football program in 1979, which began an era of growth for the university. In April 1979, UCF awarded its 15,000th degree.
=== Hitt presidency ===
In March 1992, John C. Hitt became UCF's fourth president. Once known mainly as a small commuter and technology school, UCF administrators began to increase its academic and research standing while also evolving into a more traditional research university. When Hitt took office, UCF's enrollment was 20,302. As of 2014, 60,821 students attended classes on 12 campuses spread across central Florida. The university consisted of 13 colleges and employed more than 10,150 faculty and staff. During this time, UCF raised admissions standards, increased research funding, built new facilities, and established notable partnerships with major research institutions.
The university's athletic program also grew with an on-campus football stadium, new basketball arena, more on-campus housing, and the development of the UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona. Until 1999, the Knights …
