Two Resident Assistants, Four Residents Awarded Order of Pegasus Posted Friday, March 27, 2020 @ 10:58 AM The Order of Pegasus is UCF’s most prestigious student award. Every year, about 20 recipients are selected based on factors such as academic achievement, campus involvement and leadership, and community service. This year, six students in the Order of Pegasus Class of 2020 resided on campus, with two of them employed as Resident Assistants. Get to know these stellar students below! Kristen Detz, Former Resident Detz is an Elementary Education major with a minor in Exceptional Student Education. Her current involvements include the President’s Leadership Council, the Burnett Honors College, the Student National Education Association, Sigma Alpha Iota, and the Knightmare Advisory Council. She previously played trombone in the Marching Knights for three years and served as Historian in the LEAD Scholars Academy. One of her favorite UCF experiences thus far was as a 2019 O-Teamer last year, where she spent the summer living in Lake Claire. Detz stated, “This was beneficial to my UCF experience because it was the closest I could be to everything I needed to be a successful Knight! I had an RWC location nearby, numerous dining options, an All Knight Study, the Student Union, and the Library. Being within walking distance of everything I needed really motivated me to take advantage of everything UCF has to offer. Not only was I an O-Teamer that summer, but I was also taking classes, so being near UCF resources was huge for me. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to live on campus and feel that much closer to the UCF community.” Yaser Ahmad, Former Resident Ahmad is a Biomedical Sciences major. He’s an avid Undergraduate Researcher in the Burnett Honors College, where he has worked on multiple science projects and successfully defended his Honors in the Major thesis. His other involvements include being Assistant Director of the UCF Surgical Internship, a member of the Student Undergraduate Research Council, Election Commissioner in the Student Government Association, a LEAD Scholar Academy alumnus, and a Teaching Assistant for four upper-level undergraduate courses. Ahmad is a UCF Campus Representative for the prestigious Clinton Global Initiative University. He is also a passionate volunteer in areas such as health, education, and hunger/homelessness. He used this passion to co-found a 501 ©(3) nonprofit that provides a career-focused curriculum to high school students. Ahmad really enjoyed his time living in Tower III, stating “As a resident of the Burnett Honors College’s Living Learning Community, I was able to develop connections with fellow peers and UCF staff that helped me grow both personally and professionally. By living on campus, I was very fortunate to have UCF’s extensive resources and opportunities right at my doorstep. This definitely helped me become involved in extracurriculars from the very beginning of my undergraduate career. In addition, as a resident within an LLC, I was fortunate to be a part of a community of like-minded peers from whom I learned a lot.” Victoria Millington, Resident Millington is a Biomedical Sciences major. She is in the Burnett Honors College and part of the Honors Undergraduate Thesis program, where her research focuses on the role of dSLC128A in polyamine transport, which could one day be used for cancer medications. She has also participated in the LEAD Scholars Academy, the Knights of Distinction program, and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences Clinical Internship Program. Her leadership roles include two years on the Honors Congress Executive Board, the Relay for Life Executive Board, and the Pegasus Palooza Executive Board. In addition to these positions, Millington has served various mentor roles and is a Teaching Assistant for two courses. She has enjoyed living in the NorthView community since her first semester, stating, “Living in UCF Housing has really helped me meet other UCF students, live close to campus and my classes, and have access to all the resources UCF and Housing have to offer. I love all the amenities NorthView offers, get to live independently, but also have the safety and security that comes with living in UCF Housing, which has greatly impacted my success at UCF.” Sarah Swierz, Resident Swierz is an Interdisciplinary Studies major with a concentration in Computational and Physical Sciences, minors in Geoscience and Environmental Studies, and a certificate in Service-Learning. Her involvements have included being an Undergraduate Researcher in the Burnett Honors College, Publications Chair of the Interdisciplinary Studies Student Society, Vice President of the Russian-American Student Association, Campus Innovation Coordinator in the SGA Executive Cabinet, Treasurer of the UCF Tri-Knights Triathlon Club, a member in the Honors Congress, and more. Swierz enjoys giving back to the community, particularly by volunteering in areas that focus on sustainability and education. As a current resident in our Hercules community, she stated: “Living in UCF Housing has been an integral facet of my UCF experience–I am most grateful to have such a diverse, inclusive, and restful place to call home while I learn and grow in the UCF community!” Breon Clark, Resident Assistant Clark is a Health Sciences major. He is currently a member of the President’s Leadership Council and a Resident Assistant for the Department of Housing and Residence Life. His previous involvements and positions include Diversity & Outreach Coordinator in the Student Government Association, LEAD Scholars Academy Community Service Director, SGA Vice-President candidate, Education & Literacy Director for Volunteer UCF, Conference Assistant for the Department of Housing & Residence Life, and UCF Cares Ambassador. Clark takes advantage of everything UCF has to offer. From enjoying Intramural Sports at the RWC to volunteering at Knight-Thon and Knights Give Back, he finds time for extracurriculars in addition to being on the President’s Honor Roll. When asked about his experience as a resident, Clark stated, “Living on campus as a freshman in the LEAD Scholars Living Learning Community placed me in an environment where I was surrounded by friendly, ambitious students. Everyone was so unique and with inspiration in every direction. I felt challenged to be the best version of myself.” Clark is a beloved student staff member of the Housing department. Gordon Adams, Conference Services Coordinator, stated, “From the first day I met Breon Clark, I knew his motivations differed from most students. As he entered my office for his initial conference assistant interview, his eyes appeared watery. I learned that he just received a phone call that one of his childhood friends was killed in a drive-by shooting. I asked him if he would like to reschedule, but he said, ‘this tragedy just motivates me more. There’s so many of my friends that should be getting this opportunity, and I’m going to make sure that for them and my own sake, I make the most of every chance every day.’ He has a dynamic constitution of confidence and tenacity that will propel him to even greater heights. I have watched him grow and am honored to have been a part of his path.” Giorgi Beruashvili, Resident Assistant Beruashvili is an International and Global Studies major with a minor in Diplomacy and a certificate in Intelligence and National Security. He is an international student from the Republic of Georgia and has surely left his mark on campus. His current involvements include Deputy Pro Tempore of Legislative Affairs for the Student Government Association, the President’s Leadership Council, and Resident Assistant for the Department of Housing and Residence Life. He also served as an intern for the United Nations Association and Senator for SGA. Beruashvili is very grateful for his UCF Housing experience. In fact, he stated, “Serving as a Resident Assistant at Tower II and Tower IV communities provided me a transformational platform, from where I could impact not only my own but other students’ lives as well. Exactly those experiences played an essential role in making me the leader I am today. It defined the standing legacy I wanted to leave here at UCF, of helping fellow freshman and International Students in their journey of finding their true capabilities. The DHRL community made me further excel in my other involvements as well. Through my two years at the UCF Student Government, I have focused my initiatives on enhancing the overall experiences of freshmen and international students, the same population I refer to as ‘my residents.’ Even though I am thousands of miles away from my home country, I feel confident in saying that it is communities such as UCF Housing that have warmly welcomed me and given me a strong sense of belonging.” Beruashvili’s Area Coordinator, Joshua Murphy, has loved his many contributions to UCF Housing, stating, “Giorgi has always been focused on improving the experience of other residents while creating meaningful connections with those he meets. Giorgi is always willing to volunteer as a Resident Assistant, whether presenting with me for incoming Global Students or encouraging his fellow Resident Assistants to sign up for Scholarships through SGA. Giorgi showcases UCF’s values of creativity and excellence in how he interacts with his residents as well as his fellow Resident Assistants. Giorgi always seeks to connect others to resources and shows them how they can thrive at the institution. Giorgi is organized and passionate about making positive change in the world. I have been fortunate to be his Supervisor.” Full list of Order of Pegasus recipients here. Back