The Office
of Student Outreach Programs at the University of Central
Florida services over 450 students in the Florida area through
the College Reach-Out Program (CROP), and the McKnight
Center of Excellence.
The primary mission of Student Outreach
Programs is to attract, motivate, and prepare select underrepresented
students in 6th-12th grade to pursue and complete
a college education. Students are provided with essential
information, exposure, education, materials and collegial
experiences to prepare for post-secondary
study. Academic Skills Workshops, Personal Development
Seminars, Career Exploration Modules, College Campus Visits,
Guest Speakers, and Cultural Programming are administered
by the Office of Student Outreach Programs to support
the objectives of both CROP and the McKnight Center
of Excellence.
CROP is sponsored in part by the Florida
Department of Education and provides campus and school-based
programs to strengthen the success of students
in grades 6-12. College Tours are held every year to expose students to the many opportunities available
at institutions of higher education across the state. In
addition, a Summer Institute is facilitated on the UCF
campus and allows students explore fields
of study, provides access to college professors, and allows participants to get first hand
experience with college life.
The UCF McKnight Center of Excellence
is underwritten by the Florida Education Fund (FEF) in conjunction with the Florida Department of Education. Community partnerships help to identify high potential
students, offer volunteer and community service opportunities,
and make significant contributions to supplement program
goals and objectives.