Inside Weekday Coffee & Matcha, students settle into couches near a cozy fireplace and gather around tables over handcrafted drinks. Behind the counter, two longtime friends and 91�Թ��� alumni are finding their footing in a place that already feels like home.

For Ricky Bravo ’17 and David Benjamin ’21, opening the shop meant bringing years of experience and an ambitious idea back to campus. Steps from where they made some of their favorite college memories, they’re building a place for the next generation of Knights to make their own.

“I’ve walked up and down Memory Mall for years,” Benjamin says. “I would hammock there all the time and play spike ball with my friends. So every part of this just feels like home in a sense.”

The shop opened Aug. 24, the first day of fall classes. But the idea began with a much smaller space — and a dream Benjamin thought might take years to reach.

Back on Familiar Grounds

Long before they shared a business, Bravo and Benjamin shared a home — and a growing list of favorite Orlando coffee shops.

Introduced through a mutual friend, they became roommates during college in Summer 2016. Bravo, a couple of years older, brought Benjamin along to explore the city’s coffee scene.

“We went everywhere together and had a ton of fun,” Benjamin says. “We grew a pretty close friendship.”

Their careers took different turns, but each gained experience that would eventually lead them to Weekdays.

Benjamin’s parents, both first-generation immigrants and entrepreneurs, inspired his ambition to build something of his own. At 91�Թ���, he studied integrated business and interned with the Knight Vision program, helping the university transition to Workday. After graduating, he worked at financial services company Robinhood before returning to 91�Թ��� as an IT project manager for four years.

Bravo, a first-generation American and college student, initially planned to pursue physical therapy. After earning a degree in sport and exercise science at 20, he took time to explore another interest.

At nonprofit cafe DUO58, he started as a volunteer dishwasher and eventually became director of training. Training with the Specialty Coffee Association in California deepened his appreciation for coffee’s journey from seed to cup. Work at Lineage Coffee Roasting strengthened his connections within Orlando’s coffee community.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a shift into finance at Robinhood, where he and Benjamin became coworkers. But the pull toward coffee and community remained.

A Small Pitch with Grande Possibilities

Benjamin spotted a possibility in an empty kiosk near 91�Թ���’s Reflecting Pond.

The former Topper’s ice cream spot looked like an ideal grab-and-go cafe. The surrounding city offered plenty of inspiration: Orlando ranks No. 1 on WalletHub’s 2026 list of America’s best coffee cities.

For Benjamin and Bravo, that thriving coffee culture deserved a home on campus. In February, Benjamin contacted 91�Թ���’s vice president of real estate with a proposal to create one.

“ … my dream one day … [was] to take over the Starbucks on Memory Mall.” — David Benjamin ’21, 91�Թ��� alum and Weekday co-founder

Then he called Bravo, who was planning his own coffee cart.

Before their pitch meeting, Benjamin shared a bigger ambition:

“I still get goosebumps thinking about it. But I tell Ricky, ‘I know we’re pitching for this little kiosk, but my dream one day … is to take over the Starbucks on Memory Mall,” Benjamin says.

The kiosk proved unavailable. But in March, the university offered them the Starbucks space instead.

“I just lit up. I called Ricky, freaking out,” Benjamin says. “I’m like, dude, it’s happening. Then we got right to work.”

With 91�Թ��� Dining’s approval, the founders had just a few months to prepare. They turned to Lineage Coffee Roasting, just five minutes from campus, for guidance on products and design. Bravo and his wife drew on their rental-property design experience to create a bright interior with couches and a mix of intimate seating and communal tables for both quiet study sessions and conversation.

“[We want Weekday]” to be part of people’s daily rhythm and routine … where you get something really crafted.” — Ricky Bravo ’17, 91�Թ��� alum and Weekday co-founder

Even the name reflected their vision.

“It spoke to wanting this to be part of people’s daily rhythm and routine, a quick break, … where you get something really crafted,” Bravo says.

On opening day, that vision met a line of customers.

“We were running out of items,” Bravo says. “I remember making an order, and I just paused, like, this is real.”

The Daily Grind, Handcrafted

That realization now comes with early prep shifts, dishes to wash and recipes to refine.

Both founders live nearby and work daily alongside their mostly student staff. Their attention extends from the ingredients they source to the experience of the person waiting at the counter.

Their signature Weekday Blend, roasted by Lineage, includes coffee grown by the Sánchez family — a 91�Թ��� student’s family — in Honduras. A light-medium roast preserves its distinctive flavors, while an Ethiopian coffee adds berry-like, syrupy sweetness. The result is something a coffee enthusiast will love, and an easy first sip for anyone new to specialty coffee.

Their matcha comes from a Japanese tea house. Every syrup is made in the shop’s prep kitchen, including caramelized Madagascar vanilla bean, mocha finished with sea salt and brown sugar shoyu with warm spices — the base of the popular, cookie-like Golden Shoyu drink.

“There’s a lot of intentionality into everything we do,” Bravo says. “We’re not bulk ordering syrups from a warehouse. Our staff comes in at six in the morning and makes gallons and gallons of syrup.”

For Homecoming Week, that creativity includes The Citronaut, an orange blossom honey drink honoring 91�Թ���’s original mascot.

A Place to Call Home

As regulars return and student organizations gather, Weekday is becoming the place its founders envisioned.

French and Spanish clubs have held meetings in the shop. Students make up most of the staff, bringing a sense of ownership the founders value. Next summer, Benjamin and Bravo hope to make the outdoor seating area more inviting with lush plants and a shaded awning.

“Rooted in community, built by alumni, handcrafted for campus … that’s what we want to do.” — Ricky Bravo ’17

“We want this to feel like a 15-minute vacation in the midst of people’s high-pressure moments, and for them to remember the faces behind the bar,” Bravo says.

For Benjamin, being one of those faces adds another chapter to a relationship with 91�Թ��� that has grown from student to graduate, employee and business owner. For both founders, it’s a chance to give the campus they remember a gathering place they can call their own.

“Rooted in community, built by alumni, handcrafted for campus aren’t just things that we say,” Bravo says. “We wake up every morning, and that’s what we want to do.”

We are America’s Space University. And we celebrate 91�Թ��� Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what’s next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

What will astronauts eat on Mars? How have books and movies fueled our fascination with space? And how much space pride can we pack into Acrisure Bounce House?

There’s a whole week to explore the answers.

Beginning Oct. 25, the second annual 91�Թ��� Space Week puts the university’s founding mission in the spotlight: advancing the United States’ space program and preparing the people who’ll take it further. Today, that work spans labs, classrooms and industries, driving discovery and supporting Florida’s growing space economy. 91�Թ��� Space Week brings that industry connection to campus, welcoming global space leaders, researchers, students, partners and fans for a celebration of ideas and discovery.

Explore ideas for life beyond Earth, revisit the curiosity and bold determination behind historic achievements and join traditions that bring 91�Թ���’s space legacy to life, culminating in the 91�Թ��� football team’s 10th annual Space Game.

Cue up the curated by 91�Թ��� Libraries faculty, staff and students, then make room on your calendar to experience 91�Թ��� Space Week 2026.

Space Industry Events

Sunday, Oct. 25

National Space Society Space Settlement Summit
Running through Monday, Oct. 26, this two-day summit explores the challenges and innovations shaping lunar settlement and exploration. Hosted in partnership with the National Space Society, it features technical panels, visionary talks and networking opportunities centered on the moon and cislunar space.

Monday, Oct. 26

91�Թ��� Innovate Day
The inaugural 91�Թ��� Innovate Day showcases how 91�Թ��� transforms research into real-world impact through entrepreneurship, technology commercialization and strategic partnerships. Explore breakthrough ideas, hear pitches from emerging innovators and connect with industry leaders helping shape the future of innovation in Central Florida and beyond.

Tuesday, Oct. 27

SpaceU Symposium
Leaders, researchers and students from across Florida will discuss the latest innovations and research driving the future of space science.

91�Թ��� SpaceU Awards Dinner
The university’s second annual SpaceU Awards Dinner will recognize excellence and innovation within the 91�Թ��� space ecosystem, including key partners, industry leaders, and outstanding faculty and students.

The Economist’s 4th Annual Space Economy Summit
The fourth annual Space Economy Summit brings the space sector together with the industries it’s beginning to reshape. Over two days, senior leaders from business, government, and investment will examine how space-enabled tools can solve problems on Earth, what customers need before they adopt them, and how partnerships can move promising technologies from impressive pilots to everyday use.

Community Events

Monday, Oct. 26

Space in the Popular Imagination
John C. Hitt Library | 1–3 p.m.

Explore how literature and film have imagined the cosmos — and our place in it — during a panel spanning literature and film from the early 20th century to today.

Moderated by 91�Թ��� Associate Librarian Michael Furlong ’22EdD, the discussion features Michael Taylor, writer and emeritus faculty member in 91�Թ���’s School of Data, Mathematical and Statistical Sciences; Barry Sandler, screenwriter, filmmaker and associate professor in 91�Թ���’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media; and Adrienne Dove, planetary scientist, professor and chair of 91�Թ���’s Department of Physics and co-host of the Walkabout the Galaxy podcast. Visit the for more information.

Knights Under the Stars: Full Moon Observation
Robinson Observatory | 7:30–9 p.m.

Whether you’re a space enthusiast or simply curious, join an evening of and share in the excitement of a fully illuminated moon.

Tuesday, Oct. 27

Movie Night: Starman (2025)
John C. Hitt Library | 5–7 p.m.

Are we alone in the universe? NASA robotics engineer and best-selling science fiction author Gentry Lee has spent a lifetime wondering. This documentary follows his search for answers and the conclusion he reaches at age 82. Learn more about the film and watch its trailer on the .

Wednesday, Oct. 28

Mars to Table: Feeding the Future of Human Space Exploration
John C. Hitt Library | 1:30–3 p.m.

Join 91�Թ��� Associate Professor Amy Gregory ’11PhD and Chef Cesar Rivera-Cruzado from as they showcase the university’s Closed-Loop Culinary Ecosystem, a Mars food system that brings together food production, culinary experience, behavioral health and crew performance. Learn more on the .

Thursday, Oct. 29

Movie Night: Hidden Figures (2016)
John C. Hitt Library | 5–7 p.m.

Behind a milestone in American spaceflight were brilliant mathematicians. Hidden Figures tells the story of three Black women at NASA whose work played a pivotal role in sending astronaut John Glenn into orbit. Learn more about the film on the .

SpaceU Drone Show
Memory Mall | 7 p.m.

Gather on Memory Mall as synchronized drones illuminate the night in a display celebrating 91�Թ���’s space legacy and spirit of discovery. Presented by Pegasus Partner BNY, the show brings the campus community together for an evening of wonder and SpaceU pride.

Friday, Oct. 30

91�Թ��� Space Hospitality Student Challenge
91�Թ��� Rosen College of Hospitality Management – Disney Dining Room | 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

What will dinner, sleep and an unforgettable guest experience look like in orbit? Discover how 91�Թ��� students envision the answers at the ’s Final Pitch Day.

The event caps Rosen College’s inaugural eight-week competition challenging students across disciplines to make life in space more habitable. Hear a keynote address and industry panel, watch the top three teams pitch their concepts to industry judges and explore more student ideas at a poster showcase.

91�Թ��� Space Game: Knights vs. Baylor
Acrisure Bounce House | 7:30–11 p.m.

91�Թ��� Football takes on Baylor in the 10th annual Space Game, concluding Space Week with a tradition that turns our space legacy into a stadium-wide celebration. Since its debut in 2017, . Building the anticipation is the reveal of the 2026 91�Թ��� Space Game uniform, which honors NASA’s earliest missions and brings SpaceU’s legacy to life on the field. Cheer on our football team in the stadium or tune in on ESPN. For the latest updates, visit .

Explore All Week

These weeklong exhibits and activities offer more ways to connect with 91�Թ���’s space story.

From Orbit to Archives Exhibit
John C. Hitt Library | Fourth-Floor gallery

Visit the Special Collections & University Archives exhibit for a look at 91�Թ���’s space heritage and history behind the SpaceU identity we celebrate today.

SpaceU: A Universe of Possibilities Exhibit
John C. Hitt Library | Second-Floor Gallery Wall

Check out the curiosity driving 91�Թ��� forward. This exhibit highlights some of the many projects 91�Թ��� faculty and students are working on, offering a glimpse of the ideas taking shape across America’s Space University.

Space Out in the Digital Exploration Center
John C. Hitt Library | Digital Exploration Center, Immersion Studio

Step into the Immersion Studio for space-themed meditative experiences designed to help students relax and recharge.

Space Movies Social Media Bracket Challenge
Which space movie deserves the top spot? Put your favorite films in the running in an interactive social media bracket challenge. Follow along as contenders compete for the title of best space movie and find out if your pick goes the distance.

Find the Hidden Citronaut
John C. Hitt Library

Set out on a self-paced scavenger hunt to find the hidden Citronaut as you explore library spaces and uncover fun SpaceU facts along the way.

91�Թ��� Homecoming celebrates how far the university has come and where it’s going next.

At the center of that tradition is the , 91�Թ���’s premier alumni recognition event. Each year, the awards honor alumni and friends of the university whose accomplishments, leadership and service embody the best of 91�Թ��� while helping Knight Nation .

On Thursday, Oct. 22, the DeVos Family Room at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando will fill with Black & Gold pride as 91�Թ��� recognizes six extraordinary individuals who are breaking barriers, lifting others and expanding what’s possible for the university and their communities.

“This is the pinnacle of alumni recognition at 91�Թ���, an evening when Knight Nation comes together to honor those whose leadership, service and achievements represent the very best of our university,” says Heather Junod ’98, associate vice president for 91�Թ��� Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving. “This year’s honorees exemplify the ambition, innovation and impact that define 91�Թ���. Their accomplishments elevate our university, inspire future generations of Knights, and demonstrate the difference 91�Թ��� graduates make in their communities and around the world.”

Distinguished Alumni Award

The highest honor bestowed annually upon a 91�Թ��� graduate.

Brandi Bryan ’17MS

A healthcare executive advancing the future of nursing, Brandi Bryan ’17MS has dedicated her career to improving patient care and preparing the next generation of nurse leaders. A proud 91�Թ��� College of Nursing graduate, she mentors students, serves on the college’s alumni council and champions opportunities that strengthen the nursing profession. Through her leadership and steadfast commitment to service, Bryan is helping build healthier communities and a stronger future for nursing.

Carrie Daanen ’92

A retired finance executive, philanthropist and dedicated 91�Թ��� volunteer, Carrie Daanen ’92 helps clear the path to graduation for 91�Թ��� students through her generous support. A first-generation college graduate, she champions scholarships, student stabilization and mentorship for women in business. Guided by gratitude for the opportunities 91�Թ��� provided, Daanen, a member of , invests her resources, expertise and passion to ensure a financial setback never becomes the reason a degree goes unfinished, helping launch futures and strengthen communities for generations to come.

Ronald C. Thow ’93

A principal of and former 91�Թ��� student-athlete, Ron C. Thow ’93 has built a career grounded in resilience, teamwork and ambition. As a first-generation college graduate, he credits 91�Թ��� with opening doors during his time pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary studies, helping shape his professional journey. Today, Thow is a member of and proudly supports many programs in and the through his philanthropy and by encouraging future Knights to dream boldly, embrace challenges and pursue every opportunity with purpose.

John C. and Martha Hitt Honorary Alumni Award

The highest honor for a friend of 91�Թ���.

Jogi Pattisapu, M.D.

An internationally respected pediatric neurosurgeon, educator and mentor, Jogi Pattisapu  has devoted his career to advancing medicine while inspiring future physicians. Through decades of teaching, clinical excellence, philanthropy and service to 91�Թ���, including a faculty appointment as a professor of neurosurgery at the , he has challenged generations of students to think critically, lead compassionately and pursue lifelong learning. His enduring legacy is reflected in the countless lives he has helped shape.

Young Alumni Award

The highest annual honor for a recent 30 Under 30 honoree.

Shaina Ruth ’18

A prosecutor and advocate for crime victims, criminal justice graduate Shaina Ruth ’18 has dedicated her career to protecting vulnerable individuals and seeking justice with compassion. Inspired by mentors and meaningful internships at , she remains deeply committed to giving back as a 91�Թ��� Legal Studies mentor. Ruth embraces the power of unexpected opportunities and encourages future Knights to do the same while making a lasting difference.

Distinguished Student Award

The highest honor for a current 91�Թ��� student.

Ornella Vintimilla

A Burnett Honors Scholar, future physician-scientist and dedicated student leader, Ornella Vintimilla has transformed her transfer student experience into a mission of mentorship, service and discovery. Through campus leadership roles — including serving as co-founder of a medical student association and as an Academic Advancement Programs ambassador — the biomedical sciences major helps fellow students recognize their potential while preparing for a career in medicine. Vintimilla is committed to expanding opportunities that empower others to strive for bold goals and make a meaningful impact.

Interested in joining Knight Nation as we celebrate Black & Gold excellence at the 2026 Shining Knights Alumni Awards? Learn more about opportunities.

Studies have shown the condition affects nearly one in four women worldwide and is linked to dozens of potential disorders involving multiple organ systems. Yet many healthcare providers receive only limited training in diagnosing the source of pain, often leaving patients facing years of uncertainty, repeated testing and ineffective treatments before receiving the right diagnosis.

A yearlong collaboration between a 91�Թ��� physician-scientist and two biomedical sciences undergraduate students aims to create a better environment for doctors and patients to reach an understanding together. Biomedical sciences students Sarah Gabriela Nieto Chavarro and second-year Juliana Dimetry interned with Georgine Lamvu, a 91�Թ��� College of Medicine volunteer professor of obstetrics and gynecology, to transform years of international research into a practical tool to help clinicians evaluate patients more quickly and confidently.

The team is developing an AI-assisted clinical questionnaire application that guides physicians through a patient’s symptoms and identifies which organ systems and conditions should be examined. Rather than replacing a physician’s judgment, the application compiles patient histories quickly to help guide physicians toward making a clearer diagnosis.

From International Research to a Practical Tool

Despite the prevalence of CPP, many healthcare providers lack specialized training in diagnosing the underlying condition because symptoms often overlap with gastrointestinal, urinary, musculoskeletal and reproductive disorders.

“We’re hoping that this can become easy to use and can take a detailed medical history that could take an hour to get through down to just 5 to 10 minutes.” — Georgine Lamvu, volunteer professor and Orlando VA practitioner

“We’re hoping that this can become easy to use and can take a detailed medical history that could take an hour to get through down to just 5 to 10 minutes,” says Lamvu, who practices at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Orlando and directs its gynecological surgery fellowship program and center. “That allows physicians to have a more efficient evaluation and spend more time with the patient.”

The center is a pioneering program designed to address the growing demand for specialized gynecologic care among women veterans. As the number of women veterans using VA healthcare services is expected to increase significantly, this fellowship and center aims to train highly skilled gynecologists to meet their healthcare needs within the VA system and beyond.

As part of that initiative, this project builds upon nearly five years of work led by Lamvu alongside an international coalition of physicians, researchers and patient advocacy groups.

Their research culminated in an international consensus called R U MOVING SOMe, an acronym that categorizes the broad range of symptoms associated with chronic pelvic pain and is the basis of the AI-tool Lamvu and her team developed.

Finding a Definitive Diagnosis

Lamvu says the team translated the clinical research into the logic behind a chatbot-style application that asks fewer than 20 targeted questions. Physicians enter a patient’s symptoms and history into the program, which then suggests the organ systems and conditions most likely responsible for the pain, helping clinicians focus their evaluation.

The team plans to expand the application beyond patient questionnaires by incorporating physical examination findings into the same scoring system. Ultimately, the researchers say they hope it can be used in any practice that serves women, but it may be years away from being realized.

“Physicians just need a way of processing all the information that comes from the patient to narrow it down to a differential diagnosis,” Lamvu says. “Right now, it’s all too common to see healthcare workers panic a little when they hear a patient has chronic pelvic pain because it’s considered a complex condition.”

An Inspiring Internship

The students sifted through years of research and developed the logic for the AI in less than a year. Given the complexity of CPP and the vast amount of data, Lamvu says she is impressed by Dimetry and Nieto Chavarro.

“They learned valuable lessons, like if you see a problem that seems unsolvable to everyone else and that directly and negatively impacts patients, you have the power to do something about it,” she says. “These are experiences not every student gets to have, especially this early on in their life.”

Dimetry says she challenge intrigued her, and that she was drawn to the project for the opportunity to be at the forefront of medicine and emerging technology.

“I think that adapting the field of medicine to AI in ways such as this project is necessary to keep medicine growing and advancing,” she says. “I also saw how impactful this project could be if done successfully, and I wanted to be a part of that and make a difference,”

For Nieto Chavarro, who graduates Summer 2026, the experience showed her how to use technology to help deliver compassionate patient care.

“On a personal level, this experience has taught me to keep going and to never give up,” Nieto Chavarro says. “All of this has ultimately reinforced how essential it is to genuinely listen to patients so they feel safe and understood”

Students in the , with support from the American Association of Venezuelan Engineers (AAVE), are producing 3D-printed orthopedic devices — including splints, neck braces and animal immobilizers — for people and pets injured in the disaster.

The initiative, called Bracing Venezuela, began after BMES leaders contacted Greco Pinzón, president of AAVE. Pinzon’s dad, who has been volunteering in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, connected the students with physicians on the ground who identified the types of orthopedic devices most urgently needed.

“… before we knew it, we had a campuswide humanitarian project taking shape.”

“From there, everything snowballed,” says Jannah Barakat, a mechanical engineering major and president of BMES. “We started test printing, organizing volunteers, building a print tracker, reaching out to other student organizations, and before we knew it, we had a campuswide humanitarian project taking shape.”

Since launching the effort, BMES has produced more than 350 devices that have been shipped to clinicians in Venezuela. Smaller items, such as finger and wrist splints, take only a few hours to print and are manufactured flat so they can be easily transported. Once they arrive, clinicians soften the material with hot water and mold each device to fit each patient. Larger devices, such as neck braces and animal leg braces, are printed in multiple sizes and can take up to 10 hours to complete. With volunteers printing from across 91�Թ��� and beyond, multiple devices can be produced simultaneously.

Bracing Venezuela has received support from Mohsen Rakhshan, an assistant professor in and BMES faculty advisor, who opened his lab’s 3D printer for the project. While many volunteers are engineering students, faculty members, 91�Թ��� alumni and 3D-printing hobbyists have also come forward to help.

“One of the coolest things about this project has been watching people from so many different backgrounds come together around one goal,” Barakat says. “Whether you’re printing a brace, packing a box, donating supplies or simply helping us spread the word, every contribution helps get these devices into the hands of the people and animals who need them.”

“I hope this initiative becomes a model for how engineering students can quickly mobilize to respond to humanitarian needs.”

Those interested in joining the initiative don’t need to own a 3D printer. BMES supplies filament to volunteers who have printers, while others can still make an impact by donating materials, connecting the organization with additional volunteers or helping spread the word.

For Barakat, Bracing Venezuela demonstrates what’s possible when engineering students come together for a greater good.

“I hope this initiative becomes a model for how engineering students can quickly mobilize to respond to humanitarian needs,” she says. “Whether it’s supporting communities after natural disasters, helping [less fortunate] populations locally or partnering with organizations in other countries, I’d love to continue using engineering as a way to make healthcare more [widely available] wherever it’s needed.”

To join the Bracing Venezuela initiative, email Jannah.barakat@ucf.edu.

The needed breakthrough may be just around the corner with the development of an online dashboard DrugTRAC, which uses an AI-powered algorithm to synthesize information provided from statewide lab records — allowing for nearly real-time insights on the local drug supply.

“Even though I’m an administrator, this research is something I think I’ll always be involved in because it is so important,” she says. “This is how we save lives — by reaching out and doing things proactively instead of retrospectively.”

This initiative was created through Project Overdose, a community-based nonprofit focused on combating overdoses resulting from the opioid and drug epidemic that Cortelyou worked with for six years. Formerly called Project Opioid, Project Overdose partners with local business, faith, philanthropy and public health leaders to address substance use in Florida.

How DrugTRAC Works

Cortelyou collaborated with tech developer Social Innovation Technologies to help design DrugTRAC, which stands for tracking, reporting, advocacy and coordination. The data, which is anonymized and privacy-protected, relies on routine lab tests like urine and toxicology screens to offer researchers new insights into which substances are circulating in Florida communities.

“One of the biggest challenges in this field is that we’ve always been behind,” Cortelyou says. “The only real data about what is happening in the drug supply in your community has been from mortality data, which takes almost 12 to 18 months to get after someone dies from an overdose. That means you’re dealing with yesterday’s problem. If you’re trying to make decisions based on trends that were happening a year ago, you’re always behind.”

The dashboard compiles nightly drug-screen results and tracks more than 90 different substances before mapping emerging trends down to the ZIP code level. That information can then be used to alert community leaders and first responders to potential spikes and co-occurring substances, like the presence of fentanyl in cocaine.

DrugTRAC’s Current and Future Impact

The tool recently detected the presence of carfentanil, an extremely dangerous synthetic opioid that is nearly 1,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more than regular fentanyl. It could require four or five administrations of Narcan to revive someone from a fatal overdose, making it crucial that first responders and community leaders are alerted to any presence in the community.

However, artificial intelligence will take the tool’s impact to the next level. Cortelyou and the Social Innovation Technologies team anticipate being able to launch a more proactive approach with the help of AI in the next six months. By integrating an innovative, AI-powered algorithm into the system based on a range of data — including economic indicators, major events, arrest records and time of year — to predict future trends. That information can be used to provide early warnings to hospitals, emergency medical services, law enforcement and community organizations.

“I’m working with the programmer to help them identify the data sources that will feed into the algorithm, like the factors that cause spikes in drug usage,” Cortelyou says. “The dream is that once this system becomes predictive, we’ll be better prepared and able to say, ‘Hey, in the next couple of weeks, we’re expecting to see X, Y and Z happen in your community. Get ready.’”

Cortelyou says they are also currently investigating ways to make the alerts and information more accessible, like social media content targeted toward younger, more at-risk age groups.

Ultimately, Cortelyou hopes this technology can help communities get ahead of drug overdoses and help communities respond faster than ever before.

91�Թ��� Associate Professor Keith Brazendale believes society is overlooking a simple intervention that could be a major game-changer for kids everywhere, so much so that the National Institutes of Health awarded him a $453,000 funding grant to move forward with his study.

The solution? Free summer camp for kids.

“This won’t require 20 years in a lab,” Brazendale says of his study over the next two summers. “Everything is already in place to impact childhood obesity. I think that’s what raised so much curiosity from my proposal. Can it really be this simple?”

Why Summer Camp?

“My ultimate goal is to shift our mindset about how we improve the health of kids,” Brazendale says from his office in 91�Թ���’s College of Health Professions and Sciences, “because up until now, I believe we’ve gotten it all wrong.”

Getting it right has inspired Brazendale’s research across two decades, including his next project on combatting childhood obesity.

Brazendale’s project will bring together community pediatricians, organizers of summer day camps, and low-income families. Before the summers of 2026 and 2027 begin, the pediatricians will provide camp vouchers to 40 kids who meet certain weight and body mass index (BMI) criteria. Data collected before camp and after camp will build upon Brazendale’s Structured Day Hypothesis.

“It’s clear that structure is enough to mitigate much of the weight gain we’re observing in American children. I’m hopeful a study like this will affect change in public health policy.”
— Keith Brazendale, 91�Թ��� associate professor

“We know what happens when kids have no structure,” says Brazendale, a father of two. “When schools closed during COVID, it became our largest experiment of unstructured days. Children’s obesity levels went through the roof. It’s clear that structure is enough to mitigate much of the weight gain we’re observing in American children. I’m hopeful a study like this will affect change in public health policy.”

If this is true, then it raises the question, “Why have we overlooked a structured summer as a solution to childhood obesity?”

Consider that more than 90% of past studies have taken place during the school year — the most convenient time to find kids for research. The timing has led to a repetitive focus on school lunch programs and physical education. Brazendale, however, draws upon his own experiences with kids from low-income communities and believes that studies on schools may be occurring where a natural intervention is already happening.

“Schools actually do a great job because of structure built into each day” he says. “Meanwhile, we’ve ignored 20 years of evidence showing weight gain and loss of fitness occurring during summer.”

He’s referring to evidence which had become “bricks buried in a brickyard.” It happens with a lot of studies. They’re filed away, waiting for another researcher to come along and dig them up years later. That’s how Brazendale began to learn about the link between summer breaks and childhood obesity.

“Pediatricians have reported for years that children are heavier toward the end of summer,” he says. “People my age think of summer as an active time when it really isn’t, especially for kids whose families can’t afford pricey camps and club sports. So, let’s see what happens when we help them fill those empty weeks with free and fun structured activity.”

Community Buy-In

If Brazendale’s hypothesis is correct, it could cultivate the kind of healthy long-term lifestyle Brazendale experienced while growing up in Scotland. His intrigue about children’s health brought him to study in the U.S., where his research momentum eventually landed at 91�Թ���. Among his first action items upon arriving was to contact pediatricians at Nemours and leaders of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida.

“When I mentioned bringing all of us together as a potential health intervention for kids, they said, ‘We’re in,’ ” Brazendale says. “Having them involved means we have trusted people in the community to create bridges rather than hoping families respond to a researcher out of nowhere asking them to sign up for a study.”

The research side will include experts from 91�Թ���’s College of Nursing, a statistician, a pediatrician and consultants from the University of South Carolina. They’ll compare health markers for the 40 kids who attend summer camp with 40 kids who spend summer at home. Then they’ll do it again with two more groups the following summer.

With additional funding, a second research phase would include hundreds of children nationwide. The results’ ripple effects would be monumental.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “in 2019, the estimated annual medical cost of obesity among U.S. children was $1.3 billion. Medical costs for children with obesity were $116 higher per person per year than for children with healthy weight. Medical costs for children with severe obesity were $310 higher per person per year than for children with healthy weight.”

“Imagine where this could lead,” Brazendale says. “Pediatricians would prescribe summer camp as medicine. The health of children would not be limited by family incomes. The research findings would encourage public policy to subsidize camp enrollment the way we do with Head Start. There would be relief on our medical practitioners and on our healthcare system. Childhood obesity rates would decline and long-term health would improve.”

Project Harmony, a grant-funded research project initially funded and launched at 91�Թ��� in 2015, helps couples connect and strengthen their relationships by equipping them with skills for improving communication and resolving conflict. It uses Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP), an established evidence-based relationship intervention curriculum, to teach core skills but also offers a personalized approach through tailored programming and relationship coaching.

Participants learn strategies for effective communication, hone active listening and conflict management skills, and gain tools for coping with stressful situations — all taught in a group format with flexible scheduling options to accommodate participants, who also receive free childcare, meals and gift cards to help mitigate barriers to participation.

“We talk about what healthy relationships look like, the communication pitfalls we can fall into when we feel invalidated or unheard, and understanding love languages and styles,” says , professor of counselor education and Project Harmony’s principal investigator. “Ultimately, it leaves couples with a new curiosity for what their needs are and how to meet their partner’s needs with consideration for who and where they are now. By knowing that relationships are constantly evolving, they can use these skills to position themselves to evolve together as opposed to growing apart.”

Meeting a Need in the Community

Funded by a five-year, $6.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Project Harmony builds on decades of relationship education research through the MFRI. Couples will be placed in one of three subgroups tailored to their needs: Unite in Harmony for general relationship education, Shield in Harmony for first responders and their partners, or Raise in Harmony for couples who are also parents.

Barden says the tailored programming stems from both research and prior feedback indicating a need for relational support based on specific stressors unique to couples in these subgroups. All couples participate in the core PREP curriculum, but those in the Shield and Raise groups will engage in four to five hours of their own unique curriculum — something that is being developed with input from members of the first responder community and parenting experts, respectively.

For first responders and their partners, relationship stressors can be more nuanced due to the nature of the job. These can include varying shift schedules, occupational hazards and the stress that often accompanies them. Barden’s team is currently conducting focus groups with Central Florida-area firefighters, law enforcement officers and paramedics, as well as their partners, to learn more about their experiences.

“I don’t think we can underestimate the impact of the occupational demands of being a first responder, not only on the individual but on the family dynamic at home,” Barden says. “They keep our communities safe, so the least we can do is provide a service back to them.”

Designed With a First Responder for First Responders

It’s a group that Benoit Aubin, a first-year student in the counselor education doctoral program, is particularly passionate about. A former medic in the U.S. Navy and firefighter/paramedic, Aubin found himself assisting with the peer support team while in the fire service — an experience that inspired him to pursue further education and a career in clinical mental health counseling.

Now a mental health clinician for the District Fire Department that services the Walt Disney World Resort area, Aubin is not only working on his doctorate, he’s also a graduate research assistant helping to build the curriculum for Shield in Harmony. He has facilitated outreach and recruitment of focus group members, fostered connections between fire service leadership and MFRI staff, analyzed prior research and educated colleagues on the fire service culture.

“A lot of what I’m hearing from participants is that they didn’t know other first responders were having the same issues regarding the mental health crisis and relationships,” he says. “There’s a powerful stigma with mental health among first responders, but I didn’t know it was to that extent. It showed me how important this is and fuels me to spend countless hours assisting in curriculum development.”

Under Barden’s mentorship, Aubin is gaining hands-on experience in synthesizing and incorporating what he’s hearing in focus groups to ensure the training modules are addressing real experiences in alignment with the core content. For example, he’s creating a module focused on empowering first responder couples to help their partners decompress after coming home from a stressful shift. He also tailors the language to first responders while being mindful of stigmatizations and other barriers that prevent them from accessing mental health services.

“When I started recruiting and telling people about a free relationship education program that’s being created with a first responder for first responders, people were so enthusiastic about it,” Aubin says. “I think of and picture the people that this will help, hold onto those images, and that gives me the motivation to do this because it’s something that we know is so needed.”

Life-Changing Education

For couples who are also parents, the work lies in not just learning to connect and communicate with each other but also with their children, including navigating how to parent adolescents through the prevalence of social media. This curriculum is being developed through focus groups with parents and feedback from parenting experts around the country.

“We want to ensure parents have the tools for connecting with each other through the more challenging chapters in life and in parenthood.” — Sejal Barden, MFRI’s executive director

“We want to ensure parents have the tools for connecting with each other through the more challenging chapters in life and in parenthood, which includes helping them translate these skills into building stronger relationships with their children,” Barden says.

Barden and her team hope to begin enrolling couples in the Unite group in the spring, with Raise and Shield to follow shortly after. Although word of mouth is their top source of referral, the MFRI team will also be out in the community recruiting participants at fire stations, police stations, libraries, health departments and wellness events.

“Learning that we can change the trajectory of a couple’s life and their connection with a short amount of education and intervention is life-changing,” Barden says. “If we know that this works, how could we not do it? It feels like a calling and commitment I couldn’t imagine not being a part of.”

Researcher Credentials

Barden received her Ph.D. in counseling and education development from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and both her master’s and education specialist degrees in marriage and family therapy from the University of Florida. She joined , part of the , in 2011, and has served as MFRI’s executive director and the principal investigator of Project Harmony since 2015.

“Poetry gives us permission to feel without judgment,” she says. “And when we share those feelings out loud, we remember that we’re not alone.”

As a mental health therapist at Heart Bonds Counseling, working toward becoming a licensed social worker, Gaither has built her life around helping people find their voice. Whether she’s guiding veterans through trauma, leading poetry workshops for youth or performing for packed audiences, her message is the same: words can transform pain into power.

“Poetry gives us a place to put pain,” says Gaither, who earned a master’s in social work from 91�Թ���. “It’s an accessible way to approach emotions that feel too threatening to face directly.”

A Call for Change

Before she ever found the courage to share her poetry publicly, Gaither was navigating a season of change. Seven years ago, she and her husband moved to Orlando with their infant daughter, drawn by opportunity and the promise of new beginnings. Gaither had worked in the nonprofit sector for several years but felt called to something deeper — something that could merge advocacy, creativity and care.

When the pandemic arrived, that call grew louder.

“I realized I couldn’t keep waiting for the perfect time to go back to school,” she says. “The world was changing — and so was I.”

She applied to 91�Թ���’s social work program in the College of Health Professions and Sciences, drawn by its emphasis on evidence-based practice and serving others. The program offered her flexibility to balance graduate studies with motherhood and work, and it challenged her to explore the intersections between mental health, identity and storytelling.

A Transformative Journey

During her field placement at the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gaither worked closely with veterans processing trauma and loss. There, she saw the power of creative expression in action.

“When we create a metaphor for something painful, we give ourselves a little space from it — enough to begin understanding,” she says. “A veteran once described grief as ‘my neighbor.’ That line stuck with me. It gave him language for something that felt impossible to name.”

Camara Gaither ’23MSW now uses her training to lead workshops that help trauma survivors, caregivers and young people reclaim their narratives.

That moment became a turning point. Gaither began studying poetry therapy, a clinical practice that uses creative writing to foster emotional healing. She later trained through the International Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy and now facilitates workshops that help trauma survivors, caregivers and young people reclaim their narratives.

“People who have been silenced in different ways often rediscover their agency through language,” Gaither says. “Poetry becomes a form of resistance and restoration.”

Her dual background in art and social work allows her to see poetry as both medicine and a mirror. In her therapeutic work, she encourages clients to explore their experiences through metaphor and rhythm. In her performances, she models that same courage, voicing joy, grief and transformation in equal measure.

“The holes in our lives — the losses, the wounds — they can be filled with good things,” she says. “That’s what poetry has done for me.”

Gaither’s own journey with spoken word began as an undergraduate student in Tampa, where she first encountered the art form that would later shape her identity. She had been writing poetry since childhood, but the first time she experienced the spoken word genre was pivotal to her journey as a poet.

“It was the first time I saw poetry embodied,” she says. “The way performers used not only words, but also vocal cadence and physicality to tell a story — it all expanded what I believed poetry could be. I remember thinking, ‘I want to do that.’”

After graduation, she continued writing and performing, eventually becoming a fixture in Orlando’s poetry community. Her work, known for its emotional depth and precise rhythm, explores themes of identity, mental health and faith. She has performed at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and at events across Central Florida, earning recognition as one of the region’s most resonant and thoughtful voices.

Strengthening Orlando’s Community

In 2025, the City of Orlando named Gaither its third poet laureate — and the third consecutive 91�Թ��� alumni to hold the title ( and Shawn Welcome ’17 ’25MA in 2021. In this role, Gaither will use poetry to connect communities, celebrate culture and promote literacy across the city. She plans to create youth workshops, write commissioned works for civic events, and lead Orlando’s Words and Wonders poetry contest, where winning poems are displayed at the Orlando International Airport.

“Being poet laureate isn’t just about performing, it’s about service — showing people that poetry belongs to everyone.”

Despite the growing spotlight, Gaither remains grounded in her purpose as both a clinician and an artist. She continues to work in mental health, blending her clinical training with creative approaches to trauma recovery. She says she believes that healing often begins with expression — with finding a way to say what has long gone unsaid.

“When someone writes, I’m angry, that’s a start,” she says. “But when they write, my anger is a storm that doesn’t know where to land, suddenly, we have something to hold and understand. That’s the power of poetry.”

For Gaither, every poem is an act of courage and an invitation to connection. It’s a truth she carries from her 91�Թ��� days to every stage she stands on: that the human voice, when used with honesty and empathy, can help others heal.

The clinic also serves as a mobile classroom, preparing 91�Թ��� healthcare students in programs including medicine, nursing, physical therapy and speech-language pathology with hands-on experience delivering community-based care.

The clinic is the first interdisciplinary clinical care program offered by 91�Թ���’s Academic Health Sciences Center (AHSC). The center unites 91�Թ���’s colleges of Health Professions and Sciences, Medicine and Nursing to create more interprofessional health education, research and patient care efforts.

“This new mobile health clinic is expanding access to healthcare in our community,” says Deborah German, who as vice president for health affairs leads the AHSC and serves as College of Medicine dean. “Our goal is simple and powerful – when healthcare providers work together, the patient receives better care.”

The clinic is focused on low income, uninsured and underinsured populations in Orange and Osceola counties, helping patients who face transportation, mobility or financial barriers that restrict their access to healthcare.

Services include screenings for blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol and hearing, along with chronic disease monitoring, fall-risk assessments, medication reviews, audiology services and health education.

With two private exam rooms, diagnostic equipment, and point-of-care testing capabilities, the clinic is aiming to reduce preventable conditions and improve long-term health for the Central Florida region.

“The 91�Թ��� Health Mobile Health Clinic is designed to complement the incredible work being done by community health centers, federally qualified health centers and charitable clinics across Central Florida,” says Caridad Hernandez, chair of medical education at the College of Medicine, who has worked for years to make the mobile clinic a reality. “Our goal is to fill gaps and meet people where they are, working hand in hand with these organizations to amplify resources and create a seamless continuum of care.”

Training Future Health Leaders

91�Թ���’s Academic Health Sciences Center is made up of healthcare providers, faculty, researchers, staff and students committed to improving healthcare. It is focused on educating the next generation of healthcare leaders and finding better ways to treat disease through innovation, discovery and collaboration.

The mobile clinic serves as a classroom on wheels that provides future 91�Թ��� physicians, nurses, audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists and others with the opportunity to learn in real-world settings, side by side, as part of interprofessional teams.

“These experiences prepare graduates who are not only clinically skilled but know how to work and communicate better in healthcare teams.” — Caridad Hernandez, chair of medical education at the College of Medicine

“They will see firsthand how life and social circumstances impact health and care, and how collaboration strengthens outcomes,” Hernandez says. “These experiences prepare graduates who are not only clinically skilled but know how to work and communicate better in healthcare teams. That training stays with them when they go into clinics and hospitals to care for us all.”

Mimi Alliance ’22 is a family nurse practitioner doctoral student at 91�Թ���’s College of Nursing who is providing care on the mobile health unit and conducting doctoral research on hearing screenings for seniors.

“91�Թ���’s mobile health clinic is an incredible and innovative tool that will allow us, as a group of providers, the ability to care for patients by serving them where they are,” she says. “Ultimately, this is going to improve the health of our communities.”

Addressing a Community Need

The mobile clinic serves Florida residents who are uninsured or underinsured with income levels at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. Nearly 15% of both Orange and Osceola County residents are not insured, regardless of income level. In addition, 27% of Floridians say they do not have a personal physician.

Since March, almost 500 patients have visited the clinic for blood pressure checks, hearing screenings and point-of-care testing for blood sugar levels and cholesterol. It has provided care at Four Roots Farm, Kinneret Council on Aging, Grace Medical Home, the Central Florida Fairgrounds and four Central Florida YMCA locations. 91�Թ��� has also reached an agreement with Osceola County to provide care at community centers in the future.

Thanks to a grant from the Florida Department of Health, the clinic is working to improve care for the community’s diabetic patients with limited access to care.

Diabetes is a worldwide epidemic. In Florida, at least 2.17 million adults have been diagnosed with diabetes and an estimated 550,000 more are unaware they have it. The state’s diabetes rate is higher than the national average and it is getting worse – an additional 6 million adults in Florida have prediabetes.

“Many of our neighbors with diabetes have no access to healthcare. That leads to premature death, blindness, loss of limbs and kidney failure,” Hernandez says. “Through the FDOH grant, we can help provide these patients with needed care. We screen patients for diabetes, can provide prescriptions at no cost, and offer education on diet changes that will help them manage their disease.”

As one recent patient at Kinneret Council on Aging explains, “91�Թ��� helped me know what kind of food and protein I can eat to help my blood sugar not get too high or too low. Thank you so much. You are helping.”

The clinic also started a diabetic foot program after one of the Kinneret patients said she and other diabetics lacked mobility and eyesight to regularly check their feet for ulcers or blisters. Diabetes increases a patient’s risk for foot ulcers that can lead to amputation. Thanks to the foot program, 91�Թ��� College of Nursing faculty and students are providing hands-on education and preventive screenings to patients, who also received their own telescoping mirrors to do regular foot checks at home.

Providing Needed Audiology Care

One of the clinic’s major health services is hearing health and the prevention of hearing loss.

“This is not just a ‘nice to have’ screening,” says Bari Hoffman ’96 ’98MA, associate dean for clinical affairs at 91�Թ���’s College of Health Professions and Sciences and a certified speech pathologist who has helped lead the mobile clinic effort. “Hearing loss is linked to diabetes, cardiovascular and cardiometabolic conditions, balance, cognition and overall health. When we catch hearing loss early, we can intervene before it affects someone’s safety, memory, their social connections, or their long-term health trajectory.”

Thanks to a gift from the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, 91�Թ��� purchased diagnostic hearing equipment to provide clinical-grade hearing assessments in the community. And though a collaboration with Central Florida Hearing Aid Recycling Programs, the mobile clinic can help connect patients with reprogrammed, refurbished hearing aids at no cost.

“This is such a meaningful addition,” Hoffman says. “Identifying hearing loss is important, but ensuring people have access to hearing aids is what truly changes lives.”

The mobile unit is also supported by the Community Fund of our teaching hospital – 91�Թ��� Lake Nona Hospital and our partners HCA Florida Healthcare and The Jules B. Chapman MD and Annie Lou Chapman Private Foundation.

Stephanie Garris is CEO of Orlando’s Grace Medical Home, which provides high-quality, continuous care to some of Orange County’s more than 160,000 uninsured residents. Grace patients have received audiology care from the 91�Թ��� mobile clinic.

“This mobile clinic is an incredible resource for our patients, offering essential services they otherwise wouldn’t have access to.” —Stephanie Garris, CEO of Orlando’s Grace Medical Home

“This mobile clinic is an incredible resource for our patients, offering essential services they otherwise wouldn’t have access to,” Garris says. “Through our partnership with 91�Թ���, we are expanding access to care—especially for the working poor, whose jobs often don’t include healthcare benefits.”

Expanding Efforts

Mobile clinic leaders are eager to expand services and work with additional community organizations.

Plans also include expanding the mobile clinic into an innovation hub to pilot and evaluate emerging aging-in-place and digital health technologies and integrate new diagnostic and disease prevention tools.

91�Թ��� research faculty also want to use the vehicle’s services to study better ways to advance health accessibility and chronic disease management. Educators from the AHSC’s three colleges also plan to grow interdisciplinary student training across areas including audiology, nursing, medicine, physical therapy and speech language pathology.

Community organizations wishing to partner with the mobile health clinic can contact anna.cisneros@ucf.edu.