Editing University of Central Florida (section)

===Expansion===
Entering office in 1978, the university's second president, [[Trevor Colbourn]], recognized the diversification and growth of UCF's academic programs away from its strictly technological and scientific beginnings.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1988/04/05/milestones-in-ucf-history/ |title=Milestones In UCF History |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |date=April 5, 1998 |access-date=February 16, 2012 |archive-date=May 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520111919/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1988-04-05/news/0030130226_1_university-of-central-board-of-regents-central-florida |url-status=live }}</ref>  As the university developed strong business, education, and liberal arts programs, Colbourn recognized that the university's name no longer reflected its mission. From its establishment the university was known as Florida Technological University, nicknamed Florida Tech, until December 1978 when Governor [[Reubin Askew]] signed legislation changing the school's name to the University of Central Florida.<ref name="facts_about_ucf"/>

Colbourn established the university's [[Burnett Honors College|honors program]], and started the university's first satellite campus{{where|date=August 2023}}. In addition, he was responsible for constructing the [[Central Florida Research Park]] adjacent to the UCF campus, founded in 1978. The park serves as a major focus of [[simulation]] for [[outer space|space]] and [[defense (military)|defense]]-related research. It was part of Colbourn's plan to make UCF a world-class partnership university. Among the university's first partners were [[Lockheed Martin]] and the [[United States Navy]], and Colbourn led the push to found both the [[Institute for Simulation and Training]] and the [[Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers]] in 1986.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}} During his tenure, enrollment increased from 11,000 in 1978 to over 18,000 in 1989.<ref name="papers">{{cite web |url=http://library.ucf.edu/special/FindingAids/Colbourn.xml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525172802/http://library.ucf.edu/special/FindingAids/Colbourn.xml |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 25, 2013 |title=Guide to the Presidential Papers of H. Trevor Colbourn, 1948–2006 |publisher=University of Central Florida library |access-date=April 8, 2013}}</ref> Colbourn also supported the university's athletic programs. He was responsible for establishing the school's [[UCF Knights football|football program]] in 1979, which began an era of growth for the university.{{According to whom|date=January 2025}} In April 1979, UCF awarded its 15,000th degree.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}