orlando Police Foundation, the department has created a $75,000 endowment to establish a scholarship for criminal justice and legal studies students. The funds will provide two students annually with $1,500 scholarships. Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith ’93, an alumnus of UCF’s criminal justice program, was inspired to start the fund to help expand academic and experiential opportunities for students — all while helping them efficiently navigate potential career pathways.

PAYING IT FORWARD

As he works toward his second master’s degree from UCF, Travis Leslie ’16MS has pledged $25,000 over the next five years to support undergraduate students majoring in emergency management. The scholarship will be awarded to one student each year. Leslie has served as a deputy sheriff for Orange County for 20 years and decided to return to school to expand his knowledge of emergency management. His professors at UCF not only opened his eyes to the challenges vulnerable communities face when disaster strikes but also inspired him to give back to other students interested in serving their communities.

THE EMMY GOES TO…

A team from UCF won four Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards for documentaries about life along the Arizona-Mexico border. The project, led by Lecturer Irene Pons ’00, provides a way for legal studies students to learn firsthand about the experiences of migrants. The fourth episode from the Crosses in the Dust docuseries, Water is Hope, won the awards for Editor, Director and Public Affairs Program (Series), and the standalone documentary short What We Came From won Public Affairs Program (Single Program).