UCF invites the community to campus on June 8 to honor and remember the 49 lives taken at Pulse.

Below is a message from UCF President John C. Hitt detailing how the university will mark the one-year remembrance.

Nearly one year ago, our vibrant, welcoming city was attacked in an act of hate.

On June 12, 2016, a senseless act of violence at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando killed 49 people, including two members of the UCF family, student Juan Ramon Guerrero and alumnus Christopher Andrew Leinonen.

In the aftermath of terror, an outpouring of kindness and support united our community.

It is in that spirit that UCF prepares to remember Pulse on June 8 with a day of reflection, giving back, and coming together. We chose June 8 for our events to allow our community to attend City of Orlando and Orange County Government remembrances on June 12.

June 8, titled “UCF Remembers … 6.12.16,” will include:

  • “Reflections on Pulse” will be an opportunity to create art and share tributes to the 49 victims. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union Atrium.
  • The UCF Remembers Blood Drive will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. near the Student Union between Classroom 1 and Health and Public Affairs.
  • The opening reception for “Resilience: Remembering Pulse” will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the UCF Art Gallery. The exhibition, which will run through June 30, includes photos, quilts, paintings, and more that honor the victims and the LGBTQ+ community.
  • “UCF Remembers,” a ceremony honoring the 49 and celebrating diversity and equality, will begin in the Pegasus Ballroom at 7:30 p.m. The event will include performances by the Orlando Gay Chorus, a reading of the names of the 49 victims, and campus and community speakers.

    • I encourage you to remember and reflect in whatever way feels comfortable for you.

    As I said last year: UCF stands with our LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff, and alumni. And I am proud that UCF is a place where love, respect, and inclusion guide all that we do.