Two graduates from the UCF College of Medicine’s Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences were honored for their professional achievements and commitment to the community during the UCF Alumni Association’s Black & Gold Gala.
More than a dozen alumni were recognized at the annual awards ceremony.
Dr. Carmelo Licitra, who graduated from the Burnett school in 1975, was the College of Medicine’s honoree for the Professional Achievement Award. Dr. Gideon Lewis, a 2000 graduate of the Burnett school, received the Rising Star Award.
Dr. Licitra is a physician at Florida Infectious Diseases Group, P.A. and is also a volunteer faculty member with the UCF College of Medicine. In introducing him for the award, Dr. Pappachan Kolattukudy, director of the Burnett school, noted, “Every day, the world grows a little bit smaller. International travel is now a simple matter of a few hours on a plane, and business is conducted across continents without a second thought. But devastating diseases can travel across borders just as easily, and Dr. Licitra is working hard to keep them under control.”
The Rising Star Awards recognize recent UCF alumni who display promise and excellence in their careers and offers a glimpse of the future recognition they can strive for from their university. Dr. Lewis is board certified in Reconstructive Rear Foot/Ankle Surgery and Foot Surgery and completed his Podiatric Surgical Residency at Florida Hospital. After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology and Microbiology at the Burnett school, Dr. Lewis received his M.D. from the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine.
Another honoree was UCF President Emeritus Charles Millican, who received the Champion’s Award, which is given to those who have been extraordinary partners with the Alumni Association. He was awarded a replica of the “Victory Knight” statue that is in front of the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center.