Millican Hall: A Legacy of Vision and Growth at the University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida (UCF), a large public research university located in Orange County, Florida, stands as a testament to the transformative power of education and innovation. Part of the State University System of Florida, UCF's journey began in 1963, opening its doors in 1968 as Florida Technological University. Its initial mission was to cultivate talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, particularly to support the burgeoning space program at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. As the university broadened its academic offerings, it was renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978.
At the heart of UCF's history and physical campus lies Millican Hall, the university's administration building. Named after Charles Millican, the founding president of UCF, the building stands as a symbol of his vision, leadership, and dedication to establishing a world-class institution.
The Genesis of UCF and Millican's Vision
The impetus for creating a new state university in Central Florida was fueled by President John F. Kennedy's 1962 "We choose to go to the Moon" speech. The burgeoning space program's proximity to Cape Canaveral spurred local leaders to advocate for greater access to higher education in the region. On June 10, 1963, the Florida government passed legislation authorizing the establishment of a new state university to educate students for careers in engineering and technology.
In 1965, Charles Millican was appointed as the first president of the nascent university. Millican, considered the father of UCF, was chosen by the Florida Legislature in 1965 to help plan and build Florida Technological University. He began with a budget of $75,000, an office above a drugstore in downtown Orlando and orders to make it happen. He selected the name Florida Technological University and co-designed the Pegasus seal, which symbolizes the university's motto, "Reach for the Stars." In 1998 Millican is quoted as saying "When I thought about all that needed to be done to open by the fall of '68, it scared the living daylights out of me. A half a minute later, I realized I had to take it step-by-step, day-by-day to put all the pieces together." Millican turned 1,227 acres of scrub and bushes in East Orlando into a university to train future aerospace engineers and computer programmers. He was the inspiration behind UCF’s bachelor’s degree in computer science, which was a first in the state at the time. When the university opened in 1968 it offered 35 degree programs in five colleges.
Millican also established the university's core principles: an "accent on excellence" and an "accent on the individual." He played a key role in designing the campus's unique pedestrian-oriented concentric-circle layout, inspired by Walt Disney's plans, which has since become a model for other universities.
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Construction and Early Years of Millican Hall
In November 1968, bids were opened for the construction of the administration building. Construction began the following December and was completed approximately two years later. Once completed the temporary accommodations of the administrative offices within the library were moved, allowing the library the space to expand its collections. The Administration building, otherwise known as Millican Hall was at one time home to the offices of the University President, Vice-Presidents, Academic Planning, Public Relations, Business Manager and the President’s Conference Room. Furthermore, the suites for the Deans of the first five colleges and staff, along with 30 classrooms and 50 faculty offices were housed within the Administration building.
One year after construction, in 1971, the Florida Technological University seal was installed on the front of the administration building. The seal, depicting Pegasus, the winged horse from Greek mythology flying upward towards the stars, was the focal point of Florida Technological University. From Pegasus flight insights the challenge reach for the stars, something the first University President -- Charles Millican, for whom the administration building is named, intended as the University motto.
Millican Hall: A Hub of Administration and Activity
Millican Hall was originally the central hub for the university's administration. It housed the offices of the University President, Vice-Presidents, Academic Planning, Public Relations, and the Business Manager, as well as the President's Conference Room. Furthermore, the suites for the Deans of the first five colleges and staff, along with 30 classrooms and 50 faculty offices were housed within the Administration building.
The Legacy of Charles Millican
Today, visitors approaching Millican Hall pass a statue of the founding president erected in 2009, paid for by alumni and other donors who named it "Reach for the Stars" to commemorate the motto Charles Millican selected for the university.
Charles Norman Millican (October 9, 1916 - December 1, 2010) was an American professor and academic administrator. Millican was born in Wilson, Arkansas. As a young man, he worked as a part-time reporter for Dun & Bradstreet while earning a Bachelor of Science degree in business and religion from Union University. Millican later entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky. Millican returned to school, and in 1946 earned his Master of Arts degree in economics from George Peabody College, then joining the Commerce Department at his alma mater Union University. He would move south to Gainesville, Florida, in 1948, to earn a Ph.D. in business finance and economics from the University of Florida. Millican joined the university faculty, and was appointed the assistant dean of the Warrington College of Business Administration in 1956.
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On October 19, 1965, Millican was appointed as the founding president of a new state university in Florida, then without a name or even a campus. He is also credited with establishing twin tenets for the university, "Accent on the Individual" and "Accent on Excellence." Millican also chose the new university's motto: "Reach for the Stars." And, he was a co-designer of its distinctive "Pegasus" seal.
Millican stepped-down as university president on January 31, 1978, but remained on the faculty. He was given the title of "President Emeritus," and taught classes in finance. After leaving UCF, Millican served as the president of nearby Lake Highland Preparatory School from 1982 to 1985, and continued as president emeritus-consultant until 1993. Millican returned to serve the University in 1993 as president emeritus and special assistant to the chief executive officer of the UCF Foundation.
Evolution and Growth of UCF
Under the leadership of subsequent presidents, UCF continued to evolve and expand its academic offerings, research capabilities, and physical infrastructure.
Trevor Colbourn, the university's second president, recognized the diversification and growth of UCF's academic programs away from its strictly technological and scientific beginnings. As the university developed strong business, education, and liberal arts programs, Colbourn recognized that the university's name no longer reflected its mission. Colbourn established the university's honors program, and started the university's first satellite campus. In addition, he was responsible for constructing the Central Florida Research Park adjacent to the UCF campus, founded in 1978. The park serves as a major focus of simulation for space and defense-related research. During his tenure, enrollment increased from 11,000 in 1978 to over 18,000 in 1989.
John C. Hitt, UCF's fourth president, played a pivotal role in transforming the university into a comprehensive research institution. When Hitt took office, UCF's enrollment was 20,302. As of 2014, 60,821 students attended classes on 12 campuses spread across central Florida. The university's athletic program also grew with an on-campus football stadium, new basketball arena, more on-campus housing, and the development of the UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona.
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Today, UCF offers more than 230 different degrees through 13 colleges, including campuses like the Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona Medical City and the Rosen College of Hospitality Management in south Orlando. UCF's official colors are black and gold. Its symbol is Pegasus, a winged horse, which shows the university's idea of "limitless possibilities." The university's sports teams are called the UCF Knights. Their mascot is Knightro.
UCF Today: A Leading Research University
UCF is now recognized as a "very high research activity" university, fostering research among its thirteen academic colleges and schools, partnerships with corporations such as Lockheed Martin, Disney, Boeing, L3Harris, Siemens, SpaceX, and Universal. UCF also houses a satellite campus in Cocoa, FL, near Kennedy Space Center. National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center is also managed by UCF.
As of 2020-21, there were 61,456 undergraduate students and 10,002 graduate students. The largest undergraduate majors at UCF include business, health, psychology, education, and engineering.
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