UCF Announces 2025’s 30 Under 30 Alumni Award Recipients

UCF Alumni is proud to unveil the extraordinary honorees of the 2025 Class of 30 Under 30. These visionary alumni, driven by unwavering dedication and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence, are not just shaping the future — they are redefining it. Their impact extends beyond personal success, igniting inspiration and facilitating change in every sphere they touch.

“Each year, I look forward to honoring our newest class of 30 Under 30 Alumni,” says Heather Junod ’98, associate vice president of alumni engagement and annual giving. “And each year, my pride only grows as we celebrate these bold, visionary, trailblazing, and resilient alumni. Their achievements inspire us all, but even more remarkable is their commitment to uplifting their communities and alma mater. I invite all of Knight Nation to join me in recognizing these outstanding Knights — not only for their individual successes but also for the lasting impact they are making on the world.”

Hundreds of nominations were accepted online from Sept. 22, 2024, until Nov. 11, 2024. The submissions were reviewed and scored by previous award recipients, UCF Young Alumni Ambassadors, and UCF staff. The finalists were then confirmed by the UCF Alumni Board based on the following criteria:

Must be a graduate of UCF (undergraduate or graduate degree)
Must be age 29 or younger on June 1, 2025
Must demonstrate a commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with UCF and striving to uphold UCF Young Alumni values

“Big congratulations to the UCF Alumni 30 Under 30 Class of 2025!” says Jessica Malberti ’16, chair of the UCF Young Alumni Community. “Knight Nation and the UCF Young Alumni Community are incredibly fortunate to be shaped by these extraordinary individuals, whose remarkable achievements and unwavering dedication to UCF continue to inspire. What is especially meaningful to me is the common bond they share: a powerful commitment to excellence that uplifts their communities and fellow Knights.”

UCF Alumni will celebrate the 2025 award recipients at a special event on Thursday, May 17 at Addition Financial Arena. Below is a complete list of the winners, listed alphabetically by last name. Past recipients can be found on the UCF Alumni website.

The 2025 honorees are:

Gillian Anderson ’21
Bachelor’s in communication sciences and disorders
Burnett Honors College

Savannah Ashley ’18 ’22MBA
Bachelor’s in marketing
Master’s in business administration

Jacob Ballard ’19 ’22MS
Bachelor’s in political science
Master’s in urban planning

Amelia Mills Bender ’17
Bachelor’s in finance

Kyle Benkel ’20 ’24MD
Bachelor’s in biomedical sciences
Doctorate in medicine
Burnett Honors College

Jordan Bubar ’20
Bachelor’s in marketing

Robert F. Burke ’19 ’20MS ’22PhD
Bachelor’s in aerospace engineering
Master’s in aerospace engineering
Doctorate in aerospace engineering
Burnett Honors College