The following stories captured our attention throughout the year. They are ranked by page views from Jan. 1, 2020 through Dec. 10, 2020.
Rotating detonation rocket engines will allow upper stage rockets for space missions to become lighter, travel farther and burn more cleanly.
Observed in April, the asteroid was in a special class of near-Earth asteroids called Potentially Hazardous Objects, which are bigger than 140 meters (about 500 feet) and come within 5 million miles of Earth’s orbit.
In response to some industries and sectors being particularly hard hit by the pandemic, in July, UCF launched certificates, tracks and special topics courses to help provide useful tools for employees in fields ranging from business and engineering to optics and health.
The college has seen a consistent rise over the past three years in ShanghaiRanking’s listing of the 500 top universities in the world. For the fourth consecutive year, UCF’s hospitality school was also ranked among the world’s best by CEOWorld magazine.
In February, we offered a behind-the-scenes look at UCF’s first building, which underwent a makeover that incorporated convenient access, designated quiet areas and more space for students to create a collaborative learning experience.
The former UCF football standouts were the distinguished speakers for the virtual ceremony held in May, which marked the 50th anniversary of the first commencement held at UCF.
The three-year project saw its final phase of renovations completed just in time for campus to welcome back students for the fall semester.
Earlier this month, one of the university’s most influential student-athletes, who has worked to get back to competition after a traumatic leg injury in 2018, has decided to move on from his alma mater to finish his collegiate football career. And despite all his success with the Knights, he’s doing this with the most unselfish of motives.
Speaking at a virtual meeting in April that confirmed him as the university’s sixth president, Cartwright spoke of fulfilling UCF’s potential for impact as a large, metropolitan research university, his commitment to students, keeping their needs at the heart of his decisions, and providing a supportive culture for both students and faculty.
In February, readers flocked to the story of mechanical engineering graduate Juan Diego Vila ’19, who says he didn’t eat ramen every day and even went to a music festival while paying down his debt.
In March, UCF organized an effort to help students and employees who were struggling due to COVID-19.
In January, the UCF cheer team claimed their third UCA National Championship title in program history.
In an effort to help those affected by financial pressures due to COVID-19, UCF Continuing Education and online-learning partner, Ed2Go, offered online professional development courses to the public for free for a limited time in May.
In May, after Black Lives Matter protests spread across the nation, Interim Chief Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Officer S. Kent Butler shared this note on the importance of building each other up.
As protests continued through the summer, UCF Today compiled a list of the most influential protests in American history that advocated for and lead to change.
In June, UCF partnered with the Knight-owned Rock ’Em Socks to create Black and Gold-inspired masks that helped students in financial need.
The pomp and circumstance during commencement looked a little different this year, but friends and family members of graduates were as proud as ever to honor this year’s graduates. This story and one encouraging them to share short video messages of congratulations topped this year’s list.
After the initial quarantine ended earlier this year, people were eager to get out of their homes, leading to a spike in visits to this 2018 story about the natural areas within two hours of campus that make for a perfect day trip with plenty of physical distancing.
In April, a drive-through site where members of the community with an appointment could be tested for COVID-19 opened at UCF.
One of the auxiliary cables that helped support a metal platform above the dish at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico broke in August, causing a 100-foot-long gash on the telescope’s reflector dish. In mid-November, a decision was made to decommission the telescope, and on Dec. 1, the telescope collapsed.
