UCF Alumni Takes Austin by Knight

Alumnus Chris Thomas, ’93, ’96 (back row, second from left), hosted the Austin UCF Alumni Club for a Networking Knight with distinguished guest speakers. This special event took place overlooking the Texas State Capitol.

By Vanessa Bershad, ’05
Assistant Director
Alumni Relations, Outreach and Engagement

Networking Knight | Austin UCF Alumni Club

With the help of the UCF Alumni Association and the local Austin UCF Alumni Club, Chris Thomas, ’93, ’96, hosted a “Premier Knight in Austin” on Sept. 30, featuring distinguished guests, Tom Messina, ’84, executive director/associate VP of the UCF Alumni Association; Michael Johnson, Ph.D., dean of the UCF College of Sciences; and Paul Jarley, Ph.D., dean of the UCF College of Business Administration.

During this special evening, Messina shared the latest and greatest happenings at the alumni association, Dean Johnson highlighted prestigious College of Sciences faculty member, Kate Mansfield, Ph.D., and her groundbreaking research with sea turtles (Mansfield was recently appointed to be the lead researcher in a global study of sea turtle behavior), and Dean Jarley spoke about the power of students taking their UCF educations to all corners of the U.S. and around the world, noting that nearly 50,000 UCF alumni hold a degree from the College of Business.

Thomas is the managing partner of the Austin office of CohnReznick Tax and Accounting. He is a native of Central Florida and has had the opportunity to move around the U.S. thanks to his job at the firm. He and his wife attended the 2014 Fiesta Bowl, where his spirit was reignited after visiting the UCF Alumni event tent. During the “Premier Knight in Austin,” he shared his personal enthusiasm for UCF, his desire to connect with other Knights in Austin and to help future Knights through mentoring, internships, professional connections and more.

Want to hold a similar event in your city? Email UCF Alumni for information.