David “Jamie” Poissant kicked off UCF’s third Authors Celebration with a story about how he hated reading as a child and eventually became an associate professor of English and published author.

Poissant was one of 47 honorees at the celebration Tuesday, March 1, at the Live Oak Room on main campus. The celebration, held every two years, recognizes faculty who publish books from novels and poetry to textbooks and manuals for their respective fields.

The Office of Research and Faculty Excellence sponsor the event, which drew about 50 guests including the president and provost. Authors represented seven colleges and UCF Libraries. One honoree is chosen to give a keynote address, which Poissant delivered. He generated laughter as he shared his love/hate relationship with reading on his way to becoming a published author. His first book, The Heaven of Animals, was a collection of stories. He debuted as a novelist in 2020 with Lake Life. It was a New York Times Editors’ Choice book and has earned rave reviews for its lyrical inventiveness and gorgeous writing.

This year’s honorees are:

  • Amanda Wilkerson, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Amie Newins, College of Sciences
  • Barbara Andraka-Christou, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Beatriz Reyes-Foster, College of Sciences
  • Bridget Rubenking, College of Sciences
  • Claire Connolly Knox, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Cynthia Mejia, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • David James Poissant, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Debbie Hahs-Vaughn, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Elsie L. Olan, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Enrique Andres Puig, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Euripides Montagne, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Fevzi Okumus, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • Güneş Murat Tezcur, College of Sciences
  • Scott Carter, College of Sciences
  • Jacopo A. Baggio, College of Sciences
  • James C. Clark, College of Arts and Humanities
  • John Sacher, College of Arts and Humanities; College of Undergraduate Studies
  • Jonathan Beever, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Julia Listengarten, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Kimberly Voss, College of Sciences
  • Lee E. Ross, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Luis Rabelo, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Marcy Verduin, M.D., College of Medicine
  • Martha Garcia, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Michael Strawser, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Michele Gill, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Naim Kapucu, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Peggy L. Nuhn, UCF Libraries
  • Rani Vajravelu, College of Sciences
  • Robert Littlefield, College of Sciences
  • Sara Duff, UCF Libraries
  • Shannon K. Carter, College of Sciences
  • Timothy Sellnow, College of Sciences
  • Tina Herman Buck, UCF Libraries
  • Anna Valdes, College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • Bendegul Okumus, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • Cheryl Briggs, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Cynthia M. Kisby, UCF Libraries
  • Enrique Guerra-Pujol, College of Business
  • Eric Merriam, College of Community Innovation and Education; College of Sciences
  • Jonathan Matusitz, College of Sciences
  • Julie Feuerstein, College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • Karl X. Chai, College of Medicine
  • Mindi Anderson, College of Nursing
  • Mindy Shoss, College of Sciences
  • Sarah Bush, College of Community Innovation and Education

The last Authors Celebration was held in 2020 and honored 39 faculty members.