UF AEC Graduate Student Association

Still smiling from our AEC Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day last week! 🎉💛

Good food, good vibes, great memories, and an even greater team! Huge shoutout to all of our incredible AEC faculty and staff for all that you do to keep things running, support students, build community, and make AEC what it is.

We are so thankful for each of you and for all the energy, care, and excellence you bring every day. AEC is better because of you! ✨

Here are a few fun moments from the celebration as a small glimpse of how much we enjoyed celebrating you! 📸✨

Congratulatiooonnnnnnssssss Dr. Rachel Biderman! 🥂✨ A toast to your incredible achievement and this well-earned milestone!

Today, we proudly celebrate the successful defense of your dissertation, a moment that reflects years of sacrifice, determination, resilience, and unwavering commitment.

Behind this accomplishment are the long nights, the demanding deadlines, the mental exhaustion, the quiet perseverance, and the strength it takes to keep going even when the journey feels overwhelming. Through it all, you made it.

This is more than the end of a program. It is the triumph of hard work, growth, excellence, and persistence. The title is well deserved, and this achievement speaks for itself.

Dr. Rachel, you did that. And you did it well.
The AEC community is proud to celebrate this extraordinary accomplishment with you.

🥂 Please join us in congratulating Dr. Rachel on this incredible achievement!

🔥🎓 DR. CASSIE HAS ENTERED THE CHAT! 🎓🔥

Dissertation DEFENDED and DONE! 💥

A huge congratulations is in order for Dr. Cassie!

Today we celebrate Dr. Cassie and this incredible milestone. Your journey was powered by determination, the right attitude, and the resilience to push through the cold days, the hot days, the anxious moments, and the late nights fixing assignments and making everything come together.

You did not just grow. You helped others grow with you. You were always willing to explain, guide, and clarify, lifting others along the way. That kind of leadership and generosity is truly inspiring.

💪🏾 Flex that pride. Wear that badge proudly, Dr. Cassie. You earned every bit of it.

🎉 It’s Dr. Dr. Dr. Cassssiiieeeeee Day! Congratulations! 🎉

The AEC community is so proud of you, and we celebrate this incredible milestone with you.

🍾🥂 Let’s drop a champagne in the comments for Dr. Cassie! 🥂🍾

🎉

The AEC community celebrates yet again! 🎉

Congratulations to Chiamaka Ndukwu on successfully defending her master’s thesis! 🎓🎉

This milestone carries the weight of countless late nights, long hours of thinking and rethinking, and the quiet determination it takes to keep going when the work feels heavy. Behind this achievement are early mornings, coffee-fueled focus, and a commitment to seeing the work through. That effort shows.

Chiamaka, this accomplishment marks not just the completion of a degree, but the impact of your persistence and the care you brought to your research. The AEC community applauds your dedication and looks forward to seeing how your work continues to make a difference as you move forward in your academic and professional journey.

Here is to this moment, the work behind it, and the exciting chapter ahead. Congratulations again on this well-earned accomplishment! 🎉

What a powerful week for the AEC community, with so many moments worth celebrating. And today, it’s all about Hunter! 🎉🎓

Huge congratulations to Hunter Carson on successfully defending his master’s thesis! This achievement highlights the intellectual firepower, curiosity, and grit it takes to elevate a promising idea into high-impact, polished scholarship. Reaching this point reflects the level of dedication and excellence you brought to the entire process.

Hunter, take a moment to really soak this in. You’ve reached a major milestone. Your effort, perspective, and commitment have left a lasting impact within the AEC community. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter, and the AEC community stands with you as you step into what comes next.

We’re so proud of you and excited for what lies ahead. Congratulations again! 🎉💪

Professional Clothing Drive
Give back to the Gator community this spring.

AEC GSA is collecting gently used professional attire for the UF Molm Family Gator Career Closet. Feb 23 – Mar 31

Your donation helps UF students prepare for interviews, career fairs, internships, and the workplace.

Donate: Suits • Blazers • Dress pants/skirts • Dresses • Blouses • Dress shoes • Belts • Ties (All sizes welcome; smaller sizes especially needed)

Drop-off: Rolfs Hall, 3rd Floor Common Space

If it’s no longer in your rotation, it could help another Gator step into their next opportunity. Small acts can create meaningful opportunities for others.

Happy Valentine’s Day to the AEC community 💘

Roses are red, violets are blue 🌹💙
AEC is full of amazing people and today we’re celebrating YOU!
Sending love to our students, faculty, staff, and the entire AEC community this Valentine’s Day.
Keep shining, keep learning, and keep showing up for one another. One love 💌✨

✨

AEC on the beat the department is really showing up and showing out! 🔥🎓 It’s celebration season, and we’re taking a moment to recognize another major win. Big congratulations to Taylor Micknney on successfully defending her master’s thesis today! 🎉👏 This milestone represents so much more than a single day. It reflects the commitment, long hours, problem-solving, and perseverance it takes to move strong theory into meaningful research and real-world application.

This moment is a testament to your growth and your dedication to scholarship. Every late night, revision, and moment of doubt added up to this achievement, and it shows. You have not only completed a major academic milestone, you have also strengthened the AEC community through your presence, your ideas, and your voice. 💛📚

We recognize your dedication and hard work, and we are proud of the journey you have taken to get here. As you step into your next chapter, may you carry this momentum forward with confidence and clarity, continuing to bridge theory and practice in ways that create impact. Here’s to the journey behind you and the possibilities ahead. 🚀✨

Congratulations again, Taylor! The AEC community celebrates you! 🎉🎓💐

AEC IS FOR THE FUTURE and today we are celebrating the FUTURE in real time!!! 🎉🎓
The community is celebrating another milestone once again. Huge, massive congratulations to Alberto Ochoa Fernandez on successfully defending his dissertation! This milestone represents years of dedication, late nights, persistence, growth, and belief in the work he is doing. Watching you reach this moment is inspiring and a reminder of what is possible when passion meets hard work and purpose.

This is not just a personal win, it’s a win for AEC, for scholarship, and for the impact you’re about to make in the world. You’ve put in the work, stayed committed to your vision, and now you’re stepping into the next chapter stronger, wiser, and ready to lead. We are so proud of you and excited for everything that lies ahead.

Today we celebrate you, your journey, and everything this achievement represents. Cheers to the grind, the growth, and the greatness ahead. The future is bright, and AEC is absolutely part of it. Let’s go!!! 🚀🔥

Congratulations again, Alberto Ocho Fernandez! 🎉🎓👏

🎉 CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRATULATION, CONGRATUUUUUUUUUUUUULATIONS!!! 👑🍰
👑👑The crowns have been claimed! Our bakers truly stood the heat in the kitchen. What an event! The room was filled with mouthwatering aromas, rich flavors, just the right amount of sweetness in the air, and great vibes all around as our community trooped out to vote and crown our AEC Bakeoff Showdown winners.and wow, our bakers truly stood the heat in the kitchen. What an event! The room was filled with mouthwatering aromas, rich flavors, just the right amount of sweetness in the air, and great vibes all around as our community trooped out to vote and crown our AEC Bakeoff Showdown winners.

And now, without further ado, let’s celebrate our Bakeoff champions! Make some noise for the bakers in the house 👏👏👏 The creativity, effort, and love that went into every dish was unmatched.

✨ MOST CREATIVE (It was a TIE!)
Heath Davis with the Chocolate Pistachio Pound Cake
Savannah Scott with her Sourdough Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
Two creations so creative they had everyone talking.

🎨 BEST PRESENTATION
Camryn Farquhar with her beautiful Banana Bread
Too pretty to eat, but we did anyway.

❤️ PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Dorcas Sunday with her Hot and Fresh Brownies
A true crowd favorite that won hearts and taste buds across the room.

Huge congratulations to our winners and a massive shoutout to everyone who baked, tasted, voted, and brought the energy. The AEC Bakeoff Showdown was nothing short of amazing, and now we’re already counting down to the Cedar Key 🚤🔥

It’s officially a season of celebration again in AEC 🎉
Today our hands go CLAP CLAP WHAM WHAM 👏👏
One step has turned into a major milestone, and our hearts leap with joy as we celebrate Savannah Scott on successfully defending her thesis 🎓✨
It is a beautiful moment to see you happy after many months of hard work and dedication 💐

The AEC community celebrates your amazing achievement, and we are proud of all you have achieved in this season. This is a big win, and we’re cheering you on for what’s next 🚀

Congratulations, Savannah, and here’s to an even bigger future ahead!