In honor of her leadership and generosity to UCF and the College of Engineering and Computer Science [1], the dean’s suite in the Harris Engineering Center was dedicated this morning to Beverly J. Seay, longtime UCF donor, CECS Dean’s Advisory Board Chair, and UCF Trustee.
Seay’s impact on the university and on CECS has been significant and several in attendance recognized her contributions, including President Hitt andAssociate Dean for Academic Affairs, Chuck Reilly.
“As a member of the UCF Board of Trustees, Bev provides thoughtful and enthusiastic leadership, and she has become a champion for the advancement of the College of Engineering and Computer Science,” said Hitt. Master’s student Brandon Naids ’14 recalled how his undergraduate senior design project and career changed direction after a meeting with Seay at a Dean’s Advisory Board dinner.
Seay has generously supported the university for more than a decade as a donor to several programs and scholarships. And as chair of the CECS Dean’s Advisory Board, she has leveraged her contacts within the business community to secure several key donations to benefit Knights in engineering and computer science. As a prominent business executive in the Central Florida modeling and simulation community [2], her contacts are movers and shakers of industry.
The Dean’s Advisory Board meets each academic semester to provide strategic direction and guidance to the college. As chair, Seay is the consummate volunteer and key activist for the college. “Every day as I walk into the Dean’s Suite, I will think of the impact you have made on this college and how much we appreciate you,” said Reilly.
Seay thanked all in attendance for the honor, saying “It’s been great to be tied to this university; contributing through the university to the community and…helping to set up our next generation for success is something that just makes me feel good when I get up every morning.”
The plaque denoting The Beverly J. Seay Dean’s Suite of the College of Engineering and Computer Science will be permanently displayed outside of the Dean’s Suite entrance.