Attending UCF, a Metropolitan University

Alex Boylan: Let’s get to it. You all ready? Adam is a two-time UCF grad who turned his dreams into reality. He’s going to tell us more about how Knight shaped the central Florida community and fueled Florida’s talent pipeline. That means they earn jobs after graduation and have career paths right here in central Florida. He’ll also give us the details on how UCF prepares you to succeed in the classroom and in your career. Take it away, Adam.

Adam Breed: Thanks, Alex. As the Engineering Innovation Principal Architect at Lockheed Martin and a two-time UCF grad, I’m a proud Knight who has, growing up, went to college, started a career, and is raising a young family in Orlando. When I was young, I always loved video games, but when I got older, I wanted to find a career that could allow me to use video games and link it back to my family’s long military history. That led me to my dream job where I create simulators, where we teach people how to fly planes or how to operate a tank successfully using those tools.

At UCF, you’re set up for some amazing opportunities, thanks to the pipeline established by UCF across multiple industries, including hospitality, space, cyber, healthcare, digital arts and entertainment, and of course, my area of expertise, simulation and training. UCF has extensive industry partnerships. For example, Lockheed Martin has a college work experience program where Knights can work with the real professionals working on real projects that have a real impact.

If you were a student in that program today, you could be working on the latest virtual reality technology or a strength and safety boosting exoskeleton. Additionally, UCF’s hospitality students are located right in the heart of Orlando’s Tourism District, which has neighbors like Disney, Universal, Marriott, and The Orange County Convention Center. UCF’s downtown campus is located within walking distance of City Hall, the courthouse, and a lot more. UCF’s main campus is next to a thousand acre research park where some of the most cutting edge companies are developing technology across aerospace, lasers, and medical research. That means you’re going to have the connections needed to land your first internship and put you on a path of successful career.

Nothing compares to the real world impact I have at Lockheed Martin, and nothing compares to being a UCF Knight in a metropolitan city like Orlando, where the opportunities for discovery, creativity and success are infinite. Back to you, Alex.

Alex Boylan: Adam, that’s incredible. It’s great that UCF is so close to many industry leaders giving students hands-on experience and a leg up on the competition when they graduate. I think we’ll definitely continue to see Knights doing cool things and going big places. Thanks again, Adam.