Making His Mark
Roary Snider, ’06 | Budget Management Policy Chief, Executive Office of the Governor
By Lauren Whalley
Growing up in Orlando and having a strong interest in learning about the past, Roary Snider, ’06, knew that UCF would be the perfect place for him to purse his bachelor’s degree in history.
“[UCF] offered a lot of opportunities, and the school was up and coming”, he says. “There was always optimism around the university with constant improvement and potential. It was a very natural fit for me.”
When he was not spending his time with his Delta Tau Delta fraternity brothers or studying in the Student Union, Roary could be found in his professors’ offices, specifically in the office of Robert Cassanello, with whom he credits helping him to develop his writing skills and continuing his interest in history.
Roary took his knowledge beyond the classroom and into Knightcast, UCF’s student-run radio, where he initially started as a participant in a political talk show panel. Soon, Roary became the producer and director for the broadcast, for which he was responsible for developing different topics to be discussed on the show. He also was, and still is, dedicated to upholding the UCF Creed and held a position on the Golden Rules Committee (the review committee in charge of giving students a voice in shaping the rules by which they will abide).
“UCF is a place you can come in and make your mark,” he says. Roary suggests for his fellow Knights to “Define your goals and make a plan on how you are going to achieve those goals.”
A Knight in Tallahassee
Roary first developed an interest for budget and policy when he worked in Washington, D.C., for the Friends Committee on National Legislation, where he was able to familiarize himself with law and policy development.
“I have always had an interest in government,” he says. “I like being able to look at a problem and analyze solutions.”
While attending law school at Florida State University, Roary interned for both the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives, where he became well acquainted with budgets and policies, including insurance policies and property insurance.
“It was a tremendous opportunity”, he says. “I was able to see the inside process of how a bill is put together and the process it went through.”
As the budget management policy chief in the Executive Office of the Governor, Roary is in charge of representing the governor’s office in collective bargaining for state unions and utilizes his understanding of different political views and research skills to create a brighter future for the state of Florida.
Charge On!
As an alumnus, Roary is still leaving his mark on UCF. He felt that UCF needed a tagline that could branch the generations and echo throughout the country. What could be better than a line from our alma mater’s fight song? Roary contacted UCF Athletics and was instrumental in creating our new slogan: Charge On!
Q&A
Q. If you were stuck on a deserted island, what would be the one item you would have with you?
A. A satellite phone
Q. Who is your favorite historical figure and why?
A. I’d have to say George Washington. He defined how the nation was going to work and he was a tremendous leader.
Q. Where would your dream vacation be?
A. The Himalayas. I’d love to see the mountain area.