gems-2026

My name is Reese Laushot, and I am a second-year student majoring in Physics on the Astronomy track at the University of Central Florida, with a minor in Mathematics. I graduated from Nature Coast Technical High School and am originally from Spring Hill, Florida. I also earned my associate degree from Pasco-Hernando State College before transferring to UCF. …

My name is Leilani Jones and I am a third-year student majoring in Photonic Science and Engineering at the University of Central Florida. I am especially interested in how light-based technology can be used in healthcare, and I hope to pursue a career in biomedical technology focused on improving treatments for chronic kidney disease. At…

Hi! My name is Mackenzie Hall, and I’m a second-year Civil Engineering major at UCF. I graduated from West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida, but my hometown is Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Adjusting to such a big campus was definitely a change at first, but it has been an exciting and rewarding experience so far.…

Hi! My name is Haley Santarelli, and I am a third-year Civil Engineering major. I graduated from North Fort Myers High School, where I majored in Theatre. I know, quite the switch from attending an arts high school to pursuing engineering. That being said, my favorite classes have always been math-based, and here at UCF,…

Hey! My name’s Kaycie Ramsey and I’m a Mechanical Engineering major. This is my fourth year at UCF. I graduated from Timber Creek High School in 2023 here in Orlando, Florida. One of my favorite classes was Anthropology. I thought it was a nice change of pace at the time, and it was always full of…

Hi everyone! My name is Josey Matos, and I am a fourth year Chemistry major with a minor in Health Sciences! In 2023, I graduated from William R. Boone High School in Orlando, Florida. My favorite class I’ve taken at UCF has been Microbiology with Dr. Ambivero. It is a very challenging and all-encompassing course, but…

Hello, my name is Jade Parker. I am a Civil Engineering major, and this will be my fourth year at UCF. I am from Melbourne, Florida and I graduated from Bayside High School in May of 2023. My favorite classes so far have been Differential Equations and Personal Finance and Investments. I really enjoyed differential equations because I feel like it really tied together all the math classes I have taken and I…