UCF’s Graduate Student Center turned into a small film festival on Tuesday during the Knights in Focus Spotlight Celebration, where graduate students’ research and creative work took center stage on the big screen.
The Knights in Focus Spotlight Celebration showcased winning entries from a graduate student video competition, designed to highlight research and creative work turned into video formats of 60 seconds or less. The screening and awards program invited students, faculty, and staff to view selected videos while organizers announced the competition’s top honors, including First Place, Runner-Up, and a People’s Choice Award. According to event materials, the goal is to help students practice sharing complex scholarship with a broader audience beyond their disciplines.
Mario Villavicencio, a graduate participant and People’s Choice winner, presented his research on chocolate farming and shortages occurring today.
“I wanted to shed a light on the future of cacao farming, and where it’s currently heading,” Villavicencio said. “My research presents a viable solution by highlighting a new cacao hybrid that could be the solution to the current chocolate shortage. It’s important to me because it matters to so many people, chocolate isn’t just a dessert, it can be culture too.”
Once students had completed and submitted their 60-second videos, the submissions were sent off to the judging panel, consisting of Interim Dean of College of Graduate Studies John Weishampel, UCF Marketing Director Nick Levya, and UCF Student Government President Luci Blanco. The judging panel then decided a first and second place winner as well as five People’s Choice Award finalists after reviewing over 45 video submissions. The finalists’ videos were then posted on social media for student voting.
Attendees were encouraged to watch the featured videos in a single setting, turning the center into a temporary screening space for graduate work from all across the university. Organizers emphasized that the competition and celebration were open to all graduate disciplines, reflecting a growing push at UCF to promote public-facing research communication.
Kassadi Smith, a graduate participant as well as a People’s Choice Finalist, presented her research on the impact of government laws and decisions on cyberspace activity.
“I’m interested in technology and governance because of how tools of connection can also become tools of control,” Smith said. “My research focuses on understanding these dynamics and creating more open, accountable forums for engagement, including in cyberspace.”
The program concluded with the announcement of the three awards, which recognize both juried evaluation and audience responses through the People’s Choice category. Landing in first place was graduate student Jethro Raphael Suarez, followed by graduate student Andrew Williams in second place. The winner of the People’s Choice award was Mario Villavicencio, with Annalise Pforr, Jada Pierce, Kassadi Smith, and Mary Boatman remaining as the People’s Choice Finalists.
“I think it was a well-thought-out and awesome event, truly,” Villavicencio said. “I wish that more people would take advantage of fun opportunities like this; research is meant to be showcased and explored.”
By positioning video storytelling as part of graduate training, Knights in Focus aligns with university initiatives that encourage students to translate their work for non-specialist audiences. Organizers framed the Spotlight Celebration as a recurring opportunity for graduate students to gain visibility on campus and to connect with peers working on diverse projects. Together, these efforts underscore the program’s commitment to making scholarly work more accessible and impactful beyond academic settings.