Building Belonging, Empowering Community
The Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community Engagement serves UCF students, faculty and staff, and the local community by fostering an inclusive hub for civil discourse, civic engagement, and student support offices.
Funded by the Ginsburg Family Foundation since early 2022, the Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community Engagement has unified the community by developing and executing programs that serve undergraduate and pre-collegiate students alike through office and programs like TRiO and the Department of Access and Academic Excellence.
The center has also presented workshops on belongingness and cultural competencies for UCF faculty, staff, and local organizations and corporations under the Office of Learning and Organizational Development. With these combined efforts, the Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community Engagement strives to serve its community to create a brighter future for all.
Exploring the Ginsburg Center
The Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community Engagement includes offices and units which run programs, services and initiatives that serve and involve the UCF community. These offices are Civil Discourse and Engagement (CDE), the Office of Learning and Organizational Development (OLOD), Student Accessibility Services (SAS), and the TRIO Programs.
The Office of Civil Discourse and Engagement combines and expands existing efforts and expertise on how to engage in constructive conversations with educational programs to increase awareness, enhance knowledge and understanding, and offer alternative or varied solutions to important social problems.
TRIO Programs is home to four federally funded pre-collegiate and collegiate grant programs. Our collegiate programs PRIME STEM and Project BEST are Student Support Services programs and our pre-collegiate programs, Project ACE, and Project EDGE, serve students who attend either Apopka High School or Edgewater High School (Orange County Public Schools).
The Downtown Scholars Initiative (DSI), established in Fall 2021, is a comprehensive pathway program at UCF designed to expand access, success, and representation for students from downtown Orlando’s Title I high schools. Through its Pre-College, Summer Bridge programs and ongoing collegiate support, DSI provides targeted guidance, financial and academic resources, and mentorship to help students successfully transition to and thrive at UCF, backed by strong partnerships and over $4 million in investment.
The Office of Learning and Organizational Development training program is one of the most prolific in higher education. Faculty, staff and students can pursue certificates, badges and trainings as individuals or as a group such as departments, or as an RSO to improve performance and learning and working environments. Housed within OLOD, is the Digital Accessibility Lab which offers trainings, consultations, evaluation and remediation services to ensure your content is accessible.
The Digital Accessibility Lab advances UCF’s commitment to digital inclusion by providing expert guidance, training, and support to the university community. Working with faculty, staff, and students, the lab helps improve the accessibility of websites, documents, media, and other digital content while promoting best practices that create more equitable learning and engagement opportunities for all Knights.
Our Student programs
First-Generation Student Success
First-Generation Student Success is a program within the Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community Engagement, dedicated to supporting first-generation college students. It’s goal is to create a community where first-gen Knights can connect, share experiences, and access resources both academically and socially.
National Achievers Society
The National Achievers Society (NAS) program at UCF provides holistic support to help students successfully navigate their academic journey and build a strong sense of belonging on campus. Through targeted resources, mentorship, and community-driven programming, NAS empowers students to thrive academically, personally, and professionally.
SOAR Success Program
The Soar Success Program at UCF is an invitation-only summer initiative designed to help first-time-in-college students prepare for university life. It focuses on building academic readiness by introducing students to campus resources, effective learning strategies, and opportunities to connect with peers and faculty before the fall semester begins.
Featured Events
The Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community Engagement hosts signature events that bring Knights together to learn, connect, and grow. From empowering students to elevating teaching and learning for faculty and staff, these flagship experiences strengthen the UCF community and champion success at every level
Student Success Conference
The Student Success Conference is a multi‑day experience designed for select incoming students, offering workshops, keynote sessions, and hands‑on activities that help kick start their UCF journeys from day one. Students build confidence, discover essential campus resources, and form meaningful connections with peers, faculty, and university leaders to support their academic and personal growth.
Academic Excellence Symposium for Faculty and Staff
The Academic Excellence Symposium brings UCF faculty and staff together for a day of inspiring keynotes, interactive breakout sessions, and practical strategies that advance teaching, learning, and student support across campus. This annual event celebrates innovation, elevates instructional practices, and strengthens the collective commitment to helping every Knight succeed.
UCF News
Helping Low-Income Students Achieve a Degree
UCF contributes to University Innovation Alliance’s success graduating low-income students and students of color. The alliance’s 11 founding members exceeded overall graduation targets by over 73,000 students.