High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2025

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  Assisting Orlando Health with Patient Experience & Logistics

  Usman S. Ahmed

  This showcase is a narrative of my experience as a volunteer for the Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, operated by Orlando Health. Orlando Health is a non-profit organization that operates a network of general and specialty hospitals across Orlando. Their stated mission is “To improve the health and quality of life of the individuals and communities we serve”. One of their largest clusters of healthcare facilities by far is located in the Doctor Phillips area of Orlando, which includes the hospital where I volunteered. As a volunteer, my job was to improve the background operations of the fifth floor. More specifically, I was tasked with restocking supplies ranging from gowns and gloves, to printer paper and welcome brochures. Additionally, I was involved in managing patient records by organizing information of current patients and securely disposing of discharged patient information in compliance with hospital policy. However, my most impactful task by far involved me acting as a liaison between patients and nursing staff. While my role in the hospital was indeed faceless, it was nevertheless meaningful, as my presence ensured reduced response times from the staff, greater organization, and a fluid state of hospital operations. Overall, this experience taught me about the importance of collaboration and commitment in meeting the demands of the healthcare industry and delivering thoughtful patient care.

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  Exploring Leadership through the Avenues of Homelessness and Hunger in our Community.

  Kaitlyn R. Aust Ms., Matthew L. Bensey Mr., and Moriah C. Boring Ms.

  While at Second Harvest, we volunteered at the Mercy Kitchen and the donation sorting warehouse. At the Mercy kitchen we organized boxes of snacks to be sent to after school programs, and we prepared and packaged meals that were going to be sent to schools and families. We also helped around the facility by cleaning the kitchen and washing the dishes. At the donation sorting, we collected large boxes of donated food items, and we sorted them into categories. These items were then sent to the kitchen or straight to families and kids.

  We learned valuable servant leadership skills from the team and their leaders at Second Harvest. They led with love and excitement, always willing to go the extra mile and help wherever they could. This is a huge takeaway for us as we strive to become better servant leaders both now and in our careers after our time at UCF.

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  Improving PCOS Through Movement: A Study on HIIT, Strength Training and Women’s Health

  Angela Avdella and Eryka Salta

  This integrative learning project examined how different forms of physical activity—specifically High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Strength Training (ST)—impact hormonal and physical health in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a common hormonal disorder affecting 6–15% of women and is associated with insulin resistance, elevated testosterone levels, increased body fat, and long-term risks such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Because lifestyle interventions are key to PCOS management, this interventional study enumerated exercise as a strategy to improve health outcomes.

  The study used was a 12-week intervention design in which participants completed either HIIT or strength training three times per week. Serum testosterone levels, body fat percentage, and physical activity levels were the dependent variables. Results showed that while both forms of exercise led to improvements, HIIT produced greater reductions in testosterone, larger decreases in body fat, and slightly higher increases in physical activity.

  Overall, the study highlights the effectiveness of HIIT exercise in managing PCOS and supports HIIT as a particularly beneficial option for improving hormonal and metabolic health in women in the community.

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  Fostering Civil Discourse on Title I Schools

  Blake A. Barnes, Jane Cichock, Ronin Ehrhart, Jenna Hackler, and Valentina Lopez

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  My experience at Heart of Florida United Way

  Alana Ben-David

  For my service-learning project, I volunteered at Heart of Florida United Way, which is a nonprofit dedicated to improving lives in Central Florida by providing food assistance, housing support, education programs, and financial stability resources. Since HFUW addresses a wide variety of community needs, I had the chance to volunteer at several different types of events. For instance, at a veterans’ nursing home event, I helped with activities and wrote appreciation cards, which not only beautified the facility but also made the veterans and staff feel valued. At another event, I assisted with loading supplies for a local church’s community drive, and I’m also involved in preparing meal kits for HFUW’s Thanksgiving Project. Overall, I found that volunteering with HFUW gave me a chance to support a variety of community initiatives.

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  Finding A Furever Home

  Gyanna Blechinger, Chad Christopher JOHNSON, Daniel Valdes-Recio, David Jerome, Aryan Verma, Carlee Hester, and Zach Yadi

  Over the course of the 2025 Spring Semester at the University of Central Florida, our team in LEAD's Animal Rights course has been committed to volunteering with Save a Life Pet Rescue, a local nonprofit. This video details our experience as volunteers, how we helped further their cause, and what we learned throughout the project.

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  From Microplastics to Mangroves: My Journey Through Environmental Service

  Parker R. Breeze

  This course’s learning goal was to provide real-world learning experiences that enhance scientific research and communication skills through hands-on, community-based projects. Throughout the semester, I participated in a variety of environmental service-learning activities, including a microplastics project, mangrove tree gardening, and creation of cement structures for use in oyster reef restoration. These experiences allowed me to engage directly with environmental science in a meaningful way.

  In addition to the course objectives, I set personal learning goals to deepen my understanding of the connection between science and community impact. I aimed to improve my confidence in applying scientific methods outside the classroom, to develop stronger collaboration and problem-solving skills, and to better understand how small-scale conservation efforts contribute to larger environmental solutions. This course has presented me opportunities and has opened my eyes to new paths of environmental stewardship that I was not aware of previously.

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  Building a Stronger Community with Hope Helps Inc.

  Layla Candelario, Cheryl Nguyen, and Sarah Samuels

  Our service-learning project focused on supporting HOPE Helps Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent and reduce homelessness in Central Florida. We volunteered in their thrift store and food pantry, where we helped sort donations, organize merchandise, and assist community members in need. By contributing time and effort, we learned how HOPE Helps provides essential resources that allow families to work toward stability and independence. This experience helped us better understand the value of community service and how small actions can create meaningful change. Through volunteering, we strengthened our connection to the community and supported HOPE’s mission of dignity, support, and empowerment.

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  Supporting Wildlife Conservation Locally

  Jay H. Canino Gol

  The learning objective for this service-learning project was to aid and observe local efforts of sustainability in accordance with one of the United Nations (U.N.) sustainability goals. U.N. sustainability goal 15 is life on land and aims to protect current ecosystems, and their balance. It also places emphasis on upholding wildlife populations.

  The Audubon Center for Birds of Prey holds the main mission of raptor rehabilitation, to assist Florida ecosystems. Their mission also includes educating the public and advocating for birds. These goals work toward the goal of protecting life on land in Florida. While volunteering at the Center, 180 minutes were spent on cleaning tasks weekly, totaling in 900 minutes contributing to cleanliness of the clinic.

  In environmental studies, a common theme is seemingly minor actions causing heavy impact on broader scales. The U.N. sustainability goals are global-level goals, making it difficult to imagine how these goals are worked toward at a local level to cause such heavy impact. By working with the Center, observance of what that local environmental sustainability can look like in practice was possible.

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  Little Learners, Big Impact: Inspiring Ocean Awareness In Young Minds

  Carly Chard, Kate Frawley, and Eduardo Sanchez

  Marine pollution is one of the most urgent environmental crises of our time, threatening the health of our oceans, the survival of marine life, and the well-being of human societies that rely on them. Our educational presentation introduced 3rd-grade students to the issue of marine pollution through creative, hands-on learning. Students built recycled fish crafts using everyday materials, played an interactive cleanup game that demonstrated the importance of removing trash and rescuing marine animals tangled in fishing lines, and helped design a classroom mural to serve as a lasting reminder of their efforts. This service-learning project not only helped us teach environmental awareness to young learners but also allowed us to apply the skills and knowledge we’ve gained in class to make a meaningful community impact. This experience offered a glimpse into the real-world outreach and educational aspects of environmental science, showing how connecting with others can inspire care and action toward protecting marine life.

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  The Power of Listening

  McKenna J. Clark, Ashley C. La Rosa, Arya K. Raheja, Eitan N. Tangir, and Jayden I. Daniels

  For our service-learning project, our group volunteered with the 7 Cups program, which is an online platform that provides free emotional support and active listening to individuals around the world. The purpose of our project was to apply the leadership principles we learned in LEAD, such as empathy, communication, and dedication, to make a meaningful impact in the world. Through 7 Cups, we completed active listening and engaged in one-on-one conversations to support people seeking understanding and compassion. This experience taught us how powerful listening can be in creating connection and fostering emotional well-being. We also learned that leadership is not only about guiding others, but also about showing empathy, patience, and understanding.

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  My service-learning experience, conserving and restoring Canaveral National Seashore

  Thomas Cole

  Thomas Cole

  Th753204@ucf.edu

  3177992

  My service-learning experience, conserving and restoring Canaveral National Seashore

  During my time spent completing service learning course service-learning marine conservation and restoration.. I had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of projects that benefit marine conservation and restoration. These included mangrove gardening, Beach trash removal, constructing oyster habitat structures and a wading bird camera footage experiment. Each of these experiences relate to the conservation and restoration of Canaveral National Seashore. This National park is home to thousands of species of plants and animals, with 47 of those species being federally listed as special concern, threatened or endangered. Each service-learning experiences will help the park in a unique way. Planting mangroves restore essential nursery habitat for endemic species within the lagoon. By removing trash on the seashore at the International Coastal Cleanup Event, we can reduce future increases in plastic within the park and surrounding waters. The oyster habitat structures provide substrate, made from environmentally sustainable materials, which are then placed along the seashore where healthy oyster reefs once existed and are now less abundant. This new substrate provides essential habitat for settling oysters and helps to increase oyster populations, which leads to overall improvement in the lagoons water quality. The wading bird camera experiment provides valuable data about this park’s bird species, and how anthropogenic influences may be effecting the habitat in the park, which is home to a diverse group of wading birds, shorebirds and large numbers of migrating waterfowl.

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  Ocean Adventures: Exploring Stingrays With Young Learners

  Danielle Cora and Nicholas Groves

  Introducing marine life to young learners is a powerful way to spark curiosity and build a foundation for ocean conservation. As part of our UCF service-learning course, we partnered with Wedgefield School to deliver an interactive stingray anatomy and migration lesson to a first-grade class.

  The lesson featured a brief presentation, a customizable snap-tail stingray craft, and a predator-prey migration game to reinforce ecological concepts. To assess learning outcomes, we conducted a pre- and post-test, which revealed a clear increase in student understanding and engagement.

  This project showcased the impact of early science education and the value of hands-on learning in promoting environmental awareness.

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  Empowering Students for Their Future

  Gabriel A. Cordero Arrieche

  My service-learning experience with the Education Foundation of Sarasota County gave me the opportunity to support an organization dedicated to helping students feel prepared for life after high school. Throughout the semester, I learned how the Foundation bridges gaps in access by providing mentorship, personalized future-planning guidance, workshops, and scholarship resources that many students might not receive otherwise. Being part of their mission helped me understand not only the practical side of supporting students, but also the emotional impact of having someone believe in you when you are still figuring out your next step. This experience taught me that small acts, like offering encouragement, sharing information, or simply listening, can help students feel more confident, more hopeful, and more willing to imagine a future they can work toward.

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  Funding the Future of Education - The Development of Innovative Options for Title 1 Schooling

  Sophia J. De La Cruz, Jacob Decker, John Mcmahon, Nicolas Oksman, and Ezequiel Ramirez Guzman

  This semester, our group focused on exploring the current funding of Title 1 Schooling through the creation of a Deliberative Dialogue. Using the previous model developed by the National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI),a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting public deliberation about difficult issues, we worked together as the Options Development Team to create three potential solutions addressing inequities in the current educational funding seen across the country. Our options included increasing funding, reallocating existing funds, and launching an awareness campaign to help families and communities better understand how funding works.

  Through this project, we as a group learned the power of civic engagement and collaboration in creating meaningful change. We discovered that open dialogue and respectful listening are key to understanding complex issues like that of education. Most importantly, we realized that meaningful change starts with people coming together—using conversation as the foundation for action and progress in our communities.

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  Shepherd's Hope

  Madisyn M. DeMar, Sarah Levin, and Peri-Marina Schreck

  Shepherd’s Hope is an organization that gives free medical care to those who can’t afford it, don’t have insurance, or are not eligible for government-assisted health care programs. The purpose of our project is to give back to those less fortunate than ourselves and make a positive impact on people’s lives by helping to provide them with access to the healthcare they need and deserve. We learned about the importance of access to healthcare and the significant impact volunteers have on people’s lives. All of us helped take in people, even if they weren’t on the schedule, and fit them in for an appointment to see a physician. We all helped with receptionist duties and signed people in for their appointments. We also helped with paperwork and made sure the organization and their patients stayed protected through HIPAA. Overall, the three of us volunteered 56.5 hours combined and impacted around 72 people, which includes other volunteers, the people there for appointments, and the paid employees who run everything and continue to help make this organization and their mission possible.

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  Leadership Through Service: My Volunteer Experience at the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando

  Sophia Dufour

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  Giving Back Through Choreography and Dance Instruction

  Joshua Edgar

  Being a long-time proponent of dance, musical theater, and directing, I’ve naturally been drawn to choreography. In the past, I’ve created dance numbers for multiple performances at my high school and dance studios. Recently, I’ve been able to volunteer as the lead choreographer of the musical Once Upon a Mattress at Inspired Theater Company. In this role, I created eight unique dance numbers of varying styles and difficulty and taught them to the cast of fifteen individuals, ranging from lower school to college-aged. This taught me the importance of good leadership qualities—such as communication and meeting the needs of others—even in dance instruction.

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  Change Through Social Media: Sparking Wildlife Conservation One Click at a Time

  Bryce J. Fable, Lauren Fitzsimmons, Noshi Kapoor, Anne Reichle, Sara Wise, Robin O'Meallie, and Greg Zboch

  As the natural world faces unprecedented threats, conservation efforts depend not only on research and policy but also on public awareness and engagement. This project partnered with the Zoo Miami Foundation to promote awareness through social media initiatives and interactive educational events at the University of Central Florida.

  The authors began by studying Zoo Miami’s ongoing conservation projects and the specific environmental pressures faced by endangered species and habitats. To align with Zoo Miami’s exceptional standard of credibility, the team conducted in-depth research that extended beyond the foundation’s website to create material that served to both inform the general public and inspire greater emotional connection while encouraging real-world action.

  To translate research into impact, the team created original graphics and captions for Zoo Miami’s social media platforms, targeting topics where the foundation identified the greatest need for awareness. Instagram was chosen for its ability to connect emotionally with younger audiences most likely to turn interest into advocacy.

  Beyond social media, the project expanded into direct education by hosting interactive events for UCF students. These sessions featured multimedia educational resources and interactive activities, fostering discussion and curiosity about wildlife protection. Attendance and participation exceeded expectations, with many attendees expressing increased motivation to learn more and take conservation-related action.

  Key outcomes included heightened engagement among attendees, anecdotal evidence of increased conservation awareness, and stronger visibility for Zoo Miami’s mission. Future initiatives will expand to raise awareness about additional endangered species and develop more interactive educational events that empower continued conservation engagement.

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  Paws on Board: Transporting Dogs from Shelters to New Homes

  Angelina M. Fasolo, Kayla Buchholz, Mitchel Woodrow, Sarah Burbank, Thalia Dittman, and Michael Mcknight

  Our service learning project focused on supporting Puppy Rescue Flights, an organization that transports rescued puppies, dogs, and cats, and kittens from overcrowded or high risk shelters to rescue partners throughout Florida. The purpose of our project was to contribute to the organization’s mission by assisting with transport operations, promoting awareness, and helping strengthen the visibility of their work. As a group, we participated in flight trips, assisted with ground operations, helped prepare animals for transport, and documented the process to support outreach and education. Through these activities, we learned how much coordination, compassion, and teamwork are required to ensure each animal’s safety from beginning to end. One key lesson we gained was understanding how small actions such as loading kennels, comforting animals, or organizing supplies can create meaningful impact when combined with the efforts of many people. We also learned the value of strong community partnerships, especially through our work with pilot and ring master Mike Young, whose dedication showed us what service driven leadership looks like. Overall, this project taught us that meaningful change grows from consistent effort, collaboration, and a genuine commitment to helping others.

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  The World Is My Oyster: Restoring Nature, Inspiring Minds

  Antonia N. Ferguson

  Through Service Learning: Marine Conservation and Restoration, I was a co-leader for UCF STEM Day under the theme “Oyster City Safari.” Our team designed interactive games and crafts to teach two groups of 25 elementary students about oyster reef restoration. Students acted as oysters and reef animals, transforming fragmented reefs into whole ones to demonstrate how restored reefs support biodiversity. They also played a species-matching game and created oyster shell necklaces and crowns. These activities encouraged them to see the value of oyster reefs and inspired future stewardship of the environment. I also contributed to seagrass restoration by assisting Coastal Estuarine and Ecology Lab (CEELab) Master’s student Luciana Banquero and Brevard Zoo.I gained field experience by annotating seagrass cover and percentages. I supported her project while learning how seagrass meadows provide vital habitat for marine life. These experiences strengthened my communication, leadership, and restoration skills which strengthened my passion for conservation and ecological education.

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  Raising Cybersecurity Awareness in Central Florida Communities

  Jacob S. Freeman

  The threat of cyberattacks is larger than ever. As our lives move further into the digital age, attackers become smarter, learn new techniques, and exploit subtler vulnerabilities. If we want to train a generation that is protected from these threats, it is our responsibility to start educating people early, not just after they enter the workforce.

  To do this, I partnered with a non-profit student organization called the Collegiate Cyber Defense Club, better known as Hack@UCF, to teach the UCF student body and others in the Central Florida area about cybersecurity. Our focus was on both understanding modern threats and taking practical steps so personal data, accounts, and devices stay protected against malicious actors.
  
  Reaching this goal required a coordinated effort between myself and several fellow students, including weekly informational meetings on campus and hands-on cyber training. The largest of these events was the Horse Plinko Cyber Challenge (HPCC), a live cyberattack simulation that lets students experience the value of cybersecurity in a realistic yet safe environment.

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  L'dor V'dor

  Shoshana L. Greene

  This project details a service-learning experience at Central Florida Hillel. Serving the community involved on-the-ground leadership and meaningful engagement by supporting signature events like the communal Challah Bake and warm, weekly Shabbos Dinners. This work demonstrated that true service involves leaders directly engaged with volunteers, modeling dedication. The project significantly impacted Hillel’s social infrastructure and accessibility, ensuring a reliable, low-barrier, welcoming space for students seeking cultural connection and companionship. This consistent volunteer effort increased organizational capacity, allowing staff to focus core resources on student mentorship rather than basic logistics. Ultimately, the stability and consistency of these events reinforced the sense of belonging for students, directly aiding Hillel's mission of passing traditions "from generation to generation" (L'dor V'dor). The experience provided a vital link to academic concepts like Servant Leadership and Organizational Communication. It proved that simple, clear messaging and visible commitment from staff and student executive board members are essential for successful volunteer retention and effective civic engagement.

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  Sir Francis Drake, Pirate or Privateer

  Sarah Green

  This project explores the early life of Sir Francis Drake and the legacy he left. I will be focusing on how he operated as both a loyal servant to Queen Elizabeth I and a controversial figure in the eyes of Spain and Ireland. Using sources, I examine how his actions were framed as patriotic service, even though they often involved looting and destruction. Some key focuses that I go into are his failed voyages; one with John Hawkins and the Portuguese, and the other focus is the raid on Nombre de Dios. I also look at his role in Ireland under the Earl of Essex, where he supported campaigns like the resistance against the Gaelic, an episode that shaped how the Irish viewed him, not as a hero but as a violent figure in the campaign. The Spanish saw Drake as a pirate and a threat. The Spanish referred to him as El Draque, which means Dragon. English propaganda, however, turned him into a national symbol. I also explored his voyages to the Northwest, the route he took to get back home from the Northwest, and his last voyage with Hawkins. I will also mention how he died on his last voyage from a deadly illness he caught when he was in San Juan. This also explores whether he should be the hero that England represented him as, or how the Spanish saw him, as a pirate.

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  Facilitation of Historic Preservation in Parramore

  Aiyana Gross

  The Parramore Speaks project is an initiative hosted by the UCF Public History Department designed to give agency back to the resident’s of Parramore by putting the preservation of their history back into their hands. Through a collaborated with the City of Orlando, RICHES and the PHC Internship, I had the unique opportunity to be a part of a team dedicated to preserving and sharing the endangered local histories of communities located here in Central Florida. I worked personally with the oral interviews and transcriptions for individuals such as Reggie McGill, Alzo J. Reddick, Walter Hawkins and Paul Perkins, tirelessly ensuring that their words and stories would endure and survive as the community around them continues to evolve and change.