This week UCF will award its 18,000th nursing degree and graduate its first cohort from the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion in Lake Nona — fueling a talent pipeline of much-needed providers to positively impact the health of the community.
With its Class of 2026, the University of Central Florida is celebrating a new era in nursing and major milestones in its mission to fuel a much-needed talent pipeline.
At Additional Financial Arena on May 8, UCF will award more than 400 nursing degrees including its first cohort from the new Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion in Lake Nona bringing the total nursing degrees to date to more than 18,000.
UCF’s Spring 2026 graduates will address the critical need for nurses to practice at all levels — newly licensed nurses and nurse practitioners to provide highly skilled and compassionate care to the community, nurse educators to prepare future generations, nurse leaders to guide healthcare into the future, and nurse scientists to innovate and improve patient care.
Fueling a Talent Pipeline
Nearly 75% of the more than 400 graduating Knight nurses are earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing — the new standard in healthcare.
With a commitment to increasing access and opportunity to a high-quality education, UCF offers multiple pathways to earn a degree from its accredited and nationally recognized programs — online for registered nurses, concurrent associate to bachelor’s degree through DirectConnect, accelerated second degree for career changers, and traditional bachelor’s degree programs on three Central Florida campuses.
After commencement, the more than 200 graduates from the accelerated and traditional BSN programs will sit for the national licensure exam to become newly registered nurses. UCF’s graduates consistently surpass both state and national averages for first-time pass rates on the exam.
Launching to New Heights
Continuing an upward trajectory of excellence that started decades ago, the Class of 2026 is full of high-achievers who are already making an impact on the health of communities and the future of nursing.
Sixty-eight nursing students will graduate with University Academic Honors, including 16 earning the Summa Cum Laude designation with a GPA of 3.8 or higher in the rigorous program.
One of the Summa Cum Laude graduates from the first Lake Nona cohort is Allyson Crighton. “UCF’s College of Nursing has been the heart of my journey — where knowledge met compassion and service became purpose,” says Crighton.
Crighton is also one of three nursing graduates honored with the 2026 Order of Pegasus, the university’s highest student honor, and one of 12 who completed an Honors Undergraduate Thesis.
Three additional nursing students will graduate with University Honors distinctions from the Burnett Honors College and five students were recognized for clinical excellence by UCF’s hospital partners:
- Landon Campbell, Orlando Health Student Excellence Award
- Victoria Cardello, AdventHealth North Mission of Excellence Award
- Kylie Deckard, Orlando Health Student Excellence Award
- Leah Khalaf, AdventHealth Mission of Excellence Award
- Alexandra Urzua-Geraud, Nemours Children’s Health Student Award
The graduating class also includes twelve nursing doctoral students who have already made valuable contributions through DNP scholarly projects and Ph.D. dissertations, addressing challenges such as improving quality of life in older adults, reducing parental stress in autism care, and strengthening resilience and self-care among new nurses.
Caring for the Community
A majority, 85%, of UCF’s Knight nuses alumni live and work in Florida and nearly 60% remain in Central Florida. Orlando native Brianna Tassi is following in their footsteps to join the local frontline.
The first-generation student is in the first graduating cohort from the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion in Lake Nona and one of the first graduating AdventHealth scholars. The program supports 20 senior students annually with valuable scholarship funding and internship opportunities as part of a $5 million gift from the UCF Pegasus Partner.
“Receiving this scholarship has greatly impacted my studies and will continue to impact my future nursing career,” says Tassi.
For the past year and a half, in addition to her academic studies, Tassi worked as a patient care tech at AdventHealth. “It was an incredible opportunity to gain a substantial amount of clinical experience,” she says.
During her both clinicals and an internship, Tassi has gained valuable experience across many units and departments at AdventHealth – and discovered her passion for emergency care.
Tassi has accepted a position at AdventHealth to work as an emergency department nurse after graduation. “I am excited to be transitioning into a new graduate RN role, working alongside nurses I look up to, and contributing to my community by helping those who need care in an effective and efficient way.”
View the graduation celebration program to learn more about the Spring Class of 2026.
Article by Julie Harper ’01
Photo by Melanie Cedeño-Lopez ’23
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