Collections : [UCF University Archives]

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 Burt Szabo music collection is comprised of sheet music of pieces Burtz Szabo collected, composed, arranged, and/or published. Albert Edward "Burt" Szabo, a composer, arranger, and music educator, was born in Ohio in 1931. He composed and published several pieces of music for barbershop quartets, choruses, schools, and churches. Szabo was a faculty member of the music department at the University of Central Florida (then Florida Technological University). He taught courses in music composition, music theory, and music calligraphy and created the melody and lyrics for the university's alma mater in 1974. A strong proponent of the barbershop musical style, Szabo worked for the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA) in Kenosha, Wisconsin as their Music Publications Editor from 1982 to 1992. He was inducted into the Barbershop Society Hall of Fame in 2009 and worked as an Arrangement judge for the Barbershop Harmony Society. His publications, such as the Barbershop Arranging Manual and his work on the Barbershop Harmony Society staff, cemented his long-lasting influence on the musical style. Szabo passed away in 2022.

The Library collection documents the history of the John C. Hitt library. There are several subseries pertaining to different leaders, committees, and departments found within the library. This collection contains photographs, negatives, CDs, VHSs, and documents.

Charles N. Millican was the first President of Florida Technological University, serving from 1 December 1965 until 31 January 1978. This collection of his administrative papers documents the organization of Florida's university system during those years with particular reference to the decision to found a new university in Central Florida and the physical and philosophical construction of the university that would become the University of Central Florida. Millican's papers include his correspondence, speeches and reports, State University System reports, as well as minutes of the Board of Regents and the Council of Presidents meetings. Of particular interest are documents that were written before his appointment, which concern the establishment of the University, initial planning conferences, site selection and legislative lobbying. After his appointment, topics of historical significance include construction, five-year plan, groundbreaking, dedication and presidential inauguration. Photographs are distributed throughout the record group and show faculty, students, staff, administrators, buildings and dignitaries who had any involvement with the University or its president. All aspects of university life are represented in these papers, academic affairs and faculty achievements, student affairs, and administrative decisions. Commencement ceremonies are well documented especially President Richard M. Nixon's speech at the 1973 commencement. Other topics in the collection include evaluation of the president, college housing program, faculty opinions and regional campuses.

H. Trevor Colbourn was the second president of Florida Technological University and the first president of the University of Central Florida because he was responsible for the name change. Dr. Colbourn served from 1978 to 1989, and during that time, he established the football program, honors program, Institute of Simulation and Training, and Central Florida Research Park. The collection of correspondence, reports, memoranda, photographs and pamphlets not only covers the period of his presidency but also his earlier research interests and subsequent service to the university as Professor of History and University Historian. Included in these materials are earlier documents created by Dr. Colbourn's predecessor, Dr. Charles N. Millican.

Since his arrival at the University of Central Florida in 2001, Dr. James Wright worked on several publications, was directly involved in community organizations, and worked on the development of the University of Central Florida Sociology department. This collection of his papers contains documents related to these subjects.