SPRING 2019 VOLUME 42
presidential visit Donald Trump addresses the human and political upheaval in Venezuela
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INSIDE
Next Horizon: The Campaign for FIU 4/17/19 11:22 AM
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10 Meet Kimberly Green
The namesake of the Latin American and Caribbean Center has a story to tell.
13 Supporting Venezuela’s people ON THE COVER:
The FIU community is galvanized to help those in greatest need.
16 Funding the future
Reaching a $750 million goal will further propel FIU to the top.
18
Growing STEM students FIU becomes a model for science, tech, engineering and math education.
24 Encouraging young poets Youngsters learn to put hopes, fears and feelings into words.
28 Sports as a microcosm
An Honors College class explores science and society through the lens of athletics.
32 A poet comes home
Richard Blanco ’91, MFA ’97 celebrates his return to South Florida and a new job at FIU.
The future of FIU: Youngsters check out a touch tank hosted by the Marine Sciences Program during the official launch of the Next Horizon: The Campaign for FIU. More than 1,000 attendees enjoyed the daylong kickoff in January to celebrate university achievements and hear the case for continued expansion through thoughtful, concentrated philanthropy. In addition to a formal program that included a major gift announcement and a blockbuster performance from famed alumnus Tony Succar ’08, MA ’10 and his Mixtura Band, activities included hands-on exhibits that featured FIU research and outreach programs. Photo by Carl-Frederick Francois ’16, MS ’17
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FROM THE STAFF When the President of the United States comes calling, people listen. In this issue you will learn how FIU students and employees from Venezuela gleaned hope from President Donald J. Trump’s February visit to campus. To rousing applause, he spoke out against that country’s current administration and unequivocally called for a change of government. The President of the United States rightly knew that his message would resonate with a community directly touched by the sad state of affairs in Venezuela. His words offered the promise of better days at a time when deprivation and violence threaten to grow. FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg likewise joined political leaders from across the state in showing support for the people of Venezuela as some 1,500 attendees from throughout South Florida packed into the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The exciting and unexpected visit—FIU learned just a few days before of the President’s intention to give the address—quickly had the FIU Magazine staff scrambling to make a few changes. Previously we had anticipated showcasing Next Horizon: The Campaign for FIU on our cover. Nonetheless, you will read all about this impressive $750 million effort. The unprecedented call to individuals, families, private foundations and corporations to fund the university’s future deserves everyone’s attention. Without the support of visionaries, FIU could do only the bare minimum, the basics. Out of the question would be offering scholarships to thousands of students annually. Impossible would be attracting top faculty researchers with offers of endowed chairs. Out of reach would be signature buildings such as the one that houses the Frost Art Museum. How great then that an entire community of philanthropists can together build a university that meets the needs of the future head on. Will you join that illustrious group with your donation of $100, $1,000 or $1 million? Learn more at NextHorizon.fiu.edu.
The Panther Team
Whenever you see the play button, visit magazine.fiu.edu to get our digital content Cover photo: Cover photo by Margarita Rentis ’17
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FIU MAGAZINE Editorial Advisory Board
FIU President
Millie Acebal Director Marketing & Communications College of Engineering & Computing
FIU Board of Trustees
Mark B. Rosenberg
JoAnn Adkins Director Marketing & Communications College of Arts, Sciences & Education Atilda Alvarido Special Assistant to the Provost Office of the Provost Linda Curiel-Menage Assistant Vice President for Campaign Planning & Communications University Advancement Jessica Drouet Senior Account Manager Marketing & Communications Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work Amy Ellis Communications Manager Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs Stephen Fain Professor Emeritus Faculty Administrator Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President
Claudia Puig (Chair) Jose J. Armas (Vice Chair) Cesar L. Alvarez Leonard Boord Dean C. Colson Gerald C. Grant Jr. ’78, MBA ’89 Michael G. Joseph Natasha Lowell Justo L. Pozo Joerg Reinhold Sabrina L. Rosell Marc D. Sarnoff Rogelio Tovar FIU MAGAZINE
Division of External Relations, Strategic Communications and Marketing Sandra B. Gonzalez-Levy Senior Vice President Terry Witherell Vice President Karen Cochrane Assistant Vice President Alexandra Pecharich Managing Editor Aileen Solá-Trautmann MSM ’18 Art Director
Ellen Forman Associate Director Communications College of Business Cristina Jaramillo Account Manager Marketing & Communications Student Affairs Pablo Ortiz Vice President Regional Locations & Institutional Development Maureen Pelham Director of Research Development Office of Research and Economic Development Tyson Rodgers Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications
Writers Millie Acebal Patricia Cardenas ’18 Jessica Drouet David Drucker ’18 Amy Ellis Ayleen Barbel Fattal ’06 Clara-Meretan Kiah ’15 Photographers Carl-Frederick Francois ’16, MS ’17 Doug Garland ’10 Ben Guzman ’11 Eduardo Merille ’97, MBA ’00 Margarita Rentis ’17 Vince Rives ’17 Ivan Santiago ’99, ’00, MFA ’16 Nick Vega
Ileana Varela Associate Director Marketing & Public Relations Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Maria Elena Villar Associate Dean College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts Duane Wiles Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations & Annual Giving Executive Director, Alumni Association
Copyright 2019, Florida International University. FIU Magazine is published by the Florida International University Division of External Relations, Strategic Communications and Marketing 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 University Advancement, MARC 5th Floor, Miami, FL 33199 or by email to cochrane@fiu.edu. Letters to the Editor: FIU Magazine welcomes letters to the editor regarding magazine content. Send your letters via email to cochrane@fiu.edu 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. 18498_04/2019 FIU Magazine is printed on 30 percent PCW recycled paper that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
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Yo vengo de todas partes,
I come from everywhere
Y hacia todas partes voy…
And toward everywhere I go…
—José Martí, Versos Sencillos We rise from all that’s raised us. From the winds of our real or imagined homelands billowing through sugarcane fields or prairies dotted with wildflowers. From the hum of island sea-songs or the waves of desert dunes. We rise. From the tears of rainforest waterfalls or the falling sparkle of snowflakes. From knitted rows of corn or the tangle of pine tree forests. From across the street or across continents. We rise. At times we may lose our way, but we always find the stars of our ancestry charted across our skies—and we rise. From the sway of merengue or swagger of reggae. From hip-hop hooks or the plucks of sitar strings. From calypso drums pinging or cumbia skirts whirling. From the shuffle of samba or clonk of a country twostep. We rise. At times we may stumble, but we keep dancing, find our rhythm again—and we rise. From flaky pastelitos or plantain pasteles. From stuffed burritos or spicy beef patties. From gooey cachitos or pão de queijo. From fried falafels or grilled arepas. From dollops of hummus or ladles of matzah ball soup. From the aroma of curry or café-con-leche. We rise. With all the flavors of our heritage that sustains us, we feed our hunger—and we rise. From temple kaddish or Buddhist oms, from the incense of mantras or hymns of stained-glass churches, from the call of minarets or the rapture of Sunday gospel choirs, from offerings of apples or candy to our deities. We rise. At times we may doubt, but we keep searching for the divine in us. And we rise. We rise from the sounds of our names: I am Joshua. I am Joaquín. I am Samantha. I am Ahmed. I am Yi Chueng. I am Ajibola. I am Edwidge. I am Edward. I am Aditi. I am Maya. I am Martín. I am Paulo. I am Pok-Sun. I am Rajesh. I am both Richard and Ricardo. I am because we all are—and together—we rise, despite all that’s tried to keep us from rising. Out of countries raped by greed and gunfire, we rise. Out of the ache of slavery’s back or the careworn hands of migrant farmers, we rise. Out of the river currents and white-capped oceans we’ve dared to cross, we rise. Out of one-parent homes in one-bedroom apartments, we rise. Out of all those who told us we couldn’t, we rise. Out of what we damn-well dream, we rise. We are the resolve of mountains, the relentless spirit of clouds, and our thirst for the rain of knowledge. We are the courage of revolutions and the humility of peace. We are the promise of created equal and the pursuit of happiness—and so—we rise—with all the instinct and drive of the sun, because there is always another horizon, and another, and another to reach and keep lighting-up with our light. —Richard Blanco Read more from the alumnus and renowned poet on page 32.
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ON THE PROWL
11 Number of FIU graduate programs
“STATE OF THE WORLD” ADDRESSES FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES
that rank among the
The Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs welcomed an audience of 300 to its second annual
top 100 at U.S. public
State of the World conference in January.
universities
The two-day gathering featured more than 30 of the nation’s leading experts in foreign policy and global affairs, including several former ambassadors and advisors to Presidents Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Obama and Trump. State of the World panelists traveled from as far away as the countries of Lithuania and Georgia. Frank Mora, director of FIU’s Latin American and Caribbean Center, moderated a panel on immigration that included Anne C. Richard, a former assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration. Brian Fonseca, director of FIU’s Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy, moderated a panel on the Middle East that included Elliot Abrams of the Council on Foreign Relations. Another panel vigorously debated whether the greatest threat to democracy lies in China, Russia, the rise of neo-fascism in Europe—or in U.S. political gridlock. One of the out-of-town visitors attending State of the World for the second year was Elisa Massimino, former president and CEO of Human Rights First and a senior fellow at Harvard University’s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. Massimino took to Twitter to share her impressions of the event—and of the FIU students who peppered the speakers with questions. “So impressed with the students here at FIU’s #StateoftheWorld2019 conference,’’ she posted. “Smart, wellinformed, and challenging questions. This is the next generation of foreign policy leaders.’’
Photo by Ben Solomon/ESPN Images
Bowl win marks FIU’s best football season With a thrilling 35-31 victory over the University of Toledo in the Bahamas Bowl in late December, FIU Football recorded its best-ever season. Under head coach Butch Davis, the Panthers went 9-4, energizing fans along the way and setting a new high for Panther pride.
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ON THE PROWL FIU’s research strength reaffirmed FIU has retained its status as one of the nation’s top research universities. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education has recognized FIU’s continued high research activity. FIU had previously ranked among the elite research institutions in North America, and its recent review by the organization again confirmed its place among the fewer than 3 percent of 4,665 universities that can be called Research I. President Mark B. Rosenberg attributed the success to “the dedication and commitment of
BURGER RECIPE a hit on the beach
A sophomore’s original burger recipe won her a $10,000 scholarship in the annual Red Robin Golden Robin Contest. What’s more, the restaurant’s partnership with the Food Network
our hard-working faculty and researchers. Over the past several years, they have continued
& Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food
to move the needle and taken our efforts to the next level,” he said. “They are committed to
Festival—staffed by FIU students and benefiting
leveraging our talents to constantly innovate and move our community and world forward.”
the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism
FIU’s research innovation has resulted in a 650 percent increase in patents over the last few years and a record $177 million invested in research activity in 2016-2017. The university has made a concerted effort to hire research teams that together have made breakthroughs in areas such as childhood mental health and hurricane mitigation.
Alumnae in the halls of power Three FIU graduates in January distinguished themselves in the state of Florida. Barbara Lagoa ’89 was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court. She is the first Hispanic woman and first FIU graduate to serve in the prestigious position. Lagoa received her bachelor’s degree in English from FIU and was Barbara Lagoa
a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. She went on to receive
Management—meant the sumptuous sandwich got billing at a special event. Mariet Cardenes based her creation on the bold flavors she grew up with in her native Spain, and amped up the classic American burger with the signature gusto of the Iberian nation’s cuisine by adding chorizo, manchego cheese, garlic aioli, crispy fried onions and arugula. The resulting “Merisnard” burger—a combination of her nickname and a short form of “Spaniard”—delighted guests at the Heineken Light Burger Bash presented by Schweid & Sons® and hosted by David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris. The Festival just celebrated its 18th year and has raised more than $28 million
her Juris Doctor from Columbia University, where she also served as an
for the school while offering students hands-on
associate editor of the Columbia Law Review. In 2006, she became the first
opportunities in event planning and logistics, as
Cuban-American woman appointed to Florida’s Third District Court
well as marketing and promotions, as they rub
of Appeal.
shoulders with celebrity chefs, local restaurateurs
Jeannette Nuñez ’94, ’98 was sworn in as the 20th lieutenant governor of
and other leaders in the hospitality industry.
Florida. She is the first Hispanic woman and first FIU graduate to hold the position. Nuñez and her running mate, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, Jeannette Nuñez
were elected in November 2018. From 2010-2018, she represented parts of Miami-Dade County in the Florida House of Representatives, and she served as Speaker pro tempore during the last two years. Nuñez earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations and a master’s degree in public administration from FIU. She also has taught as an adjunct professor and worked as an advisor at the university. Audrey Edmonson ’94 was installed as chairwoman of the Miami-Dade
Audrey Edmonson
County Board of County Commissioners following a unanimous vote in December by her peers. She has served on the commission since 2005 and represents District 3, which includes Downtown Miami, Liberty City, Little Haiti, Overtown and Wynwood. Edmonson is the third consecutive FIU graduate to hold the chairmanship. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from FIU.
From left, actor-chef David Burtka, student Mariet Cardenes, actor Neil Patrick Harris and Red Robin Vice President Michelle Wickham SPRING 2019 | 5
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ON THE PROWL
ON THE PROWL Nursing program to improve assault victims’ access to care FIU will increase the number of forensic nurse specialists available to victims of rape in efforts to both treat them and improve the prosecution rates of such crimes. Ora Strickland Under the direction of Dean Ora Strickland, the program will recruit and train upwards of 30 sexual assault nurse examiners. Such professionals secure evidence from survivors, which can lead to higher prosecution rates, and offer needed physical and mental health care in conjunction with other providers. The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration awarded a $1.5 million grant to Tami Thomas, associate dean of research for the college, to launch the program. Tami Thomas “[Such] nurses are on the frontline to treat survivors compassionately with the physical and emotional support they need, while assisting the legal system in their efforts to bring the criminal perpetrators to justice,” said Thomas, who has worked directly with child victims of sexual abuse. Over the next three years, the program will recruit, train and deploy upwards of 30 eligible nurses at clinics in Hendry, Glades, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties. Florida currently has only 44 certified sexual assault nurse examiners for a state in which reportedly more than a quarter of its population has experienced sexual assault. The program will incorporate tele-education components that can serve as models for training others in underserved areas around the country. And FIU’s Global Forensic and Justice Center will offer continuing education courses that cover the latest forensic science and technological advancements.
Treasure: Art that inspires a call for social justice More than 29 works by the late artist Purvis Young now hang in the hallways of the building that houses the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work. The pieces reflect another side of Miami than that often associated with spectacular beaches, a shimmering skyline and luxury. Far removed from the glitz and tourist hotspots, Young was a man of the streets. He lived during a period of unprecedented change in American history. Born in 1943 in Liberty City during the Jim Crow era, Young saw many changes during his 67 years. He witnessed the growth and destruction of his neighborhood through gentrification, riots, AIDS, drugs and other challenges. Incarcerated in his youth and homeless at times, Young found his voice through art. Self-taught, he used collage techniques, found objects and paint to depict his world. He worked relentlessly from the 1960s until his death of cardiac arrest and pulmonary edema in 2010. Today his work is celebrated as a rare and honest glimpse into urban street life. Shed Boren, a visiting clinical instructor in the School of Social Work, and his partner, Jose Valdes-Fauli, donated the collection. “Purvis’ work speaks to the community that we serve as social workers,” Boren said. “I discovered his art when I was working with the indigent and homeless populations in Miami and really appreciated how it represented that point of view, one that many try to turn a blind eye to but that Purvis understood and celebrated.” In addition to the field of social work, Purvis’ work touches on other disciplines at the college such as public health, nutrition and community research collaborations that serve the vulnerable living with health challenges. “My hope is that by lining our hallways with Young’s work, we can inspire students to keep on fighting for social justice and change,” said Mary Helen Hayden, director of the School of Social Work. “Young’s work stands as an inspiration to all, and I invite the community to come and see it.” —Jessica Drouet
Above: Untitled (circa 1994-’96), acrylic on board Artist Purvis Young often referred to these figures, shown playing instruments, as “blues men” or “jazz men” in homage to the early music scene in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood.
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Five Questions for the head of fundraising Howard Lipman understands the value of philanthropy. For the CEO of the FIU Foundation, it’s more than just a sum of money; it is a sign of pride, a symbol of gratitude and an investment in the future of all those whom the university serves. Leading the $750 million Next Horizon campaign, Lipman has seen all manner of South Floridians step forward, from alumni thankful for the doors that their degrees opened, from companies that benefit from the steady flow of well-trained professionals who graduate each year and from community-minded individuals who recognize that the university serves as an anchor for a region on a decidedly upward trajectory. Why does a state university need a campaign to raise private funds? Private philanthropy provides the margin of excellence. It enables us to attract the best and brightest students with scholarships and helps them succeed. It allows us to recruit and retain the finest faculty. It helps make a good university a great university. Already so many donors have come forward to contribute. Why? They are impressed by FIU’s impact and all the university has accomplished and how it has provided a pathway for hundreds of thousands of students seeking an outstanding university education in Miami. FIU engages with the community in many other ways. We uplift cultural vitality through our museums and performances, and provide vital services that strengthen health and wellness. People want to support institutions that are worthy of their investment, that make an impact with their work—and at FIU we do just that. How does personal connection figure into people’s decisions to contribute? So many people in our community have been touched by FIU—we have more than 225,000 alumni. In addition to the difference the university has personally made to them, it has touched those in their lives: families, friends, business associates. Many others have been touched by FIU through the difference we make in the quality of life in South Florida. Each FIU story is unique and inspires that individual to give back to the university. How will this campaign change the course of FIU history? Our phenomenal students and faculty, leading-edge research and innovative programs have made us one of America’s top 100 public research universities. Next Horizon will accelerate our progress toward the top 50! In partnership with our donor-investors, we are shaping the future of FIU by establishing a financial foundation that is powering our next phase of excellence. The campaign provides resources to implement FIU’s strategic plan, which encompasses the twin campaign pillars of student success and research preeminence. You have said FIU is a driver of economic growth and prosperity. How is a campaign critical to that? Every year FIU generates nearly $9 billion in economic impact. While that’s enormous, we have an even more profound impact on an individual, human level. Education has long been a driver of social mobility in our nation, and the accessible, top-rate education we offer has brought about better lives for hundreds of thousands of graduates who have risen to leadership in all professions. FIU is of Miami, not just in Miami. Read more about the campaign on page 16. SPRING 2019 | 7
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SCENE ON CAMPUS
Running on cafecito With Cuban coffee and a variety of pastelitos in continuous supply, Vicky Café at MMC has earned the title of campus hotspot. Students gather to catch up with friends throughout the day or work on assignments over a quick bite, whether in air-conditioned comfort or on the lakeside patio. Going even further to create an ideal hangout, the bakery—one of a successful local chain begun in 1972 by Cuban immigrants—reels in customers with after-hours salsa dancing and open mic nights as well as medianoche sandwiches, Colombian pan de bono and Venezuelan tequeños.
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ON THE PROWL
CasaCuba
gaining momentum FIU’s effort to foster a deeper understanding of Cuban history, culture and identity has gained momentum in María Carla Chicuén
recent months. The CasaCuba
FUTURE ENGINEERS ENVISION RESILIENT, DISASTER-PROOF CITIES
initiative has hired education advocate
Tomorrow’s problem solvers are getting their training at FIU today! Middle schoolers brought their
executive director. She is charged with
projects to campus for a day of sharing at the annual South Florida Future City Competition, part
raising funds to build a 50,000-square-
of a nationwide engineering education program. The contest asked youth to design urban centers
foot education and research center
with power grids capable of withstanding natural disasters. Participating teams delivered a virtual design, a scale 3D model built from recycled materials, a project plan and a presentation, along with an essay. It was the 17th consecutive year in which the College of Engineering & Computing hosted the event. Above, the team from St. John Neumann Catholic School in Miami
Swim and dive captures fifth-straight conference title
and international-development consultant María Carla Chicuén as
to house the university’s significant resources related to Cuban genealogy, art, music, history and law. Already the family of South Florida businessman and FIU Foundation board member Agustín R. Arellano Sr. has stepped forward with a $1 million gift, the John S. and James
The swimming and diving team won its fifth consecutive Conference USA title in March. The
L. Knight Foundation with a $2 million
Panthers dominated during the four-day championship meet in Atlanta, where they outscored the
grant and the National Endowment for
second-place finishers by 63 points and the third place team by nearly 400 to cement a dynasty
the Humanities with a $750,000 grant.
unshaken since 2015.
CasaCuba’s recent activities include the launch in January of a book club, with partner Books and Books, that focuses on contemporary literature, and collaboration in February on the 12th Conference on Cuban and CubanAmerican Studies. Presented by FIU’s Cuban Research Institute, the latter brought together renowned experts for two days of panel discussions, including one led by Emilio Cueto, an attorney, collector and scholar in whose honor the gathering this year was dedicated.
Continues SPRING 2019 | 9
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The
Patron
Kimberly Green on her work in Haiti— and the FIU center that bears her name By Amy Ellis | Photo by Doug Garland ’10
W
hen Kimberly Green was in first grade, her teacher asked a simple question:
What would you do if you were president? For Green, who grew up watching the evening news with her father, a business executive who would later serve as ambassador to Singapore, the answer was easy. She wanted to help people, as many young children do. But Green’s writing assignment, which her mother Dorothea still has, was extremely specific—and also very telling. Green wrote that she wanted to “send money” to doctors working in Haiti, a country whose suffering she had witnessed on television and later came to understand more directly as she met Haitian children at school and church in Miami, where thousands of Haitians fled in the 1970s and ’80s as they escaped political oppression in their homeland. “It’s so interesting to me that I never said I wanted to be a doctor in Haiti. I wanted to fund doctors in Haiti,’’ said Green, laughing. “My teacher put a Star Wars sticker on my paper and said she would vote for me. And that’s where it all started.”
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Leading the charge
“They didn’t imagine that Haiti was as
Green’s other credits include producing a
beautiful as it is,’’ she said of their reactions.
10-box set of CDs of previously unreleased
her family’s philanthropic organization, the
“That is what I want [FIU] students to see,”
Haitian music that earned two Grammy Award
Green Family Foundation, where she has
she adds, “not just the intellectual, but the
nominations. Following the earthquake,
spearheaded projects ranging from HIV/
food and the music and the religion—to
which killed an estimated 230,000, Green
AIDS education and prevention in Liberty City
understand a country through experience and
and a team of local artists and filmmakers
and other parts of Miami to early childhood
not just what they read in books.”
“followed the fault line” to bring to devastated
development, disaster relief and health care
Green grew to appreciate the
At just 25, Green assumed the reins of
towns a program called Cinema Under the
resourcefulness of the people—“They
Stars, a series of documentaries produced
reinvent life every day” is a common reference
by Haitians for Haitians and designed to
her name—to FIU’s Kimberly Green Latin
to making use, and reuse, of everything—
encourage pride. At FIU, she made possible
American and Caribbean Center (LACC), a part
and made sure to “listen to what they tell
a digital archive, ‘‘Haiti: An Island Luminous,’’
of the Steven J. Green School of International
you they need supported not just what
that provides access to rare books,
and Public Affairs, named for her father, the
they need donated.” All this informed her
manuscripts and photographs from libraries
former CEO of Samsonite and now honorary
decision to produce and direct an insightful,
in Haiti with commentary by scholars from
consul general of Singapore in Miami.
award-winning documentary on the country’s
around the world.
initiatives in developing nations. Eventually she would lend her support—and
Founded by President Mark B. Rosenberg in 1979, LACC this year celebrates its
healthcare crisis. Through all her work, on behalf of people
“The Haitian culture is their most beautiful export,” she said, “and we really need to focus on that and elevate that.’’
40th anniversary. The center is one of the
in Haiti and elsewhere, Green has adhered
university’s emerging preeminent programs, a
to one principle: “It’s not about supplanting
reflection of its strong reputation as one of the
their ideas and their way of life. It’s about
leading centers of its kind in the world.
supporting their ideas and their way of life,”
On Miami Beach, she sees her home as
Meeting a responsibility
For Green, whose family ties to FIU span
she said. “To go into a country and not take
a “curated collection” of her life: the sparkly
nearly three decades—her parents’ names
the time to talk to people and learn about a
boots she wore to the Grammys, a set of
also grace the library at the Modesto A.
culture is disrespectful.”
American Tourister suitcases that nod to her
Maidique Campus, an art lecture series, the
Center director Frank Mora echoes those
father’s long career at the company, papier-
groundbreaking Green Family Foundation
sentiments. A former deputy assistant secretary
mâché masks made by Haitian children left
NeighborhoodHELP community-health
of defense for the Western Hemisphere
orphaned by the quake. Keenly aware of the
program within the Herbert Wertheim College
who helped lead the U.S. response to the
privilege she enjoys, she firmly believes it
of Medicine and more—the work goes
devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake, he is proud
mandates a responsibility to give back.
beyond simply sending a check. Instead, it’s
of FIU’s 22-year-old Haitian Summer Institute
intensely personal.
and other immersive studies programs that
service from FIU in 2011, she impressed upon
help students become part of the solution to
students their own responsibility.
Elevating a culture In the early days of leading her family’s
problems around the world. “It’s true in Haiti, and it’s true in any other
Accepting an honorary doctorate in public
“You must go out and build a building that will last longer than all of us here
foundation, Green funded a number of
country or region of the world,’’ he explained.
today,’’ she said. “Teach a new generation
programs for Haitians living in Miami, such as
“You want to know what makes people tick,
of leaders, create a new art movement,
Habitat for Humanity, and eventually visited
what the complexities are about. And it’s not
save a life, write a novel, or fight for the
the island nation to monitor progress on
something you can learn from a book. If you
rights of the voiceless.” n
initiatives there. She invited a group of friends
want students to understand Haiti, you have
to Haiti to celebrate her 35th birthday and
to offer them the opportunity to study in Haiti,
experience a country she had come to know
to learn the language in Haiti, and we are
and love.
fortunate enough to be able to do that.”
Learn more about LACC’s activities in a Q&A with its director, Frank Mora. magazine.fiu.edu SPRING 2019 | 11
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Basketball History First-year head coach Jeremy Ballard put into play a scheme that yielded stellar results on the basketball court this past season. Not only did FIU lead Conference USA in steals and scoring, but the team outpaced the nation in possessions per game. The Panthers accumulated 20 wins, their second-best record, and claimed their first postseason victory in the program’s 38-year history, against Texas State in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament in March. The team adopted a daring style under Ballard: attack and defend as aggressively as possible. It was the ideal approach for Antonio Daye Jr., a freshman with explosive athleticism, and the perfect identity for the Panthers, who were hungry for a winning season.
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STANDING WITH VENEZUELA The President of the United States and the many Venezuelans at FIU nod to a nation in need By Alexandra Pecharich
P
resident Donald Trump visited FIU in
with her former professors and colleagues,
caters to the social and cultural needs of the
February to condemn the humanitarian
she was nonetheless unprepared for the
more than 1,900 students who identify as
crisis in Venezuela and make clear his
horrific data on infant malnutrition delivered
Venezuelan. In recent months the organization
support for its suffering people. The message
by Venezuelan nutritionists in November at a
has pivoted from its original mission to
resonated with the 1,500-strong audience
conference in Mexico.
instead collaborate with others on fundraising
at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center and
“When we saw the statistics on how things
efforts—such as a soccer tournament held
gave hope to the assembled immigrants and
had changed in the last three years, we just
during the spring semester—that generate
their adult children who have seen firsthand
decided we have to do something urgent,”
income for projects back home.
how government corruption, economic
says Palacios, whose counterparts at other
mismanagement and political turmoil can
universities have joined forces around the
Leon Penate, a business major and Honors
have devastating consequences.
issue. “The first year of life is when most
College student. With monies pooled from a
of your development occurs, and anything
variety of sources, a foundation in Caracas
country could hardly be worse. Under
that delays that development is permanent.”
has opened a dining hall for children who
authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro, whom
The situation could result in a generation
would otherwise not get enough to eat. “What
Trump and heads of state around the world
of youngsters with long-term cognitive
we collected really helped.”
have demanded step down, inflation is
impairment, she explains, which ultimately
running at 80,000 percent annually; chronic
can lead to poverty for individuals and
earned a civil engineering degree in
shortages of food and medicine grow
problems for society.
December, is president of the American
News coming from the South American
unabated; infant and maternal mortality
Palacios mobilized dietetics students
“The impact has been incredible,” says
Alumnus Christian Bottome ’18, who
Association of Venezuelan Engineers,
rates have escalated by 30 and 65 percent,
within the Stempel College of Public Health
founded at FIU and now counting nearly 200
respectively; and an estimated 10 percent of
and Social Work as well as others to collect
members. While the group initially formed to
citizens—3 million people—have fled in the
baby formula, all of which landed in her
encourage students’ academic growth and
last four years alone.
campus office. The first boxes were shipped
foster community, lately it has taken up more
in March through a Miami nonprofit that
pressing activity.
Helping the homeland At FIU, students and employees from Venezuela are doing whatever they can for their desperate country. Dietetics professor Cristina Palacios made
sends supplies discreetly so as not to draw the attention of government officials.
“It’s been impossible for us to see what’s happening in Venezuela and not try to
Julio Leon Penate graduated from high
contribute in any way we can, which is what
school in Venezuela in 2014, during a period
we have been doing 90 percent of the time,”
of growing civil unrest, and out of his parents’
says Bottome, who in 2015 cut short his
the decision to leave her already-declining
concern for his future went to live with an aunt
university studies in Caracas as conditions
native land more than a decade ago, first
and cousins in Miami. He found a welcoming
degraded. Today he is a project engineer
teaching in Puerto Rico before arriving at FIU
community at FIU and soon connected with
with a construction firm headquartered in
a year and a half ago. While she had kept up
the Venezuelan Student Alliance, which
Pompano Beach. Continues
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Continued
The engineering association set up a fundraising account earlier this year
Saving themselves The same Venezuelan students so concerned
seniors to its annual gala to network with its members. Event organizers told the hundreds
that collects donations in support of its
about others back home—where many jobs
of assembled attendees about the plight of
clean-water initiatives. Nationwide power
have dried up and families increasingly rely
the Venezuelans, and on that very night the
outages and spotty electrical service have
on remittances from loved ones abroad—face
principals of two firms pledged outright to hire
made water treatment systems unreliable,
their own challenge upon graduating: find a job
them all or otherwise find them work through
Bottome explains, and the association
within 90 days or leave the United States.
connections at other companies.
members have prioritized access to the
As international status poses a hurdle in
Lazaro Russet is president of the Cuban
resource. In March, Bottome reached out
the hiring process—would-be employers
engineering association’s student chapter at
to his contacts in Venezuela—among them
must go through extra hoops—leaders of the
FIU. The Cuban-born civil engineering major
the founder of the volunteer Green Cross
engineering association have taken creative
shares concern for his peers as they try to
medical brigade—to hire cistern trucks
steps to boost members’ attractiveness
build lives for themselves at such a precarious
and other vehicles to deliver fresh water to
beyond their solid FIU degrees. One example:
time, and he empathized with them over the
a hospital and charities catering to children.
They recently arranged for tailored instruction
catastrophic state of their homeland.
The association members are now
through the Moss School of Construction,
“We feel very sad for what is happening
working with three FIU professors from
Infrastructure and Sustainability so students
in Venezuela,” he says. “We as Cubans
Venezuela on a two-pronged plan: to
could earn a certification that would add value
understand what is happening because it’s
provide bucket-style water filters to
to their resumés.
very similar to what happened in Cuba 50
households and to secure gravity-based
Others too are lending a hand to the
years ago—and it’s still happening today.
technology that will allow partners on
Venezuelan engineering students. The Cuban
We all think that maybe if Venezuela gets its
the ground to establish water purifying
American Association of Civil Engineers, a
freedom, maybe Cuba could follow [in] its
centers at selected locations throughout
58-year-old professional organization based in
steps. Maybe it will help the situation in all of
the country.
Miami, in March invited the 11 soon-to-graduate
Latin America.” n
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A legend gets her due To legions of grateful young people around the country, Zaida Morales-Martinez is simply “Mama Z.� The nickname originated with a student in Texas who received critical guidance from the lady, an analytical chemist who for 30 years taught in the College of Arts, Sciences & Education at FIU and to this day mentors some 400 chemistry majors annually on behalf of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Morales-Martinez landed at FIU in the 1970s and went on to inspire thousands of would-be scientists: elementary school children whom she invited into university labs on Saturdays; high schoolers whom she took on field trips; undergraduates whom she advised and whose chemistry club she sponsored. No wonder then that the ACS tapped Morales-Martinez for a taskforce to increase women and minorities in the field, out of which grew the national scholarship program that Morales-Martinez has administered for the past 25 years (and counting). Her successful efforts prompted ACS leaders to institute an annual mentoring prize in her name and to nominate her for a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, a laurel bestowed on her in 2018 at the White House.
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LOOKING AHEAD TO THE
In January, the university announced its capital campaign with a goal to raise $750 million in support of student success and research excellence. By Clara-Meretan Kiah ’15 FIU is pushing boundaries. University researchers are saving
Foundation NeighboorhoodHELP
have stepped up to fund a second
program and Linda Fenner 3D Mobile
building for the Steven J. Green School
species on the verge of extinction. They
Mammography Center; engages local
of International & Public Affairs and the
are helping families with children who
youth in STEM through the Engineers
future construction of an alumni center and
have ADHD. In the face of sea level
on Wheels program; supports student
a nondenominational chapel on campus.
rise and devastating natural disasters,
success in local public schools through the
They have given millions to support
they are working to create sustainable
Education Effect; enhances small-business
student scholarships. They have created
infrastructure for Miami and other coastal
owners’ entrepreneurial success through
endowed faculty positions to ensure
areas. And in a firmly digital world, they
StartUP FIU; and more.
FIU can attract the best and brightest to
are ramping up cybersecurity innovation
So how does a top 100 public institution
to protect everyday users as well as our
continue to progress? How does it deliver
nation’s security.
on a commitment to better, bolder ideas?
In the classroom, professors are working
Philanthropy. Universities rely on
conduct groundbreaking research and teach the next generation in their fields. The Next Horizon calls on alumni and families, faculty and staff, community
to optimize teaching for the 21st century
private donations to help provide student
stakeholders and local industry leaders
while advisors provide personalized
scholarships, build state-of-the-art
to consider their role in expanding both
educational pathways for every student.
facilities, conduct trailblazing research and
the capacity of FIU to serve and its ability
develop critical programming. Through
to extend opportunity to ever-greater
community that makes both a cultural and
philanthropy, FIU can determine its future,
numbers of students.
economic impact, FIU today produces an
and donors can effect change in areas that
average of 12,000 graduates annually—
inspire them.
A powerhouse for the South Florida
more than 225,000 since its inception—
“The Next Horizon is going to change
Every gift matters in the Next Horizon campaign, says Duane Wiles, executive director of the Alumni Association and
who fill vital roles in industries from
the face of this institution,” said Howard
associate vice president for Alumni
health care and education to hospitality
Lipman, CEO of the FIU Foundation, Inc.
Relations & Annual Giving.
management, construction management,
“The campaign seeks investments in FIU’s
“I share with alumni all the time that we
the arts and more.
big ideas, in its areas of greatest potential
love you whether you give one dollar or a
and in its future. Look how far we’ve come
million dollars. What makes a difference is
the classroom into the community. As
The university’s reach extends beyond
in just a little more than 50 years. Imagine
that you give,” Wiles said. “As a supporter,
Miami’s anchor institution, FIU provides
where we can go from here. Our donor
you make a positive impact in the lives of
vital medical services to low-income
partners are taking FIU to its next horizon.”
our students and the community. We need
residents through the Green Family
Already, donors to the Next Horizon
you to reach the next horizon of FIU.” n
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The dollars raised for Next Horizon will impact every facet of university life and focus on two pillars: student success and research excellence. The campaign features five key fundraising objectives that directly relate to and reinforce the goals defined in FIU’s BeyondPossible2020 strategic plan:
Fundraising objectives
Increase scholarships and student support
Optimize 21st-century teaching
Advance a vibrant, healthy Miami
Accelerate research and discoveries
Escalate discovery to enterprise
Fundraising goals Increase scholarships and student support Special Opportunities
$145M
Escalate discovery $5M $45M to enterprise
800
$300M Accelerate research and discoveries
$125M
Optimize 21st-century teaching
700
600
$130M Advance a vibrant, healthy Miami
500
400
300
In the 2017-2018 fiscal year, FIU raised $57 million, including:
$1.3 million: Gifts of less than $1,000 $8.6 million: Pledges from faculty and staff $5.1 million: Pledges from alumni
200
100
0
As of April 2019, FIU had raised $490 million of its $750 million goal.
“We love you whether you give one dollar or a million dollars. What makes a difference is that you give.” —Duane Wiles, executive director, Alumni Association, associate vice president, Alumni Relations & Annual Giving
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Unleashing the
“aha!” moment By Ayleen Barbel Fattal ’06 | Photos by Doug Garland ’10
The STEM Transformation Institute has redesigned the education experience, creating a model for the rest of the nation
A
t 19, Laird Kramer saw himself as an accountant. One of his college professors saw a physicist. Kramer was good with numbers so he enrolled as an accounting major at George Washington
University. But an astronomy class during his freshman year changed everything. His professor noticed Kramer wasn’t just good with numbers—he was really good at physics. “He said ‘if you have talent, you should think about doing it,’” Kramer said. Today he is a professor of physics in the College of Arts, Sciences & Education. He also directs the STEM Transformation Institute, a multidisciplinary collaboration dedicated to improving education in science, technology, engineering and math. Kramer is always looking for a spark—those students who should be the next teacher, astronaut, particle physicist, environmental chemist or other STEM professional but they just don’t know it yet. He is surrounded by others like him—educators with a knack for unlocking hidden talents and who have the ingrained desire to help students reach their greatest potentials. They are not just feeding the STEM workforce pipeline, they are transforming it. The institute’s core team comprises 40 faculty members, post-doctoral researchers and master teachers, who are faculty members with exemplary secondary education teaching experience. More than 60 others from colleges all across FIU serve as faculty fellows, collaborating on projects and research while transforming their own courses using techniques pioneered in the institute. Continues
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Science made fun: Physics Professor Laird Kramer (center), who is director of the STEM Transformation Institute, interacts with students in a classroom designed and outfitted to promote active learning. Continued
Active Learning
The learning assistant program was first implemented for physics in 2008 as a teacher preparation program. Today, there are 335 across 153 classes helping thousands of students in a variety of STEM classes as well as philosophy, music and architecture. It is the largest program of its kind in the United States.
To optimize 21st century learning, the STEM team is redesigning STEM education to improve outcomes, expand opportunities
to more complex discussions and turning difficult concepts into relatable classroom experiences. It’s called active learning. The institute’s faculty has also pioneered
for underrepresented minorities and create
a learning assistant program—fellow
pathways for successful STEM careers.
students who help their peers by guiding
Students learn by doing. Lectures are gone,
discussions and making sense of difficult
replaced with a problem to solve, a toy or
course content. That is particularly
tool to experiment with and a team of peers
important for Hispanic-serving institutions
who work together to find answers.
like FIU because underrepresented
“We are driven by the ‘aha!’ moments—
minorities in STEM, including Hispanics,
watching students start in a state of confusion
blacks and women, often cite the absence
and, by the end, making statements as
of role models who “look like them” as one
profound as Nobel Laureates,” Kramer said.
of the reasons for not pursuing STEM fields,
It looks a lot like play. Why does a ball
according to the Pew Research Center.
bounce? Why are some magnets attracted
Being students themselves, the learning
to each other while others are not? And
assistants help fill this void by creating more
what’s up with the Slinky? The easy answer
inclusive learning environments.
is physics, but students at FIU discover just exactly which physics theories apply, leading
“We want diverse people involved because diverse people have diverse skills
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and diverse ideas to solve the world’s problems,” Kramer said. The STEM team continually researches
women in physics during a single decade. “We could accomplish something that’s
eventually became a learning assistant. She completed her biological sciences degree
never been done in history,” Hazari said.
and, after conversations with Potvin and
their methods to provide a scalable model
“We could change the face of physics in the
others at the institute, decided she wasn’t
that can be deployed across the United
United States.”
done just yet. Two years later, she crossed
States. The White House, U.S. Department of Education, National Science Foundation
The project could also help guide recruitment in other STEM fields.
(NSF), Howard Hughes Medical Institute and
Aimee Viana, principal deputy assistant
with a bachelor’s in physics. Monsalve hopes to follow in the footsteps
others have taken an interest in how FIU is transforming STEM education. Most recently,
the commencement stage again, this time
of Kramer, Hazari, Potvin and others like
Turning out graduates
them. She wants to become an educator.
For Kramer, it has been a constantly
She wants to be the person who sees the
secretary in the Office of Elementary and
evolving journey to build a new paradigm
spark in others and helps them realize their
Secondary Education in the U.S. Department
of what STEM education can be. It has also
hidden talents. She wants to help create new
of Education, spent a day exploring FIU’s
been a labor of love for the physicist who
pathways to STEM careers.
programs. Viana ’01, MS ’04 sees an
can’t remember the year he got tenure, but
opportunity to collaborate with FIU to increase
knows exactly when and for how much his
who has spent the past 20 years building
the ranks of Hispanics in STEM careers.
first course transformation grant was.
a movement at FIU. Some of his former
“I was inspired by the call that FIU has had to rethink what education looks like in South Florida, because we’re talking about what
“It was 1999 and it was for $55,140,” he said without hesitation. That was the beginning. Today, FIU has
Things have come full circle for Kramer,
students have become his collaborators. Others in the institute can say the same. While their results can easily be measured in test
it looks like to rethink education in America
become the largest producer of STEM
scores, graduation rates and job placements,
today,” said Viana,whose FIU degrees are
degrees for Hispanics nationwide and the
that is not what motivates the STEM team.
both in elementary education.
STEM Transformation Institute has been
Kramer’s reasoning is much more simple.
She points to NSF data that says Hispanics
recognized by the White House as a Bright
represent just 6 percent of the STEM
Spot in Hispanic Education, placing it among
workforce while fewer than 1 in every 10
the top programs in the nation helping to
scientists and engineers are minority women.
close the achievement gap. Even non-STEM
“This is a missed opportunity for the
majors are benefitting as more students are
community and our country,” Viana said.
passing traditionally challenging courses like
“I just have more fun when I do it this way.” n
College Algebra. The institute’s efforts have infiltrated the biological sciences, chemistry,
Closing the gender gap Education Associate Professor Zahra
engineering and computer sciences, environmental science, geosciences, math,
Hazari hopes to recruit 10,000 young
physics and psychology. The institute has
women into physics through an innovative
brought in more than $40 million in external
new training program that arms high school
funding through its own projects and through
physics teachers with tools to unleash their
collaborations with other units at FIU.
students’ hidden passions for physics.
Camila Monsalve is a two-time STEM
Hazari and her STEM Transformation Institute
graduate. In 2015, the Colombia-native was
colleagues are partnering with 10,000
wrapping up her bachelor’s degree in
teachers all across the country with the
biological sciences and decided to
expectation that each will recruit at least one
take a couple of active learning
female student to pursue a physics degree
physics classes. Professor
in college. Simply put, Hazari is looking for
Geoffrey Potvin saw the spark.
10,000 sparks to ignite the largest increase of
She was a natural. Monsalve SPRING 2019 | 21
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Recognizing Excellence University leaders have designated six standout programs as “preeminent.” Another seven with high potential are designated “emerging.” PREEMINENT Center for Children and Families A nationally regarded center revolutionizing treatments for childhood mental illness Extreme Events Institute A globally involved center for research, education and training in natural hazards and disaster risk reduction and management Global Forensic and Justice Center An innovative resource for education, research, training and policy initiatives related to criminal justice, cyber and emerging forensic sciences Institute for Resilient and Sustainable Coastal Infrastructure A multipronged hub dedicated to developing innovative, economical and sustainable engineering solutions related to aging infrastructure Institute of Water and Environment A collaborative of FIU’s top centers and programs focused on issues related to water and environmental threats around the world STEM Transformation Institute A multidisciplinary cooperative committed to improving educational practices that lead to more and better prepared professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics EMERGING PREEMINENT Brain, Behavior and the Environment Program
Taking STEM careers out for a spin The STEM Transformation Institute offers hands-on opportunities to get students ready for real-world careers
E
mma Odenweller is ready to be a scientist. Kevin Castillo wants use his
“The most rewarding experience has been helping those who don’t think they are good
talent for teaching science to inspire youngsters.
enough or smart enough to learn physics,”
Ariana Bueno has her sights set on space
Bueno said. “Everyone is smart enough.
exploration. Their sparks for STEM were ignited
Everyone is good enough. Concepts are easy to
by various experiences made possible by FIU.
grasp if they are taught the right way.”
Sarasota-native Odenweller is a marine sciences major finishing up her junior year. She wants to make an impact on the environment
Bueno hopes someday to become a NASA engineer. Kevin Castillo was working toward a degree
and has gotten a great taste of what it will
in earth science when he found out that he
take to rise in her field. She participated in
could earn a teaching certificate at the same
a career exploration program that had her
time. With a growing need for teachers of
outside studying environmental issues that
STEM at the K-12 levels, the university has
impact aquatic ecosystems in South Florida
established a way for science majors to turn
while also learning to write research papers
their passions into a classroom career. It’s
and communicate complex information to the
called FIUteach, and the program puts FIU
general public. Experiential learning at its best.
students directly in the middle of the classroom
“I feel I am now ready to take on the world
to get their feet wet. They develop lessons and
as a scientist,” Odenweller said. “I have a pretty
materials and begin by offering project-based
good idea about what a job as a researcher
instruction to elementary students before
entails, and I am confident in my abilities to do
moving into middle and high schools, where
well as a scientist.”
they focus specifically on math and science
Ariana Bueno is double majoring in
curricula. With guidance and mentorship from
mechanical engineering and physics. The first
FIU faculty that have spent years themselves
major was always part of her plan. The second
teaching in public schools, the undergraduates
was an unexpected turn of events after her own
quickly amass the skills they need to help
experiential learning.
prepare the next generation of budding
Utilizing her engineering skills, Bueno successfully landed and completed two
scientists, mathematicians and engineers. Castillo’s journey included stints at a K-8 as
internships, one as a systems engineer for
well as at four different high schools, where he
Lockheed Martin and a second as a structural
taught physical science, chemistry, physics and
analyst for Boeing. After taking a physics class,
biology. His plan for after graduation: to become
she found another area in which she excelled.
a STEM teacher in a high-needs, low-income
Her knack for making the subject relatable
school, where he hopes to put his specialized
Health Inequalities and Disparities Program
to others led Professor Geoffrey Potvin to
FIUteach training to work.
Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center
student who helps peers learning by guiding
meaning the aim is for students to acquire
Translational Molecular Discoveries
discussions and helping them connect with
knowledge on their own with the teacher acting
course content. It’s another form of experiential
as a facilitator,” Castillo says. “Beyond being an
learning. She facilitates active learning for more
affective teaching method, it also gives students
than 70 students in two physics courses.
a sense of ownership over their learning.” n
Cybersecurity@FIU FIU Tropics
The Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab
encourage her to become a learning assistant—a
“All of my lessons are student centered,
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FOCUS ON INNOVATION
Engineers Andres Tremante, left, and Arindam Gan Chowdhury have designed wind turbines that could safeguard homes and generate electricity.
Taming the wind A wind engineer looking to safeguard
The turbines vary in shape and height,
explained, can generate enough electricity
homes and other buildings during violent
from eight inches to several feet, to fit
to keep small home appliances and lights
storms had a powerful thought: What if
any structure in the line of potential harm.
running for a few days. But even in the
dangerous gusts could be tamed and at the
Arranged in a row of several or more, they
absence of storms, the system can work
same time harnessed as usable energy?
interrupt the flow of destructive winds that
continuously year round. According to
Professor Arindam Gan Chowdhury
might otherwise lift shingles and barrel tiles
Chowdhury, gentle five mile-per-hour winds
teamed up with mechanical engineer
and, in worst cases, entire sections of roofs.
that blow during the day and night produce
Andres Tremante, both in the College of
Aside from the windstorm protection
energy the turbines can capture.
Engineering & Computing, to develop just
they provide, however, AMPS goes a step
such technology.
further. As winds produce energy, the
from wind while turning it into a ready
The Aerodynamic Mitigation and Power
The combination of reducing damage
system can capture that energy and either
source of energy is unique and has drawn
System (AMPS) is a series of turbines
feed it into a power grid or store it via
plenty of attention.
that can be positioned on rooftops of
batteries—a boon during blackouts.
houses, corners of tall buildings and other
“Wind can be a friend and an enemy,”
“It’s an approach to integrate sustainability with resilience,” Chowdhury says of the
structures—along the edges of large
Chowdhury said. “These devices turn wind
technology. While still in the testing phase,
highway signs, for example—that are prone
into a friend.”
the innovation has attracted companies
to damage under a large wind load.
A storm that knocks out power, he
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Poetry as lifechanger
A veteran professor seeks to lighten the load of angst-ridden youngsters By Patricia Cardenas ’18 | Photo by Vince Rives ’17
In the tumultuous age of adolescence, every waking minute can feel like a catastrophe. For middle schoolers, growing out of the innocence of childhood and into the uncertainty of young adulthood, bubbling emotions can easily lead to frustration and pessimism. Theatre professor Phillip Church wants youths to channel these brooding feelings and unlock their inner artists. Through the craft of poetry, students from 13 schools across Miami-Dade County had just such a chance. Continues
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A student reads his poem aloud as part of the Dickinson Young Poets Festival ceremony, the conclusion of an initiative organized by Phillip Church, in the theatre department within the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts, and supported by the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council. In addition to guiding local schoolchildren in writing poetry and recognizing their efforts, the initiative included the staging of a one-woman show about poet Emily Dickinson. To read middle school students’ poems as well as a longer version of this story, go to magazine.fiu.edu SPRING 2019 | 25
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Continued
“Wouldn’t it be neat if the poems that these children write weren’t stamped with negativity but actually led them to explore themes and issues that would open them up to deeper things inside themselves?”
—theatre professor Phillip Church
The initiative, known as the Emily Project,
Award-winning poet Denise Duhamel, a
after 19th-century American poet Emily
professor in the Creative Writing Program,
Dickinson, is an opportunity to positively
agrees there is value in teaching self-awareness
influence youngsters as they navigate a new
through self-expression to young teens.
chapter in their lives, often against a backdrop of social and political divisions. In an era when people live tangled up in
“Poetry is about speaking the unspeakable,
“astonishing” and proved the value of poetrywriting in anyone’s life. “The kids were so responsive,” she says. “They saw that poetry isn’t just this archaic, stiff thing that has to have all these rules, but
illuminating fear and desire that we normally
it is whatever you want it to be and can be
suppress in polite society,” she says.
about your own experience.”
the latest trends and technologies, and news
Alongside poets Richard Blanco ’91, MFA ’97
scandals run by the minute, Church believes
and fiction writer Ana Menéndez ’92, Duhamel
in the challenge of both writing and
the right example could make the difference in
helped select the more than a dozen poems—
interpreting poetry, likening it to a puzzle.
how young people see the world.
from the 120 submitted—that were read
Her poem, “The Dreamer’s World,” is about
aloud on stage at the Dickinson Young Poets
“the mystical world of a Pisces,” her star
Festival closing ceremony.
sign, she said, explaining that the water
“We thought: Wouldn’t it be neat if the poems that these children write weren’t stamped with negativity or cynicism and
To guide the adolescents’ writing, graduate
Eighth-grader Anaya Johnson delighted
creatures “hide in the safety of their minds
anger,” he says, “but actually led them to
students in the theatre program and an
and imaginations.” Her mother welcomed
explore themes and issues that would open
alumna paired off to run workshops in local
Anaya’s newfound interest by buying her a
them up to deeper things inside themselves
schools. Dressed as Dickinson and her brother
journal to continue writing.
and connect them to mindfulness and
Austin, they led memory and rhyming games
compassion?”
Seventh-grader Kaylee Diaz now loves
intended to inspire the schoolchildren and
sharing her work with her very receptive
Church says Dickinson’s writing is the
awaken their creativity before encouraging
family. “I feel like I am a happier person
perfect medium to convey optimism and
them to write poems of six words, then 12
because of it.”
resilience to students, themes she weaved
words and, eventually, 14 lines, the required
throughout the nearly 1,800 poems she
length for submission.
wrote before her posthumous success. “How
The compositions had to be based on
Church, at the university for more than 35 years, says “the joy of writing,” as he puts it, will help students find their voices. And its
powerful that is,” says Church, “that you can
themes of “truth,” “trust” and “friendship,” and
practice will keep them from feeling lost during
write that amount of poems and yet none of
the exercises resulted in a quality of works
dire times at a crucial point in their lives. n
them are cynical or full of bitterness.”
that MFA student Athena Watkins called
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GOING PLACES
Turning the cause of refugees into a life’s mission
M
itra Naseh traffics in hope. The native of Iran earned an undergraduate degree in computer science engineering, but early
exposure to the plight of Afghan refugees eventually forced a twist of fate. From age 5, when she quizzically witnessed adults treat the misplaced with disdain, and later when as a teenager she taught math to street children, Naseh felt a call to fight for those facing discrimination and suffering deprivation. Today a Ph.D. student in the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, she landed in Miami with a master’s degree in urban planning and development from an Iranian university and a resume that included working for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. That post gave her a view into situations she remembers as terribly sad and sometimes inhumane, even as she saw flashes of resilience. Naseh currently conducts research that has her interviewing Syrian refugees living in Jordan, a feat made possible after she connected with an FIU alumna working overseas. The data-gathering conversations—conducted via Skype, as a U.S. travel ban that would compromise her return to Miami has precluded her going abroad—delve into issues of poverty and refugee welfare. Under the guidance of Professor Miriam Potocky, Naseh has undertaken several activities that put her squarely on a path to serve as an expert voice for the population she studies. These include curating an exhibit on refugee shelters at the Coral Gables Museum (pictured), researching and co-authoring the second edition of Potocky’s ground-breaking “Best Practices for Social Work with Refugees and Immigrants” (Columbia University Press) and developing a mobile app aimed at those in greatest need (SmartsAid.com). With as many as 80 percent of adult refugees estimated to own cell phones—often their sole possession and only link to home or other scattered family members, Naseh explains—an app that connects new arrivals to resources in real time has gained interest and even earned Naseh and her collaborators a spot in the competitive StartUP FIU innovation accelerator. With the world currently experiencing the highest levels of human displacement in history, Naseh looks toward a career that will allow her to help improve the future for millions. “Hope is the key,” Naseh says of the unwanted. “They survived war. They survived persecution. They will survive the rest. Just give them a little bit of hope.” n
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TAO
OF SPORTS
THE
COMPETING IN ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST GRUELING ATHLETIC EVENTS LED AN FIU PROFESSOR TO ESTABLISH A NEW COURSE By David Drucker ’18 | Photo by Katrin Meier
Lichter is one of only about 100
H
was an idea for a university course. The
my own perspective as a track athlete and
people to have ever completed
Tao of Sports covers the physical sciences
a soccer player,” said Chelsi Billingsley, a
a Deca Ironman—ten Ironman triathlons
behind athletics—the physics of baseball,
sophomore international business and human
put together. In 2017 he swam 24 miles in
the chemistry of muscle fatigue—as well
resources management major who, along
a pool, biked 1,120 miles along the Rhine
as the social, political and even religious
with about 30 others, enrolled in the inaugural
River and ran 262 miles without contact from
aspects of sport. Various disciplines
offering of the two-semester course. “Later,
the outside world. He thought of it as more
converge through the lens of athletics to
I enjoyed watching sports, but I wondered,
than an athletic endeavor; he considered it a
foster robust study and discussion.
‘Why do people get so into it? Why do people
onors College faculty fellow Joseph
religious experience. “It’s kind of like the indigenous tribes
What Lichter brought back from the race
As an industry, sports generate billions of dollars annually. They offer up collective
“I used to enjoy sports, but I did it from
want to make a career out of it?’” Competition is a key component of the
that go out in a tent, meditate and separate
events that communities and even whole
course. In the fall, classmates were pitted
themselves from their everyday lives,” said
countries—think Olympic Games—can tap
against one other in a fantasy football
Lichter, a chemistry professor in the College
as sources of pride. But can sports also
league. It was an economics assignment: the
of Arts, Sciences and Education and
divide? Is equality on the playing field a
students drafted their teams and monitored
recently appointed director of the advising
guarantee? At what cost do college and
their players’ value throughout the season,
office for pre-med majors. “Then they
professional players pursue glory? These
using expert advice to determine whether to
reintegrate with society, bringing back what
are some of the questions that the Tao of
“buy,” “sell” or “hold” a player.
they learned during their ritual.”
Sports seeks to answer.
The most intense competition came in
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Find out how Joseph Lichter (pictured) prepared for and ultimately conquered the Deca Ironman. magazine@fiu.edu
the spring, and it was a challenge that pitted each student against him- or herself. Individually they had to complete a 10K at a time and place of their own choosing. “I’m definitely going to suffer,” said sophomore civil engineering major Andres Coromado ahead of the task, one that several students appeared to dread. The undertaking brought into focus a number of Lichter’s lessons.
“IT’S KIND OF LIKE THE INDIGENOUS TRIBES THAT GO OUT IN A TENT, MEDITATE AND SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES,” SAID LICHTER, OF HIS EXPERIENCE. “THEN THEY REINTEGRATE WITH SOCIETY, BRINGING BACK WHAT THEY LEARNED DURING THEIR RITUAL.”
“Before the race, I was thinking about nutrition,” said biology major Ricardo Blanco,
slowed to a walk after the first mile,
differences in our body types, our sizes… I
who tackled the assignment by running on
questioning “how some people do this for
was thinking about how some factors affect
campus along with two other students. “We
fun” and even experience a “runner’s high”
the other,” Nieves said.
went to El Palacio de los Jugos and we ate a
in the process.
lot of rice because we knew—other than the
Biomedical engineering major Heriberto
The students did not just study an athlete’s world—they entered it. Applying their newly
fact that I love that place—that we’d need a
Nieves calculated biometrics during the
won knowledge, they achieved a greater level
lot of energy.”
run, just as professional athletes would do.
of comprehension even as they huffed their
“The differences in our heart rates, and the
way through to the finish. n
Computer science major Julian Sanchez
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CLASS NOTES 1980s Raul Chavez ’80, a retired member of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, was recognized in Washington, D.C., for his service 30 years ago as a disaster responder in the wake of a magnitude 6.8 earthquake that rocked Armenia. That country’s ambassador to the United States honored Chavez for his humanitarian work as part of the U.S. Urban Search and Rescue team. President and CEO of RAC Training Consultants, Chavez trains first responders around the world.
Julio Barrionuevo MBA ’85, senior vice president for Mexico, Caribbean and Central America at FedEx, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His involvement with St. Jude dates to 2001, when he joined its Multicultural Advisory Committee and later co-founded the FedEx/St. Jude Angels & Stars Gala in Miami.
1990s Eliot Pedrosa ’95 was nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate in May to the post of U.S. alternate executive director of the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C., which offers financial support to Latin America and Caribbean countries in efforts to reduce poverty. The Harvard Law graduate previously led the Miami litigation department of international law firm Greenberg Traurig and is former chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council in the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, from which he earned a degree.
Oliver Diez ’99, MS ’16, music teacher and ensemble director at Palmetto Elementary School, was named the 2020 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year. Diez incorporates music history, literacy and appreciation into his lessons, making sure his students learn the value and weight of the music that surrounds them daily. His dedication during 20 years at the school has wowed parents, his community and his administration.
Jesus Socorro ’99, managing principal of the public accounting and advisory firm MBAF, was elected vice chair of the Florida Board of Accountancy. Socorro was also appointed to the board’s Legislative Affairs Committee and Chair of Rules Committee.
Leandro Margulis ’06, vice president and general manager, developer relations for TomTom Maps’ Silicon Valley office, was a speaker at TechCrunch Disrupt, an annual tech conference in San Francisco. Margulis was also featured in Hispanic Executive Magazine, which named him “one of the most connected executives in the country.”
Randol “Randy” Mora ’06
2000s Paola Guerrero Ortiz MS ’02, a Colombian journalist and writer, published “Eyes Without a Face” under the pen name Drea Guertiz. The novel is inspired by her battle with chronic depression, which at one point nearly cost her her life. Ortiz has worked as a blogger, columnist and copywriter for various agencies and publications, including Dorimedia and NBC Telemundo Universal.
Melissa Doval ’03 is the new CEO of Kairos, a leading face-recognition AI company based in Miami that embraces an ethical approach to identity that reflects globally diverse communities. Doval has nearly 20 years of experience as a highly successful leader with expertise in finance, accounting, human resources, business strategy and technology. She remains connected to Miami through her charity work.
Oscar Grau ’03, MBA ’10 was celebrated at Eli Lilly’s Annual Global Diversity and Inclusion Awards. Grau received the Standout Award for helping advance Lilly’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. Grau was also inducted into the American Marketing Association Hall of Fame at FIU.
Denisse M. Ibarra ’05 joined the downtown Miami office of Chartwell Law, a firm focused on protecting employers in matters of workers’ compensation and construction disputes. Ibarra focuses her practice on first- and third-party defense. Previously, she was an attorney at a Miamibased insurance defense firm.
is now a partner at the law firm of Trask Daigneault LLP in Clearwater. The firm focuses on real estate, corporate law and governmental litigation. Mora has been with the firm for five years and his practice focuses on municipal representation.
Andrew Zelman JD ’09 was named partner at Florida business law firm Berger Singerman, which he joined in 2018 as an associate. Zelman is a member of the firm’s Dispute Resolution Team. Zelman also currently serves as the chair of the grievance committee of The Florida Bar and is a member of the Federal Court Practice Committee.
2010s Amanda Garcia Alpizar ’11, former catering sales manager at Zoo Miami, is now a marketing specialist at the University of Miami, where she is pursuing an MA in international administration. She is also volunteering as a "big sister" for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Ryan Benson MBA ’12, owner of A. Vernon Allen, a homebuilding firm in Naples, was named a finalist for the 2018 National Association of Home Builders Young Professional Award, which recognizes industry professionals under the age of 45.
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In Memoriam Marian Demos, associate professor of classical languages and humanities, joined FIU in 1991 and taught Latin, Greek, classical civilization and interdisciplinary courses and directed the certificate program in ancient Mediterranean civilization. She was instrumental in the university’s securing of a chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa honors society. A dedicated scholar, she wrote an influential book on lyric quotation in Plato. Both her students and colleagues loved her. A former student remarked: “She is the kindest person I have ever met. Truly, if anyone in this world has a heart of gold, it’s her.”
Herman W. Dorsett joined the College of Business in 1972 as a founding faculty member and taught for 32 years. The Miami native earned a bachelor’s degree from Howard University and a master’s degree, professional diploma and Ed.D. from Columbia University before going on to teach psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia. At FIU he was remembered as a pioneering colleague with a passion for his students. Local leaders recalled him as an advocate for social and racial justice and a willing mentor to young black professionals.
Lisa J. Edmunds began her career at FIU in 1997 as an adjunct professor in the College of Arts, Sciences & Education and most recently served with excellence as a learning specialist for the Student Athlete Academic Center. As shared by her supervisor, “Lisa loved her role within the university and was entirely devoted to seeing our student-athletes succeed. She was always ready to crack a joke and make people laugh. She became somewhat of a mother to many of our students who were far from home. She was caring and generous with both her time and talent. Lisa will be remembered as someone who put a smile on people’s faces and loved our community.”
Share your news with us: submit a class note. magazine.fiu.edu
Michele Jeannine Estep, former special collections cataloger at FIU Libraries, joined the university in 2013. She earned a BFA in art history and a masters of library and information science from the University of Texas at Austin and worked for the libraries of Savannah College of Art and Design, Houston Community College, Concord Public Library and the Texas State Library before coming to FIU. Althea Silvera, head of Special Collections, worked closely with Estep and said: “We will miss her calm smile and demeanor, and I will miss the joie de vivre her love of color brought to the library.”
Kenneth I. Henley taught philosophy at FIU since 1978. An accomplished scholar, he most recently focused on populism, nationalism, human rights and democracy and earlier wrote on the rule of law, constitutional integrity, children’s rights and the value of individuals, among other topics. He served on the Law Faculty Advisory Board during FIU’s effort to develop the College of Law, a nod to his research in the philosophy of law. Department chair Paul Warren said: “Colleagues valued Ken for his advice, professionalism, knowledge, friendship, and kindness. He was a true resource for the department, the students and the university.” Michael Orta, Grammynominated composer, pianist, recording artist, author and associate professor of Jazz Performance in the School of Music, joined the university in 1992. Orta was the piano player of choice for international artists like Paquito D ’Rivera, Arturo Sandoval and others. Among his many achievements, Orta was declared “Best Piano Man” by the Miami New Times in 2005 for his “amazingly creative improvisations and virtuosic technique.” Orta performed regularly in Miami Beach and at FIU’s Wertheim Center for the Performing Arts with numerous special guest artists and jazz faculty.
Brian Peterson joined the history department in 1973, shortly after the university opened its doors. He mentored students, served in the Faculty Senate and held positions as
both secretary-treasurer and president of the FIU chapter of United Faculty of Florida. He was the main undergraduate advisor for the FIU Department of History, helping many students to stay the course and earn their degrees. He touched thousands of lives through his World Civilization courses and taught in the Honors College, where he delighted in challenging some of the university's finest students. He had a lifelong interest in social justice, spent time as an activist in Mississippi during the summer of 1963, advocated for raising academic performance in Miami's poorest neighborhoods and served as a member of the Miami-Dade County Social and Economic Development Council.
Manuel Viamonte, physician, researcher, and educator, joined the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in 2009 as associate dean for international affairs and professor in the Department of Radiology. During his previous work as radiology chair at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital and at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, he distinguished himself as a pioneer in cardiac and interventional radiology, developing numerous procedures and devices. Viamonte was the third generation in a family of physicians, and both of his children as well as a grandson continue to carry the mantle. Joseph J. West, former vice provost for Biscayne Bay Campus and former dean and professor of the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, had a 22-year career in the Navy and served in Vietnam. During that time, he earned a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from Cornell University and a master of science in systems management from the University of Southern California. After the Navy, he managed numerous restaurants but soon realized that teaching was his true passion. In 1988, he graduated with a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech University and went on to work at FSU and then FIU, where he co-founded the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine and Food Festival and established a campus in China. SPRING 2019 | 31
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My FIU Journey: Yesterday, Today, Always By Richard Blanco ’91, MFA ’97
Richard Blanco wears his heart on his sleeve. He has to—he’s a poet. But he’s a poet who started his professional life with lines and angles and numbers as a civil engineer. Several years after graduating from FIU the first time, he came back for a degree in creative writing and has since taken away the collective breath of a nation by reading a commissioned poem at the second inauguration of Barack Obama. The author of numerous books, including the recently published “How to Love a Country” (Beacon Press), Blanco recently moved back to South Florida to join the Creative Writing faculty in the College of Arts, Sciences and Education. As a gift to the university that nurtured him, he wrote a poem for FIU (see page 3) in support of the Next Horizon campaign. FIU has been part of my life ever since my boyhood days when I’d ride my bicycle from my home in Westchester to the university, only two miles away, and spend the afternoon cruising around the campus, back when there were only a handful of buildings. There I was: speeding down the sidewalk ramps, doing pop-a-wheelies and trying out new stunts. There I was: riding though the courtyards past closed classroom doors, imagining what it might feel like to be a student there someday. There I was: sitting quietly by the gurgling water fountain at the center of campus, tossing pennies into it, wishing to do something important with my life, wondering what that would be and what I would choose to study when I grew up, if I had the chance to go to college. Little did I know just how much of my life’s journey—
who I would end up becoming and what I’d end up doing—would have so much to do with FIU. Years later, I’d find myself riding to campus again, not on my bicycle, but in my first car—a used Honda Accord with a cracked dashboard and no hubcaps. It was all my parents and I could afford, and yet I felt privileged, enriched by the education that FIU afforded me, an ordinary “kid” from an immigrant, working-class family who was given the opportunity to thrive. There I was: a proud civil engineering major on the other side of those same classroom doors, studying the forces of physics, the language of calculus, the building of roads and bridges. FIU fostered not only a fascination for numbers and equations, but also a love for images and words. There I was: absorbed in Greek history, appreciating Impressionist paintings and listening to the symphony of poetry. There I was: on my way across campus the day I stopped to pen one of my very first poems, contemplating my sense of belonging amid the same trees, pathways and buildings I had known since I was that little boy. I had come full-circle, yet my journey with FIU continued. Just before graduating in 1991, I started working at an engineering firm founded by an FIU professor and four alumni. Their mentorship was an extension of my educational experience at FIU, which allowed me to quickly succeed as engineer. But my journey didn’t end there. In my mid20s, urged on by the creative curiosities that FIU had instilled in me years before, I began writing poems again. Really terrible, rhymey poems at first. I knew I had a lot to learn, and so I turned to FIU again, and the journey continued. I applied and was accepted to the MFA program in Creative Writing, and
there I was again: learning how to break a line of poetry, how to render images with words, how to find my voice. There I was: hard at work on my creative thesis, which was published as my first book, “City of a Hundred Fires,” detailing the emotional search for my cultural identity as a Cuban American. After writing many more books of poetry and designing many more bridges and roads, flash forward to 2012 when I received a phone call from the White House asking me to serve as Presidential Inaugural Poet for Barack Obama. One of the first things that came to mind was my parents, my humble upbringing, the sacrifices they made to pay for my education, and FIU, which allowed me to dream up whatever I wanted to be and granted me those wishes I made when I was that boy tossing pennies into the fountain. There I was: holding a poem in my hands that FIU taught me how to write, reading it to 40 million people across the nation. And here I am at FIU once again: this time as a full-time faculty member starting in the 2019 fall term, eager to teach and inspire students in whose faces I see myself as I was years ago, just like they are now: enthusiastic and determined dreamers, despite all their struggles and the odds stacked against them. Here I am: giving back to FIU through a fellowship I established in creative writing to make those fountain wishes come true for many other kids like me. Here I am: remembering that poem I wrote years ago when walking through campus as a student. What I felt then still holds true and inspired Next Horizon, the new poem I recently wrote to commemorate and capture that same, unflinching FIU spirit that allows us to keep rising, keep steadfast on our life journeys today, tomorrow and always. n
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VIP:
Very Important Panther
Vivian Zumot Dimond ’80 • Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, 1980 • Managing broker and principal, Brown Harris Stevens • 2018 Torch Award honoree Q: You have been described as a trailblazer, an innovator and a risk taker. Who and what are your influences? A: I am flattered by that description. I think of myself as an immigrant who was lucky to land in America, the land of opportunity. I took the necessary risks to grow both personally and professionally, and I am fortunate to have learned from my decisions along the way. The individuals and the personal experiences that have influenced me the most are uniquely different, yet equally important. The individuals that influenced me most are my mother, my first real estate broker (Kay Byrne) and my husband. The two most influential experiences have been the time I spent working for the FBI and navigating through and surviving the downturn of the real estate market starting in 2007. Q: What has been the key to your success? A: Hard work, tenacity and an uncompromising commitment to the highest ethical standards—that, and following my initial gut feeling in all decisions. Q: Do you have a philosophy by which you live? A: In the words of the late King Hussein of Jordan, “I believe I must live with courage and live well, serving and abiding by my principles, regardless of any difficulties I may face.” Q: Giving is a big part of your persona. A: Kindness and generosity go hand in hand, and I truly enjoy helping others and showing my gratitude with everyone I can—from my staff to personal business contacts and friends. It’s important to treat others as you would like to be treated. Q: You have contributed to FIU’s Jaffer Center for Muslim World Studies. Why? A: As a Catholic who grew up in Jordan, I experienced first-hand Christians and Muslims working and living together in harmony. At its simplest form, the common thread among different religions is respect, mercy and tolerance. It is in these innate attributes that we can establish peace among all people and nations. I believe that Islam is misunderstood in the West, and it is my duty to help people understand what Islam is all about. By accomplishing that, I would hope to create more peace. Q: After earning a degree, you were recruited by the FBI to work in foreign counterintelligence. How did that come about? A: I was recruited by the FBI at an FIU career fair in 1980. I worked with a team of agents who were tasked with the internal security of the United States. The degree I earned at FIU prepared me for the workforce, the rest came from experience. Q: You actively encourage community members to consider contributing to the Next Horizon campaign. Why? A: I support the Next Horizon campaign because I believe in FIU’s mission to educate and empower our community and prepare the graduates for leadership roles. I am thrilled with all that has been accomplished, including our global partnerships. n
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Remembering a founder: A new portrait of FIU’s founding president, the late Charles E. Perry, graces the Hall of Presidents at MMC. Former first lady Betty Perry ’74 and the couple’s children, Tom Perry and Lynnette Perry McCollum, attended the unveiling. David Chang, chairman of the Art & Art History Department, created a work that captures the historic nature of the man’s 1969-1976 tenure. President Perry’s positioning on the edge of a desk while holding building blueprints, in addition to his obvious South Florida tan, references the nature of his job: He spent little time sitting comfortably indoors— having arrived on a nearly bare campus—and instead often found himself outside to gauge the progress of the university’s physical growth, even while overseeing the creation of a solid academic foundation for FIU’s success.
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