Judith Thames Professional Achievement Award	Spencer Hawkins Rising Star Award

Congratulations to the college's 2008 Professional Achievement Award winner, Judith
Thames, and Rising Star Award winner, Spencer Hawkins, both alumni of the
college. They were recognized at the UCF Alumni Association's Black and Gold
Gala on Nov. 7.

The Professional Achievement Award is the highest honor a UCF alumna or alumnus
can receive. The Rising Star Award recognizes a recent graduate who displays
promise and excellence in his or her career.

Judith Thames (Klinkman) was a double major in social welfare and psychology and
earned her B.A. from UCF in 1973. Her long career working for Central Florida seniors
includes serving as executive director and CEO of Senior Resource Alliance. In the
1970s, Thames was the founding director of Orange County's first federally funded
Meals on Wheels program. She is currently president, a volunteer leadership position,
of AARP Florida.

Spencer Hawkins earned his B.S. in public administration from UCF in 2002. He is
now a student in the master's degree program in criminal justice. For the past five
years, Hawkins has worked for the Orlando Office of Emergency Management,
where he is now deputy emergency manager. His experience includes managing the
Orlando Emergency Operations Center during Tropical Storm Ernesto and serving on a
state disaster medical assistance team in three states during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.