The following stories gained great interest throughout 2024. They are ranked by page views from Jan. 1 through Dec. 5.
20. Over 20 Pegasus Palooza Events Kick Off Fall Semester at UCF
The annual welcome week kicked off Aug. 19 with events to provide students with engagement opportunities that can help them excel academically, get involved on campus and meet new friends.
19. New Drug May Help Prevent Brittle Bones, Weight Gain During Menopause
A study by College of Medicine scientist Melanie Coathup found that the drug P7C3, which is also being studied to treat neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, showed success in preventing conditions faced by many postmenopausal women.
18. UCF Alumnus Taylor Gerring Pledges $5.5 Million for New Football Building
Taylor Gerring ’05, a UCF College of Business graduate who is a blockchain pioneer and expert and co-founder of Ethereum Foundation, pledged $5.5 million to UCF Athletics, the largest single cash pledge commitment ever by an individual for UCF Athletics.
17. UCF Knights to Represent at 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Paralympics
Seven Knights represented America, Denmark, Germany and Lithuania at the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Paris. The Knights competed in paracycling, rowing, rugby, soccer and the triathlon. Paracyclist Samantha Bosco earned a gold in the Paralympics, while rower Viktorija Senkute earned bronze in the Olympics.
16. Your Guide to Big Noon Kickoff on Campus
FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff visited Memory Mall on campus ahead of Knights’ game against Colorado Sept. 28. It was the first time Big Noon Kickoff visited a Florida school, and the broadcast generated 2.6 billion impressions across media platforms.
Humans have been practicing Leap Year since the days of Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire, but why? UCF Physics Professor Josh Colwell explains the science behind the need for Leap Year and other facts you may not know about the bonus day.
14. UCF Biologist Continues Unraveling Mystery of Magnetic Bacteria
UCF biologist Robert Fitak created a refined database of magnetic bacteria and the animals they may reside in to further study how these bacteria could guide migration patterns of animals such as sea turtles.
13. New Ethanol Fuel Cell Technology Rivals Fossil Fuels and Electric Car Batteries
A study by Yang Yang, an associate professor in UCF’s NanoScience Technology Center, developed new catalysts to make direct ethanol fuel cells last longer and boost their power density to a record level. This story was originally published in 2023.
12. New Genetic Clues Could be Key to Saving Sea Turtles from Mysterious Disease
UCF researchers have discovered an abundance of new gene variants in the immune system of sea turtles, which could be key to one day saving the ancient marine animals from a major disease — fibropapillomatosis. This story was originally published in 2022.
11. UCF Announces 2024’s 30 Under 30 Alumni Award Recipients
Through their willful tenacity, enduring dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence, this year’s group of 30 Under 30 Alumni Award recipients continue to impact and inspire those who are fortunate enough to transect their orbit.
10. Update on Our Return to Normal Operations
Following Hurricane Milton, UCF campus and community worked together to return to normal operations. With a culture of caring, the UCF community looked to extend patience and compassion to those who felt the effects of the storm.
9. How Fake News Affects U.S. Elections
UCF Lecturer Chrysalis Wright, who was appointed to the UN’s Communications Coordination Committee, shared insight on one of the threats to our democracy.
8. 7 Little-known Facts About the Declaration of Independence
Written in 2018, UCF lecturer David Head shared information on the history behind the Fourth of July that might you make you rethink the holiday — or at least arm you with some trivia for the holiday picnic. This story was originally published 2018.
7. Spring 2024 Commencement: What You Should Know Before You Go
UCF awarded more than 9,000 degrees during six commencement ceremonies at Addition Financial Arena May 3-4, sending a talented group of highly skilled graduates into careers in-demand fields across our region and throughout Florida.
6. 11 Lesser-known Facts about the Mayflower and Thanksgiving
With the Mayflower voyage having been completed over 400 years ago, UCF Associate Professor of History Rosalind Beiler tells us what the storybooks have right, what they might have wrong and why it’s all still important.
5. How we Use Rhetoric in Everyday Life
Martha Brenckle, professor of writing and rhetoric at the College of Arts and Humanities discussed how learning how to use rhetoric can help you better understand messages while effectively communicating in any situation.
4. UCF Football Announces 2024 Schedule
Headlined by seven home games and seven first-time opponents, UCF announced its 2024 football schedule in conjunction with the Big 12 Conference schedule release Jan. 30. The schedule featured nine league games with five home and four away, two home nonconference matchups and one nonconference road game.
3. UCF Makes Changes to Admission Process, Timeline for Earlier Notification
UCF made a significant change to its undergraduate application and admission process to provide prospective students with a more structured timeline and earlier notification of their admission status. Starting with the application cycle for Summer 2025 and Fall 2025, UCF transitioned from a straight rolling admission process to an early action plan for first-time-in-college students.
2. Why Does the U.S. Still Have an Electoral College?
Professor of History John Sacher shared insight on the process by which the United States elects its president and vice president, and if it needs to be reconsidered.
UCF was recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Colleges rankings as one of the nation’s top and most innovative universities — rising as an education innovator renowned for science, health and technology education, including nursing. This year, UCF was recognized in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges rankings as the most innovative university in Florida for the seventh consecutive year.
Latest Community
- UCF Celebrates Thad Seymour Jr.’s Impact with Honorary DegreeThe former interim UCF president was honored for his contributions to growing Central Florida and the university.
- Ken Robinson Awarded Honorary Doctoral Degree for Public ServiceAs President and CEO of Dr. Phillips Inc. and The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation, Ken Robinson’s leadership and vision has helped improved the lives in the Greater Orlando region.
- U.S. Space Command Commander Explores Innovation, Research Capabilities at UCFThe tour highlighted UCF’s role as SpaceU and reaffirmed critical partnerships with USSPACECOM to advance research and innovation.
- UCF’s 27 Best Photos of 2024From groundbreaking research to commencement and game day excitement, revisit the year’s standout moments in this photo collection.
- From Passion to Purpose: A UCF Student’s Path to Global ServiceThrough UCF’s International Medical Outreach program, Charlotte Disney has gone beyond the classroom, gaining hands-on experience addressing healthcare disparities in global communities.
- UCF, State Universities Partner to Upscale Impact of University-Assisted Community Schools in FloridaUniversity researchers are partnering with Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, Florida International University, and the University of South Florida to invest in and build upon unique community needs across four school districts.
