A new column is posted each Wednesday at UCF Today and then broadcast between 7:50 and 8 a.m. Sunday on WUCF-FM (89.9). The columns are the opinions of the writers, who serve on the UCF Forum panel of faculty members, staffers and students for a year.
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Columns from 2020
To Win at Sports, You’ve Got to Get in the Game – and Don’t Give Up, Brenda Thompson
The Agony of Defeat, Peter W. Telep
Why Are Adults Without Children Sometimes Made to Feel Incomplete?, Syretta Spears
There is Power Inherent in Working with Colleagues from Different Disciplines, Chung Park
As We Enter 2020, Let’s be the Change Our Children Need, Katherine Philp
Columns from 2019
Why I Believe in the Power of Positivity, Roy Lenfest
Why Do I Teach Journalism? Because it is More Important Now Than Ever, Jeff Kunerth
Go Ahead — It’s OK to Allow Yourself to be Silly Sometimes, Lillian Caraballo
Yes, I Waited 6 Hours in Line for a New Theme Park Ride, Emma Gisclair
Who, Me? A Philanthropist?, Brenda S. Thompson
On Becoming a Mom in Central Florida, Katie Philp
From My First-hand Experience, Unhealthy Sugar Habit is Hard to Break, Syretta Spears
Access to Awe, Wonderment and Beauty are Basic Necessities, Chung Park
The Mountains Are Not IN the Way—They ARE the Way, Peter Telep
Texting Drivers, Yes You! — Put Down Your Phones and Pay Attention, Roy Lenfest
The Evolution of an ‘Office Park’ to a Campus with Vitality, Jeff Kunerth
A New Generation That Understands Its Power and Role in the World, Lillian Caraballo
In Defense of Fan Fiction, Emma Gisclair
I’m About to Graduate – But I’ll Never Stop Learning, Nicole Wills
Dreaming About the Transformative Power of International Service-Learning, Alvin Wang
I’ve Learned Firsthand the Difficulties of Coping with Mental-Health Issues, Katherine Torres
Mom’s Key to Longevity: Oatmeal and Prayers, Camille Dolan
In This Era of Racial Divide, How Do We Bridge the Gap?, Cynthia Schmidt
What To Do With the American Musical?, David Poissant
Robin Hood Had it Easy − The Real World is Not So Straightforward, Stephen M. Kuebler and Jonathan Beever
Let’s Stop Glorifying Tribalism—It Doesn’t Serve Us Well, Michele Gill
Yes, I Adopted a Cat—But She’s Done Her Share of Taking Care of Me, Too, Nicole Wills
Learning History Helps Us Understand Who We Are in Different Ways, Anjella Warnshuis
Traveling Always Presents the Opportunity to Encounter the Unexpected, Alvin Wang
Path to Fitness may be Difficult — But Don’t Let Obstacles Get in the Way, Katherine Torres
Lessons Learned from Monopoly (and My Brother), Camille Dolan
Our Most Undervalued Resource, Curtis Proctor
When ‘Wrong’ may be Right: In Praise of Stubbornness, David Poissant
‘Well, It’s Not Illegal!’, Stephen M. Kuebler and Jonathan Beever
Frequent Misconceptions About Charter Schools, Michele Gill
Looking Back as an Adult on My Parents’ Advice, Nicole Wills
Our Community Is At Its Best When We Lift One Another Up, Anjella Warnshuis
Notes From a Digital Immigrant: Travels Abroad in Cyberspace, Alvin Wang
Unless You Know Someone’s Story, Don’t ‘Compliment’ Them as Inspirational, Katherine Torres
Why Dogs are (Sometimes) Better than Cats, Camille Dolan
The Irony: My Wife is Criticized for Some Career Decisions I'm Praised For, Curtis Proctor
A Meditation on R.E.M., the Soundtrack of My Youth, David Poissant
Internet Has Helped Spread Information, But Not Necessarily Knowledge, Stephen M. Kuebler and Jonathan Beever
The Unexpected Joys of Bird-Watching, Michele Gill
Facing Journalism’s Challenges When Many Often View News as Fake, Nicole Wills
I Thought I Knew All About Diversity—But There’s Always More to Learn, Anjella Warnshuis
You May Think You Know Where Life is Headed—Just be Ready to Adjustv, Katherine Torres
When Your Son Goes Blind…, Camille Dolan
The MAGA Kid, Inkblots and UFOs, Alvin Wang
I Love How Technology Has Made Things Easy — But I Sometimes Wish for Simpler Times, Curtis Proctor
Dungeons & Dads: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Game, David Poissant
Who Should Self-Driving Cars Be Programmed to Protect?, Stephen M. Kuebler and Jonathan Beever
New Habits of the New Year, Michele Gill
Face Your Challenges Like a Linebacker—And Don’t Be Afraid to Blitz, Nicole Wills
Columns from 2018
The Value of Investing Time, Energy and Creativity to Comfort Others, Anjella Warnshuis
The Coincidence That Made Me Realize How Small Our World Is, Alvin Wang
How Wheelchair Basketball Changed My Life, Katherine Torres
For the Love of Brownies: A Bitter Batter Battle, Camille Dolan
The Last Great Equalizer: Education, Curtis Proctor
‘Yes, and:’ Overcoming Anxiety with Improv, David Poissant
Following Rules and Doing the Right Thing Aren’t Necessarily the Same, Stephen M. Kuebler and Jonathan Beever
It’s Time to Push for Schools to be Places of True Excitement for Our Kids, Michele Gill
Don’t Hide Behind the Curtain — To be Heard, You Must Speak, Anjella Warnshuis
Choosing ‘Dean’ as a Career Path? You’d be 1st, Alvin Wang
We Can’t Make Everything Accessible — But That Should Always be Part of the Conversation, Katherine Torres
The Right to Kneel: Can an Employer Interfere with Employees’ Political Speech?, Cynthia Schmidt
Horror Movie Heroines, Thank You for the Lessons You’ve Taught Me, Nicole Wills
I Am Not a “Fundraiser” — I Build Bridges, Curtis Proctor
Let’s Retire the Trope of the Hapless Dad, David Poissant
Can’t We Make Better Decisions to Ensure Ethical Outcomes?, Stephen M. Kuebler and Jonathan Beever
How Learning to Play Bass Rocked My World, Michele Gill
UCF Forum Announces 2018-19 Roster, Gene Kruckemyer
Despite My House Divided, We Can Unite for Our Team, Barbara Thompson
Season of Change and Possibility, Lisa Roney
My Baseball Quest Has Taught Me About America, Slowing Down — and Myself, Fernando Rivera
What Inspires Me: People Helping Others and Making the World a Better Place, Kimberly Nassoiy
Adoption Has Been the Most Wonderfully Difficult Thing We’ve Ever Done, Adam Meyer
I’m Trying to be a Cool Mom — But I Have No Idea If It’s Working, Joan McCain
Beauty Never Needs Permission to Show Up, Barbara Thompson
What’s in a Name: Family Treasures, Lisa Roney
In Life, Tomorrow is Never Guaranteed, Fernando Rivera
You Are Never Too Old For a Mentor, Christal Peterson
Manners Make Us Look Past Ourselves and to Others, Kimberly Nassoiy
Good Leaders Don’t Have to Like People – But They Must Love Them, Adam Meyer
The High School Commencement Speech of My Dreams, Joan McCain
Does it Ever Become Too Late to Get Back in Touch?, Jim Clark
Engineering Profession Must Re-establish Relationship of Trust Following Catastrophes, Manoj Chopra
Equal Pay Day Conversations Remind Me That All Voices Should be Heard, Barbara Thompson
An Example of Renewal for All of Us, Lisa Roney
Puerto Ricans are Resilient, but Island Still Needs Our Help after Hurricane Maria, Fernando Rivera
What Are Your Life Quotes and Why?, Christal Peterson
Building Relationships in a World That Says: “What About Me?”, Kimberly Nassoiy
Brainstorming Should Not Be a Team Sport, Joan McCain
What if We All Treated Life Like One Big Improvisation Skit?, Adam Meyer
Technology Sometimes Moves So Rapidly That It’s Hard to Keep Up, Jim Clark
I Have a New Pair of Headphones – But What Do I Really Want to Hear?, Manoj Chopra
Moments of Calmness Teach Us the Most About Love, Kindness, Barbara Thompson
Love: It May Surprise You, Lisa Roney
Some Collisions are Good, Some are Bad…, Fernando Rivera
Are Your New Year’s Resolutions Starting to Fade? It’s Not Too Late to Reset, Christal Peterson