Jeannie Kiriwas, University of Central Florida / David Oglethorpe, Student Union at the University of Central Florida / Student ARC Blog / December 29, 2017
Here at the University of Central Florida, we operate under the credo that scale x excellence = impact. Few places is that scale more harnessed than with our Knights Helping Knights Food Pantry. UCF has more than 60,000 students and during 2016-2017 we had to figure out how to support over 14,000 student visits to our food pantry. Operating or opening a food pantry on campus can prove to be an extremely costly endeavor if its creators aren’t able to build sustainable partnerships with shared goals. It has been the campus connections and partnerships that have helped make our food pantry successful.
Knights Pantry partnered with UCF CARES (a mental health and wellness office) and Wellness and Health Promotion Services (WHPS) to raise awareness and increase the functionality and use of the pantry. UCF CARES works tirelessly to ensure that students with food insecurities are connected back to the pantry. When the pantry is closed during break periods, we provide emergency bags that UCF CARES will distribute to students who need it most when student services are unavailable.
Wellness and Health Promotion Services gained notoriety across campus by offering healthy meal prep and cooking demonstrations. With a great concern for student nutrition, it seemed only natural to create a partnership to make sure students knew exactly what their options were if they were going hungry. WHPS now uses food from Knights Pantry for special demonstrations and works with students to show them how they can eat healthy while getting food from pantry. Thanks to the partnership with WHPS, doors were then opened to the UCF Arboretum. Every week, the UCF Arboretum delivers fresh fruits and vegetables to the pantry, amassing in the delivery of more than 1,200 pounds per year. From a health code standpoint, it is far easier to give locally-grown produce away than it is to sell it. Not every campus has an arboretum, but many campuses have garden spaces that might be tied to academic programs.
The pantry’s move to include clothing items as well as food led to creative partnerships with Career Services and Experiential Learning (CSEL) and our Student Government Association (SGA). CSEL is dedicated to helping students gain professional experience and land a job after graduation. To help students feel more confident and look their professional best, CSEL arranges intentional clothing drives with faculty and staff members to help provide students with professional attire. To supplement the donation program, a free rental service was developed with sponsorship from SGA. Now students can also rent blazers in any size, learn how to tie a tie, and look their absolute best for professional headshots or on-campus interviews.
The trick with food pantries – or really any other initiative in a financially strapped environment – is to create opportunities that will impact as many areas as possible.
By wanting to provide students with healthy alternatives, we were able to partner with WHPS, UCF CARES, and the UCF Arboretum to increase education and food supply. A desire for professional clothes for students involved SGA and CSEL and ended up helping students be more competitive for employment opportunities.
Partnerships can have a snowball effect in creating opportunities that seem impossible to come to fruition at the outset. It takes patience and strategic thinking, but with staff who are dedicated to excellence, you can harness the scale of your institution to truly make an impact on your students’ lives.
FAQs
The Excellence in Action Ceremony recognizes the academic achievement of multicultural and first-generation undergraduate students with a 3.5 GPA or higher at…
What is the acceptance rate for University of Central Florida? ›
The acceptance rate at UCF is 41%.
For every 100 applicants, 41 are admitted. This means the school is moderately selective. The school expects you to meet their requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but they're more flexible than other schools.
What is the retention rate at UCF? ›
UCF's six-year graduation rate is 70 percent (National Public Average 59%). The retention rate (first-time, first-year undergraduate students who continue at UCF the next year) is 90%.
What is the UCF motto? ›
University of Central Florida. Former names. Florida Technological University (1966–1978) Motto. "Reach for the Stars"
What does awarded for excellence mean? ›
Excellence awards are recognition programs designed to acknowledge and celebrate individuals or organizations that have demonstrated exceptional performance, achievements, or contributions in a specific field or industry.
How do you get an academic excellence award? ›
At the end of the school year, the Academic Excellence Award is given to learners from grades 1 to 12 who have attained a General Average of at least 90 and a passing Final Grade in all learning areas. The General Average is reported as a whole number following DepEd Order No. 8, s.
Is it harder to get into FSU or UCF? ›
UCF has an acceptance rate of 43%, while FSU has an acceptance rate of 37%.
Is UCF really hard to get into? ›
The acceptance rate at UCF is 41%.
In other words, of 100 students who apply, 41 are admitted. This means the school is somewhat selective. You should prepare your academic scores well, but you have an excellent chance if you impress them.
Can I get into UCF with a 3.3 GPA? ›
Very few accepted students at this university have a lower GPA than 3.5 and they compensate for a lower GPA with high test scores. For the best chance of securing admission, try to complete harder courses such as AP or IB classes to impress admissions officers.
What makes UCF stand out? ›
The University of Central Florida is a metropolitan research university located in Orlando, one of the most visited cities in the world. UCF benefits from a diverse faculty and staff who create a welcoming environment, a high quality of life, and opportunities to grow, learn and succeed.
UCF Drop Out Rate
Approximately 5014 students or 28% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years. What happened to the 5014 students who did not complete their degree? 45 are still enrolled. 2550 transferred to another institution.
Does UCF give a lot of financial aid? ›
Loans for school are generally divided up between each semester you attend school and the amount you receive is more dependable. Roughly 45% of students receive some type of school-based grant from UCF Financial Aid. On average, those students receive a little over $2,000 from the school.
What is UCF famous for? ›
One of the Best Colleges in the U.S.
UCF is an academic, partnership and research leader in numerous fields, such as optics and lasers, modeling and simulation, engineering and computer science, business, public administration, education, hospitality management, healthcare and video game design.
Is UCF prestigious? ›
University of Central Florida's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #124.
Why is UCF so big? ›
UCF grew in response to demand for education in its region, and in doing so it has also expanded access to underserved students.
What is an excellence in action award? ›
Advance CTE's Excellence in Action Awards initiative recognizes and honors superior Career Technical Education programs of study from across the nation.
What is UCF highest honor? ›
Rujimora, a counselor education doctoral student in the College of Community Innovation and Education, was recently inducted into the Order of Pegasus. This is UCF's most prestigious award, given to students with the highest levels of passion, dedication and achievement.
What are standards of excellence UCF? ›
The purpose of Standards of Excellence (SOE) is to accomplish three (3) fundamental objectives: To compile and present everything your organization has done over the past calendar year, To ensure your chapter is meeting and exceeding expectations, And to measure the impact of the fraternity/sorority community.
What is the rewarding excellence award? ›
The Rewarding Excellence awards are intended to provide recognition to those staff from grades 1 to 8 (or equivalent) who have demonstrated sustained achievement over and above the expectations of their job description, over a significant period of time (up to and including the 2022/23 year).
