News and Updates

By: Jamie Giller Originally Published April 8, 2024. Updated December 9, 2025. As graduation day approaches, you may already be feeling nostalgic about your time…

By: Jamie Giller Connecting students to real world experiences at companies throughout downtown Orlando is one of the major benefits of attending UCF Downtown. For…

Ross Wolf ’88 ’91MPA ’98EdD will play a key role in shaping the future of UCF’s urban campus of more than 7,500 students.

Originally Posted Dec. 3, 2021. Updated Nov. 20, 2024. As you wrap up the semester and finals are about to begin, we know how hard…

Ranked No. 1 by WalletHub among midsize cities and No. 4 overall, the City Beautiful is garnering attention as a top place to live and…

A rainy but spirited Spirit Splash, celebrating graduates and a UCF football win — this year’s Homecoming had it all.

The story behind how UCF’s Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy grew into an industry game changer.

Naim Kapucu will be inducted as a 2021 fellow in early November.

On Sunday, October 10, 2021, First Year Programs hosted the inaugural It Happens Downtown Immersive Experiences event as part of UCF Family Weekend. This program allowed UCF…

Posted Oct. 8, 2021 For many Knights, Florida has always been home, and moving to Orlando to attend UCF is an easy adjustment. But for…

Posted Sept. 27, 2021 The University of Central Florida seeks to fill positions for its two project assistants at UCF Downtown. UCF Downtown Project Assistant,…

Posted: July 7, 2021. UCF Downtown was created with the mission of connecting students to opportunities through networking, internships and jobs. The proximity of the…

Posted: April 29, 2021 By: Stephanie Rodriguez ’20 and Jamie Giller Whether you’re graduating this spring or in a few years from now, there is…

Posted: Dec 1st 2020 By: Stephanie Rodriguez ’20 One of the reasons UCF Downtown was created is to connect students taking classes right in the…

This story was updated on Jan. 12, 2021. This story was originally published on July 9, 2020.  Do your part to keep yourself and other…

Beginning in Fall 2020, the UCF College of Business’ executive and professional graduate programs will be permanently located at UCF Downtown. Programs offered downtown will…

By Stephanie Rodriguez, UCF senior, human communication major For some people, running a 5K seems like an impossible goal. But for runners at UCF Downtown,…

UCF’s 2020 Spring Break takes place from Monday, March 9 through Saturday, March 14. Campus offices will remain open, but no classes take place. Here’s…

The University of Central Florida seeks to fill positions for its new student ambassador team at UCF Downtown. Ambassadors will represent the university to the…

Updated: January 8, 2026 Originally Published: August 2019 By Stephanie Rodriguez, ’20 Welcome to your new campus! Before you start this new chapter in your…

The following message was sent via email from Provost Elizabeth A. Dooley on Friday, Dec. 13, 2019.  I am pleased to announce Dr. Ross Wolf…

Originally published Sept. 29, 2019; Updated Sept. 9, 2024. By Kristina Lawrence, UCF senior, communication and conflict major Classes are in full swing at UCF…

In recognition of its opening day on Monday, Aug. 26, Microsoft’s Vice President of Education Anthony Salcito recorded a video welcoming students to UCF Downtown,…

By Kristina Lawrence, UCF senior, majoring in communication and conflict If you’re anything like me, then you crave the satisfaction of a good meal at…

By Kristina Lawrence, UCF senior, majoring in communication and conflict Finals week for Summer B is here, and it’s time to hit the books. While…

By Stephanie Rodriguez, UCF Junior, Human Communication Major Beyond the City Beautiful’s tall buildings and great food are many Instagrammable  murals all over downtown Orlando.…

In less than 150 days, UCF Downtown will hold classes at its 21st-century campus, connecting students to a thriving urban district full of opportunity with…

Students, faculty and staff at UCF Downtown and Valencia College Downtown will now be able to ride SunRail for free in August and September 2019…

Students interested in living at UCF Downtown and Valencia College Downtown now have a preview center in downtown Orlando where they can see a model…

In August 2019, students, faculty and staff living, learning and working at the UCF Downtown and Valencia College Downtown campus and residents of Creative Village…

UCF Downtown, in partnership with the College of Community Innovation and Education and Nicholson School of Communication and Media, will host an Open House on…

The University of Central Florida seeks to fill positions for its new student ambassador team at UCF Downtown for the Spring 2019 semester. Ambassadors will represent the…

UnionWest at Creative Village, the new 15-story student housing and student services building at Creative Village in downtown Orlando, is now accepting applications for UCF…

Downtown Orlando public service and nonprofit sectors will soon have an influx of high-quality talent as UCF’s nonprofit management program is slated to move to…

A new 15-story, mixed-use building will be home for UCF and Valencia College students living at the downtown campus that opens in fall 2019. Ustler…

On Friday, March 30, UCF President John C. Hitt was honored as the Downtowner of the Year at the Golden Bricks Awards. Hosted by the…

Today, the Creative Village Development Review Committee approved the UCF parking garage for the downtown campus. The four-story garage has 580 spaces and will cost…

Anacia Brooks sits in an Orange County courtroom watching as the judge hears case after case. Some of the defendants have a private attorney, and…

Author Matthew Laurence ‘07 (center, in blue) with librarian Kelly Delaney ’02 (center, with scarf), ACE book club students and representatives from the Florida Interactive…

A new partnership between UCF and the non-profit organization Canvs will help build a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in downtown Orlando, where students and home-grown businesses…

The Trailblazers gather at UCF Downtown. This summer, UCF Downtown established a new team called the “Trailblazers.” Charged with investigating opportunities specific to the programs…

Just five blocks from UCF Downtown is the Orange County Courthouse, a proximity that has Cynthia Schmidt filled with anticipation of holding classes in the…

This message was sent as an email from UCF Police Department Lieutenant Christine Gigicos to students, faculty and staff at the Center for Emerging Media…

Earlier this month, Orange County Public School’s Academic Center for Excellence community school opened in Parramore across the street from UCF Downtown. UCF is proud to be…

Canvs, a downtown-Orlando nonprofit coworking space for startup entrepreneurs, celebrated its grand opening for a pilot coworking space and educational programs to support local entrepreneurs in Parramore.…

UCF and Creative Village are examples of a new urban campus model that’s driving innovation districts around the country. “The great new American university is…

A Message from Falecia Williams, President, West and Downtown Campuses: Please join me in welcoming Eugene Jones, who will be the new executive dean of…

Subcontractors interested in working on the first phase of UCF Downtown will have an opportunity to connect with the construction project managers during a public meeting…

Children from the Parramore community helped Central Florida leaders sink shovels into the dirt today at a groundbreaking ceremony ushering in a transformative campus that…

Leaders from across Central Florida are expected at the highly anticipated groundbreaking ceremony for the UCF Downtown campus from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Thursday, May…

City of Orlando Commissioner Regina Hill and UCF are hosting a community update on construction opportunities for the downtown campus on Tuesday, March 28, at…

University of Central Florida leaders will vote this week to name the academic building at the downtown campus after one of the region’s leading philanthropic…

UCF and Valencia College will host a ceremonial groundbreaking on May 11 at the site of the downtown campus, across the street from the UCF…

The University of Central Florida has named Allen Bottorff as the director of facilities for its new downtown campus. Bottorff will begin his new role…

Before a crowd of nearly 600 top donors, the University of Central Florida celebrated the public launch of a $500 million fundraising campaign Friday night,…

The University of Central Florida’s downtown campus is one step closer to construction as officials this week signed contracts with the team selected to design…

The University of Central Florida today released its short list of companies vying to construct the parking garage in downtown Orlando that will be part…

A three-way partnership of experienced architecture and construction firms known for their exceptional work on college campuses will design and build UCF’s new campus in…

The University of Central Florida today released its short list of companies vying to develop the new campus in downtown Orlando. The five teams, which…

Thad Seymour, recently named the new Vice Provost for UCF Downtown, sat down with News 13 this week to talk about the vision and plan…

Provost Whittaker sent the following message to the campus community. For nearly two years, we planned for a campus in downtown Orlando. Now that these…

The University of Central Florida today received a $1 million gift from BB&T Corporation for its downtown campus, the first major contribution since Florida Gov.…

UCF Celebrates the Arts 2016 – a free festival of music, performances and visual displays – combines an abundance of arts and talent that would…

UCF will host a pre-proposal meeting for firms interested in learning more about the project and selection process for the design of the new academic…

In the 24 years since I became UCF president, few moments have been as important to our university as the one that occurred today. Earlier…

Gov. Rick Scott earlier today authorized $20 million in state funding toward the construction of the new academic building at UCF Downtown. The following is…

The best video game graduate school in North America is the University of Central Florida’s in downtown Orlando, according to The Princeton Review and PC…

Florida lawmakers included $20 million for UCF Downtown in the budget the Legislature released Sunday night. The insertion into the budget comes less than a…

[social-share-buttons] The Florida Board of Governors on Wednesday approved UCF’s plans for a new downtown Orlando campus, with the board’s chairman saying the project “will…

Dr. Phillips Charities today made the largest private gift to UCF Downtown, investing $3 million in the campus project. The gift will help fund construction…

The University of Central Florida’s plans for a downtown campus gained more momentum today with the announcement of $2.5 million in new gifts from community…

Florida Hospital announced its commitment to UCF’s planned downtown campus on Monday, pledging $1.5 million toward the project. Florida Hospital’s gift will help fund construction…

The University of Central Florida will present its plan for a downtown Orlando campus to the Florida Board of Governors on March 2. The meeting…

In a blog post, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer laid out his reasons for why the UCF Downtown campus, shared with Valencia College, will be so…

The Orlando Sentinel this week endorsed UCF’s plans to create a campus in downtown Orlando that would serve about 7,700 students – saying the campus…

Led by President John C. Hitt and trustee Alex Martins, University of Central Florida leaders have made personal contributions totaling more than $1 million for…

The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees today approved a memorandum of understanding with Governor Rick Scott’s office concerning details about the university’s proposed…

CFE Federal Credit Union announced its commitment to UCF Downtown on Monday, becoming the second community partner to pledge $1.5 million toward the project. The…

The Orlando Magic are the first to answer UCF President John C. Hitt’s call for philanthropic gifts to help secure a new downtown campus. The…

During this week’s Focus on Excellence breakfast in downtown Orlando, UCF President John Hitt spoke with community leaders about the UCF Downtown campus, urging them…

This morning, UCF announced it would present its plans on the downtown campus at a future Board of Governors’ meeting. “UCF remains committed to developing…

Orange County Commissioners praised the UCF Downtown project Tuesday and unanimously committed $3 million toward the campus. “I think it’d be great for downtown. I…

Valencia College will contribute $2 million to the University of Central Florida’s proposed downtown campus, according to plans outlined at the Oct. 21 Valencia College…

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer delivered his annual State of the Downtown address to hundreds of downtown residents, business owners and community leaders, highlighting UCF Downtown…

UCF Board of Trustees members today unanimously approved several updates to the university’s plans for developing a campus in downtown Orlando that it would share…

Growing Orlando’s high-tech sector is critical for the city’s long-term future, Mayor Buddy Dyer told Central Florida News 13 this week. Here’s an excerpt from…

UCF students worked alongside city and local planning professionals in a health impact assessment of the Parramore Heritage community. Together, the group wanted to determine…

Earlier today, Florida Governor Rick Scott vetoed nearly $500 million from the state budget. Included in those vetoes were funds for several UCF projects, including…

UCF, Valencia College and the City of Orlando appreciate the support of the Florida Legislature, which has earmarked $15 million toward the downtown Orlando campus…

UCF and its No. 2-ranked graduate video gaming school in North America, the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, are featured in a BloombergBusiness article about Orlando’s…

Orlando business, community and education leaders traveled to Phoenix this month to learn about best practices and innovative approaches to regionalism that will help them…

The UCF Downtown Leadership Team unanimously approved the list of UCF academic programs that are slated to relocate during the multi-year creation of a campus…

From City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s blog: An Awesome Outdoor City Highly Connected Neighborhoods and Districts The Best Education in Florida A Great Place…

As part of the new K-8 school in Parramore scheduled to open in Fall 2017 in downtown Orlando, UCF is working with Orange County Public…

There has been tremendous work this semester on our planned downtown campus to advance students’ learning in an urban environment and provide many in our…

According to urbanSCALE.com, “downtown campuses can be a win-win for universities and for a city’s downtown.” The blog says, “Major universities are often landlocked, and…

A new UCF program to provide an immersive college experience for students with intellectual disabilities is gearing up to start this fall, and the first public…

For the second consecutive year, the University of Central Florida’s video game graduate school ranks No. 2 in North America, according to The Princeton Review…

University of Central Florida students are helping improve lives in Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood – one of the region’s most critically underserved communities – while also…

Originally Published on Valencia News on March 17, 2015:  Valencia students, faculty and staff were given a preview of the plans for a new UCF-Valencia…

This post is part of a series featuring UCF’s community engagement and partnerships with the downtown Orlando and Parramore communities: Three years ago, Ashley Williams,…

Learn more about UCF’s plans to build a campus in downtown Orlando and ask questions about the project during two open forums the week after…

The Florida Board of Governors on Thursday added UCF’s proposed downtown campus to a list it sends to the Florida Legislature, a critical step in…

When eight video game developers published their deceptive, cartoonish shooter game, “Hit,” on Feb. 10, they made history as the first FIEA Ventures entrepreneurs to…

Downtown Orlando’s historic Church Street Station – once a tourist attraction that fell dormant – is now home to more than 70 tech-related companies and…

Excited about the opportunities that an expanded University of Central Florida downtown presence would offer students, UCF Board of Trustees members unanimously approved the downtown…

High school graduates from the Parramore community who wish to become doctors will be able to attend the University of Central Florida College of Medicine…

Since the fall, you’ve heard about our university’s plans to establish a campus in downtown Orlando that would provide our students a valuable new learning…

An Orlando Sentinel editorial Tuesday lauded the benefits of a UCF downtown campus as an economic driver and pathway for employment. “Building and running the…

We know that being in a community is more than just building a campus. It’s about creating relationships that can lead to partnerships and engaging…

UCF, city and community leaders discussed partnerships and increased educational access for students in the area surrounding UCF’s new downtown campus this week with Florida…

The American Tobacco Campus in downtown Durham, N.C., has transformed several blocks of century-old factories into an entrepreneurial playground of offices, apartments, restaurants, retail stores…

This week, more than 40 members from the UCF Downtown committees discussed how a new program could make college fully accessible for students with intellectual…

UCF has selected CannonDesign as its master planning consultant for the downtown campus. The firm will work closely with UCF and its partners to help…

Young people continue to spurn the suburbs for urban centers, choosing to live instead in the “very heart of cities,” an article from The New York…

As I approach my 100 days on the job at UCF, I am amazed at all we have accomplished in this short time — and…

Project DTO – Advancing Downtown Orlando released its vision video during Mayor Buddy Dyer’s State of Downtown 2014 address, laying out themes from the city-…

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer included the “huge announcement” about UCF Downtown in his State of Downtown 2014 address, which was given this year at the…

UCF hired CannonDesign to explore the possibility of establishing a downtown Orlando campus. After several months of meeting with more than 30 representatives from UCF…

Forbes commentary from Bruce Katz describes how universities and colleges can spur metropolitan growth by relocating graduate programs and research institutions into the core of cities.…

The University of Central Florida will move forward with plans for an expanded downtown campus to enhance educational opportunities for students and stimulate downtown Orlando,…