Collections

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 Art History Club at UCF collection documents the history of the club from 2011 to 2015. Materials in this collection include officer files of the club's president, such as meeting agendas, event fliers, and memorabilia. The Art History Club at the University of Central Florida became a registered student organization in 2011. As stated in the constitution, the purpose of the club is to pursue the scholastic appeals of art and what art can tell society about the cultures of the past. The goal of the organization is to foster a greater involvement of UCF art and art history students and promote the intellectual discussion of art history. In addition, the club aims to donate time at local museums in order to give back to the art community.

This collection contains a report which explains the types of biotic communities found on the Florida Technological University Campus in 1971 and makes recommendations for actions to preserve those communities as the campus develops. The university was renamed in 1979 to the University of Central Florida. The collection also contains a letter explaining the purpose of the report, photographs of the campus, and an appendix. This collection is useful to historical research on the development of campus in the 70and its ecological implications. There is one series as follows: Biotic Communities, 1971 The Department of Biological Sciences was one of the original departments of the university and was part of the College of Natural Sciences. It taught biology, botany, microbiology and zoology. When the College of Arts and Sciences was formed in 1981, the department became part of the new college. By then it had added limnology to its curriculum. In 1991, the department was renamed as the Department of Biology when a new department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology was created in the College of Health and Public Affairs. The College of Arts and Sciences split in 2006, and the Department of Biology returned to the College of Science.

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.

This collection contains a Florida Technological University branded blanket gifted to Craig Linton, Jr for his strong record on the tennis team. This collection holds historical value on early sports, tennis, and atheletes at UCF. There is one series in the collection as follows: Series I: FTU Blanket, undated. According to The Central Florida Future issue from January 28th, 1972, Craig Linton, Jr. transferred as a junior from Western North Carolina University. While playing in North Carolina, Linton played tennis as number one as a doubles player. At Florida Technological University (now University of Central Florida), Linton played as numbers three and four throughout his tennis career. According to the June 1st, 1973 issue of The Central Florida Future, Linton had a 7-2 record in his final season and was considered one of the most valuable members of the team. According to the January 28th, 1972 issue of The Central Florida Future, Linton [and Bill McGrath], "bolstered the racket squad". In one case documented by the April 28th, 1972 issue of The Central Florida Future, Craig Linton, Jr. lost a match due to an "old ankle injury that cause[d] him trouble".

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 Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities (FCMRU) collection contains digital and physical records and materials created by FCMRU from 2014-2025. Digital records include annual reports, newsletters, event records, photos, president council meetings, press releases, collaborations, grant records, and other reports and policy papers. Physical records include contracts and agreements, Helio Education Foundation records, membership lists, University of Central Florida (UCF)/University of South Florida (USF)/Florida International University (FIU) partnership records, President's Council meeting records, budgets, conference programs, promotional booklets, UCF admissions information, committee records, and background research. The Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities (FCMRU) is a partnership between FIU, UCF, and USF founded in 2015. It is partially supported by the Helio Education Foundation. FCMRU develops educational research for student success solutions, focusing on the classroom experience, curriculum design, and underrepresented students. FCMRU hosts virtual career fairs, facilitates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faculty collaboration, and provides labor market data and tools.

This collection of records contains the findings of FSEC's many research projects as well as grant proposals, yearly and mid-term reports, newsletters, newspapers, printed PowerPoint presentations, emails, and memos. This collection is useful to research on the activities of the Florida Solar Energy Center. Series I: Reports, 1974-2009 contains reports sanctioned by FSEC and includes proposals, test methods, assessments, projects, annual performances, mid-term performances, et al. Series II: Other Publications, 1977-2012 contains publications (no report/control number) both sanctioned by and not sanctioned about FSEC and includes newsletters, news reports, programs, products, directories, et al. Series III: Miscellaneous, 2001-2010 contains documents both sanctioned and not sanctioned by FSEC and includes powerpoint presentations, lists, and workshops. The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) is a research institute of the University of Central Florida that serves as the epicenter for Florida's solar activity. As said by the UCF Report December 3, 1986 issue, the creation of FSEC by the Florida State Legislature in 1974 was a direct result of a shortage of oil that had been plaguing the world since the previous year. The initial plan for the newly minted institute was to research alternative power sources in order increase the use of clean energy sources. According to FSEC's Public Information Office, their activities and goals now broadly include the Commercialization of Solar Energy, programs for solar equipment testing, certification and standards, educational services, dissemination of information about solar energy, solar demonstration projects, and lastly the advancement of research and development. Since becoming fully operational in 1975, FSEC has had main great strides in the fields of photovoltaic (PV) applications, building designs, education, and training programs, all of which has allowed the center to become nationally recognized as stated by the UCF Report September 18, 1985 issue.

In 1974 and 1975 the FTU College of Arts and Humanities, in cooperation with the Florida Endowment for the Humanities, sponsored two series of lectures targeting moral issues resulting from medical advancement. This collection comprises the audio and video records of those lectures. This collection is useful to historical research on moral beliefs and conversations in medicine and academia. Researchers should note that equipment is not currently available for playing this film format at UCF's Special Collections and University Archives. Series I: Audio and Video Recordings, 1974-1975 contains both the audio and video recordings of lectures presented in medicine and morality events. Medicine and Morality comprised two series of programs sponsored by the College of Arts and Humanities at Florida Technological University through support from the Florida Endowment for the Humanities. The first series, which took place in 1974, consisted of four programs and focused on controversial ethical issues related to recent advances in medicine's ability to control birth, death, and the overall quality of life. Each program was followed by discussions by a panel of experts from the FTU Departments of Humanities, Philosophy, and Religion. The second series, in 1975, invited two or more experts to speak on behalf of both sides of five controversial topics. The topics were: "National Healthcare and the Right to Private Practice," "Zen, Yoga, Acupuncture,Population Control and the Right to Parenthood," "Behavioral Control, Psychosurgery, and the Patient's Rights," and "Limited Resources and the Right to Prolong Life."