The Archival collection of Dr. Charles N. Millican from the collection of Norman Van Meter, 1900-2004 contains photographs, news clippings, and personal letters about Charles Millican. The photographs range from social events to private family photos. This collection provides insight into the life and career of Dr. Charles Millican. Charles Norman Millican was born October 9, 1916 in Wilson, Arkansas. He earned a B.S. in Business and Religion from Union University in 1941. In 1946, he received his M.A. in Economics from George Peabody College and became Acting Head of the Commerce Department at Union University. The Millicans moved to Florida in 1948 where Millican studied for his Ph.D. in Business Finance and Economics. When Dr. Millican was appointed President of the new university in 1965, the university had no name, no buildings, no faculty and no students; he had to create the university over which he would preside. After Millican's appointment, he hired staff, found premises, and began the slow process of creating his university. He established the twin tenets of "Accent on the Individual" and "Accent on Excellence," which continue to guide the University, and the motto, "Reach for the Stars". Although he retired as President in 1978, Millican returned to teaching finance as a professor in the College of Business at the University of Central Florida, as it was now known, and earned the title President Emeritus. He chaired the Orange County Community Referendum Committee, which passed the resort tax that built the Orange County Convention Center. He has received Distinguished Alumnus awards from both the University of Florida and Union University, and he received honorary LL.D. degrees from Rollins College and UCF.
The collection houses items that belonged to Edward J. Gantner, Jr., a starter in the University of Central Florida Fighting Knights football team from 1979 to 1981. This collection is useful to biographical on Ed Gantner and historical research on the beginning years of the UCF football team. Series I: Ed Gantner Collection, 1979-1981 contains three photographs, Gantner's 1979 Fidelity Union Life Defensive Player of the Week Award, and Gantner's Inaugural Knights Football Team jacket. Edward J. Gantner, Jr. (February 4, 1959 - December 31, 1990) was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. He attended Edgewater High School where his football career began. After graduation, Gantner earned a scholarship to play football for the University of Tennessee Volunteers, but returned to Florida after a few months. In 1979, Gantner joined the inaugural University of Central Florida Fighting Knights football team as a starter. Gantner would continue to play for the Knights until 1981. In 1982, Gantner joined the United States Football League (USFL)and in 1983 he played for the Tampa Bay Bandits as Defensive Tackle. Gantner would later play for the Jacksonville Bulls as an Offensive Lineman from 1984 to 1985. Unfortunately, USFL would cease operations in 1986 after litigations against the National Football League proved costly; however, Gantner had already switched careers to become a professional wrestler at this point. In 1985, Gantner made his wrestling debut in Championship Wrestling from Florida billed as Ed "The Bull" Gantner. Tragically, Edward J. Gantner, Jr. ended his own life, after years of health issues, on December 31, 1990 at the young age of 31. He was buried at Palm Cemetery in Winter Park, Orange County, Florida.
The Fairwinds Alumni Center collection contains scrapbooks and photos of alumni events, Orientation Team (O-Team) retreats, and 4EVER KNIGHTS. Included are two framed artworks and a football poster. This collection is useful to historical research on alumni and orientation activities. Series I: Scrapbooks and Photos, 1968-2018 contains scrapbooks, photographs of Orientation team retreats, alumni events, and 4EVER KNIGHTS. The Fairwinds Alumni Center was established in 2005. They offer a range of services for UCF alumni such as networking and programs to better serve the community and alumni. In 1994, UCF alumni created the group, 4EVER KNIGHTS. The Orientation Team, also known as O-Team, is a group of students who participate in incoming students' academic preparedness.
The Florida Maps Collection contains various types of maps from throughout the state of Florida. Included are tourist, informational, historical, agricural, and commercial maps.
This collection contains materials related to the Knights Racing program, which spawned from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) chapter at Florida Technological University, now University of Central Florida. Materials found in this collection include newspaper clippings, chapter documents, photographs, plaques, racing car designs, and more. This collection provides insight into the Knights Racing program at Florida Technological University (University of Central Florida) and the groups involved. The Knights Racing Program has been a staple of the University of Central Florida since the creation of the FTU chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in 1972. Before the program became widely known as "Knights Racing," the racing teams were simply referred to as simply the members of the ASME chapter. The program's name, "Knights Racing," originated with UCF's mascot change in 2007 which shortened the UCF's mascot from "The Golden Knights" to "The Knights." The Mini Baja Competition was coined under the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), who began to hold competitions for the Baja carts. This competition consists of students designing, building, and operating a recreational offroading vehicle. At the time of their creation, the Baja Racing Team and the Formula SAE team were one team; however, they separated in 2019 due to Student Government Association funding limitations. Since their divorce in 2019, the teams compete, design, and build their cars independently. As of 2021, the Formula SAE and Baja Racing Teams remain under the umbrella of the "Knights Racing Program" though they act independently.
Mary Monroe was a theatre student at FTU in the 1970s. Her collection of photographs, news clippings, and programs document the theatre performances during that time.
University of Central Florida. Department of Theatre
Abstract Or Scope
The Orlando Shakespeare Theater Collection contains playbills, programs, reviews, newspaper clippings, films, cassettes, reels, and schedules. It also includes items relating to the Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival Partnership (OSF) such as Simply Shakespeare, Central Florida's first Shakespearean troupe, and the UCF Shakespeare Summer Institute as well as the NEH grant funded faculty study project "Hamlet: Exploring the Renaissance Mind in Action" which was presented in the Summer 1991.
Originally a volunteer organization, the UCF Alumni Association was founded in 1971 to foster relationships between the university and its alumni. Included in this collection are minutes, correspondence, brochures and related materials detailing the association's administration and outreach programs.
The Assistant Director of Maintenance Records contain information concerning the growth of UCF since its inception. Among the documents in the collection are building blueprints, memos, work orders, photographs, letters, and official correspondence that detail UCF's physical growth.
University of Central Florida. Office of News and Information
Abstract Or Scope
This collection contains a wide variety of media used to document, promote, or analyze the University of Central Florida. While the bulk of the collection is video, the collection also contains audio and multi-media. News footage from around Central Florida pertaining to the University can be found here as well as historic media that chronicles the growth of both FTU and UCF. University advertising campaigns as well as University produced media highlight the many academic and athletic organizations that can be found on campus.