Serving Business Students for Three Decades and Counting

Judy Ryder is the director of the Graduate Business Programs Office in the College of Business Administration and holds the responsibility of assisting students from their initial application through graduation. Her office offers support for nearly all student issues, from advising and registration, to appeals and petition help, to balancing life and academics. 

Ryder, who has her BSBA and Master’s in Public Administration from UCF, actually came to UCF over 30 years ago to get a Business degree and go back into banking, where she had previously worked for seven years. She was offered a full-time position in the College of Business Administration, accepted it 32 years ago, and never left.

What Ryder enjoys most about her job is working with the students. “I find their enthusiasm and appreciation very rewarding,” she shares. “They are excited to begin their programs, and often stop by to talk to us about it.” She also credits her love for her job to her “wonderful coworkers… We work as a team to be sure everything is taken care of so the students have a good experience.”

On her future career plans? “I hope to stay right where I am until I retire!” she says.