[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 109 (Thursday, June 28, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4727-S4728]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO JOHN HITT

 Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, I would like to take a few moments 
to recognize my friend and esteemed president of the University of 
Central Florida, John Hitt. On June 30, John will step down as 
president after 26 years.

[[Page S4728]]

  John was the first in his family to graduate from college, and ever 
since then, he has continued to work in academia through his leadership 
at the University of Maine, Bradley University, Texas Christian 
University, Tulane University, and most recently, the University of 
Central Florida.
  Since he assumed his role in 1992, UCF has seen its enrollment more 
than triple to over 66,000 students. It has also tripled the number of 
minority students at UCF, who currently make up 46 percent of the UCF 
student body.
  As the current longest serving president in Florida's State 
University System, John has been involved in UCF receiving $2.23 
billion in research funding, creating 71 new degree programs, and 
launching more than $1 billion in new construction, including more than 
100 new buildings. Among them is the UCF College of Medicine that 
anchors the Medical City at Lake Nona.
  His many awards and honors include being recognized as one of 
America's 10 most innovative college presidents by Washington Monthly 
magazine and twice being ranked No. 1 on Orlando Magazine's list of 
Orlando's 50 Most Powerful People.
  Most impressively, John, a first-generation college student, has 
awarded more than 270,000 degrees, which translates to about 83 percent 
of all degrees conferred in UCF history. John awarded more degrees 
within the State University System of Florida than any other university 
president in Sunshine State history.
  In his inaugural presidential address in 1992, John said, ``UCF is an 
institution founded on partnership in a city that dares to dream. We 
are a university founded on the principles of access to high quality 
education at affordable cost, of research directed to public need, and 
of service to the people of our state, region and nation. I fervently 
believe that UCF will become America's leading metropolitan 
university.''
  His dedication to his students, university, and community will be 
remembered by the large UCF Knight family and the people of central 
Florida.
  I am proud to call John a friend, and we will all miss his leadership 
at UCF. I wish him well on his retirement.

                          ____________________