50th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL ISSUE
Historic visit Historic year FIU welcomes President Obama
Read more legacy stories FIUalumni.com/legacy
Building an FIU Legacy. As FIU celebrates its 50th anniversary and looks to the future, the university will see more and more “legacy families” that boast generations of FIU graduates. This spring the Cancio family assembled on campus to show its Panther Pride. From left are Giselle Marie Cancio ’14; Grethel Lucia Curbelo ’90, MS ’96; current nursing and psychology student Melissa Marie Cancio; Claudia Abohasen Cancio ’91; Janet Abohasen Galdamez ’87; Nemer Alfredo Abohasen MBA ’01; Desiree Abohasen Zeledon MS ’99; Bernardo Antonio Rojas ’98; Patricia Abohasen Rojas ’92; and current biomedical engineering student Eduardo Ivan Galdamez. Photo by Doug Garland ’10
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A VIEW FROM THE TOP President Mark B. Rosenberg shares his vision for FIU’s second half-century.
MAPPING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
FIU’s new strategic plan lays the groundwork for continued, highquality expansion in educational programs, research and more.
NEXT-GEN FIU
For FIU’s 50th anniversary, we look ahead to coming trends in research, academics, arts, engagement and higher education.
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SNAPSHOTS
Three important stories, captured in brief and told in full online – about an alumnus, an innovative program and a transformational gift – reveal the spirit of FIU at 50.
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ON THE COVER OBAMA AT FIU
The university revels in the presidential spotlight during a campus visit. Cover photo by Doug Garland ’10
TURNING DREAMS INTO REALITY
The personal futures of two undocumented brothers shine brightly thanks to changes in immigration policy and their FIU educations.
ONLINE AT MAGAZINE.FIU.EDU • • •
Federal agencies recognize FIU’s academic offerings in cyber security Student writers embrace the Everglades in a series of essays The Center for Leadership & Service wishes its retiring founder farewell
Information about additional online stories can be found throughout this issue; just look for
SUMMER 2015 | 1
What a difference four decades make! Just as South Florida has grown – compare the development back in 1976, above, with what exists today, below – so have FIU and its Modesto A. Maidique Campus. With just five new buildings (plus office space in the original air traffic control tower) and a sixth under construction at the time, FIU served some 12,000 students. Flash forward to 2015, and the campus is home to more than 60 buildings, among them five new academic health-science centers, five residence halls, a sports arena, a performing arts center and a glorious art museum. With the names of benefactors now gracing many of its edifices, the university reflects the generosity and embrace of the community. Turn to the inside back cover to see an old photo of the Biscayne Bay Campus, which opened in 1977. The two campuses, along with several satellite locations, together now welcome more than 50,000 students.
FROM THE EDITOR I was searching for a graduate school in late 2001
lushness and the sounds of Caribbean and Latin
Amy Ellis Assistant Director of PR and Marketing Office of Engagement
fountain staring up at the stunning bronze artwork on the PC building, “Las Cuatro Razas,” the four races.
Stephen Fain Professor Emeritus College of Education
The message of unity in diversity spoke to me. The people and the opportunities made the decision easy. Eduardo Gamarra, for whom I eventually served as Associate Dean for Arts & Sciences Gisela Casines, right, who is retiring, was honored at a recent FIU Magazine editorial board meeting. She is pictured with the outgoing editor, Deborah O’Neil.
I finished my master’s degree and stayed. I became a writer, speechwriter to the president, and a journalism instructor. And, for more than a decade I’ve had the privilege of telling the story of this special place as editor of FIU Magazine. Like Rilke says, I believed with my feelings and my work that I was “taking part in the greatest,” and the more I believed in my purpose at the university, the more it was rewarded. What a joy it has been, at every step telling the story of this university. Our professors have wowed and inspired me. Our alumni have helped me to understand that a university is a network of hope that extends far beyond a campus. My colleagues have helped me learn and grow. Above all, FIU’s brave, mostly first-generation students have always given me a deep sense of purpose. Their dedication, their hard work, their struggles and triumphs on the path of realizing their own potential. I know their story because it was mine. I was in and
Mark B. Rosenberg Albert Maury ’96, ’02 (Chair) Michael M. Adler (Vice chair) Sukrit Agrawal Cesar L. Alvarez Jose J. Armas Jorge L. Arrizurieta Robert T. Barlick Jr. Alexis Calatayud Marcelo Claure Mayi de la Vega ’81 Gerald C. Grant Jr. ’78, MBA ’89 Claudia Puig Kathleen Wilson
FIU MAGAZINE Division of External Relations
Lazaro Gonzalez Marketing and Branding Strategist Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Then Latin American and Caribbean Center Director
Yes. I chose FIU and it chose me.
FIU Board of Trustees
Paul Dodson Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
music pouring out into the quad. I stood in front of the
recruiting me to apply sealed it.
Heather Bermudez ’06, MS ’12 Marketing Manager South Beach Wine & Food Festival
Lori-Ann Cox Director of Alumni Advocacy University Advancement
falling in love with this university. First, it was the tropical
vibrant community full of possibilities. His enthusiasm in
FIU President
Gisela Casines ’73 Associate Dean College of Arts & Sciences
when I visited FIU for the first time. It happened fast,
a graduate teaching assistant, told me of FIU as a
FIU MAGAZINE Editorial Advisory Board
Sandra B. Gonzalez-Levy Senior Vice President
Terry Witherell
Vice President Susan Jay Assistant Vice President of Development Karen Cochrane Director and Assistant Dean for Medical News and Communications Advancement Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Deborah O’Neil MA ’09
Nicole Kaufman Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
Editor
Alexandra Pecharich
Andra Parrish Liwag Campaign Communications Director University Advancement Larry Lunsford Vice President for Student Affairs University Ombudsman Maureen Pelham Director of Clinical Trials Division of Research Duane Wiles Executive Director Alumni Association Mark Williams Interim Dean, Robert Stempel School of Public Health and Social Work
Managing Editor
Aileen Solá-Trautmann Art Director
Doug Garland ’10
Senior Multimedia Producer
Writers
JoAnn C. Adkins Ayleen Barbel Fattal ’06 Joel Delgado ’12 Amy Ellis Sissi Garland, ’99, MA ’08 Evelyn S. Perez
Magazine Intern
Clara-Meretan Kiah
Photographers
Miguel Asencio ’12, MS ’14 Chris Granger Eduardo Merille ’97, MBA ’00 Roldan Torres ’85
out of college between full-time and part-time jobs — then a stint in the Army — all so I could finally get an undergrad degree at age 26. Later, FIU made it possible for me to go to graduate school. This commemorative FIU@50 magazine is my final issue as editor. I could not be more grateful to all the people — my team, the FIU Magazine Editorial Board, Alumni Relations, my colleagues in External Relations — who have dedicated themselves to this honored undertaking of giving voice to a community. I am especially grateful to all the readers whose constant feedback and support have helped this publication grow and thrive. I look forward to opening these pages for many more years and celebrating the greatest that is FIU. Cheers,
Deborah O’Neil MA ’09
Copyright 2015, Florida International University. FIU Magazine is published by the Florida International University Division of External Relations and distributed free of charge to alumni, faculty and friends of the university. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. To reach us, call 305-348-7235. Alumni Office: Write to Office of Alumni Relations at MMC MARC 510, Miami, FL 33199, or call 305-348-3334 or toll-free at 800-FIU-ALUM. Visit FIUalumni.com. Change of Address: Please send updated address information to FIU Office of Alumni Relations, MARC 510, Miami, FL 33199 or by email to alumni@FIU.edu. Letters to the Editor: FIU Magazine welcomes letters to the editor regarding magazine content. Send your letters via e-mail to alumni@FIU.edu; by fax to 305-348-3247 or mail to FIU Magazine, Division of External Relations, MMC PC 515, Miami, FL 33199. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. All letters should include the writer’s full name and daytime phone number. Alumni, please include your degree and year of graduation. 14548_06/15 FIU Magazine is printed on 10 percent PCW recycled paper that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council ®
SUMMER 2015 | 3
“Today it’s clear that FIU’s youthfulness is an advantage. It gives us the opportunity to extend ourselves in ways that are consistent with our mission, in ways that many older universities might be reluctant to embrace because their value propositions are based on exclusivity. Our value proposition is based on engagement and inclusivity. Finding ways to build bridges is who we are and what we do.”
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President Rosenberg envisions
FIU of the FUTURE To mark FIU’s 50-year anniversary, FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg shared his vision for the next generation in a wide-ranging conversation with FIU Magazine Editor Deborah O’Neil. Photo by Doug Garland ’10
Q. You started your teaching career in 1976
become a lot more complex and diverse and
at FIU and have been president for nearly
fragmented. Financial and economic power is
six years. What does this anniversary
shifting away from the U.S. gradually.
mean to you?
Nationally we are reflecting that
performance is almost exponential. And a fourth trend that I think is very, very important is China and the willingness of China and the Chinese people to go beyond
A. It symbolizes a coming of age. It’s a
fragmentation. The country is far more
their boundaries and to extend their culture
marker in the evolution of the university and
dependent upon new skills and competencies
and extend their economic and financial and
the community. I was used to being around
that, for the most part, can only be taught and
technical wherewithal. That will be a major
universities that were created in the 1700s
learned through a higher education context,
driver of 21st century movements.
and the 1800s in this country. It’s unique
a university context. It’s a country where
to have such a large and impactful public
natural resources are less and less central to
disruption and the growing power of
university that is so young. In those early
competitiveness and human talent is more
disruptive forces, whether they are
days, when I started at the university, we
central. The university in that context is very,
technological or religious or racial. I see that
more often than not cursed our youthfulness
very well situated to thrive.
as a very powerful social element in
and fundamentally saw it as a disadvantage.
At the local level, the community is far more
The other element is the trend toward
the change. Across time, you will see us moving
Today it’s clear to me our youthfulness is
diversified and complex than it was when the
an advantage. It gives us the opportunity to
university was opened. The community is far
away from discipline-based education and
extend ourselves in ways that are consistent
more conscious of its potential and its reach,
opportunities for people to more cause-based
with our mission, in ways that many older
and it has become mainstream nationally and
or mission-based. Whether it’s health and
universities are reluctant to do because
globally in its identity. So that carries with it
wellness, or life extension or related to those,
their value propositions are based on
some opportunities and some obligation and
the university will have to respond. It will
exclusivity. Our value proposition is based
some challenges that reflect squarely on the
be more cause-based and problem-based
on engagement and inclusivity. Those are
university and how it evolves over the next
education and certification.
elements of our rootedness and organic
few years. Q. What does that mean for the academic
culture that we need to celebrate and be proud of. Finding ways to build bridges is
Q. What academic trends are on the
experience of tomorrow’s students?
who we are and what we do.
horizon that will be influential for FIU’s
A. Academic experience will become far more
future direction?
tailored to individual interests and cognitive
Q. A lot has shifted in higher education
A. First, universities have lost their monopoly
capabilities and mission orientations.
during that time. What changes have had
on learning. Second, the “massification” of
We will move to more personalized
the biggest impact on FIU?
high-speed digital technologies has had a
education. Traditionally, we have addressed
A. I don’t really look at the university without
major impact upon us. Third, the growing
massification and expansion of higher
understanding the broader global and
opportunity that comes about in human
education wholesale, but I think as we move
national context. So, I think the world has
potential as it relates to wellness, health and
to greater technological sophistication, we Continues SUMMER 2015 | 5
Continued
will have much more specialized modules
know where the traditional human being
understanding a country, a formation of that
and modalities that will fit specific interests
ends and life forms that are manufactured
magnitude demographically, economically,
in a more personal fashion. Education will
or fabricated begin. You are already seeing
financially, technologically. The estimate
become far more fragmented based on
that with artificial limbs and the whole
is, that by the year 2040, China’s GDP will
technical competencies, based on personal
debate over whether people with artificial
be $123 trillion. The European Community
mission orientations and interests and far
limbs have an advantage. You are seeing
and the U.S. combined will be $30-35
more normalized within the life span of the
it with cataract removal and lenses that
trillion. Let’s assume we’re off by even 40
human being.
are manmade and are very effective. I see
percent. You are still dealing with an entity
Our university in particular is moving into
that is on the order of three times the size
partnership-solution logic to bring value to our community, to bring value globally as well. That increasingly will be the wave of the future. Q. How about trends in research? Where are we going? A. The research will be far more solutionsoriented, far more applied, far more driven by team-based multidisciplinary groups and far more data driven as a consequence of large data sets and big data. You will see not just classic researchers. You will see also individuals with specific competencies, in terms of experience, solutions and applications.
of the United States and Europe in terms of
“Where we are growing globally relates to the life of the mind. International understanding was one of the original university goals. We start by making sure our students interact more with students from others countries and with other perspectives.”
You also will have research teams that
production. That is something we need to come to grips with. Where we are growing globally relates to the life of the mind. It is critically important that we do a better job; and we have staked out this ground on the Global Learning initiative. International understanding was one of the original university goals. We start with doing a better job of making sure our students interact more with students from other countries and with other perspectives. We also have to find ways to replicate the look and feel of the world of work that students are going into by ensuring our students have important opportunities to experience different cultures and different
include people with anthropological and
ways of doing things. That can be through
sociological competency. So, I’m not
incredible things happening there. That will
study abroad or cross-national collaborative
worried about the humanities disappearing
involve, as well, emphasis and people who
design simulations or research projects.
or the social sciences disappearing.
are more skilled in dealing with normative
The more we aggregate data, the more
sociology issues.
we will need the involvement of those
Obviously environment, the enhanced
Q. So, let’s talk about engagement. In a broad sense, what will the “public’ of
who understand family matters, family
skills to maintain environmental
public higher education mean for FIU
organization, community organization,
reconstruction and the whole issue of
going forward?
sociological and political dynamics.
sustainability are major. Water and energy
A. “Public” will connote a certain value
increasingly will be even more major. We
proposition that the public university is the
have to do a lot more work in those areas.
platform for addressing the challenges and
The areas we have aligned around in generic terms include arts and entertainment from a consumer orientation, which is going
opportunities that come about through
to require serious research. In terms of
Q. Let’s talk global. What are the major
social change. Public universities have the
health, we’ll have significant moves forward
international and global trends that
obligation to make sure there is broader
in life extension and quality of life. You
matter to FIU?
awareness of those challenges and
are also going to see blending of human-
A. I do think China is a major, major area
opportunities and to make sure there’s a
machine cognition, where you really won’t
that we have to do a lot more work on, just
capability to address them.
6 | SUMMER 2015
Q. What do you see happening in terms
and labor; and people are social animals
Q. At a core mission level, what are we
of the funding aspects of public higher
who feel the need to gather and share their
doing today that will ensure we thrive
education and how we sustain the
learning and experiences. Even if we do a lot
tomorrow?
university in the future?
more education in a personalized, just-in-
A. One, we are becoming far more student-
A. I’m not one of those people who is going
time, modular fashion, there will be a need to
centric and far more committed to how
to curse the darkness in that sense. Times
bring people together to share learning and
to improve student performance. Within
change, and we have to change with them.
benefit from the serendipity of one-on-one,
the next 10 years, we are going to have
We are perfectly situated to change and
face-to-face relationships.
individualized cognitive measures that
prosper because we have the human talent and values proposition and the organizational culture to successfully thrive in this much more complex and ambiguous environment. Therefore, we should expect as we do that we are able to, and we must diversify our financial base. There will always be some funding coming from the state as a public institution, but we should expect across time that as we become more successful and larger, that funding will diminish in size and scale and percentage. Why? If we are creating value, we’re able to monetize that value in a way that enables us to have sustainability. This country is enormously wealthy, and this country is full of dreamers and people who are able to turn dreams into reality and
will allow better understanding of where a
“Times change, and we have to change with them. We are perfectly situated to change and prosper because we have the human talent and values proposition and the organizational culture to successfully thrive in this much more complex and ambiguous environment.”
then want to help others. I’m confident that as we become more successful, we will see
student enters into the learning curve and measures how much a student is able to learn. That will be aggregated by programs and disciplines and institutions and globally benchmarked. Two, our ability to survive is going to be based on our willingness to depart from traditional approaches to access and traditional measures of success. If we continue to base admissions on SAT scores and ACT scores, we are going to miss some of the truly unbelievable talent in this community that just wants a chance to be in an embracing and intense learning environment. I don’t believe in open admission as such, but I do believe that admission should be a function of measuring talent and talent potential as
In the case of the Maidique campus, our
opposed to more traditional indicators of
more philanthropy and more purposeful
academic health center has the potential
success that are completely misaligned with
giving coming into the university on one
to become a billion-dollar stand-alone
our demographics and our geography. We
hand, and we will be able to monetize that
enterprise in 20 years. That is my vision for it
have a sacred obligation to advance that
value in a way that will enable us to maintain
because of the exponential improvements in
human potential.
a cadre and corpus of talent that will
health and advances in health research that
enhance the institution.
will take on a logic of its own. That in part is
meeting that in many ways our divinity is
why we need the additional acreage to the
hope and opportunity. We must never forget
south of us.
that’s what we bring to the table: hope for
Q. We’ve built out the MMC and we have the opportunity to go bigger with the
We will probably see more specialized
I mentioned in the 50th anniversary prayer
people who might not otherwise have the
additional fairgrounds acreage. What will
centers and sites out there across time
opportunity to get an education and learn
FIU look like for the next generation?
similar to Brickell or South Beach or I-75 or
at such a dynamic place, and opportunity
A. It’s the next generation that expansion
China. We will see more as we can develop
in that there’s a perception out there that
to the fairgrounds is all about. I do still see
business models that work. That provides
FIU students are well prepared and that
the need for brick and mortar. Traditional
value in communities that might not be able
opens incredible opportunity they might not
research requires state-of-the-art facilities
to access our main platforms.
otherwise have. That’s who we are.
n
SUMMER 2015 | 7
Mapping the next five years New strategic plan sets ambitious goals for student success and research have potential for significant and sustained
By Karen Cochrane When university leaders began thinking
growth as well as myriad opportunities for
about FIU’s next strategic plan two years
engagement at the local and global levels.
ago, they knew it had to be comprehensive.
For the skeptics who believe the plan is
funding will not arrive unless we perform.” Thirty of 50 states now use performancefunding models, according to Furton, who called the paradigm “the new normal.” The
Higher education was in the midst of historic
too ambitious, Furton has a message: “At
model demands increased accountability
change. The students, faculty, staff, alumni
FIU, we have a history of accomplishing
and efficiency, focusing on nine metrics of
and community leaders who participated in
things that seemed impossible at first. We will
undergraduate student success outcomes
the planning process viewed it as a chance
do it again.”
and one metric on percentage of graduate
to embrace the opportunities inherent in this seismic shift. The result is FIUBeyondPossible2020,
degrees in areas of strategic emphasis. Key Measurable Goals n
Improve the first-to-second-year retention rate of first-time-in-college students from 76 to 90 percent
n
Boost six-year graduation rate among first-timein-college students from 53 to 70 percent
n
Increase four-year graduation rate of state college (AA) transfer students from 64 to 70 percent
n
Increase enrollment to 65,000, and increase use of digital technologies to enhance face-to-face and distance learning
the university’s bold vision for the next five years. President Mark B. Rosenberg tapped Provost Kenneth G. Furton, then-dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, to lead the effort. The plan focuses on improving student success, identifying and supporting preeminent programs,
n
expanding the research enterprise and achieving greater financial sustainability. FIUBeyondPossible2020 reflects the input of more than 150 members of
using the BOG model. Within the context of this new normal, architects of the plan ensured that the goals were inherently FIU. Implementation A plan is only as good as its implementation, and leaders acknowledge that reaching the goals set forth in FIUBeyondPossible2020 will not be easy.
Increase research expenditures from $130 million annually to $200 million annually
n
Increase by 30 percent the number of Ph.D. degrees granted to more than 200 annually
would require “soul searching” and faculty
n
Nurture an expansion in patents and startups from an average of two per year to 20 annually
“This is a shared responsibility. No one
n
Grow philanthropic giving to achieve the Next Horizon capital campaign goal of $750 million
pages of history and context, strategies and goals. Its powerful message is
receive (or lose) funding based on their score
n
the university community. Endorsed by the Board of Trustees in March, it is 68
Expand experiential learning opportunities for students, to include growing student internships from 4,637 to 6,000 annually
Universities are ranked and can potentially
stated simply in two sentences early
support. But ultimately, he told attendees, is exempt.” The provost has created multiple implementation committees with a steering
in the document: “The plan’s name, FIUBeyondPossible2020, reflects the fact
At the January town hall, Rosenberg said it
“The New Normal”
committee to oversee the process. The committees will meet over the course of the
that these are precedent-setting goals. We
A fundamental difference between this
plan to be the first public, majority-minority
plan and previous plans is the purposeful
summer and throughout the next five years to
research institution to achieve these goals
alignment of metrics with the Florida Board
ensure that the goals are met and adjusted to
because in achieving these goals, FIU will
of Governors Performance Funding Model,
reflect changing conditions.
better serve our students, faculty, staff
which tracks 10 performance goals and
and community.”
awards dollars based upon each university’s
plan is actualized. Through its achievement,
ability to do well in those areas.
FIU will be stronger for our students, faculty,
The plan reaffirms the areas of focus
Says Furton, “We need to ensure that our
staff and community. I encourage everyone
identified in the previous strategic plan: arts,
“We have a responsibility to make sure that
environment, globalization and health. Each
we stay on the edge of responsiveness,” said
to read the full plan, stay engaged and
of these areas is related to FIU’s mission, and
Rosenberg in January at a town hall meeting
remain informed of our progress by visiting
university leaders believe these areas still
to introduce FIUBeyondPossible2020. “The
stratplan.FIU.edu.
8 | SUMMER 2015
n
FIU in the Next Gen “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” —Eleanor Roosevelt In the 50 years since its founding, FIU has made a dramatic impact on the economic and social well-being of South Florida. So, what will the next 50 years bring? FIU Magazine spoke with university leaders and educators to understand where some of our strengths will take us in the coming decades and how FIU will continue to influence the world at home and beyond.
Stories by Joel Delgado ’12, Evelyn Perez, Ayleen Barbel Fattal ’06, JoAnn C. Adkins, Alexandra Pecharich, Deborah O’Neil MA ’09, Amy Ellis, Clara-Meretan Kiah Photography and artwork by Doug Garland ’10
SUMMER 2015 | 9
Education
for the Next Gen
10 | SUMMER 2015
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” —Nelson Mandela
The students of tomorrow What will the next generation of FIU students look like? Currently, FIU’s demographics mirror that of the surrounding community of Miami-Dade County. According to the Office of Planning
“We look like the future,” says Vice President of Student Affairs Larry Lunsford. “Other universities have goals for what we have already accomplished. We want to be well represented in our diversity in the future. We want to be proud of our diversity over the next 50 years.”
& Institutional Research at FIU, Hispanic students make up 63 percent of the student population, women make up 56 percent and 12 percent are black or African-American as of the Spring 2015 semester. And while FIU currently enrolls a
International and public affairs Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger in Haiti. Combating malaria and other
large number of first-generation college
diseases in Africa. Ensuring environmental
students, 50 years from now, many of the
stability in India. Unifying the Korean
university’s students may be their children
peninsula. Establishing peace between
and grandchildren.
Israel and Palestine.
“There will be fewer first-generation
Such far-reaching and forward-looking
students as a growing number of those who
aspirations represent the global vision for
enroll will be the sons and daughters of
FIU’s newly renamed Steven J. Green School
our alumni,” says Jody Glassman, director
of International and Public Affairs in the
of Undergraduate Admissions. “It will be a
College of Arts & Sciences. Supported by a
different kind of Miami we serve in 50 years.”
transformational $20 million gift, the school is
University leaders believe that FIU will
now poised to become one of the world’s top
maintain its status as a majority-minority
academic centers dedicated to international
institution as many other universities may
understanding, economic development,
begin to mirror FIU’s diversity. The Pew
peace and security.
Research Center predicts that by 2050, the
“This gift reinforces FIU’s destiny as a
Hispanic population in the U.S. will triple to
preeminent center for international education
128 million. Miami, as a gateway to Latin
and global problem-solving,” says FIU
America, is expected to continue to be a
President Mark B. Rosenberg.
metropolitan city that boasts a Hispanic majority – and FIU will reflect that.
Researchers working within the auspices of the six-year-old school have Continues SUMMER 2015 | 11
Continued
dedicated their careers to understanding
needed to establish global cooperation,
the complexities of our transnational and
economic equality and peace in the
globalized society and how to fill a broad
next generation.
range of basic human needs, including health, education and equality, according to Associate Director Shlomi Dinar. Through the disciplines of sociology, economics, politics, law and criminal justice, religion and others, they study the wide range of issues that make up how countries, governments and societies relate to one another. The school brings together experts to analyze problems and find sustainable solutions through an interdisciplinary lens. The recent contribution has created an endowment in support of academic, research and public affairs initiatives focused on transnational studies, international institutions and security policy in the Americas. The gift also will support the construction of a state-ofthe-art building that will unify the school’s resources and researchers to foster collaboration, interdisciplinary innovation and student success. FIU’s approach to the social sciences
Specialized and online education As master’s degrees become more important for graduates to stand out in crowded job markets, the future will see more and more working professionals taking classes at FIU part-time, probably through a wide variety of online programs available. Popular “4+1” programs, which allow undergraduate students to pursue an accelerated master’s degree in addition to their bachelor’s degrees, will grow as will high-level professional certificates. A number of “niche” majors tailored toward specialized topics and subjects also could become the norm at FIU, attracting specific types of students to FIU. “Universities become important in the way they open the door for careers,” says Benjamin Baez, a professor of higher
integrates theory and practice at every level.
education at the College of Education. “You’ll
Students are taught inside the classroom
see more of a focus on STEM (science,
using innovative curriculum and cutting-
technology, engineering and math) and
edge research. Their classroom learning
specialized majors to attract specific groups
is paired with real-life, global-learning
of people rather than generic degrees.”
experiences, including study abroad and
With the rise of online programs, virtual
internship opportunities. Those who master
classrooms and other technologies in recent
particular issues in the social sciences also
years, many wonder whether or not the
gain a wide range of transferable skills,
“traditional” college campus will become
including analytical, management and
obsolete. But university leaders believe that
leadership, communication, consensus-
technological advances and a more traditional
building and negotiation.
college campus will be a part of FIU’s future.
Situated in Miami, the school will educate
As online programs and other technological
leaders who can not only connect the
advances improve access for a larger number
Americas but bridge them with Africa, the
of students and more student housing
Middle East, Asia and other regions poised
facilities are built both on campus and in the
for growth in upcoming decades. With a
surrounding area, there could be an uptick
diverse student body, the Green School will
in both students living on campus and also
graduate leaders who drive the innovation
those taking classes part-time or fully online.
12 | SUMMER 2015
Section continues
“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.” —Herbert Spencer
SUMMER 2015 | 13
Research
for the Next Gen
14 | SUMMER 2015
Sea level rise and water conservation Not just a natural resource, water in the 21st century also has become a commodity and a
proven examples of solutions that work. Yet in 2065, certain truths likely will remain. Florida will continue to be the lowest and flattest state in the country. Miami’s
Disaster mitigation and urban resilience As climate change and urban population growth create stress upon the natural
challenge in the face of climate change. FIU
water supply will remain dependent on the
environment, FIU researchers are looking at
researchers are working to ensure the next 50
Biscayne Aquifer, which rests beneath the
ways to help government agencies and other
years aren’t like the last, which have been full
Florida Everglades. And the seas will be
stakeholders understand related challenges
of controversy and uncertainty.
higher, though how high remains a mystery.
to our built environment. The goal: to support
Some say a foot by 2100, while others
better design, improved construction and
believe it could be as high as six feet.
long-term management of resources.
In the next generation, people won’t be talking about how to protect the Everglades, South Florida’s water supply or the communities along the coastline. They will be doing it. Miami Beach’s landscape already will have changed with the rising seas. But as the College of Arts & Sciences Dean Mike Heithaus attests, today’s
It is difficult to plan based on best guesses. But FIU ecologist Rene Price says statistical certainties will come very soon. She says that in just a few years scientists will be able to predict how high the seas will
Predicting the future is never easy, but the Infrastructure System-of-Systems Research Group within the OHL School of Construction aims to introduce a degree of clarity in a climate of uncertainty. The team is developing computational models that will demonstrate
generation will be defined by its response
rise over time. That will give communities
how physical infrastructure might perform
to climate change. And that response will
time to prepare. During the next 50 years,
under a variety of conditions. The term
determine the challenges faced by the next.
governments will be able to develop
“systems-of-systems” refers to a holistic
For scientists, the conversation focuses
and execute plans based on realistic
approach that looks at infrastructure as
expectations for the 22nd century.
complex and interdependent. To underscore
on how to adapt. Partnerships forged today with the City of Miami Beach, the Everglades Foundation and others will shape the future of South Florida. As a result, communities along coastlines throughout the world will define their responses, redesign their infrastructures and revise their building
The foundation for these plans will largely come from the research being done at FIU. Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine recently said that what people cannot imagine today will actually be what is invented to make coastal
the value of a wide view, Professor of construction management Ali Mostafavi gives the example of frequent inland flooding, which can lead to pumping station failure, sewagesystem backups and contamination of the water supply. “From one event,” he says, “you
codes based on what South Florida
cities resilient in the future. Today, students
scientists, architects and engineers research
and faculty throughout FIU are dreaming up
today. In the next 50 years, South Florida’s
the potential solutions that could help define
university research efforts focused on disaster
role of a living laboratory will evolve into
water in South Florida in 2065 and beyond.
mitigation. The International Hurricane
can see the cascading impacts.” This and other studies complement
Continues
SUMMER 2015 | 15
“Seek not greatness, but seek truth and you will find both.” —Horace Mann Continued
Research Center, for example, has for nearly two
physical, emotional, genetic and neurobiological
decades brought together scientists to probe
profiles, and then prescribe an optimized treatment
how urban areas can best prepare for high-threat
strategy based on your unique brain signatures.
storms. And the College of Engineering and
The brain is the most complex organ in the
Computing’s Wall of Wind — the largest and most
human body. It makes up 2 percent of a body’s
powerful university research facility of its kind —
mass yet uses 20 percent of its blood and oxygen
investigates how construction materials perform
supply. It controls the way we think. It controls our
under extreme conditions, tests whose outcomes
movements. It dictates the way we make decisions.
can influence Florida building codes.
And it determines how we recall memories. It is
The work of the university helps demonstrate that decisions made today can change the course ahead and encourages public policy for the long haul.
powerful and yet fragile. FIU scientists from across the disciplines – medicine, nursing, education, engineering, arts and sciences – have dedicated their careers to understanding mental processes in the healthy
Neuroscience and brain mapping A person enters a doctor’s office for a physical. As part of the routine, blood pressure is taken and temperature recorded and, finally, the brain is scanned.
and diseased human brain. They study brain activity, including language, cognition, emotion, action, sensory perception and mental health, while working to develop new technologies in cognitive neuroimaging. Through collaborative research, the future is likely to bring advances in neurotechnology that
In a single scan, lurking disorders within
allow physicians to tap into or activate the nervous
the mind and body are revealed. A doctor can
system to provide personalized neurotherapy, says
diagnose neurodegenerative conditions such as
Ranu Jung, chair of biomedical engineering and
Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as psychological
interim dean of the College of Engineering
issues including depression and even addiction.
& Computing.
Symptoms may or may not be present. The need
But more than diagnostics and treatment, FIU
for lengthy testing and intensive evaluations are
researchers believe cognitive neuroscience also
no more. A single scan. A snapshot of the brain. A
can lead to better students. It is likely that students
picture that tells a story and gives a roadmap for
in the class of 2065 will be taught using methods
curing or overcoming problems.
developed from studies under way today. Using
The science isn’t there yet, but in the next 50 years, FIU researchers believe it will get there. According to Angela Laird, director of FIU’s
neuroimaging techniques, these studies examine how college STEM majors learn reasoning and problem-solving skills. Understanding this could
Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging Center, in
help educators better craft the way these courses
50 years, with a prick of your finger and a hand-
are taught in the future.
held imaging device, clinicians may be able to immediately assess your health status in terms of
Today’s FIU scientists hope that someday the brain scan will be as routine as an EKG. Section continues
16 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015 | 17
Partnerships for the Next Gen
18 | SUMMER 2015
“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Community outreach and engagement As the public research university in one of the country’s largest metro areas, FIU increasingly will serve as a solutions center globally in the coming decades. Through partnerships and engagement efforts, the university is already tackling a spectrum of issues and challenges, most notably improving the K-12 public school system and increasing college access opportunities. Building on that demonstrated success, the university will continue to enter into strategic partnerships that will have important ramifications for our world. Three initiatives launched in 2015 are emblematic of the cooperative efforts that will drive the university’s future direction.
To help meet the need for high-quality professionals ready to step into the workforce, FIU has collaborated with the Beacon Council, South Florida industry leaders and the region’s other educational institutions to launch the Talent Development Network. Its aim: to provide new internships in key sectors of the local economy. A new partnership with Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., the Royal@FIU World Stage Collaborative, is fostering new connections between the performing arts and hospitality and tourism. Recognizing that there is strength in numbers, FIU has partnered with its sister institutions in two of the state’s other large urban areas to create the Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities. FIU, the University of Central Florida and the University Continues SUMMER 2015 | 19
Continued
of South Florida are working together to
tours and curator-guided video tours of
will include the expert and innovative
improve college graduation rates, share best
exhibits, all intended to pique the interests of
contributions of FIU professors and students.
practices across the board and create a more
“superfans,” or niche audiences.
united voice at the state level.
The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum
Collaboration has already begun with the City of Sweetwater, adjacent to the
will extend a helping hand into the younger
Modesto A. Maidique Campus (MMC). The
valued partners — whether public, private
community in Miami, especially those in
university has offered design ideas for a
or nonprofit — as unlocking catalytic
low-income communities, starting with a
revitalized downtown corridor. A signature
momentum that leads to community-wide
partnership with Sweetwater Elementary to
bridge — both functional as well as symbolic
transformation,” said FIU Vice President for
build the school’s art program and bring its
of a new relationship between FIU and the
Engagement Saif Ishoof. “Collaboration has
students on field trips to the museum. The
city — will be erected with federal monies
maximum impact when the greatest needs
Frost hopes to create similar programs in
to span the busy seven-lane highway that
are tackled through the exponential addition
elementary schools all over the county.
currently separates the two entities in hopes
“We view our role in working with
of resources and people.”
This March, the university unveiled its
of strengthening ties and sharing assets.
Royal@FIU World Stage Collaborative,
Students will be able to take advantage
a partnership with RCL to build a
of new shops, restaurants and housing
130,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art
opening off campus, while residents will
training facility at the Biscayne Bay Campus.
have access to campus sporting and cultural
The building features classrooms, three-
events as well as lectures and more. The
undergone a cultural renaissance. The arrival
story studios, a 300-seat theater and a
School of Architecture has suggested that
of Art Basel in 2002 drew attention to Miami’s
20,000-square-foot costume-making facility,
new development within the city center
burgeoning art scene and fueled an influx of
where students will have the chance to
include the intentional addition of “walkability
artists, collectors, buyers and appreciators of
take classes, earn paid internships and
features,” such as improved sidewalks,
the arts in South Florida. A new community
train alongside hospitality and
landscaping and public art, to boost its
of people interested in building Miami’s
entertainment professionals.
attractiveness and people-friendly quotient.
Creative initiatives in the arts Over the past 15 years, Miami has
reputation in the arts emerged.
The university also recently announced
Emphasis on the human element likewise
an initiative to reopen the Coconut Grove
informs the FIU-Miami Creative City Initiative,
dedicated to the arts, a partnership with
Playhouse, which was once a thriving and
a think tank of experts on urban issues with
Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., and plans to
popular theater in South Florida until it closed
the goal of harnessing local creative and
reopen the Coconut Grove Playhouse, FIU’s
its doors in 2006. Reopening the Playhouse
entrepreneurial forces. The team includes
role in this cultural revolution is significant.
will offer theater students a chance to work
School of Architecture Professor Roberto
with actors, costume and set designers, and
Rovira and is engaging local business and
involved in creating murals and music, theater
other behind-the-scenes production, giving
civic leaders along with students and the
and fine arts throughout South Florida; and
them the chance to work and learn alongside
greater community in dialogue on how
moving forward, the university will continue to
professionals in their field.
creativity, culture and design can drive a
With three public museums, a college
FIU students and alumni have been
regional economy.
influence the arts in Miami by expanding its outreach and partnerships in the community. The Wolfsonian-FIU museum hopes to expand its international presence by digitizing its collection and creating a virtual
Urban design and architecture As ever-greater numbers of permanent
Turning to a public university to help reinvigorate public space makes sense, says Rovira, who involves his students in a variety of projects through his “Catalysts of the
world visitors can access any time online,
residents as well as visitors flock to our
Urban Canvas” course. “We’re perfect in the
a project that got its start with a $5 million
tropical paradise over the coming decades,
sense that we have a fresh set of eyes every
grant from the Knight Foundation in 2013.
FIU will play a larger role in shaping South
single year. We have a student body and a
The collection already has begun to appear
Florida’s built environment in support of
faculty who are trained from day one to think
online, and future ideas for the virtual
a dynamic, sustainable future. Projects
in visionary ways, to think in transformative
museum include podcast series, panoramic
that serve the common good increasingly
ways, to be unafraid.”
20 | SUMMER 2015
n
Advancing
global
understanding
T
he Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs now bears the name of its benefactor, and the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center likewise reflects the generosity of a family that has for decades supported FIU in a variety of ways. Most recently, a transformational gift of $20 million will strengthen global studies for the next generation by enabling the Green School to advance international research and academic programs. The contribution also will support the construction of a state-of-the-art building and the school’s pursuit of membership in the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. Ambassador Green, his wife, Dorothea, and their daughter Kimberly made the commitment, one of the largest in FIU’s history. “Unless people have a knowledge of other cultures and other political systems, we’re never going to have a peaceful world,” said Green, an entrepreneur and the Honorary Consul General of Singapore in Miami. “To make a political difference, to make a social difference, you have to integrate many factors. The School of International and Public Affairs deals with the integration of these ideas and truly creates a platform for tomorrow’s leaders.” The family’s largesse follows on 25 years of helping shape FIU through gifts in support of the Green Library at MMC, an acclaimed lecture series at the Frost Art Museum and NeighborhoodHELP, the Wertheim College of Medicine’s signature community-outreach program for the poor. Ambassador Steven J. Green, left, with FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg Photo by Miguel Asencio
WINTER SUMMER 2014-15 2015 | 21
Watch NeighborhoodHELP in action magazine.FIU.edu
Serving our neighbors
L
ike FIU itself, the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine began with a mission to meet the needs of the local community. So, in 2010, the medical school joined forces with the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences, the Robert Stempel
College of Public Health & Social Work and FIU’s College of Law to train young people while serving the common good. The resulting Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP, or Health Education Learning Program, brings together medical, nursing, social and legal services — all delivered by FIU students and the faculty who oversee them — to offer comprehensive assistance to the working poor and uninsured.
n
In the neighborhood: Stephan Solomon, in baseball cap, shakes hands with FIU medical student Joseph Ottolenghi, who was joined in a home visit by Dr. Suzanne Minor (in white coat), Dr. Marcos Milanez and outreach coordinator Jenne Egola Burnett.
22 | SUMMER 2015
Inspiring us all C
ollege of Education alumnus David Menasche didn’t stay with us nearly long enough. Yet his 42 years stand testament to just how
much difference one person can make in the world. How much difference one teacher can make. The amazing journey of this Coral Reef Senior High teacher was captured in his book, The Priority List, which is on tap to become a Warner Brothers movie starring Steve Carrell. FIU Magazine Editor Deborah O’Neil spent time with David at the end of his life as he was preparing to headline TEDxFIU 2014. David was too sick to take the stage and passed away just days later on Nov. 20, 2014, but we honor him by sharing what he taught us. Visit magazine.FIU.edu to read more about the inspired life of this poet and skateboarder, iconoclast and fighter, student of life and teacher of many.
n
Learn more about Menasche’s journey magazine.FIU.edu
Photo by Chris Granger
SUMMER 2015 | 23
An historic visit in an historic year By Deborah O’Neil MA ’09 and Amy Ellis | Photo by Doug Garland ’10
U.S. President Barack Obama shined a national spotlight on FIU and South Florida this spring during two visits that centered on the key issues of immigration reform and climate change. Dozens of FIU faculty, students and staff took part in the nationally televised events. In February, the president held a town hall meeting at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus to discuss the need for immigration reform. Organized by Telemundo and MSNBC, the event aired on both stations and was hosted by anchor Jose Diaz-Balart. Prior to the taping, FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg addressed the audience in the Graham Center ballrooms by stating that Miami – and FIU – were the most appropriate places to host a discussion on immigration.
“We live it every day,’’ he said. “This is the place that has discussed and debated immigration more than any other… and we are thrilled to be a part of this conversation with the president of the United States, Barack Obama.’’ With more than 54,000 students, FIU is the largest Hispanic-serving university in the nation and the largest producer of Hispanic graduates in the country. In the audience were a number of FIU students who are personally affected by immigration law, particularly the controversial Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which provides exemption from deportation for some undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. (See related story, page 26). “The stories of people like you here today will soften the hearts of those who would block us,’’ Obama said. Later, Rosenberg praised all who were involved in the success of the visit. “The president was very impressed, as was his staff,’’ Rosenberg said. “But I never had any doubt. It’s extraordinary what we can do when we come together with a single purpose. This was an historic moment for FIU. He could’ve gone anywhere and he chose FIU.” Just weeks later, Obama returned to South Florida to celebrate Earth Day in Florida’s Everglades National Park. He took to the podium to remind the country of the importance of preservation and the threat of climate change. Five members of the FIU family had supporting roles during the visit: Executive Director of the School of Environment, Arts and Society Evelyn Gaiser, biology professor Philip Stoddard, alumnus Larry Perez and students Bryan Palacio and Jacqueline Crucet. Obama in the Everglades | Photo by Eduardo Merille ’97, MBA ’00 24 | SUMMER 2015
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Obama on campus with TV commentator Jose Diaz-Balart for a town hall on immigration SUMMER 2015 | 25
EDUCATING -------THE-------
Dreamers President Obama’s visit to campus recognizes FIU’s commitment to immigrants By Sissi Garland ’99, MA ’08 | Photo by Doug Garland ’10
T
wins Nicolas and Esteban Wulff dream of opportunity. They dream of working
hard to achieve success. They dream of a college education. When President Barack Obama visited campus Feb. 25 for a town hall on immigration, the FIU community came together to dream with them. The brothers were among a handful of FIU students selected to participate in the historic event because their story is emblematic of the national dialogue in support of immigration reform. The Wulff brothers arrived in the United States when they were 5 years old. They had packed up their toys and made the journey from Colombia to reunite with their mom who had come a couple years earlier to earn money to support them. The distance had become too big a strain on the family. The family decided to risk it all and stay in the country together — illegally. “We grew up American,” says Nicolas. They attended elementary school, middle school, high school… but they were stuck. They didn’t have a Social Security card, so no real jobs; no driver’s license, so limited mobility; nor a bank account, so no meaningful savings for the future. Still, they believed. Their mother told them the key to success was an education and they worked hard, graduating with honors from high school and taking as many classes Esteban, left, and Nicolas Wulff
26 | SUMMER 2015
as they could afford at Miami Dade College. Then in 2012, President Barack Obama
Read how the College of Law is helping families apply for DACA magazine.FIU.edu
announced that the U.S. Department of
Both Nicolas and Esteban are now studying
and contribute.”
Homeland Security would not deport certain
at FIU, joining more than 50 FIU students
undocumented youth who came to the
who have benefited from a tuition waiver that
sounds, America is the land of
United States as children. The brothers
allows them to pay in-state tuition, which is
opportunity. That is the whole
were overjoyed. The Deferred Action
approximately one-third the price of out-of-
reason my mom moved here from
for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) changed
state tuition.
Colombia 23 years ago. At my
everything for them. Having completed
FIU is the first public university in
He adds, “As cliched as it
current job in an immigration legal
the paperwork, the two received notice
Florida to offer in-state tuition to students
office, I fill out asylum packets almost
by August 2012 that they each qualified
who have qualified for DACA. Before,
every day, and I talk to people who have
for a renewable two-year exemption from
local undocumented students paid out-of-
lived in the worst conditions in other
deportation and a work permit.
state tuition.
countries and see the United States as a way out.
“I feel like I’m finally moving forward. We’re not stuck in limbo anymore,” Esteban says. For Nicolas, preparation finally met
During the opening remarks at the town hall, Obama congratulated FIU for its diversity. FIU is the largest Hispanic-serving university
“I might not have all the benefits granted to a U.S. citizen, or a lawful permanent resident, yet – but this is the hand I was
opportunity. “I got my first legal job and used
in the nation and the largest producer of
dealt, and through smart, hard work, I will
it to pay for college,” he says.
Hispanic graduates in the country.
accomplish what I set out to do.”
A 1997 report, The Americans by the
Later, FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg
Nicolas graduated this past spring with
National Research Council, found that
noted, “President Obama wanted to speak
a bachelor’s in political science and was
immigrants - both legal and undocumented
at our university because our community is
cited by President Mark B. Rosenberg as
- with college degrees save the government
a community of immigrants. No one at our
a standout graduate. He hopes to pursue
money, while those with just a high school
university is a foreigner.”
a graduate degree in economics and a
diploma consume more in services than they
The Wulff brothers have become
certificate in project management. Esteban
advocates for their peers. They were
is working on his final three semesters and
previously actively involved with the
hopes to take his degree in economics to
for the vast majority of our lives are here to
Students Working for Equal Rights
the technology industry.
stay,” Nicolas says. “It doesn’t make sense
organization, and Nicolas interned at the
Both are optimistic about immigration
to handicap us financially and academically –
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
reform. They are living their dream—taking
and make it considerably more difficult for us
with Congressman Joe Garcia’s office.
advantage of the opportunity. But they still
to graduate from college and live a productive
He represented FIU at a Champions of
await the realization of the ultimate dream:
life. It’s a win-win situation. Students get the
Change event at the White House promoting
becoming a citizen of the only county
education and training to succeed, and the
the effect DACA status has had on
they’ve known.
economy and job market gets a stronger,
undocumented students.
contribute in taxes. “People like me who have grown up here
smarter, more productive workforce. In the long run, it favors everyone.”
Nicolas says the goal for him and other DACA students is “to be successful
Esteban says, “To me, an American is a person who wants to achieve. It’s a state of mind more than a nationality.”
n
SUMMER 2015 | 27
In celebration of FIU’s founding 50 years ago, the annual Torch Awards program touted the university’s trajectory from a once-abandoned airport—a sign of which is still visible in the iconic air-traffic control tower at MMC—to a two-campus, research institution with a sky’s-the-limit attitude. In a fitting tribute to the more than 200,000 graduates who have soared on the wings of their FIU degrees, 15 were chosen to receive this year’s highest alumni honor. The record attendance of 800 guests brought in tens of thousands of dollars in support of first-generation scholarships and the alumni center building fund. Alex Rodriguez-Roig ’99 President, Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade Community Leadership Award College of Education
Alexis Mantecon ’00 Managing Partner, MV Real Estate Holdings Distinguished Alumni Award The Honors College
Marcia L. Martinez Strait MS ’77 CEO, Strait Tutoring Services Distinguished Alumni Award College of Education
Malcolm Butters ’83 President, Butters Construction & Development, Inc. Distinguished Alumni Award College of Business
Robert Scavone Jr. J.D. ’12 Judicial Law Clerk, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Distinguished Alumni Award College of Law
Ed Mugnani ’91 President, Western Division Eurest-Compass Group Distinguished Alumni Award Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
28 | SUMMER 2015
Photo by Roldan Torres ’85
Andy Señor Jr. ’13 Artistic Director, District Stage Company Distinguished Alumni Award College of Architecture + The Arts
Belkys Nerey ’89 Anchor, WSVN Distinguished Alumni Award School of Journalism & Mass Communication
Jesus R. Vazquez ’85 Chief Operating Officer, Facchina Distinguished Alumni Award FIU Athletics
President Mark B. Rosenberg
G.C. Murray Jr. ’08 Deputy General Counsel Florida Justice Association Charles E. Perry Young Alumni Visionary Award College of Arts & Sciences
Thomas B. Jelke Ph.D. ’90 President, T. Jelke Solutions Distinguished Alumni Award Division of Student Affairs
Humberto Cabañas ’76 Founder & Chairman Benchmark Hospitality International Alumnus of the Year Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Diane Ramy Faulconer ’74 Former Executive Consultant, Ernst & Young Former Owner, Diane Ramy Faulconer Management Consulting Services Distinguished Alumni Award Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Laird H. Kramer, Ph.D. Professor of Physics, FIU Director, FIU STEM Transformation Institute Outstanding Faculty Award College of Arts & Sciences Miguel Cerra ’95 Executive Vice President Link Construction Group Distinguished Alumni Award College of Engineering and Computing
Not pictured: Natalie Boden-Kawas ’99 Founder and Managing Director, BodenPR Distinguished Alumni Award College of Arts & Sciences
Save the Date
Join us for the next Torch Awards March 19, 2016
SUMMER 2015 | 29
BENJAMÍN LEÓN, JR. FAMILY CENTER FOR GERIATRIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, LEON MEDICAL CENTERS AND FIU’S COLLEGE OF MEDICINE...
TOGETHER BUILDING THE FUTURE LEADERS IN HEALTHCARE
Thank you, FIU, for making me Worlds Ahead
Manny Miranda, Agent FIU Class of 1978 Good neighbor agent since 1990 Alumni Association Lifetime Member
Congratulations to FIU for 50 years of leadership! Congratulations to FIU for 50 years of leadership! Congratulations to FIU for 50 years of leadership!
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Bathed in natural light and flanked by palms, this stairway in Academic One at the Biscayne Bay Campus in the late 1970s bridged the tropical landscape and indoor classroom space. Decades later the building underwent additional construction to enclose common areas previously exposed to the elements.
View a slide show of “Then and Now� photos magazine.FIU.edu
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Legends on campus: Standing in front of the university’s first building, Primera Casa, the faculty members pictured here all arrived at FIU within its inaugural academic year (1972-73) or earlier and have yet to retire. Each has contributed to building the university’s academic infrastructure and played a role in establishing the philosophy and culture upon which FIU has continued to grow. Still going strong are, from left, Florentin Maurrasse, Earth and Environment; Leonard Keller, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Susan Himburg, formerly in Dietetics and Nutrition and today director of Academic Planning and Accountability; Maida Watson, Modern Languages; Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver, Journalism and Mass Communication; Brian Peterson, History; Stephen Fain, formerly in Education and the Honors College and today in the Office of the Provost. To see a 1972 group photo of FIU’s employees, visit go.FIU.edu/historyphoto.