Following UCF’s announcement of the transition from LEAD Scholars to LEAD2 and the closure of LibTech, Knight News has continued to investigate the university’s changes by corresponding with students and former employees and seeking additional responses from university officials.
UCF’s transition from the long-running LEAD Scholars Academy to a new leadership initiative, LEAD2, has prompted questions from students and former program employees about changes to the program’s structure, student engagement, and campus community
The investigation also drew the attention of state leadership. State Representative Anna Eskamani engaged with Knight News’ reporting by commenting on multiple social media posts about the closures, then told Knight News she had contacted UCF’s Dean of Libraries about students’ concerns.
“I also reached out to the Dean directly and am waiting for a response,” Eskamani told Knight News.
Knight News had also attempted to contact the Dean of Libraries for additional questions and comments but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Knight News has reviewed communications surrounding the transition from LEAD Scholars to LEAD2. An email distributed to employees described LEAD2 as a broader leadership initiative, including workshops, leadership consultants, credentialing opportunities, and campus-wide programming.
Knight News received the transcript of the meeting, where university representatives said LEAD2 would replace the fixed-cohort model with advisory councils and expanded programming designed to connect a larger number of students. Officials also said student feedback was incorporated after an initial framework had been established because they first needed to develop the program’s structure.
However, research compiled by a former LEAD student employee and reviewed by Knight News raises questions about the impact of the transition on student engagement. According to the research, student engagement declined following the move away from the original LEAD Scholars model. The research also suggests that LEAD2’s new structure could make it more difficult to measure participation and student success without the enrollment-based model used by the previous program.
The former LEAD student told Knight News that students learned the program would be discontinued the day after the final LEAD graduation ceremony. According to the former employee, students and staff were then invited via email to an informational meeting where university officials introduced and outlined plans for LEAD2.
The research was compiled by a former LEAD student employee who requested anonymity. Knight News reviewed the presentation as part of its reporting on the transition.
The findings contrast with the university’s stated goal of expanding leadership programming to reach a larger number of students. While UCF representatives described LEAD2 as a broader model, the research raises questions about whether expanding access has translated into increased student engagement.
Despite those explanations, attendees remained concerned.
According to statements provided to Knight News, UCF said the changes were made to better align university resources with student needs. Regarding LibTech’s closure specifically, the university stated that it has “a responsibility to be a thoughtful steward of taxpayer resources” and that the decision to realign library services was based on operational performance, utilization metrics, available funding, and the needs of the UCF community.
Students interviewed by Knight News, however, questioned the benefit of these changes. Specifically, in regard to the extent of student access to campus resources.
Another UCF student, who asked to remain anonymous, shared with Knight News that LibTech had become an essential service for students who relied on borrowing technology for coursework.
“Every UCF student I know has rented at least one thing from LibTech. It is an invaluable resource that should not be discarded.”
As UCF continues to shift programs and implement budget cuts, students continue to advocate against these changes, with one individual creating a petition to save the original program, Lead Scholars, noting that the program has “positively transformed many lives.”
