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
Even Virtual Meetings Can Have Powerful Lessons, Brenda Thompson
If You Don’t Take a Risk, You’ll Never Know Victory or Defeat, Peter W. Telep
Are We As Great If Our Nation Is Built On Hate?, Syretta Spears
Each Generation Must Act as a Cultural Bridge to the Next, Chung Park
Finding a Sense of Belonging in an Orlando Community, Katie Philp
The Times They ARE a-Changing!, Roy Lenfest
Reality of My Daughter’s Home Schooling During Pandemic Has Begun to Sink In, Lillian Caraballo
Pets Are Not People, Jeff Kunerth
If 2020 Hasn’t Turned Out the Way You Planned – You’re Not Alone, Emma Gisclair
A Perspective on Our Most Valuable Natural Resource, Brenda Thompson
Some Don’t Realize What a Profound Gift of Time This Pandemic Is, Peter W. Telep
Each Human Being is Precious, Syretta Spears
Green Suggestions to Benefit Us All on Campus, Chung Park
A Long Walk and the Kindness of Strangers, Katherine Philp
What Makes You Think Your Rights Are More Important Than My Rights?, Roy Lenfest
The World is Changing — and I’m Ready to Evolve With It, Lillian Caraballo
Life Lessons From Baking My Own Bread, Emma Gisclair
I’m in Paris Today Via an Online Course…Bonjour Mes Amis!, Brenda Thompson
Now More Than Ever We Need to be Vigilant for Symptoms of Distress, Syretta Spears
Regaining Our Innocence, Chung Park
The Virus is Not Our Enemy Plotting Against Us, Katie Philp
Seeking Quiet Solace Amid a Pandemic, Michele Gill
‘Old’ in the Age of Coronavirus, Jeff Kunerth
Somehow, Amid the Coronavirus Chaos There Can Be Peace, Lillian Caraballo
Surviving the Ravages of COVID-19, Brenda Thompson
The Powerful Force of Nostalgia, Peter W. Telep
Misconception About Childless Adults Can Be Misguided, Syretta Spears
Friendship, Forgiveness and Fences: Healing a Past Hurt, Camille Dolan
Not All Healing is Physical – Recognizing and Overcoming Grief, Katie Philp
All That Glitters – Could Be Unhealthy, Roy Lenfest
Maybe it was Dumb Luck – Or Maybe it was Something Else, Jeff Kunerth
Doctor Killed by Coronavirus Will Long be Revered for Trying to Protect Others, Lillian Caraballo
The Main Reason People Don’t Chase Their Dream of Writing, Emma Gisclair
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