Cynthia Hutchinson

Associate Professor in the School of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership in the College of Health Education and Human Performance 2014 Womens History Month

What is your current job title and responsibilities?
 Associate Professor in the School of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership in the College of Health Education and Human Performance.
Responsibilities:  Prepare K-12 teacher candidates; partner with Junior Achievement to provide service- learning experiences for 500 students each year.

What is your history at UCF? (past job titles, responsibilities)
I was recruited from Seminole County Public Schools in 1975 as a Visiting “Link” Instructor in the College of Education to be a connection between K-12 schools (a.k.a. the real world) with the university (a.k.a. ivory tower).   In 1977 I moved to the College of Extended Studies where I coordinated continuing education classes and conferences for the university.  I returned to the College of Education in 1989.  I have supervised student teachers, worked in the Teacher Education Center in Osceola County, coordinated the elementary education program, work with doctoral students, and taught a variety of the foundation classes at the graduate and undergraduate levels,.

What is your favorite UCF memory?
Following the basketball team when Torchy Clark was the coach.  The games were played at Winter Park High School, then in the Education Gym.  Clark led the Knights to six NCAA Division II Tournaments before he left in 1983.  He passed away in April 2009.  The gym in the UCF Education Building is named for him. Those not privileged to know Coach Clark missed a giant of a man and educator.

If you could change one thing at UCF what would it be?
Find funding to provide free tuition for all teacher candidates.  It disappoints me that our students graduate with large amounts of loan debt.  A teacher’s starting salary in Florida is not commensurate with other professions requiring a bachelor’s degree.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with your colleagues?
I’m a cheerleader for the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.  There are so many important and exciting things to learn and participate in.  The FCTL summer and winter conferences are my favorites.

What is your favorite restaurant or food?
Favorite restaurant: Carrabba’s Italian Grille

If UCF was going to name something in your honor, what would it be and why?
A scholarship for undergraduate teacher candidates who are single parents majoring in elementary education.

If you could have lunch with anyone at UCF (who you do not normally have lunch with), who would you choose and why?
Maribeth Ehasz and I attended the same all girls high school in Parma Heights, Ohio, although at different times.  We could take a memory walk down the halls of Nazareth Academy.  I admire all of the things Maribeth has accomplished for our students as Vice President for Student Development and Enrollment Services.

Who at UCF would you like to thank for your success?
I would like to thank retired UCF College of Education Professor Bob Rothberg who promoted me from a kindergarten teacher in Seminole County to a college instructor.  He offered me the opportunity to help prepare teacher candidates and to touch the future through their students

Name and describe a teacher or researcher from your past who truly inspired you and why.
Sister Mary Andrew, my first grade teacher, kept tabs on me for the eight years of my elementary school experience.  She encouraged me to return to her classroom to be a mentor to the incoming first grade class each year.  She helped me see that teaching was fun for both the learner and the teacher.

What undergraduate or graduate class/program/experience inspired you the most and why?
Chuck Dzuiban was my statistics professor and he served on my dissertation committee.  When we students struggled with understanding the course content, his motto “Don’t worry; it will all come together” has been proven to be true many times in my life at UCF.

Contact Us

Linda Walters, Director of the UCF Center for Success of Women Faculty
Linda.Walters@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-1113

Mailing Address
Center for Success of Women Faculty
University of Central Florida
P.O. Box 160955
Orlando, FL 32816-0955

Physical Address
4365 Andromeda Loop N
Millican Hall, Suite 351
Orlando, FL 32816-1997

Internal Mail (UCF)
Center for Success of Women Faculty
MH 351
32816-0065