2017 UCF ‘Notable Knight’ Award Presented To Brevard County Sheriff’s Agent Dr. Jesse Holton
By Kimberly Prosser, UCF Space Coast Alumni Chapter // May 16, 2017
Jael Gattle, Alana Hall receive Scholarships
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – An accomplished alumnus and two current students were recognized at the UCF Space Coast Alumni Chapter’s Starry Knights event last week.
The 2017 Notable Knight Award was presented to Dr. Jesse Holton, special victims unit agent with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, who earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees at UCF, and who continues several programs in collaboration with the Sheriff’s Office and UCF which have been acknowledged on a national level.
All knights share a devotion to the principles of duty, selflessness, personal honor and heroic courage. Holton exemplifies the characteristics of a great knight by being a collaborator, a problem solver, a charitable giver, and a motivator.
Agent Holton has been assisting child abuse victims with his crime-fighting puggle Primus, in BCSO’s therapy dog program, the Qualter Project.
The first of its type in the nation, the therapy dog program puts children at ease and has seen the disclosure rate of child abuse victims increase from 36 to 82 percent.
Rockledge resident and UCF junior Jael Gattle, an elementary education major, as well as Melbourne resident and UCF junior Alana Hall, majoring in biomedical sciences with a minor in education, were both awarded the Debbie K. Phillis Endowed Scholarship in the amount of $1,000.
Gattle serves as a volunteer with Brevard Public Schools; planned and managed a youth team project for the Central Brevard Sharing Center; participates annually in the “Mission is Possible” program; partnered with Northwest Haiti Christian Mission; and founded and leads Lifeline, a young adults ministry team.
Hall volunteers with the Second Harvest Food Bank; mentors through the Girls Excelling in Math and Sciences (GEMS) program; is a research assistant with the UCF BRaIN (Biomechanics, Rehabilitation, and Interdisciplinary Neuroscience) Lab; and is a two-year Knight-thon staff member and dancer, contributing to the more than $1.25 million raised for the Children’s Miracle Network.
Debbie K. Phillis was a two-time alumna, passionate fan, devoted UCF employee, and champion of service, who led the charge to form a scholarship to support Brevard residents who wanted to attend UCF.
After her death in 2010, the chapter was able to endow the scholarship in the amount of $25,000 so that interest could be awarded annually.
Scholarship applicants must be a permanent resident of Brevard County, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, submit two letters of recommendation with an emphasis on community service, and supply official transcripts.
A total of 47 students applied for the scholarship this year.
The UCF Space Coast Alumni Chapter was established in 1990 to support and serve the students and alumni in Brevard County, by networking with fellow alumni, educating alumni on activities at UCF campuses, increasing alumni participation, fundraising for scholarships, and planning events to engage the over 17,000 UCF alumni in Brevard.
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