Founders’ Day is a celebration of the exceptional accomplishments of UCF’s faculty, staff and students. This year, nearly 50 members of the College of Engineering and Computer Science have been recognized for excellence in teaching, research, academics and service. Five of the honorees are from the UCF Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems.
The university lauded these individuals during the Founders’ Day award ceremonies, which took place on April 1. The university recognized employees who reached milestone years of service, along with those recently retired or about to be. UCF also presented a Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award and excellence awards in recognition of employees who made exceptional contributions to benefit the campus community.
“We celebrate your service, your dedication, and the impact you make across this university. But behind that recognition is something even more powerful: the daily commitment, the steady work, and the consistency that build momentum over time,” says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “The future we talk about at UCF is not something that begins someday. It is already taking shape in the work you do, in the systems you support, and in the experiences you create for our students. Thank you.”
In addition to the IEMS honorees, the College of Engineering and Computer Science also boasts two Reach for the Stars awardees, a newly inducted Pegasus Professor and the recipient of this year’s Medal of Societal Impact. The full list of college awardees is below:
20 Years of Service
Mark Calabrese, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
25 Years of Service
Ivan Garibay, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
30 Years of Service
Chuck Reilly, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
35 Years of Service
Mansooreh Mollaghasemi, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
40 Years of Service
Ahmad Elshennawy, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
Faculty Senate: 20 Years of Service
Ahmad Elshennawy, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
Written by Marisa Ramiccio ’11 | April 1, 2026