Invoking a Control by its Name string?

[watagal]

Greetings! I want to switch controls (panels) visibility by using their respective names (in variables). How can I get there from here:

Public prefPanel As Panel = New Panel()
Private Sub uxcPreferencesForm_Load(....) Handles MyBase.Load
    prefPanel = Me.uxcGeneralPnl    ' Startup Panel
    prefPanel.Visible = True
End Sub
Private Sub uxCatagoryTree_AfterSelect(....) Handles uxCatagoryTree.AfterSelect
    prefPanel.Visible = False       ' Hide Current Panel

    Dim path As String = uxCatagoryTree.SelectedNode.FullPath
    Dim arrPath As Array = path.Split("\")

    Dim panl As String = "uxc"      ' Formulate new Panel's name
    For i As Integer = 0 To (arrPath.Length - 2)
       panl += arrPath(i).ToString.Substring(0, 3)
    Next i
    panl += arrPath(arrPath.Length - 1).ToString + "Pnl"

    prefPanel.Name = panl       ' HERE IS WHERE I GET LOST
    prefPanel.Visible = True        ' Show New Current Panel
    uxHeadingLbl.Text = panl  'path
End Sub

The panels are all created (and designed) at compile time - they are invisible. Is there a way to handle this switching? Thanks, Karen Nooobie to OOP and VB.Net 2005