List of University of Central Florida alumni


The University of Central Florida is a metropolitan public research and space-grant university located on a 1,415-acre main campus in Orlando, Florida, United States. UCF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida and is the largest university in the United States in terms of undergraduate enrollment. It was founded in 1963 as Florida Technological University with the goal of providing highly trained personnel to support the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Florida's Space Coast. After the university's academic scope expanded in the mid and late 1970s to encompass a wider variety of disciplines, the school was renamed The University of Central Florida in 1978. Initial enrollment in 1968 was 1,948 students; as of 2014, the university has 59,770 students from more than 140 countries, all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Since the university's first graduating class in 1970, UCF has awarded more than 250,000 degrees, including 45,000 graduate and professional degrees, to over 200,000 alumni.
UCF alumni have made research contributions to optics, modeling and simulation, digital media, engineering and computer science, business administration, education and hospitality management. Among the most notable are Gene Frantz, inventor of the Texas Instruments Speak and Spell, and father of digital signal processing. Numerous graduates have gained notoriety in the fields of law, government, and public policy, with alumni including a prime minister, a chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, a United States assistant secretary of state, a deputy assistant secretary at the Department of the Treasury, a director of the National Reconnaissance Office, and a director of the Secret Service; in addition to numerous members of the Florida Cabinet, Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts, and numerous officers in the armed forces through a unique partnership between the university and the U.S. military. Alumni have also achieved success as executives in major organizations and Fortune 500 companies, such as Boeing, Busch Entertainment Corporation, Darden Restaurants, Ericsson, Google, NASCAR, the Orlando Magic and Texas Rangers, Sun Sports and Fox Sports Florida, Raymond James Financial, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and Yahoo!
UCF graduates have also made notable contributions in the entertainment industry, including Cheryl Hines, widely known for her role as Cheryl David on the HBO television series Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Daniel Tosh, host of Tosh.0 on Comedy Central. In addition, The Blair Witch Project, which is considered one of the most successful independent films produced, was filmed by UCF students and directed by alumni Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez. As a major competitor in college athletics, UCF has had many notable student athletes, coaches, and staff members, such as National Football League players Daunte Culpepper, Kevin Smith, Bruce Miller, Brandon Marshall, and Blake Bortles; National Basketball Association starting guard Jermaine Taylor; NASCAR driver Aric Almirola; and woman's soccer player and Olympic gold medalist Michelle Akers. As of 2013, more than 70 UCF alumni compete in professional sports, such as basketball, football, baseball, golf, soccer, and auto racing.

Notable alumni

AlumniClass yearNotabilityReference
1995Former NASA astronaut
1984Google Senior Vice President of engineering and knowledge. Holds the world record for the highest-altitude free-fall space jump.
1979Former Director of NASA's Glenn Research Center
—Former Director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center and John C. Stennis Space Center, Space Shuttle Program Manager
—Director of NASA's Langley Research Center
1979Former Director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center
1992NASA astronaut
John Young1970NASA astronaut, Honorary Doctorate of Applied Science

Arts and entertainment

AlumniClass yearNotabilityReference
2007Singer, songwriter
—Music composer and producer
2001Actor, former star on Ugly Betty and Stargate Universe
2002Lead singer and songwriter for Anberlin
1996Television personality, Golf Channel
2005Miss Florida, 2003 and Miss America, 2004
—' contestant
—Singer and songwriter for Menudo
—Model and actress, Playboy Playmate of the Month for October 2002
1987Emmy-nominated actress
—Television presenter, former co-host of Slime Time Live
—Singer and songwriter for Sawyer Brown
1997Sports analyst
—Miss Florida, 2011
—The Amazing Race 15 contestant
—Playboy Playmate of the Month for July 2010
—American Idol Season Nine finalist
1993Actor and comedian, former star of Strip Mall and Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza
—Singer and songwriter for Sawyer Brown
1994Writer and director of the Blair Witch Project
2006Actor and fashion model, former contestant on season one of America's Most Smartest Model
—Singer, actress on South of Nowhere
2005' contestant
—Miss Cayman Islands, 2007
—Actor and musician, former star of Friday Night Lights
Qusai —Rapper, and DJ/TV Personality from Saudi Arabia.
—Miss Florida, 2010
1996Actor, former star of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
1994Writer and director of the Blair Witch Project
2004Miss Venezuela, 2004; 4th runner-up Miss Universe, 2005
—Television personality, Golf Channel
1996Stand-up comedian and host of Comedy Central's Tosh.0
2001Comic book writer
Plies—Rapper and founder of Big Gates Records

Business

AlumniClass yearNotabilityReference
—Co-founder of WhatsApp, former vice president of engineering at Yahoo!
1992President and chief executive officer, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
—Software developer and founder, 5by5 Studios
1989Senior Vice President, Worldwide Partners and Alliances, VMware
1988Senior vice president and chief financial officer, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
—Hedge fund manager, founder of Crabel Capital Management
—President and chief executive officer, Texas Instruments
2001Co-founder and chief operating officer, Jingle Punks Music
1984Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, NASCAR
—Executive Director, Orlando Sports Foundation
1973MLB Network analyst, former general manager of the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers
1976President, Walt Disney World Resort
1977Former president, Boeing International
—Chief Executive Officer, The Melting Pot
—Former president and chief executive officer, Denny's
2001President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Operating Officer, Orlando Magic
2003Vice President of Engineering, Raydiance Inc.
—Former president and chief executive officer, Ruth's Chris Steak House
Brian Nichols1986VP of Enterprise Project Risk Management and Technology Integration, NBCUniversal
—Founder of House of Highlights, which was later acquired by Bleacher Report. He's also a digital marketing producer for ESPN.
—President and chief executive officer, Ericsson North America
1980Founder and former president, CEO and director, Raymond James
1987President, Red Lobster
1977, 1983 Former senior vice president of Darden Restaurants and Chairman of the UCF Board of Trustees
1976Former president of worldwide operations, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
1995Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Tijuana Flats

Civic, education, and journalism

AlumniClass yearNotabilityReference
1987, 1989 Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology and Director of the GTRI Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory
1977Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing, 2000
1971Charter member of the UCF Board of Trustees
1972President of Francis Marion University
1991, 1996 2000United States Environmental Protection Agency Science to Achieve Results Fellow and renowned environmental researcher.
1996, 2001 Syndicated columnist
—Professor and entomologist, Founder of UCF's "Bug Closet"
1978Former chairman of the UCF Board of Trustees
-Sports anchor for CNN Sports Illustrated, and sports commentator for Turner Sports.
1996Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University
—National commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America, member of the executive board of its National Council, former member of the Florida Board of Governors
—TIME journalist
1997Educator, filmographer

Government, law, public policy, and military

AlumniClass yearNotabilityReference
—Former Florida state representative
1971Former Florida state representative
2001Former sheriff of Orange County, Florida
-Vice Admiral, United States Navy, 58th chief of naval personnel
1982Brigadier General, United States Air Force
2001Current Florida state representative
1974Current Seminole County commissioner, former Florida state senator, Florida state representative and mayor of Altamonte Springs, Florida
1996Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
1972Current charter member of the UCF Board of Trustees, former mayor of Orange County, Florida
2015Florida state representative
1983Former secretary of the Florida Department of Health
1987Former assistant sergeant at arms and first chief information officer of the United States Senate
—Former assistant secretary of state for International Organization Affairs and vice president for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation
1995Former Florida state representative
1979Dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Business, former deputy assistant secretary at the United States Department of the Treasury and chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors
—Former Florida state representative
1979Former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, and associate deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency
—Served in the Florida House of Representatives for the 26th district from 1982 to 1990, as a Democrat.
1979Attorney and CNN legal analyst
1988Former Florida state representative
1981Former director of the United States Secret Service
—Current Florida state representative
1979, 1983 Current Florida state representative
2005Former Florida state representative
1998Former Florida state representative
1981Former prime minister of Libya and secretary general of General People's Congress of Libya
—Former Montana state representative
1978Former Florida education commissioner
1987, 1989 Former secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, former chief of staff for Florida Governor Jeb Bush
—Current Florida state representative
1980Current Pennsylvania state representative

Sports

Baseball

AlumniClass yearNotabilityReference
2008MLB pitcher for the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Angels
2005MLB catcher for the Kansas City Royals
1996College baseball coach at UCF and High Point
2001Former MLB pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners
2013MLB pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
1998Former MLB pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals
1992Former MLB outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds, Toronto Blue Jays, Miami Marlins and Baltimore Orioles
—Former MLB pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
1998Former MLB outfielder for the New York Mets
2004Former MLB outfielder for the San Francisco Giants
2011MLB pitcher for the Atlanta Braves

Basketball

Football

AlumniClass yearNotabilityReference
2010NFL wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens
1997, 2004 Former placekicker for the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots
1988Offensive Coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the University of Nebraska
1987Former AFL lineman for the Tampa Bay Storm
2014NFL quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams
2012NFL cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars
2004NFL safety for the Seattle Seahawks
1999AFL Head Coach of Jacksonville Sharks and former NFL wide receiver.
2009NFL cornerback for the New York Giants
2009Former CFL halfback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers
2005Former NFL defensive end for the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons
1999Former NFL wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings
1998Former NFL quarterback for the Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings
1987Former NFL running back for the New England Patriots
2001Former NFL offensive lineman for the New York Giants and Chicago Bears
2002NFL cornerback and free agent
2002Former NFL punter for the Green Bay Packers
1987Former NFL wide receiver for the Houston Oilers and Dallas Cowboys
2002Former NFL wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals
2002NFL tight end and free agent
2015NFL safety for the Indianapolis Colts
2010NFL safety for the Carolina Panthers
1998Former NFL offensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders
2016NFL cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks
2018NFL linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks
1994Former NFL center for the St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals
1992Former NFL linebacker for the Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets
—CFL Placekicker and YouTuber with over a million subrscribers, known as Deestroying
2004NFL running back and free agent
2002NFL defensive lineman and free agent
1994Former NFL defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles
1990Former NFL wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions; current Detroit Lions wide receivers coach
2005NFL tight end for the St. Louis Rams
2014Former NFL running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars
2001Former NFL safety for the Washington Redskins
2000Former NFL wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals
2006NFL wide receiver for the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, New York Jets, and New York Giants
2010NFL fullback for the San Francisco 49ers
1998Former NFL cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins
2013NFL running back for the Oakland Raiders and currently the Minnesota Vikings
2010NFL wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars
2003Former NFL defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings
2015NFL Wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens
2006NFL placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions
2009NFL safety and free agent
2011NFL offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs
2011NFL cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2003NFL cornerback for the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons
2007Former NFL wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars and St. Louis Rams
2008NFL offensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears
2008Former NFL running back for the Detroit Lions
1995Former NFL running back for the Carolina Panthers
1991Former NFL linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks
2010NFL defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills
1986Former NFL wide receiver for the Washington Redskins
Tre'Quan Smith2018NFL wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints

Golf

Soccer

AlumniClass yearNotabilityReference
1988Soccer player; member of the U.S. championship teams of the 1991; 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup; was named to the FIFA 100; FIFA's Woman Player of the Century
1987Goalkeeper for the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup champion United States
2011Goalkeeper for the Brazil women's national football team
2015Forward for the Orlando City SC
1979Former goalkeeper
1976Former NASL player for the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Tulsa Roughnecks
2008Goalkeeper for the Chicago Fire
2007Striker for the Orlando City Soccer Club
2005Goalkeeper for the Atlanta Silverbacks
2003Midfielder for Miami FC
1985Goalkeeper for the Long Island Lady Riders

Other

AlumniClass yearNotabilityReference
2005NASCAR driver for Stewart-Haas Racing
2011Pro wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment
2001Pro beach volleyball player with the AVP; co-winner of the gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics
2012Professional race car driver in the Pirelli World Challenge
—Professional race car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series
—competed on The Ultimate Fighter 2, retired professional Ultimate Fighting Championship Mixed Martial Artist
2005Three-time national champion in the NCWA 2003, 2004, 2005; as a freshman he placed third; current mixed martial artist for the Ultimate Fighting Championship
1998Professional beach volleyball player on the AVP Tour
—Professional Poker player World Series of Poker bracelet at the 2011 World Series of Poker Europe and 3 Money finishes at World Poker Tour.