Bruce — Pastor
Bruce is a former US Navy aviation electronics technician, a graduate of the New Orleans Seminary, and has a doctorate from UCF. He has worked in administration at a few universities and was a political science professor. Plus, he taught in a high school, including International Baccalaureate, for a while. Today, he’s the pastor at University Church, and a chaplain with the Lakeland Police Department. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three kids, Charlotte (b. 2007), Mary (b. 2009), and Hudson (b. 2012). All three kids were named after missionaries, and if you bring it up to Bruce, he’ll tell you the stories.
Bruce is married to Jennifer, a graduate of the University of Miami, where she was president of her campus ministry, the BCM. But, when she left for college, she had no idea what God had planned for her life. She told her parents before college that she wanted nothing to do with church. But, on her first day at Miami she was bored and decided to attend a BCM event. The rest is history. She double-majored in Television Broadcast Communications and Religious Studies. She was also a drive-time DJ on the campus radio station, and she went by Hurricane Jenn. Today, she’s Director of Academic Advising at Southeastern University and has a Master’s degree in College Student Affairs from Regent University.
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Shay — Deacon
Shay is an M.E. grad from FLPoly who now works for a national engineering firm. And she stuck around University Church after graduation because she wanted to serve. She bought a house in Lakeland, just to be close to UC, even though she works in the Tampa area. Also, Shay loves the Disney character Stitch, and she loves borrowing people’s phones and taking selfies, such as this one she took with Bruce’s phone:
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As a student organization at Florida Poly, we have elected student leaders. The student leaders for the 2026-2027 year are:
Lola — President
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Graduation: May 2027
What was the moment you realized you wanted to be part of the UC family?
I knew I had to be part of the UC family when I was realizing how much UC was contributing to my growth and my walk with Jesus. The UC church environment feels very tight knit and personal since I get to learn about the Lord with likeminded STEM students.
What is something about UC that surprised you when you first started attending?
As someone who grew up catholic, when I first started attending UC, I realized how diminished Jesus’ sacrifice had been presented to me prior.
How has being part of UC impacted or changed the way you follow Jesus?
UC has allowed me to find the full truth of what our Lord has done for us and what He continues to offer. I have found rest and deepened my trust in our Lord through the help of my UC family. Having the UC family super close to my studies keeps me grounded in Jesus even when my busy schedule diverts my attention.
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Alfonso — Treasurer
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Graduation: May 2028
What was the moment you realized you wanted to be part of the UC family?
When I realized that it was at UC I was going to grow most as a follower of Christ.
What is something about UC that surprised you when you first started attending?
The music and Shay both surprised me a lot.
How has being part of UC impacted or changed the way you follow Jesus?
Being part of UC completely changed the way I look at life as a Christian. It planted in me a desire for missions inside America and motivates me to be a better Christian, which I didn’t have before being here, or at least not as much as I would have liked!
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Noah — Chief of Staff
Major:
Graduation:
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Braxton — Vice President
Major: Computer Science
Graduation: May 2029
What was the moment you realized you wanted to be part of the UC family?
The moment I realized I wanted to be a part of the UC family was while attending Bible studies, where I was able to discuss and break down scripture with my peers. It gave me a sense of comfort knowing that others understood what I was going through, as many of them were experiencing similar challenges.
What is something about UC that surprised you when you first started attending?
When I first started attending UC, I was surprised by the encouragement to challenge ideas. I grew up in a community where differing perspectives This better were considered wrong. This experience opened my eyes to the fact that not everything is black and white, and that challenging discussion is essential for developing strong Christians who can confidently defend their faith.
How has being part of UC impacted or changed the way you follow Jesus?
Being part of UC has helped keep me accountable while pushing me to grow in my faith. Events such as the Bible studies and Sunday service have encouraged me to read my Bible more as I continue learning more about Christ and developing the skills needed to disciple and support others in their faith.