Opportunities Sponsored by our Department
Writing and Rhetoric Symposium
Each Spring DWR hosts an upper-division Writing and Rhetoric Symposium, a day of conversations during which students and faculty in our upper-division programs can see the work we’ve been up to, hear from guest speakers, learn new concepts and strategies for developing civic and professional communication skills, and identify additional ways to get involved in relevant co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Our 2015 Symposium theme was “Engaging Your Worlds.” You can download the program for this version here, and see pictures and posts about it at our department Facebook page.
University Writing Center
If you plan to attend graduate school in Rhetoric and Composition or a related area and/or if you want to teach writing, you might consider applying to become a peer tutor in the University Writing Center, which offers UCF students free writing consultations. You can find more information about how to become a tutor here. If you are interested in this opportunity, send an email to UWC Director Professor Debbie Weaver expressing your interest, or ask another faculty member to write a brief email recommendation to Professor Weaver in support of your application. If accepted, you will be given a permission code to enroll in ENC 4275 Theory and Practice of Tutoring Writing, a 3-hour course that you must take to become a tutor but that would also count for your Writing Practicum requirement for the B.A.
Pi Epsilon Pi, Pegasus Chapter
Pi Epsilon Pi (PEP) is a national honor society for undergraduate students in writing studies. PEP was founded by the Loyola University Maryland Writing Department in 2006. DePaul University began the organization’s second chapter in 2008, and since then inaugural classes have been inducted by chapters at the University of Central Florida and TCU. Intended for undergraduate majors and minors in writing, PEP is distinct from Lambda Pi Eta (the undergraduate honor society of the National Communication Association) and Sigma Tau Delta (for English majors). http://piepsilonpi.org/
Rhetoric Society of America Student Chapter
With a faculty sponsor, students in the major can work with graduate students in the M.A. in Rhetoric & Composition to form a student chapter of the Rhetoric Society of America (RSA). Students in this chapter can assist with the Writing & Rhetoric Symposium, along with other events. The UCF student chapter does not yet have a website.
IMPRINT
Overseen by Professor Debbie Weaver and implemented by an editorial team from students in her ENC 3351 Writing for Publication courses and additional editorial interns, IMPRINT is a Web-based magazine publishing nonfiction writing and multimedia projects by students at UCF.
UCF Support Offices and Events
Note: See the Job and Graduate Opportunities page of this website for job preparation offices and resources.
Office of Pre-Health and Pre-Law Advising
Knights Academic Resource Services (KARS)
Website that overviews and links to UCF’s various academic support services and resources.
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
Hosts Blackstone Launchpad, Startup Bootcamp, Startup Sandbox LLC, and various business competitions.
Center for Public and Nonprofit Management
Professors and students associated with this center conduct research in four areas: democracy and civic engagement, sustainability, collaborative governance, and diversity and inclusiveness. The center also hosts the Walking School Bus event and AmeriCorps VISTA and certification programs for the international public administration community.
Office of Student Involvement (OSI)
Rosen Life
Rosen College’s branch of OSI.
College of Community Innovation and Education
Other Student Organizations
See the UCF Office of Student Involvement’s (OSI’s) Directory of Registered Student Organizations. See also KnightQuest for the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a student leader about ways to get involved.
Future Technical Communicators (FTC)
FTC is primarily intended for students who are interested in pursuing careers in the technical communication field, although students from all majors can join. FTC works closely with the Orlando Central Florida chapter of the national Society for Technical Communication (STC). FTC also has a Facebook page.
Design Group
Club for students interested in web and graphic design.
Sigma Tau Delta, Zeta Xi Chapter
UCF chapter of national honor society for English majors.
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) at UCF
Ed2010
UCF chapter of national community of students and young professionals interested in becoming magazine editors. You can learn more about the national organization here.
Graduate Writers Association
Sponsors networking and professional development opportunities for literary writers. Organization does not have a website, but you can learn more here.
National Communication Association Student Chapter
UCF’s chapter does not have a website, but you can learn more about the chapter here and about the national organization here.
Lamba Pi Eta, Sigma Eta Chapter
National honor society for communication studies majors, sponsored by he National Communication Association. UCF’s chapter does not have a website, but you can learn more about the national organization here.
Kappa Tau Alpha
National honor society for journalism and mass communication majors. UCF’s chapter does not have a website, but you can learn more about the national organization here.
Ad Club
UCF chapter of American Advertising Association, for students interested in advertising, public relations, and marketing.
Quotes
UCF chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association, for students interested in advertising and public relations.
Mock Trial Team at UCF
Moot Court at UCF
Affiliated with the American Collegiate Moot Court Assoication, this organization hosts and prepares students for the annual UCF Moot Court Invitational. This organization also has a Facebook page.
Ethics Bowl
Sponsored by the Philosophy Department but open to any student, this organization hosts and prepares students for the annual UCF Ethics Bowl.
UCF Debate
UCF’s intercollegiate team policy debate program.
UCF Speech Team
UCF’s intercollegiate speech (forensics) and parliamentary debate program.
United Nations Association at UCF
CEO Knights
Collegiate entrepreneurship organization.
Delta Sigma Pi, Theta Sigma Chapter
UCF chapter of national professional business fraternity.
Collegiate DECA at UCF
UCF chapter of national organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
Society for Human Resource Management at UCF
Nonprofit Management Student Association (NMSA)
This organization also has a Facebook page.
Kappa Delta Pi, Omicron Lambda Chapter
UCF chapter of international honor society for educational professionals.
Future Educators Association (FEA) at UCF
UCF R.E.A.D.S. Orlando
A service organization dedicated to the promotion of children and adult literacy through education and community involvement and awareness.
UCF Film Club
Eta Sigma Delta at UCF
UCF chapter of international hospitality and tourism honor society.
Future Theme Park Leaders Association (FTPLA)
HSMAI UCF Collegiate Chapter
UCF chapter of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International
Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Student Chapter (FRLASC)
4Ever Knights (4EK)
UCF student alumni association.
National Professional Organizations
National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing (NCPTW)
This organization holds a national conference each year.
PeerCentered
“Space for peer writing tutors/consultants or anyone interested in collaborative learning in writing centers to blog with their colleagues from around the world.”
Society for Technical Communication, Orlando Central Florida Chapter
This organization sponsors FTC and hosts workshops, podcasts, networking and job search opportunities, and other events. The national STC organization offers additional resources and holds a national conference each year.
International Game Developers Association (IGDA), Orlando Chapter
American Fundraising Association, Orlando
This national organization has an Orlando office and Facebook page. You can learn more about the national organization here.
Association of Business Communication
American Medical Writers Association
American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP)
American Council on the Teaching of World Languagess (ACTFL)
Southern Conference on Language Teaching
One of five regional affiliates of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
State and Area Professional Organizations
Florida Writers Association
Educational, support, and networking organization for writers of all genres. The Orlando group has a separate blog and meetings.
Writers of Central Florida or Thereabouts
Support, workshop, and networking group for literary writers.
Orlando Screenwriters
Orlando Tech Association
Network of technology industry startups.
Agile Orlando
Network of practitioners promoting agile software development methodologies.
Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA), Orlando Chapter
Florida World Languages Association (FFLA)
Research and Leadership Opportunities
Honors Undergraduate Thesis (HUT)
The Burnett Honors College hosts the HIM program (formerly Honors in the Major) which offers UCF juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn Honors distinction on your diploma. You would work with faculty in the major to produce an independent thesis on a topic of interest to Writing, Rhetoric, and/or Literacy Studies. See the website for eligibility, requirements, and deadlines. This opportunity could be especially beneficial if you plan on applying to graduate or professional school.
Office of Undergraduate Research
The Office of Undergraduate Research sponsors a range of research programs, including the McNair Scholars Program, the Research and Mentoring Program (RAMP), and the Summer Research Academy. See this page for more information about the research position database, presenting your research, publishing your research, research workshops, travel awards, and other.
LEAD Scholars
If you are a first-time-in-college student, you might consider applying to become a LEAD scholar. This is a selective, two-year leadership development program for students committed to academic excellence and making a difference in the world around them.
UCF Student Government Association
Knights of the Round Table (KORT)
An advisory council that supports UCF student organizations, KORT offers a leadership development program.
Publication and Editorial Opportunities
UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Electronic journal that publishes research in all fields written by undergraduate students who have been involved in faculty-mentored research projects and activities.
Young Scholars in Writing
Peer-reviewed electronic journal featuring undergraduate research in Writing and Rhetoric.
Xchanges
Interdisciplinary electronic journal publishing student work in Technical Communication, Writing and Rhetoric, and Writing Across the Curriculum. The Fall issue each year features undergraduate research.
Queen City Writers
Referred journal that publishes essays, multimedia work, reviews, and “snapshots of writers” by undergraduate students. The journal considers thought-provoking pieces from any disciplinary perspective that explore questions and problems related to writing, rhetoric, reading, pedagogy and teacher-training, literacy broadly conceived, popular culture and media, community discourses, and multimodal and digital composing.
Cypress Dome
Student literary organization sponsored by the English department’s creative writing programs.
KnightNews.com
Web newspaper for UCF students.
Central Florida Future
UCF’s first student newspaper, established in 1968.
Her Campus
Web magazine for college women.
Centric
Web magazine for UCF students, sponsored by the Nicholson School of Communication
Additional Opportunities for Civic Engagement and Service
See Volunteer UCF for a range of service opportunities, including Alternative Spring Break, Knights Give Back, and a range of other service opportunities organized by issue.