The beginning ceremony of the 2025 School of Science offered a particular visitor speaker, Alumna Yvette Kanouff, who obtained one of many highest honors granted by the UCF, an honorary doctoral diploma. Kanouff obtained each the bachelor’s diploma and her grasp’s diploma from the UCF and remained employed with the UCF within the coming years, at the moment, working on the Advisory Council of the School of Sciences.
“I’m so humble of this honor,” says Kanouff. “After I obtained my grasp, Dr. Ahmed Zayed -” My thesis father “and mentor -he instructed me that my work in arithmetic was worthy of a doctorate. Nevertheless, I used to be not in a position to comply with that stage of training at the moment. I’m so grateful, proud and honored to remain right here now and obtain this diploma from UCF. “
Its steady dedication to the college has had an affect on college students, college and employees.
“It’s a uncommon alternative for college students to work together and be taught from an individual as passionate and profitable as Yvette – nonetheless, it has taken the time in his crowded program this yr to be taught a computing class whereas visiting the campus for conferences,” says Anthony Pomonis, government director of the faculty. “She is actually devoted to the folks round her and makes an unimaginable distinction by her skilled contributions and voluntary management.”
Kanouff is a companion in JC2 Ventures, a threat capital firm that reimagates the ability of investments. By this work, it helps to method the challenges on the globe, encouraging startups that may trigger financial progress, job creation and innovation by digital applied sciences.
She drew this expertise in her early speech, inspiring graduate college students.
“We’re at an period of innovation and transformation into know-how and the best way we work, play and stay. I’m fortunate to start out my profession in the course of the durations of nice innovation and you’ve got such a possibility at the moment,” Kanouff stated in the course of the ceremony.
Kanouff provided life classes to college students, speaking in regards to the energy to carry “drive and Grit to work and the significance of giving again.
She has beforehand obtained an Emmy’s life and know-how life, the Vanguard award of the Nationwide Affiliation for Cable and Tv for Management in Science and Know-how and was named one of the influential folks within the tv business.
Kanouff left a legacy in a sequence of industries, contributing to the creation of movies on demand, contributing to day by day applied sciences and to the administration of know-how behind the streaming companies that most individuals use and luxuriate in at the moment. Nevertheless, he got here from humble starting, working to pay his education whereas going to highschool
“I needed to undergo school and I’m proud that I did this for my license and commencement diplomas,” says Kanouff. “I labored as I went to highschool and always targeted on innovation and disruptive know-how.”
In her starting observations, she expressed her household and mates appreciation and spoke in regards to the energy of mentoring in her life, encouraging graduates to provide again, particularly Alma Mater.
“It’s as much as you to create one thing extra and assist future college students and others to attain what you’ve accomplished at the moment,” Kanouff instructed graduates. “UCF has at all times met me, in addition to different college students and it is a relationship that can proceed [for you] After that [ceremony] – Proceed to be a part of this particular place wherever your life leads. “