Happening NOW in IB: Scanning the Horizon 2025

Our 2025 Scanning the Horizons Student Showcase Scholarship Competition began with over 100 high-achieving Integrated Business (IB) students with some of the best presentation skills, nominated by many faculty members of the Department of Integrated Business. The theme of the competition is Scanning the Horizons: Emerging Issues in Business.

After two rounds of presenting initial research, twelve IB student finalists advanced to the final round, where each student will present solutions to issues in Central Florida. The final round will take place on the UCF Main Campus at the College of Business on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Over 60 business community executives will serve as judges to evaluate the individual research posters and presentations by these exceptional students.

With research-driven poster board demonstrations, each finalist is addressing a forward-looking issue of importance to the Central Florida business community. Topics are derived from an analysis of technology, political, environmental, sociocultural, economical, and legal factors, as well as issues involving artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, virtual reality, climate change, consumer perspectives, healthcare recruiting, tourism, medical care, aerospace, and mental health.

After each finalist facilitates six individual presentations of their research, the judges’ total scores will determine the recipients of three scholarships of $1,000, $750, and $500, respectively.

Our 2025 finalists in the Scanning the Horizons Student Showcase Scholarship Competition are Katherine Beltre, Diana Bucher, Benjamin Challco, Erin Engel, Mia Gjonbalaj, Ella Klingemann, Melissa Ney, Robert O’Brion, Joshua Parker, Leticia Pinheiro, Kerrick Roberts, and Sydney Rouviere. All 12 finalists were also accepted into the university-wide Research Week competition being held in late March. The competition event is organized by Dr. Jim Gilkeson, Dr. David Penn, Dr. Elizabeth Yost, Dr. Frank Tamberelli, Tiffany Hughes, Kelli Morales, and hosted by various Integrated Business Faculty and students, and various UCF staff.