FIU FOUNDATION MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
Dear FIU Family,
As we reflect on the 2023-2024 fiscal year, I am proud to share the transformative strides the FIU Foundation has made in what has been a year of significant transition. Under the new leadership of Kenneth C. Hall, Senior Vice President of Advancement and CEO of the FIU Foundation, we have focused on establishing a robust, forward-looking path to amplify our mission of connecting people, resources, and opportunities in service to Florida International University.
This year, we saw tremendous growth in the Foundation’s total assets, now approaching half a billion dollars—a milestone that underscores our collective commitment to FIU’s ambitious goals. Our prudent investment strategies, combined with the steadfast generosity of our supporters, have positioned FIU as a standout institution. FIU continues to rise in national recognition, now ranked as the nation’s #46 public university by U.S. News & World Report and remains a top performer in student success and social mobility, reflecting our dedication to excellence and impact.
As you read through the pages of this report, you’ll find inspiring examples of generosity, innovation, and impact—stories that demonstrate how our community’s support is shaping the future of FIU and empowering our students. Our achievements this year embody FIU’s core values of innovation, diversity, and community engagement, and we look forward to advancing FIU’s mission even further.
Thank you for your unwavering partnership and belief in our mission.
Sincerely,
Adalio T. Sanchez ’87 Chairperson, Board of Directors FIU Foundation
FIU FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BOARD LEADERSHIP
Chairperson
Adalio T. Sanchez ’87
S Group Advisory, LLC President
Vice Chairperson
Gerald C. Grant Jr. ’78, MBA ’89
The G Financial Group
President Development Committee, Chair Investment Sub-Committee, Vice Chair
Treasurer
Marcel L. Navarro ’93 MMG Equity Partners Principal Finance Committee, Chair
Secretary
Jill M. Granat, Esq. ’87 Restaurant Brands International General Counsel
President
Kenneth A. Jessell, PhD. Florida International University
Chief Executive Officer
Kenneth C. Hall FIU Foundation, Inc.
Stewart L. Appelrouth, CPA, MS ’80
Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC Partner, Taxation and Litigation
Consulting
Audit Sub-Committee, Chair
Athletics Sub-Committee, Vice Chair
Humberto “Burt” Cabañas ’76 Benchmark Founder & Chairman
Alumni Center Steering Committee, Chair
Cristina di Mauro ’01 BankUnited
Head of Wholesale Banking
Investment Sub-Committee, Chair Development Committee, Vice Chair
LaTéssa Dotson Hall
Richard P. Hall Eagles Foundation, Inc. Executive Director, Founder Membership & Board Governance Committee, Chair
Francis A. Hondal ’87, MBA ’94 FIU Board of Trustees
Former President, Loyalty & Engagement, Mastercard
Juan J. Martinez ’90, MAcc ’93
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Vice President, CFO & Treasurer
Foundation Enterprise Growth Committee, Chair Finance Committee, Vice-Chair
Elliot N. Stone
Royal Castle Builders, LLC Principal
Real Estate Sub-Committee, Chair
Tina M. Vidal-Duart ’02, MIB ’04 CDR Health, Inc., CEO CDR Maguire, Inc., Executive Vice President
Athletics Sub-Committee, Chair
David M. Zinn MST ’98
Ocean Azul Partners
Founding and Managing Director FIU Ventures Sub-Committee, Chair Foundation Enterprise and Growth Committee, Vice Chair
DIRECTORS
Robert “Bob” A. Baer, Sr. ’89 Central Civil Construction CEO
Carmel J. Barrau, MD, FACP Unihealth of South Florida, Inc. President
Malcolm “Buster” Brown ’88 Seacoast Bank Wealth Advisor, Market Leader, Senior Vice President
Ira D. Giller, A.I.A. Giller & Giller, Inc. President Real Estate Sub-Committee, Vice Chair
Walter B. Gonzalez Jr., Esq. ’96 Goja, LLC President
Yolangel “Yogi” Hernandez Suarez, MD, MBA, FACOG
Jeffrey L. Horstmyer, MD, FAAN Brain Center Chairman and CEO
James W. Loewenherz, MD, FACP, FASN
James W. Loewenherz, MD, PA President
Albert “Al” Lorenzo ’74 Quantum Results, Inc. President & Owner
Membership & Board Governance Committee, Co-Vice Chair
Hugo Mantilla Graystone Consulting by Morgan Stanley Executive Director, Wealth Management, and Institutional Consulting Director
Claudia Puig Hispanic Cultural Connection President
Thomas C. Ragan Ragan & Freeman, LLP Partner
Orlando Roche ’88 First Horizon Bank Market President
Carlos A. Sabater, CPA ’81 Audit Sub-Committee, Vice Chair
Carlos A. Somoza, Esq. ’93 Kaufman Rossin & Co., PA Principal, International Tax
Debra “Debbie” Taño
Andre L. Teixeira ’92, MAcc ’93 The Graham Companies EVP & Chief Financial Officer
Richard P. Tonkinson Tonkinson Financial, Inc. President
Candido K. Viyella Earthview Capital, LLC President & CEO
FOUNDATION FELLOWS
Trish and Dan Bell Bell Family Foundation
Trish Bell
Membership & Board Governance Committee, Co-Vice Chair
EX-OFFICIOS
Sergio Abreu Jr. ’94, MBA ’98
TECO Energy Inc.
Regional Manager, External Affairs
David Almansa FIU Student Government Association Vice President
Elizabeth M. Bejar, PhD, MS ’98
Florida International University Provost, Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer
Sean Gazitúa ’04
World Terminal and Distributing Corporation (WTDC) President and CEO
Sneh Gulati, PhD
Florida International University Coordinator of Departmental Development and Special Projects; and Department of Mathematics and Statistics; and Fellow; Extreme Events Institute
T. Gene Prescott
The Biltmore Hotel President
EMERITUS CHAIRPERSONS AND DIRECTORS
Neal O. Amdur*
John K. Aurell
Oscar Bustillo
Alvah H. Chapman, Jr.*, Chairperson Emeritus
Jordan Davidson*
Victor I. Eber*
Leon J. Ell*
Catherine H. Fahringer*
Stanley J. Glaser*
Gui L. P. Govaert*
J. Stephen Hudson
Lester R. Johnson
Roz Kovens*
William M. Lehman, Jr.
Morris Levitt
Modesto A. Maidique
Albert Morrison, Jr.*
W. James Orovitz*
David L. Perlman*, Chairperson Emeritus
Ricardo Nuñez-Portuondo
Earl W. Powell
Joan Peven Smith
Theodore Spak*
Amancio V. Suarez
Norman R. Weldon
Gerald Thomas Wolfe ’80 ’86
Sonny Wright
Charles Zwick
FORMER FOUNDATION BOARD CHAIRPERSONS
John K. Aurell (1971-1973)
Lester R. Johnson, Jr. (1973-1975)
Jay Janis (1975-1976)*
Dave W. Schornstein (1976-1977)
J. Stephen Hudson (1977-1978)
Thomas D. Lumpkin (1978-1980)*
David L. Perlman (1980-1982)*
Catherine H. Fahringer (1982-1984)*
W. James Orovitz (1984-1987)*
Mr. Robert H. Coords (1987-1988)
Alvah H. Chapman, Jr. (1988-1993)*
Joseph P. Lacher (1993-1994)
David R. Parker (1994-1997)
Patricia Frost, EdD, DPS ’02 (1997-1999)
Herbert A. Wertheim, OD, ScD ’96, MD ’13 (1999 - 2000)
Sherrill W. Hudson (2000 - 2002)
Donald E. Lefton (2002 -2004)
Carlos A. Migoya, Ph.D. ’74, MBA ’76 (2004-2006)
S. Lawrence Kahn, III (2006-2008)*
Joseph L. Caruncho Sr., Esq. ’81 (2008-2009)
Albert Morrison, Jr.*, Honorary Chairperson (2010- honored posthumously)
Noel J. Guillama-Alvarez ’99 (2010-2011)
Justo L. Pozo ’80 (2011-2014)
Thomas M. Cornish ’85 (2014-2017)
Richard Brilliant ’93 (2017-2020)
Humberto “Burt” Cabañas ’76 (2020-2023)
*deceased
FIU FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP
Kenneth C. Hall
SVP, University Advancement CEO, FIU Foundation 305-348-2646 – kenhall@fiu.edu
Linda Curiel-Menage Assistant VP, Marketing and Communications 305-348-7952 – lcuriel@fiu.edu
Sara DuCuennois Associate VP, Alumni Relations 305-348-4213 – sducuenn@fiu.edu
Cristine Figueroa, MSHRM ’07 Director, Human Resources 305-348-0414 – crfiguer@fiu.edu
Melissa Hernandez Associate VP, Advancement Operations 305-348-7629 – mehern@fiu.edu
Christy Martinez, ’09, MIB ’13 Executive Director, Office of the Senior Vice President & Board Relations 305-348-3130 – chrmarti@fiu.edu
Adrianne N. Perdomo, CPA ’08, MAcc ’09 Associate VP, Foundation Finance Controller, Foundation & DSO’s 305-348-0113 – perdomoa@fiu.edu
Kristina Raattama General Counsel 305-348-2130 – kraattam@fiu.edu
Margarita Romaguera Senior Executive Assistant 305-348-8078 – maromagu@fiu.edu
Svetlana “Lana” Simkins Vice President of Development 305-348-6298 – sgilyalo@fiu.edu
FINANCIALS
FIU FOUNDATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
STATEMENT OF NET POSITION
STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENSES AND CHANGE IN NET POSITION
$ 474,418,833
Please note: These figures agree with the audited financial statements, which are presented on a full accrual basis. Liabilities reflect an endowment grant that is held by the Foundation on behalf of the University and for purposes of the audited financial statements is reported on the separate Statement of Fiduciary Net Position.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
IMPACT
The FIU Foundation aims to connect people, passions, and possibilities through philanthropy, financial stewardship, and engagement. The Foundation strives to enrich the quality of education at the university by supporting scholarships, endowed chairs and professorships, and other programs that rely on private funding. The Foundation accepts charitable donations to support FIU in its goal to be a leading urban public research university that is focused on student learning, innovation, and collaboration.
With $499,038,585 in total assets, a portion of which is endowed to support academic initiatives, the Foundation provided over $47 million, including the state match on the First Generation Scholarship Program, in fiscal year 2023-2024 to advance FIU’s mission. Funds were used to support a diverse student population, exceptional faculty, cutting-edge research, modern facilities, and collaborative engagement with our local and global communities.
FINANCIALS BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF FIU
The nation’s most prestigious universities are consistently assessed by the size of their endowments. The creation of an endowment is one of the highest demonstrations of a donor’s abiding belief in FIU and commitment to ensure its vibrant future. As the financial bedrock of the university’s drive to build excellence, endowments are vital to create and sustain important initiatives – scholarships, fellowships, faculty positions, and programs – in perpetuity. When a donor invests in FIU to establish an endowment, it creates a legacy that will provide permanent income to support a meaningful project while preserving the principal of the endowment. Any investment return over allowed spending is channeled back into the fund to increase growth.
ENDOWMENT MARKET VALUE
IN
FY 23-24,
WE CONTINUED TO BUILD ON PAST MOMENTUM
$56,978,197 raised in FY 2023-2024
$11,938,804 raised for building projects
$6,543,054 raised for scholarships + state match
$10,014,148 in cash gifts
69.11%
$3,323,098 raised for research
$2,848,948 created 13 new endowments
$4,370,340 from alumni
PARTICIPATION RATE FOR FACULTY AND STAFF GIVING THROUGH THE IGNITE CAMPAIGN, WITH NEARLY $1.1M RAISED
UNIVERSITY HIGHLIGHTS 2023-2024
Our Efforts—Yours and Ours—Recognized
The dedication that FIU, the FIU Foundation and our donor partners have shown over the last year to advancing our cause of higher education as a launching pad has not gone unnoticed. In 2024 Washington Monthly ranked FIU No. 16 among best national universities and No. 1 among Florida universities. Among all national public universities FIU rose to No. 3 in 2024.
Among their criteria, Washington Monthly measures an institution’s contribution to the public good in social mobility, research, and promoting public service.
Recognition like this is truly a result of the forward-thinking, innovative and unstoppable investment we put into all we do to consistently and relentlessly elevate FIU and those it serves.
FINANCIALS
STRENGTHENING FIU’S MISSION
SNAPSHOT OF GIVING
Fiscal year 2023-2024
PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY BY THE FLORIDA BOARD OF GOVERNORS
FIU IS THE YOUNGEST UNIVERSITY TO RECEIVE THIS DESIGNATION
CARNEGIE R1 DESIGNATION
FIU IS A TOP U.S. RESEARCH UNIVERSITY, A DISTINCTION THAT ONLY 3% OF THE NATION’S UNIVERSITIES CAN CLAIM
GAME CHANGERS
In addition to being global brand ambassadors for Panther Nation since day one, they have elevated their financial giving to an unprecedented level with this generous gift to transform our student-athlete experience.”
SCOTT CARR DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
GIFT FROM LONG-TIME DEVOTED PANTHERS SET TO PROPEL ATHLETICS
Trustee Francis and Eddie “Papa Panther” Hondal have been deeply devoted flag bearers for FIU since their time at the university as undergraduates.
Inveterate FIU supporters in every way, the Hondals have been giving back to the university for over 30 years. In addition to their time and expertise, the Hondals recently committed a significant gift to support FIU Athletics. The gift will be divided among football, men’s soccer, baseball, women’s basketball, men’s basketball, women’s swimming & diving, and track & field. The gift comes at a time when FIU Athletics is really coming into its own, with students applying from around the world to attend FIU as student-athletes.
The Hondals are a dual Panther couple. Francis Hondal ’87, MBA ’94, earned her finance degree and MBA from FIU, while her husband, Eduardo Hondal ’88, MS ’00, earned his degree in computer science, followed later by an MS in human resource development, also all at FIU. This Panther family is creating their FIU legacy and also future, with one of their children having graduated from the university.
Francis put her business education to work, gaining over 30 years of experience in consumer marketing, finance, and management. She is the former president of loyalty and engagement services at Mastercard and currently serves on public and private corporate boards.
Eddie is an accomplished medical sales professional with over 22 years of experience, mainly in the diabetes and cardiovascular specialty market. He currently works for Eli Lilly and Company as their senior diabetes specialty territory manager.
Always eager to give back to their alma mater, the Hondals have given freely of their time and expertise; Francis has served as a board member for FIU’s Chapman Graduate School of Business, on the FIU Foundation Board of Directors, and most recently on the Board of Trustees. Francis was inducted into the College of Business Hall of Fame in 2015. Eddie has also served as FIU’s executive director for alumni affairs.
Why “Papa Panther?” Eddie is known for the key role he has played in developing FIU’s student life and led the committee to approve the FIU Law School and FIU Football program, so the “Papa Panther” appellation is very fitting for this engaged alumnus.
In addition to past gifts towards FIU Athletics, the Hondals have supported first-generation Panthers with the Miguel & Rosa Hondal First Generation Scholarship Endowment and the Francis Hondal First Generation Women in Business Scholarship Endowment.
“I cannot thank Francis and Eddie ’Papa Panther’ Hondal enough for their unwavering support of FIU Athletics,” said Director of Athletics Scott Carr. “In addition to being global brand ambassadors for Panther Nation since day one, they have elevated their financial giving to an unprecedented level with this generous gift to transform our student-athlete experience. It comes at a critical time in our department’s history as there has never been a better moment to invest in FIU Athletics than right now.”
The Hondals are shining examples of FIU’s devoted and engaged alumni.
Eddie “Papa Panther” Hondal and Francis Hondal at the Hondal First Pitch Day.
DOUBLE PANTHERS,
SECOND-GENERATION PANTHERS NAME FIU’S WINE STUDIES PROGRAM
Tina Vidal-Duart ’02, MIB ’04, and Carlos Duart ’94, MST ’99, are a Panther power couple. Both are double Panthers and recipients of the Honors College Medallion who believe in the importance of giving back, and they prove it with actions, engagement, and involvement. Recently, they named the Wine Studies Program offered by FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, now ranked the sixth best public hospitality school in the nation.
The Vidal-Duart Wine Studies Program, the only wine studies program in the country named by a Hispanic family, demonstrating the Duarts’ deep engagement and dedication to their alma mater and the larger community.
Tina, CEO of CDR Health, Inc., and executive vice president, CDR Maguire, Inc., has served as chair of the FIU Honors College Dean’s Advisory Board. She currently serves on the FIU Foundation Board of Directors, and she is also an Honors College alumna. She has over 14 years of experience in the healthcare industry.
Carlos, president, CEO, and owner of CDR Maguire, Inc., has served the university on the FIU Foundation Board of Directors, and the College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council, and as a Pino Global
Entrepreneurship Center advisor. He currently serves as the FIU Board of Trustees vice chair. Carlos is a member of FIU’s College of Business Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, and a recipient of the university’s Outstanding Alumnus Medallion, and the Torch Award.
The Duarts have also generously given towards scholarship endowments, including at the FIU Honors College and for first-generation students, contributed significantly to the Chip Cassidy Distinguished Professorship at the Chaplin School (recruiting the first Chip Cassidy Distinguished Professor of Wine Studies in 2024), provided a collaborative gift towards FIU Athletics, and given to engineering students, among other giving. Also in 2024, they made a significant gift towards FIU CasaCuba in honor of Tina’s father, Michael Vidal ’79.
The gift provides both an endowment to ensure the Vidal-Duart Wine Studies Program is funded into the future and a significant amount for immediate use, such as expanding the faculty and curriculum, creating additional experiential learning opportunities to encourage more students to consider a career in the wine industry, and strengthening and expanding industry partnerships.
From left to right: Carlos Duart, Tina Vidal-Duart, Ryan Jove, Vice President, General Manager of the Artisans and Estates Division at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, Kenneth Jessell, President, FIU
THE BENJAMÍN LEÓN JR. BUILDING, HOME OF FIU CASACUBA
CasaCuba—FIU’s Cuban cultural, research, and education center—gained tremendous momentum this year. Benjamín León Jr., chairman and founder of Leon Medical Centers, made a landmark $10 million gift to help build FIU CasaCuba at the Benjamín León Jr. Building. CasaCuba’s largest gift was announced to the community in January 2024 with a celebration at the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential House, President Kenneth Jessell’s university home, across from CasaCuba’s future home.
“The León family’s support of CasaCuba speaks volumes in our community,” said Executive Director Lili Space, MS ’00. “For 60 years, the Leóns have cared for this community, for us, like family. That is why this gift is so important to CasaCuba. It is a gift that will lead many more in our Cuban community to support our historic initiative.”
Gift
Leads the Community to CasaCuba León’s gift was an invitation to the community to get on board. Then, the Miami Herald ran an article about the gift announcing that “anyone who donates at least $500 before groundbreaking will be recognized as a founding donor.” Immediately, the reporter was fielding calls and emails from readers who wanted to get involved. So, CasaCuba’s Founders campaign was launched. Within two months, CasaCuba received $12,000 in $500+ gifts. As of the close of the fiscal year 2024, the campaign raised $99,000 from 42 new CasaCuba Founders.
The Cuban American Experience Comes to Life
In a country of immigrants and exiles, many of us have stories of family members who came before us, stories about one’s homeland and starting a new life. CasaCuba will bring these stories together to connect us to Miami’s deep-rooted Cuban history and preserve the Cuba story for future generations.
LEARN MORE about the León family’s story and long-time FIU donor Benjamín León Jr. Click here to become a CasaCuba Founder
The León family’s long legacy of providing healthcare to Cuban Americans in Miami is part of that rich Cuba story. “It is my strong desire that with this gift and the development of CasaCuba, we will assure that our story lives for generations to come,” said Benjamín León Jr.
FIU leadership and special guests at Benjamín León Jr.’s gift announcement to CasaCuba, from left to right: Ken Hall, CEO, FIU Foundation; Kenneth Jessell, President, FIU; Mavileibys Campa; Benjamín León Jr.; Emilio Estefan, Benjamín León III, León Jr.’s son; Benjamín León ’22, León Jr.’s grandson; and Lili Space, MS ’00, CasaCuba executive director.
BUILDING—AND EXPANDING
—A WINNING INITIATIVE WITH LENNAR
In 2018, with support from the Lennar Foundation, FIU’s Moss School of Construction, Infrastructure and Sustainability began offering training for people who seek the skills and certifications needed to fill high-demand jobs in construction. These jobs require training, but not a college degree.
From its beginning, the Construction Trades Program proved a popular success. After several months of lab and classroom training in construction trades, graduates were qualified to move into construction jobs, and the Lennar Foundation produced waves of skilled workers for the industry.
Initially a two-year pilot program offered to residents of Overtown, Liberty City, West Miami, Sweetwater, Doral, and Hialeah, the program spread to Homestead and Opa-Locka. The program also began recruiting formerly incarcerated individuals seeking meaningful training to re-enter the workforce.
This year, the Lennar Foundation generously renewed their support with over $1,517,000 to spread the program to Fort Myers and Palm Beach residents. Marshall Ames, chairman of the Lennar Foundation, says “Our commitment to the communities we conduct business in goes further than building homes. We are committed to building meaningful programs, partnerships, and relationships to promote healthy communities in many different aspects. In our partnership with FIU, we are committed to helping underserved individuals from various backgrounds receive access to training and certification programs, such as the construction skills training program, empowering them to expand their knowledge and shape their career in a fast-growing industry.”
The Lennar Foundation has also supported FIU with funding for scholarships. The Education Effect to prepare students for college, and multiple other FIU sponsorships and events.
Participation in Construction Trades includes wraparound services like help with job placement, success coaching, and mock interviews. The program’s high graduation and employment rates have attracted partnerships with Camillus House, Chapman Partnership, Community Redevelopment Agencies in Overtown and Homestead, Greater Miami Service Corps, Florida Department of Corrections, Miami-Dade Department of Corrections, Florida Department of Education Pathways to Career Opportunities, the Miami-Dade Beacon Council Community Ventures, and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
FIU offers pathways to prosperity for those at all levels of education—the program has so far graduated 677 of our South Florida neighbors who are now trained to earn in new vocations with better pay and more secure futures, with an anticipated additional 300 people in Fort Myers and Palm Beach thanks to this expansion.
GRANT IS A MATH LITERACY MULTIPLIER
The Bob Moses Research Center for Math Literacy Through Public Education at FIU honors the lifelong efforts of Bob Moses, a civil rights leader who championed K-12 math education as the key to empowerment and closing the achievement gap among economically diverse students.
The importance of the Moses Center and its ongoing quest to improve math education in public schools has long been recognized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. So, it’s no surprise that the foundation recently awarded the Center a game-changing $450,000 grant to support its efforts in developing and funding high-quality research projects and widely disseminating their findings.
“The grant is vital to the Moses Center’s work in advancing research that improves access to quality math education, particularly for those students who have been historically underserved by the public school system,” said Moses Center Executive Director Brian Williams. “This funding not only supports our initiatives but also carries forward Bob’s legacy, inspiring hope and progress in our work to support children and local communities as they strive to transform our world.”
Highlights of the Center’s achievements last year include:
• Hosting Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous graduate students from Brazil, in partnership with Universidade Federal de São Carlos in Brazil
• Participation in the Gates Foundation Math Learning Forum and the Professional Development for Professional Developers Design Meeting
• Submission of an NSF grant proposal in partnership with Georgia State University, which aims to bridge culturally relevant pedagogy with math education, enhancing the preparation and effectiveness of elementary school teachers
• Engagement with local communities, such as Miami’s Overtown and Little Haiti, nurturing partnerships that will support the development of educational research and initiatives closely aligned with local needs and the successful practices of the Algebra Project and the Young People’s Project
In 2021, only 17% of Florida eighth graders and 33% of fourth graders were proficient in math. Globally, the U.S. ranks 26th in math proficiency among 15-year-olds in industrialized nations. With the substantial funding from the foundation, the Moses Center and its multiple partners are contributing to scalable breakthrough instructional and curricular strategies, giving schools quality, research-based tools to effectively teach math to high school students who have historically experienced a gap in mathematical fluency. Closing this gap will undoubtedly improve the economic and civic lives of countless young people across our nation.
INNOVATORS
We’re excited about the work they’re doing and to be able to contribute towards it.”
NEIL KORF ISERMANN FAMILY FOUNDATION TRUSTEE
ISERMANN FAMILY FOUNDATION
FUNDS INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT IN FIU SHARK RESEARCH
Thanks to a contribution from one of FIU’s newest donors, the Isermann Family Foundation, an FIU professor will be able to advance his shark behavior research. Dr. Yannis Papastamatiou, the project’s lead researcher, is one of the world’s top shark behavioral ecologists. His goal is to address a local problem— the clashing between the bull shark population and the work of local fishers on the South Florida coast.
South Florida’s fishing community has found that many fishing spots, mainly coral reefs or shipwrecks, have become populated by bull sharks hunting the same fish. As a result, fishermen are losing many of their catches to sharks. In partnership with the Florida Wildlife Commission, Dr. Papastamatiou is studying the local shark population’s habits and movements to help fishermen avoid them.
Papastamatiou is being assisted by PhD candidate and former FIU football captain Davon Strickland. Strickland graduated from the FIU College of Arts, Sciences & Education in 2022 with a BS in marine biology and returned to FIU soon after to pursue his PhD. Since then, he’s participated in various shark research projects, which often involve physically tagging sharks for observation.
“He’s helped me with the tagging of the sharks. He’s
been involved with the diving to put down listening stations on the reefs,” Papastamatiou said. “The sharks are tagged with transmitters, and any time a shark with a transmitter swims within range, the listening station will record the time and date the animal was there.”
The Isermann Family Foundation’s recent donation, will help Dr. Papastamatiou get an even closer look into the lives of these sharks through the development of night vision camera tags. Dr. Papastamatiou and Strickland would temporarily attach these tags to the sharks to track their behavior at night, when they’re most active.
“Camera tags have been around for a long time, but a problem we’ve always had is that the cameras only work during the day,” Dr. Papastamatiou explained, “If this tag design works, it’s going to be a game changer, not just for us, but for other researchers around the world.”
Established by Howard Isermann, an esteemed chemical engineer who developed the most effective and widely used sunscreen in the world, the Isermann Family Foundation continues to honor Howard’s legacy through its philanthropic work, funding scientific research and promoting higher education. In addition to this contribution, the foundation has gifted FIU Athletics a total of $10,000 towards scholarships.
“It would be something that Howard Isermann would have been very pleased to have supported,” Isermann Family Foundation Trustee Neil Korf said. “When we met the research team, we were really, really impressed. It just seems to be a perfect fit. We’re excited about the work they’re doing and to be able to contribute towards it.”
DONATED SPACE FOR GREEN FAMILY FOUNDATION
NEIGHBORHOODHELP’S FIRST HEALTH CLINIC
A gift from Paul Alan Wetter, MD, and Janis Chinnock Wetter of a 2,536-square-foot medical office will enable Green Family Foundation Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (NeighborhoodHELP) to open a health clinic steps away from the Baptist Health South Miami Hospital Emergency Room. Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP has been using mobile health centers to serve the surrounding community in partnership with Baptist Health. The Wetters’ in-kind gift provides space to pilot a hybrid mobile-medical and brick-and-mortar model.
This in-kind gift is the Wetters’ first donation to FIU, valued at $1.4 million. Dr. Wetter is an accomplished surgeon and educator. In 1990, the Wetters founded the Society of Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgeons.
“We are pleased to play a small part in advancing the wonderful vision of Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Dean Juan Cendan and the important work of Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP,” said Dr. Wetter. “Our career at the donated location has fostered medical education and improved healthcare. It is an honor that the space will continue to be used to improve health outcomes.”
AN EXPANSION TO ALLAPATTAH
FIU is laying the groundwork to expand Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP into Allapattah, thanks to a $500,000 grant from the Florida Blue Foundation. In collaboration with FIU’s Nicole Wertheim College of
Nursing & Health Sciences and Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine will conduct a feasibility study and identify health disparities and needs to inform interventions.
“At the Florida Blue Foundation, we are committed to improving health equity and positively impacting communities. We are proud to partner with FIU in their efforts to address healthcare disparities and improve the lives of residents in the 33142 ZIP code area,” said Susan Towler, executive director of the Florida Blue Foundation.
Florida Blue and the Florida Blue Foundation have supported FIU for over three decades, giving $2.6 million to medicine, nursing, and other initiatives.
Programs like Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP make FIU one of 25 universities that earned the Carnegie Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose designation for its commitment to fostering leadership for the public good. Investments in health equity have made this possible.
Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP Mobile Health Center team members at the Pentecostal Tabernacle Church in Miami Gardens: Jennifer Augustin, certified medical assistant, and Elizabeth Burgess, FIU medical student (front, from left) pictured with Temiloluwa Kowobari, DO, West Kendall Baptist Family Medicine resident, Frederick Anderson, MD, associate professor at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, and Yuriy Maltsev, paramedic/Mobile Health Center operations manager (back, from left).
A HISTORYOF GENEROSITY
Florida is expected to face a shortage of nearly 60,000 nurses by 2035, according to a report commissioned by the Florida Hospital Association and the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida. Jorge M. Pérez and Darlene Boytell-Pérez ’89, MSN ’96, ARNP, are determined to address this critical issue. An endowment the couple created establishes a permanent source of funding to help FIU nursing students pay for tuition and related educational expenses—making sure they can afford to become the nurses our state needs.
The $250,000 Jorge M. and Darlene Pérez 50th Anniversary Scholarship Endowment will provide scholarships for full-time nursing students who demonstrate outstanding scholastic aptitude and accomplishments and financial need, especially those who desire to stay in the South Florida community after graduation. Over the next five years, gifts to the endowed fund will be matched up to $250,000.
“Students from FIU’s Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences represent the next generation of nurses, set to sustain our healthcare system for years to come. It’s an incredible honor for us to support their journeys through this endowment,”
said Boytell-Pérez, a two-time FIU nursing alumna. “A thriving healthcare system holds immense importance in fostering a stronger, more resilient South Florida. My family and I look forward to the positive impacts these individuals will create as they progress at FIU and become integral parts of our community.”
This latest gift is another in a long history of giving by Pérez and Boytell-Pérez. The list includes a donation of Cuban art to the university’s Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum and the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs, which led to The Darlene & Jorge Pérez Collection—100 Years of Cuban Art. The couple’s support also named the Jorge M. Pérez Metropolitan Center, the Jorge M. Pérez and Darlene Boytell-Pérez Basic Skills Lab in the Simulation Teaching and Research (STAR) Center at the college of nursing, and the Jorge and Darlene Pérez Scholars Endowment, a gift that named the Jorge M. and Darlene M. Pérez Nursing Laboratory. The couple also made a $1 million donation to FIU’s Honors College.
To date, the Pérezes have given over $2.5 million to FIU—an impressive legacy of generosity!
Jorge M. Pérez (center) and Darlene Boytell-Pérez (right) with TV personality Laurie Jennings (left), emcee of FIU’s 50th Anniversary of Nursing Jubilee Celebration on May 4, 2024.
FIU ALUMNUS
GIVES BACK IN GRANDFATHER’S NAME
Many FIU alumni begin to shape their philanthropic legacies once they are established in their careers or closer to retirement age. Rahul Mittal, who graduated from the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences in 2021, chose to establish a scholarship just two years after graduation to honor the memory of someone very special to him—his grandfather, Rajendra Mittal.
“The day I graduated, my grandfather passed away due to COVID-19,” Mittal told FIU Alumni. “It was a really sad day because he was the one who sponsored my education before the scholarships could, and he was the one who believed in me coming abroad and actually going to school.”
Mittal, an international student from India, graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. During his time at FIU, Mittal was named a presidential scholar, crowned homecoming prince, and co-authored several research papers and one book chapter on artificial intelligence. He did it all while navigating the difficulties of moving to a different country and overcoming financial hurdles.
“I was actually renting a laptop from the library and going to the computer lab to do all my assignments,” Mittal said.
“I had my first internship during my first semester, which I lost … because I didn’t have a laptop.”
Later that semester, Mittal received the Tony Menendez Computer Scholarship, which allowed him to purchase his own laptop and opened the door for new opportunities. The fact that he received a coveted scholarship also served as motivation.
“FIU believes in so many people, and the donors believed that this money should go to me … [it] pushed me even further,” Mittal said. “When I graduated, and I was in a position to finally give back, I said to myself, ‘there’s no other way I would do it.’”
After graduation, Mittal relocated to Austin, Texas, and secured a job as a data engineer at Dell Technologies. Despite the big move and barely being out of school himself, he was still determined to give back to his alma mater.
In August 2023, Mittal partnered with FIU and pledged a total of $200,000 to establish the Rajendra Mittal International Excellence Award Endowment, which is dedicated to supporting first-time international students pursuing STEM majors.
So far, two students have received the Rajendra Mittal International Excellence Award, including Abdullah Naveed, a junior studying electrical engineering with honors. With this award, Mittal has not only found a way to ensure his grandfather’s name lives on but also change students’ lives for years to come.
“It’s something that goes on forever. Even when I’m not there, his name is still out there in the form of this award,” Mittal said. “It’s not my impact, but his impact.”
Rahul Mittal
OCEAN BANK AND FIU: A
10-YEAR PARTNERSHIP
Ocean Bank has a long tradition of investing in its community and its people. For over a decade, the bank has been a steadfast and generous partner of FIU, having given a total of $7.35 million in support of FIU Athletics and other university projects.
The bank’s most recent $5.6 million commitment, will ensure that FIU’s Convocation Center will bear the bank’s name for the next 10 years, from 2024 to 2034. It will also extend the bank’s support of FIU studentathletes and the overall operations of FIU Athletics.
“We are very excited to continue this important partnership with Ocean Bank,” said FIU Director of Athletics Scott Carr. “I would like to thank Agostinho Alfonso Macedo, president, chairman, and CEO of Ocean Bank, for the dedicated and consistent support of FIU Athletics.”
The 5,000-seat center, one of FIU’s premier campus facilities, hosts the Panther programs in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and volleyball. It was first renamed the Ocean Bank Convocation Center in
2018 to commemorate the bank’s leadership support of FIU’s outstanding academic and athletic programs.
“Ocean Bank has enjoyed a rewarding relationship with FIU, which is part of our long-standing commitment to education in our community, and we look forward to our continuing sponsorship,” said Macedo.
The bank’s latest commitment more than quadruples its previous donation of $1.25 million over five years.
Ocean Bank also previously funded the naming of the FIU Football Stadium for several years and committed $1 million to the university’s College of Business, which funded the construction of Ocean Bank Auditorium at FIU. In addition, bank board members and executives remain trusted advisors and supporters of the university.
Together, FIU Athletics and Ocean Bank are continuing to make a lasting impact in the community they both serve.
KNIGHT FOUNDATION
GIFT EXPANDS ACCESS TO WOLFSONIAN-FIU COLLECTION
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation stands as one of FIU’s esteemed donors, recognized as a transformational donor for its history of deep engagement and generous support to the university. This year, the Knight Foundation and its CEO Maribel Pérez Wadsworth committed a significant gift towards expanding digital access to The Wolfsonian-FIU collection. This grant will enhance the museum’s capacity for strategic audience engagement, develop tools to boost audience awareness of its digital content, and fully integrate Human-Centered Design (HCD) principles into the digital content creation process. The Knight Foundation’s support for FIU dates back to 1974, just two years after the university opened its doors to students. With nearly $30 million in generous contributions to date, the Knight Foundation has played a pivotal role in shaping FIU into the preeminent university it is today.
Located in a Mediterranean Revival building in the heart of Miami Beach’s Art Deco District, The Wolfsonian-FIU is a museum, library, and research center that uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design, to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, political, and technological changes that have transformed our world. The museum’s collection of more than 200,000 objects is one of the largest university art collections in the country. Spanning from 1850 to 1950—the height of the Industrial Revolution to the end of the Second World War—the Wolfsonian’s holdings are comprised of fine arts, decorative arts, graphic design, industrial design, architectural drawings, rare publications, and ephemera.
Over the past decade, The Wolfsonian-FIU has pursued a digital transformation to expand content, access, awareness, and use of its museum and library collections, which the Knight Foundation has supported. The museum now hosts an extensive digital collection.
The current project of Digital Transformation builds on the decade-long endeavor called The Museum of Ideas and aims to increase public use and awareness of the treasures The Wolfsonian-FIU has made available to users with just a few keystrokes.
The Knight Foundation’s 2023-2024 funding of $2M will increase and deepen public use of the digital content; increase digital content production, such as highresolution scans of the museum’s rare books; produce livelier social media activity; and transform the digital catalog into a hub for content and online experiences. Funding will enable new staff salaries, video content creation, digital catalog development, and membership in OCLC, a global library organization that provides shared services to the library community at large.
The catalog will also be made more user-friendly with improved search functions and UI tags, a way to help organize large amounts of information.
The Knight Foundation’s funding has already resulted in the hiring of a social media manager and an interpretation specialist, with a metadata specialist and a digital assets manager to be hired, and in the near future the opening of the Knight Digital Lab and Resource Center, expected in 2026.
BIG NEWS FOR
PAYCARGO TENNIS COMPLEX
FIU ATHLETICS
Some exciting changes are happening on campus this year, thanks to several generous fans of FIU Athletics. These high-profile partnerships recognize the value of our world-class program, where more than 400 student-athletes compete in 17 Division-I sports. Go Panthers!
PITBULL STADIUM
In August 2024, Armando Christian Pérez, better known as international superstar and entrepreneur Pitbull, made history at FIU with the first-ever artist-branded stadium. The 10-year partnership includes rebranding the FIU Stadium as Pitbull Stadium, making it the world’s first-ever athletics venue with an artist possessing its naming rights.
“This partnership with FIU is a true honor and a testament to what we can achieve when we work hard,” said Pitbull. “Renaming the stadium isn’t just about a name change. It’s about inspiring the community, creating opportunities, and showing the world that with determination and a clear vision, anything is possible. We’re making history together, and we’re just getting started. Why dream when you can live it?”
Pitbull will have the opportunity to host up to 10 events a year at the stadium, including concerts and festivals. The moment he steps on stage at Pitbull Stadium, the GRAMMY®-winning artist could become the first entertainer in history to perform at an athletics facility bearing his name. Stay tuned for updates!
LEYVA FAMILY FIELD
Miami resident and sports enthusiast Jonathan Leyva, CEO of CE North America, gave $500,000 to the FIU Athletic Director’s Priority Fund in December 2023. In honor of this special gift, the university was pleased to name the playing field at FIU Soccer Stadium the Leyva Family Field.
Global freight payment powerhouse PayCargo, LLC, made a $1 million donation to upgrade the tennis courts used by FIU’s women’s tennis. In recognition of this generous gift, the university was honored to name the facility the PayCargo Tennis Complex, with the courts being named posthumously for Sergio Lemme, former chairman and co-founder of the company. Eduardo del Riego ’82, CEO of the company, was a special guest at the ribbon cutting in April 2024.
In their first significant competition at the new facility, the FIU women’s tennis team claimed the CUSA Championship title, marking their second-consecutive win. “We’re so happy to have this great project completed with the support of PayCargo, and we know the best is yet to come,” said FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell.
The game-changing renovation will feature six lighted, competition-level tennis courts, seating areas with canopies, new fencing, and FIU-branded windscreens. The facility will also have a live-streaming camera system for all six courts and an in-arena scoreboard.
PayCargo recently awarded FIU Business a $1.25 million gift to create the PayCargo Supply Chain and Logistics Program. This donation is expanding FIU Business’s student recruitment and career readiness efforts.
ALUMNI VOLUNTEERISM
I also wanted to use my gift as inspiration for others to think about philanthropy as part of their estate planning and as an example that you don’t need a million dollars to make a significant impact in the lives of our FIU students.”
JOE CARVELLI II ’75 PRESIDENT, YOUR STAFFING SOURCE, INC.
ALUMNUS GIVES BACK TO FIU COMMUNITY
Since graduating from FIU nearly 50 years ago, College of Arts, Sciences & Education alumnus Joseph “Joe” Carvelli II ’75 has established himself as a major donor to FIU. In the past 13 years, he has created two endowments aimed at helping psychology students succeed. Carvelli has also been asked to speak in business courses and on alumni panels, sharing his entrepreneurial journey.
Carvelli graduated from FIU in 1975 with a BA in psychology. At the time, FIU was still a relatively small university, having only been founded a few years prior. Nonetheless, Carvelli values his time at FIU, having left with a deeper passion and appreciation for psychology and neurological research
In the following decades, Carvelli built a career for himself. Unable to attend graduate school, he found his way into recruiting. This way, he could use his knowledge of psychology to match qualified candidates looking for work with eager employers.
“I ended up starting my own agency, Your Staffing Source, Inc., and I’ve been doing that since 1994.” Carvelli said.
As he began seeing success with his business and contemplated his legacy, Carvelli decided to leave a lasting mark on his alma mater. In 2011, he made a $175,000 bequest to establish the Joseph Carvelli II Scholarship Endowment, which financially supports Honors College students studying psychology.
After that donation, he became even more involved at FIU, attending special alumni and donor events, as well as football games. Through the connections he made at these events, he was also given the chance to speak to the next generation of FIU students.
“I have had the privilege of being invited to the President’s suite at Pitbull Stadium. Those are extremely enjoyable events, interacting with the people there and enjoying the game.” Carvelli said, “I also enjoy taking part in Panther Alumni Week, where I can speak to Honors students as they begin their studies at FIU and the Honors College. I enjoy everything I do.”
In 2021, Carvelli found himself in a position to establish another endowment. This time, he made a $300,000 bequest to create the Joseph Carvelli II Fellowship Endowment, aiding psychology students at FIU’s Cognitive Neuroscience and Clinical Science doctoral program.
“I wanted it to be for a graduate student in psychology who was going to be focusing their research and studies on the areas of cognitive neuroscience, which is an area of psychology that interests me greatly,” Carvelli said, “I also wanted to use my gift as inspiration for others to think about philanthropy as part of their estate planning and as an example that you don’t need a million dollars to make a significant impact in the lives of our FIU students.”
Year after year, Carvelli has been impressed by FIU’s growth, and he’s thrilled to contribute to its future.
“The university is becoming very well recognized around the nation for the quality education that it provides,” Carvelli said, “I’ve been amazed at the growth, and I’m proud of the fact that my degree probably has more value now than it did when I earned it.”
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Sean Gazitúa ’04, president and CEO of the Miamibased World Terminal and Distributing Corporation (WTDC), is a driving force in the global logistics and warehousing industry. He’s also just as well-known for giving back and helping others succeed—and it all started at FIU.
As an international business student, Gazitúa was inspired to get involved in community service. He joined Sigma Phi Epsilon and soon became a leader in the organization. This meaningful experience motivated him to become a peer orientation advisor and a dance marathon volunteer, raising funds for children’s hospitals. When he graduated in 2004, his drive to be the kind of leader who gives back only accelerated.
After graduation, Gazitúa joined WTDC, the family company founded by his grandfather, uncle, and father in 1977. Despite his familial connections, Gazitúa started in the warehouse, slowly working his way up to the front office, becoming well-versed in every aspect of logistics. Representing the third generation of family ownership, he became president and CEO in 2017.
Gazitúa says the incredible academic and leadership experiences he gained at FIU helped him navigate his career and inspired him to instill in his employees the importance of education, community, and volunteerism. And he does so by leading by example.
As a mentor, fundraiser, and volunteer leader, Gazitúa is widely known for his service to others. He remains a loyal supporter of his fraternity and today leads the Sigma Phi Epsilon Alumni & Volunteer Corporation. In 2018, he joined the FIU Alumni Board of Directors. In April 2024, he was named president.
“I am filled with excitement and enthusiasm for the opportunities that lie ahead,” he said. “I’m eager to further our mission of strengthening the bonds within our alumni community, which is one of the largest and fastest growing in North America.”
Gazitúa and WTDC have touched many communities at FIU and beyond with their generosity and service. Since 2016, they have supported the Bandhwari Women’s Project, an initiative by FIU’s International Business Honor Society to empower women in Bandhwari, India, through a self-sustainable microenterprise.
Gazitúa and WTDC also directly support FIU College of Business students by providing internships and scholarships, often hiring former interns and FIU graduates. And Gazitúa, as a member of the FIU MS in Logistics Engineering Industry Advisory Board, mentors and supports students in the College of Engineering & Computing.
Gazitúa’s dedication to leadership and community service runs deep. And so does his Panther pride. It’s rumored that he even changed the WTDC logo to match FIU’s colors! Leading by example, he embodies what it means to be successful while helping others succeed.
From left to right: Dr. Carmel Barrau, FIU Foundation Board of Directors, Sean Gazitúa, President, FIU Alumni Board of Directors, Major LaTéssa Dotson Hall, FIU Foundation Board of Directors
IMPACT UPDATE
We are pleased to share the latest updates on some of our favorite FIU projects: the Trish and Dan Bell Chapel, a multifaith center for spiritual inquiry; CasaCuba, FIU’s Cuban cultural heritage center; and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media within FIU’s College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA).
TRISH AND DAN BELL CHAPEL
Next time you’re on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus, drive by the Trish and Dan Bell Chapel to check out the progress of construction. You can also see it rise in real-time on the webcam
Also in progress is the chapel’s bridgebuilding work—on campus and with religious leaders in the local community. Dr. Erik Larson, Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at FIU’s Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs, and Tara Orezzoli ’97, Director of Development for Strategic Initiatives at the FIU Foundation, are ensuring that when the chapel doors open, its interfaith work will be well underway. This includes equipping students to become bridgebuilders on campus.
Fundraising for the chapel continues, with more than $17.5 million raised, including $14 million from FIU Foundation Fellows and chapel founders Trish and Dan Bell.
CASACUBA
CasaCuba has made substantial progress toward its $40 million fundraising goal, raising $26.7 million. In this report, you can read about FIU’s announcement of a landmark gift naming FIU CasaCuba at the Benjamín León Jr. Building
This year, CasaCuba hosted its inaugural 20 de Mayo Celebration to commemorate Cuban Independence Day and supported the opening of The Lost Generation: Women Ceramicists and the Cuban Avant-Garde exhibition at FIU’s Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum.
You can look forward to many more events like these once CasaCuba opens on FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus. HKS Architects is bringing to life FIU’s home for the Cuban American experience. Architectural renderings will be released to the community in 2025.
LEE CAPLIN SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM & MEDIA
Previous gifts from donors Gita and Lee Caplin created the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media and the Immersive Studio for Altered Reality (iSTAR), both within CARTA on FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus. These gifts have attracted new donations, including a substantial commitment from Sam and Joyce Moore to name and create the Sam Moore The Legendary Soul Man Theater, located in iSTAR, and establish an operating endowment. Named for the GRAMMY®winning recording artist and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member native to Miami, the Sam Moore Theater hosts screenings of professional and student work, video conferences, and webinars.
LOOKING AHEAD
Dear Friends,
Since joining FIU in November 2023, I have had the privilege of working with an incredible community of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and volunteers all dedicated to elevating this outstanding university to new heights. I have also had the pleasure of getting to know many of you, our generous alumni, parents, and friends, whose time, talent, treasure, and testimony support FIU’s continued excellence. Your contributions truly make FIU great, and we are deeply grateful.
My initial months at the Foundation were focused on building upon previous successes and improving Foundation policies and systems. By streamlining processes and adopting innovative engagement approaches, we aim to better serve you, our donors, and our volunteers. We have worked closely with our Foundation Board of Directors, our Alumni Board of Directors, and university leadership towards advancing the Foundation’s mission. I am especially grateful to FIU Foundation Board Chair Adalio Sanchez and FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell for their strong support.
Despite FY23-24 proving to be a challenging year for fundraising, with just under $57 million in new gifts and commitments raised, the Foundation did collect cash receipts totaling $36M. Your support provided student scholarships and success, academic units and research, athletics and the arts, capital projects, and so much more. Your generosity has enabled incredible environmental research, helped student travel, enhanced extra-curricular academic opportunities, founded professorships, established named programs, and provided support for our student-athletes. I am happy to report that our alumni engagement is at an all-time high, with record participation in events across Miami, New York, and California, a 52% increase in experiential engagement, and a dramatic +250% increase in average engagement across our social media channels.
Looking ahead to FY24-25, the Foundation has set an aggressive fundraising goal of $90 million in gifts and commitments. Our dedicated team is focused on achieving full staffing of all open leadership, fundraising, and support positions within the Foundation. We have established internal metrics to encourage a clear focus on achieving measurable goals and are working to engage our entire FIU Community in philanthropic conversations. We invite all Panthers to get involved!
FIU is achieving higher-than-ever rankings, and we are now recognized as a top 50 Public University by US News and World Report. Further, this past year saw FIU recognized for the first time as a Preeminent Research University by the Florida Board of Governors. FIU has earned the highest score in the State University System’s performance-based metrics for the second straight year. FIU is truly on the move and your engagement with us contributes to this success. Your support strengthens FIU and has a real impact. Because of you, we are truly forward-thinking, innovative, and unstoppable.
I trust you enjoyed reading this report and the wonderful stories of our alumni and friends who have given so generously to FIU. We are grateful to all our valued donors and volunteers. Your commitment is truly changing lives.
We look forward to hearing from you. Paws Up!
Sincerely,
Kenneth C. Hall Senior Vice President of University Advancement Chief Executive Officer of the FIU Foundation
