MAGAZINE SPRING 2017 VOLUME 37
Winning
Reimagining the university experience to advance student success
GREAT EXPECTATIONS Delivering on a shared commitment to student success
PANTHER PRIDE MEETS GAY PRIDE FIU annually supports the Miami Beach Gay Pride parade, and this year President Mark B. Rosenberg again joined students, faculty, staff and alumni for the big event. He is pictured here with, from left, students Annette De Armas, Jessica Mendez, Daniela Chang, Amanda Flores and alumna Gabrielle Arzola ’16. Photo by Carl-Frederick Francois ’16
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LESSONS IN DISASTER
FIU educates the professionals who will take charge in the face of natural and man-made chaos.
MULTIPLYING SPARROWS FIU’s work with an endangered sparrow-breeding program seeks to save a species.
FOCUS ON PATENTS
An FIU invention makes medical and environmental testing cheaper, faster and more accurate.
BRIDGE OF THE FUTURE
An FIU professor leads the charge to update the nation’s aging infrastructure.
ON THE COVER
GETTING TO GRADUATION FIU has introduced new programs and policies to improve graduation and retention rates as well as other key statewide metrics.
THE BUTCH DAVIS ERA The excitement is palpable as football’s new head coach begins his reign.
HISTORY-MAKING ALUMNUS Chad Moss’ heart is even bigger than his bank account as he shows with his recent groundbreaking gift to FIU.
MAGAZINE.FIU.EDU
Online-only stories, videos and photos
MITCHELL “MICKY” WOLFSON JR. has spent a lifetime collecting the wonders that fill the Wolfsonian-FIU museum in Miami Beach.
Changing the world An alumnus has funded a program that encourages students to launch socially conscious enterprises.
Making math accessible The Math Mastery Lab has turned around student failure rates.
PROFESSOR PHILLIP CHURCH addresses youth gun violence in an innovative theater production he has mounted in local high schools.
Harsh reality A museum exhibit offers artists’ take on evil — and calls for viewers to reflect and even take action.
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FROM THE EDITOR “People are the key to success or extraordinary success.” —Azim Premji, businessman, investor, philanthropist This past April, my niece graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from a Florida public university. My daughter and I joined several family members in cheering her on as she walked across the stage beaming, triumphant in this latest accomplishment in a university career filled with them. Emily worked hard while at university, graduating in four years and hustling, always hustling, to gain the skills and experience that have earned her a coveted internship this summer with The New York Times. Familial pride aside, my niece’s journey has brought into sharp focus for me Florida’s efforts to graduate young men and women who are prepared to meet the challenges of an adult life. How can our institutes of higher education and those who work for them best prepare today’s graduates for life after university? By supporting our students so they graduate sooner rather than later, with less debt and with real-life experiences in their chosen disciplines already under their belts. From the mentorship our faculty and advisors provide to university leaders who enact policies and encourage change, I am reminded that it all boils down to people. People willing to look at a problem from a different angle. People willing to step outside their comfort zone. People willing to give of themselves so that others might be lifted up. As I was interviewing FIU employees and students for this issue’s cover story about the university’s efforts to transform the way we educate our students, it continually amazed me how the personal touch is all around us — despite our being one of the largest public universities in the country. Sending emails, calling students, letting them know that someone cares even as we remind them it is their responsibility to do what’s necessary to move forward in their journey from student to college graduate. President Mark B. Rosenberg continually speaks of FIU as being a “high-tech, high-touch” university. To the uninitiated, such a phrase may seem incongruous, but it has never been more true at our FIU. This issue’s cover story explores some of those efforts of FIU faculty and staff to be more intentional in the way we educate our students. In other stories, we take a look at the latest changes in our football program, beginning with new head coach Butch Davis, and learn more about the man behind a transformational gift to FIU’s College of Engineering & Computing. These stories remind me, as Azim Premji said, that people are the key to success or extraordinary success. Always Blue and Gold,
Karen Cochrane
FIU MAGAZINE Editorial Advisory Board JoAnn Adkins Director of Communications The College of Arts, Sciences & Education Atilda Alvarido Special Assistant to the Provost Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President Regina Bailey FIU Arts Senior Project Manager The College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts Linda Curiel-Menage Executive Director for Leader ship Giving & Campaign Planning University Advancement Paul Dodson Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Amy Ellis Communications Manager Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs
Duane Wiles Associate Vice President, Alumni Relations & Annual Giving Executive Director, Alumni Association
FIU President
Mark B. Rosenberg
FIU Board of Trustees
Claudia Puig (Chair) Jorge L. Arrizurieta (Vice Chair) Cesar L. Alvarez Jose J. Armas Leonard Boord Dean Colson Gerald C. Grant Jr. ’78, MBA ’89 Michael G. Joseph Natasha Lowell Justo L. Pozo Marc D. Sarnoff Krista M. Schmidt Kathleen L. Wilson FIU MAGAZINE
Division of External Relations Sandra B. Gonzalez-Levy Senior Vice President
Stephen Fain Professor Emeritus Faculty Administrator Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President
Terry Witherell Vice President Karen Cochrane Editor
Ellen Forman Assistant Director Media Relations College of Business
Alexandra Pecharich Managing Editor
Lazaro Gonzalez Associate Director of Marketing Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Susan Jay Executive Director of Development The College of Engineering & Computing Larry Lunsford Vice President for Student Affairs Steven Moll Vice Provost Biscayne Bay Campus Galena Mosovich Account Manager Robert R. Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work
Aileen Solá-Trautmann Art Director Doug Garland ’10 Senior Multimedia Producer Barbarita Ramos Graphic Designer Writers JoAnn Adkins Joel Delgado ’12 Clara-Meretan Kiah ’15 Gisela Valencia ’15 Photographer Carl-Frederick Francois ’16 Eduardo Merille ’97, MBA ’00
Maureen Pelham Director of Research Development Office of Research and Economic Development
Copyright 2017, Florida International University. FIU Magazine is published by the Florida International University Division of External Relations and distributed free of charge to alumni, faculty and friends of the university. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. To reach us, call 305-348-7235. Alumni Office: Write to Office of Alumni Relations at MMC MARC 510, Miami, FL 33199, or call 305-348-3334 or toll-free at 800-FIU-ALUM. Visit fiualumni.com. Change of Address: Please send updated address information to FIU Office of Alumni Relations, MARC 510, Miami, FL 33199 or by email to 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. 16592_06/17 FIU Magazine is printed on 30 percent PCW recycled paper that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
ON THE PROWL
FIU Theatre makes history at Kennedy Center competitions FIU drama students hit the road during the spring semester with the Argentine dark comedy “La Nona.” The troupe was invited to perform at Georgia Southern University as part of the southeast regional Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. The production made history as the first Spanish-language play staged in the festival’s 49-year running. Shows presented at each of the eight regional competitions vied for national awards, and FIU theater major Mario Alonso earned the top spot for set design, a prize he later received on stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Treasure: Pasta machine This circa-1950 pasta maker found its way from Milan to Miami courtesy of the enterprising James DiMarco, proprietor of the now-defunct Miami Ravioli Company. Sheets of dough were guided into the 630-pound, nearly five-foot-tall appliance while a feeding tube filled the resulting pastry pillows with stuffing. For variety, an attachment could shape the finished ravioli into tortellini. The DiMarco family in 1988 gifted the electric behemoth to Mitchell “Micky” Wolfson Jr., founder of the Wolfsonian-FIU museum on Miami Beach. The machine’s Italian manufacturer likewise has gone out of business, though its cast-iron-andstainless-steel beauty remains a point of great visual, if no-longer gastronomic, interest. 4 | SPRING 2017
#1 FIU makes a Golden Promise FIU has made a potentially life-changing promise to the 2017 freshman class: If your family cannot help you pay for college, FIU will. The university has guaranteed the incoming students that their tuition will be covered if they are Florida residents and have an expected family contribution of zero on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. These students typically come from families that earn
The state of Florida’s national ranking for public higher education by U.S. News & World Report based on relatively low tuition rates and a rising graduation rate
less than $33,000 annually. “FIU’s Golden Promise removes economic barriers for students who are academically qualified and ready to work hard at FIU,” FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg said. “We want them to be successful and graduate in four years.” Golden Promise covers gaps in financial aid so that students can complete 30 credit hours a year and earn a bachelor’s degree in four years. FIU’s financial aid office estimates that 1,200 freshmen will benefit from the program during the 2017-2018 academic year.
Holocaust Studies Scholar-in-Residence Named American scholar, professor, rabbi, writer and filmmaker Michael Berenbaum is the inaugural Fishman Holocaust Studies Scholar-inResidence at FIU. A professor of Jewish studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles and author or editor of 20 books and hundreds of scholarly articles, Berenbaum oversaw the creation of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., directed its Holocaust Research Institute and coproduced an Oscar-winning documentary about a Holocaust survivor. He will lecture at FIU as well as the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU and a Jewish high school in Boca Raton. The appointment was made possible by a gift to FIU’s Holocaust Studies Initiative from Miami physician Lawrence M. Fishman and Suzanne R. Fishman.
A poet of national note English Professor Campbell McGrath was named a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry. A faculty member in FIU’s nationally renowned Creative Writing Program and the author of more than a dozen poetry collections, McGrath recently took on 100 years of history with his latest work, “XX: Poems for the Twentieth Century.” It features a poem for each year and covers a wide range of experiences in a century that gave us Hollywood, the atomic bomb, Elvis and Dolly the cloned sheep. The ambitious project caught the attention of the Pulitzer Prize committee, which announced the finalists and the awardees in April.
Football stadium renamed Along with a new coach (see story page 26), the FIU football team is getting an upgraded, newly renamed facility in which to play. Riccardo Silva Stadium has been outfitted with high-end artificial turf and an 1,800-square-foot highdefinition videoboard. The improved facility is named for the owner of the professional soccer team Miami FC, which debuted last year as a member of the North American Soccer League and will continue to play its home games at the stadium. Since 2015 Silva has contributed $3.76 million toward athletics. SPRING 2017
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ON THE PROWL
New deans appointed for business and engineering National searches have brought two dynamic leaders to FIU. Joanne Li is the new dean of the College of Business having arrived at FIU in May 2017. She most recently served as dean and professor of finance at the Raj Soin School of Business at Wright State University in Ohio, where she proved herself an accomplished fundraiser and engaged the business community in support of a wide array of initiatives, including the creation of the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. John L. Volakis will begin his tenure as new dean of the College of Engineering & Computing on August 1. He served most recently as the Roy and Lois Chope chair and professor of electrical and computer engineering at The Ohio State University’s College of Engineering, where he also oversaw approximately 170 researchers and staff as director of the ElectroScience Laboratory. During his 14-year tenure, he increased annual private funding threefold and led several large teams as
Law dean joins Trump administration College of Law Dean R. Alexander Acosta was sworn in as the United States Secretary of Labor in April. “Dean Acosta will bring to Washington the same work ethic, integrity and passion that helped make our College of Law one of the best in the state and among the top 100 in the nation,” President Mark B. Rosenberg said. Acosta joined FIU in 2009 after serving as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Under his stewardship, the law school has raised its national profile dramatically and earned a reputation for excellence and student success. The college ranks among the top 50 nationally for job placement, according to U.S. News & World Report. “Serving as dean of the FIU College of Law has been an honor and privilege, and I am deeply grateful to have shared in our students’ journeys over the years,” Acosta says. “Students, alumni, faculty and staff have become an extension of my family, and I will miss working with them. FIU will always remain dear to me, and I look forward to watching it continue to unlock its limitless potential.” A native of Miami and first-generation university graduate and lawyer, Acosta earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard University.
the principal or co-principal investigator on projects supported by more than $55 million in research awards. Provost and Executive Vice President Kenneth G. Furton lauded the hires, noting that each will impact the future of FIU students through related emphases on entrepreneurship and innovation.
6 | SPRING 2017
Education secretary visits FIU U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos met with President Mark B. Rosenberg in April at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus before paying a visit to FIU’s STAR center, a simulated hospital in which nursing majors learn practical skills. As part of her visit, DeVos also gathered with students and faculty for a roundtable discussion. Among topics she addressed: the cost of higher education, the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy and the Department of Education’s priorities.
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ON THE PROWL
Questions for the dean of students
A
s dean of students, Cathy Akens sees it all: from students looking to change the world and lead the march to those struggling with the transition to university life. She and her staff encourage young people to interact with others in meaningful ways, and they create a “culture of care� by providing resources for well-being and offering support during times of distress or crisis. 1.
Why does the university promote campus involvement as an important complement to academics? We know that certain types of experiences contribute to student learning and success, and so our programs and services are designed with that in mind. Students who are connected to the university and feel a sense of belonging and community are more likely to stay. So, our efforts really focus on engaging students, creating communities and providing opportunities for students to develop.
2.
Describe the programs that help students get the most out of their time at FIU. We offer many! Students can join one of several hundred student organizations, including fraternities and sororities, and participate in service projects within the local, national and global communities. They can go out for intramural sports and fitness programs, take leadership roles within various groups and even serve as peer educators, tutors and resident assistants. The possibilities are truly endless, and we try to help students find what will be most meaningful and enjoyable to them.
3.
Why does the university emphasize what takes place outside of the classroom? Traditional approaches assumed that knowledge was acquired in the classroom and personal development occurred outside of the classroom. We now understand that student learning is much more integrated. When we provide students with co-curricular experiences such as service learning, leadership development and campus engagement opportunities, we are often helping them to develop competencies such as leadership, teamwork and communication skills that they will need to succeed in their careers. These experiences help students make greater meaning of what they are learning in class. 4.
When students encounter serious life challenges, how does FIU help? We have many resources within the Division of Student Affairs. Our Panthers Care initiative invites concerned students to look out for one another, and so we often learn of someone who is struggling personally, financially or in other ways. We reach out and connect the student with resources such as Counseling and Psychological Services, the Victim Empowerment Program, the Disability Resource Center or our Food Pantry. We want to help students address the obstacles that could become barriers to achieving academic goals. 5.
What do alumni tell you about their time as students at FIU? We hear from alumni all the time. They recognize that many of the experiences they had outside of class helped prepare them for real-life workplace challenges. In some cases, that involvement helped shape their career choices. In others, it taught them how to work in teams, manage projects or give large presentations. SPRING 2017 | 7
When disaster
STRIKES
A new program prepares students to respond to catastrophes worldwide Watch a video about the program magazine.fiu.edu
L
By Clara-Meretan Kiah ’15
ieutenant Steven Castell MA ’16 was just
it's because it had come to the attention
just after a disaster, but often before — to
weeks into a new job when Hurricane
of the captain that I was finishing up FIU’s
better educate, train and prepare them, and
Matthew brewed over the Atlantic Ocean. The
program, and he had heard a lot of good
strengthen the community so the impacts
new commanding officer for the City of Miami
things about it,” Castell said. “It really
are so much less,” said Ruben D. Almaguer,
Police Department’s Office of Emergency
catapulted me into this position.”
FIU’s assistant vice president for disaster
Management and Homeland Security watched
As Matthew drew closer to the Florida
management & emergency operations and
as the storm advanced north over the
coast, Castell advised the police chief —
executive director for the Academy for
Caribbean, leaving a path of destruction in its
who made the ultimate decisions — on key
International Disaster Preparedness.
wake and changing course on an hourly basis.
strategic moves to ensure citizens’ safety
Floridians clambered to prepare for the impact of the fall 2016 storm, eyes glued to the news as it devastated Haiti and Cuba.
and a smooth response-and-recovery period post-storm. “It was quite the pressure cooker, but
Ahead of the curve In the fall of 2015, FIU became the first university in the state to offer a
Schools closed, and families living along the
fortunately everything worked out very well,”
dedicated master’s degree program in
coast were encouraged to evacuate.
Castell said. In the end, Matthew left Miami-
disaster management, joining a shortlist of
Dade County relatively unscathed, but made
universities nationwide that offer programs
preparing to implement a hurricane response-
landfall in northern Florida and destroyed
preparing professionals to handle large-scale
and-recovery plan.
much of the coast into North Carolina.
emergencies, including the University of
All the while, Castell and his team were
Castell’s training in FIU’s Master of Disaster
At FIU, disaster management students
Chicago and Georgetown University.
Management program, combined with
learn that preparing for the worst is an
19 years’ experience on the force, made
ongoing process, much of which occurs
employers in the field on the coursework
him perfect to lead the city’s emergency
when there is no threat.
and experience they would want to see
management team. “When I was approached for this position, 8 | SPRING 2017
“This is a profession where you can make a difference in people’s lives, not
Program directors sought advice from top
on graduates’ resumes. The result was a 12-month-long professional program that
trains students in planning, media relations, hazard analysis, public health, mitigation, response and recovery, critical decisionmaking and more. Classes take place on Saturday to accommodate students’ full-time work schedules. The federal government’s slipshod response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 highlighted the need to develop such programs. “Katrina really sent a message to emergency managers. ‘What if this was my state? How would I have responded?’” said former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator David Paulison, who spoke to the 2015 and ’16 cohorts about lessons learned following the New Orleans disaster. “After that, we saw a great interest in people preparing themselves
Student Bridget Pelaez trains for an all-volunteer team of South Florida medical professionals who respond to disasters.
for major events. It’s about preparing employees and preparing your system.” The impact of disasters worldwide is growing. According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, disasters have caused $1.4 trillion in damages worldwide since 2005, killing 700,000 and
Students receive training in planning, media relations, hazard analysis, public health, mitigation, response and recovery, and critical decision-making. “The faculty do so much. They bring a
came to FIU after working in disaster
sense of reality to the field,” said current class
response for years. She has deployed to
president Bridget Pelaez. “They’re visceral in
multiple national and international situations,
together police officers, firefighters, military,
the sense that they are not here to show you a
including the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, during
lawyers, doctors, nurses and others — many
superficial layer of anything. They are here to
which she tended to rural victims at a clinic
of whom have worked in their fields for years
peel back the onion layer by layer. They even
set up in an orphanage. Having taken on
— to transform their professional experience
tell you personal mistakes and personal goals.”
leadership roles throughout her career, a
affecting 1.7 billion people. At FIU, diverse student cohorts bring
to help people on a larger scale. “Many of our students are in six-figure
The program emphasizes collaboration and networking among students —
degree that would boost her management capabilities was a natural choice.
professions today working in great jobs,”
relationships that will prove useful in the field
“I felt like I wanted to help more people
Almaguer said. “They want a master’s degree
as organizations often must work together to
around the world, and that if I tied myself
because they want to be the next police
respond to emergencies.
to a corporation or a hospital, I wouldn't
chief, the next fire chief, the next CEO of
"I'm sitting in a room with a guy who used
be able to still fight and go after that global
Carnival Cruise Lines, the next surgeon
to disarm bombs, and to the right of me is
compassion I knew I wanted to achieve.
general for the state of Florida.”
a fire marshal and in front of me is a U.S.
Every time I was deployed to a disaster,
Marshal, so the conversations are bigger
that's where I really felt like a nurse, and I
hear from a variety of guest speakers,
and more global than they would be at
really felt like I naturally just stepped up to
including Mike Marx, a senior civil-military
another table,” said Pelaez, who is a disaster
operations level.”
coordination advisor for the United Nations
response nurse. “It's 100 percent inspiring.”
Throughout the semester, students
Castell found his way to FIU after six years
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Pelaez, a member of the FIU-Florida
Affairs. And professors offer their firsthand
Advanced Surgical Transport team, the
decades on the force, where he led the bomb
insights into the field, preparing students
university’s all-volunteer team of medical
squad and supervised the intelligence and
with insider knowledge.
professionals trained to respond to disasters,
terrorism unit.
in the Army National Guard and nearly two
Continues
SPRING 2017 | 9
20 15
346
98.6
reported disasters
million people affected
$66.5 billion in economic damage
22,773
disasters in numbers
people dead
Source: The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction unisdr.org
Europe
Americas
Disasters by Continent
Africa Oceania
number of reported disasters
Human Impact of top 5 disaster types
152
Flooding
Deaths: 3,310 Affected: 27,504,263
10 | SPRING 2017
19
90
Storms
Earthquakes & tsunamis
Deaths: 996 Affected: 10,592,279
11
Extreme temperatures
Deaths: 9,525 Affected: 7,166,633
Deaths: 7,346 Affected: 1,262,627
11
Landslides
Deaths: 1,369 Affected: 20,332
Continued
diseases on cruise ships and to more
themselves, eating military rations and
into the realm of emergency management, and
efficiently staff medical evacuation centers
fighting the heat and mosquitoes of
I felt this was in line with those career goals.”
by potentially using FIU medical and nursing
Bockistan (staged at FIU's Biscayne Bay
students as volunteers.
Campus with the help of the U.S. Coast
“I always wanted to transition my career
China Walker MA ’16 chose FIU for its location. “I was interested in South Florida
“That would give back to the community, and it would also allow FIU students to add
Guard and Miami-Dade Urban Search & Rescue Team and Air Rescue).
because it’s [so] impacted by hurricanes.
emergency response to their resumes,” Pelaez
It’s a great community to learn about
said. “I look at it as, ‘How can I help my
a plan to coordinate governmental and
disaster management.”
community, and how can I help people who
non-governmental organizations' aid to
want to help?’”
Bockistani people.
An emphasis on experience
Student Pedro Duran Padovani currently
Their mission: Devise and implement
There’s no multiple choice involved in this
interns at FIU’s Department of Emergency
final exam. The field simulation puts students'
who have both an educational foundation and
Management, where he helps devise
knowledge of course content and decision-
solid experience in the workforce.
emergency plans. A 26-year-old physician
making skills to the test in an environment
who earned a medical degree from
designed to mimic the physical and mental
As an employer, Paulison looks for people
“We want someone who is a go-getter,” Paulison said. “It's not an easy job. It’s a lot of work before a disaster and a significant amount after. You don't get a lot of sleep. You need someone willing to work and who has a real interest in disaster management.” Students at FIU are encouraged to pursue internships in the field before graduation to boost their resumes and give them a realistic idea of the job.
"We're training students to respond to hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, terrorist attacks, pandemics and more."
—Ruben D. Almaguer, FIU’s assistant vice president for disaster management and emergency operations
Walker interned in the planning section of the Miami-Dade County Office of
Universidad Americana in Santo Domingo, he
Emergency Management. There, she had
hopes to use his background in public health
the opportunity to help with preparedness
as an international humanitarian, perhaps
expect if you were to deploy to a rural or
projects, emergency evacuation plans and
working for the World Health Organization.
international location,” Walker said. “It was
public outreach.
“In my internship, I’m taking what I learn
stresses of managing a real-life disaster. “It puts you in the mindset of what to
very realistic.”
“It gave me an insight into the incident
in class and applying it to the real world,” he
command structure and helped with writing
says. “When I started the program I thought it
students — like Walker, who was new to the
documents for response, which was one
was going to be a lot of fieldwork, but no. The
field when she enrolled in the program —
of the most important things I could learn.
process of applying and implementing plans,
determine where they ultimately want to end
I saw how the final product presented to
learning what we can do with what we have
up in this line of work.
the public was formed,” said Walker, who
and how to do it, is the most important part.”
now works in Washington, D.C., at an IT company that contracts with the federal government. “It was definitely an important
A final that challenges students’ limits In July 2016, the imperiled (and fictitious)
experience and probably the reason I have
country of Bockistan, situated in the
the job I currently have.”
Himalayas, was rocked by a magnitude
It’s an enlightening experience that helps
"I think the field exercise really put things into perspective. There’s tons of work done behind the scenes, and I realized that’s where I fit. It was a really good learning experience and drove my career goals.” Adds former FEMA administrator Paulison:
7.8 earthquake. Students were flown in
“I think this is an excellent program. This
County Office of Emergency Management.
by helicopter to assist first responders.
profession is about taking care of families,
During her time there, she assisted in
For 48 hours, the cohort lived in tents
and I think they're taking those lessons very
creating plans to contain communicable
on a makeshift base camp they set up
seriously at FIU.” n
Pelaez also interned at the Miami-Dade
SPRING 2017 | 11
Hear the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow sing magazine.fiu.edu
12 | SPRING 2017
tiny songbird
won’t be silenced
By JoAnn Adkins
Conservation team ready for critical season of the Florida grasshopper sparrow
O
n a quiet, 30-acre property near
difficult. Yet, scientists know it is one of
West Palm Beach, Fla., 19 Florida
the most imperiled birds on the planet. FIU
listed as an endangered species since 1986.
grasshopper sparrows are starting
conservationist Paul Reillo is more blunt.
It is not a migratory bird and historically was
to sing.
These tiny songbirds bask in the breezes that flow through their custom enclosure.
“This bird is going to go extinct in the wild. There’s no question about that.” Reillo is the director of TCI and founder
The Florida grasshopper sparrow has been
only known to nest in the dry prairie grasses of central and southern Florida. As much as 90 percent of the sparrow’s natural habitat
They know the nesting season is near.
of RSCF. For 35 years, the biologist has
has been developed, and today there is only
Named for their song, which resembles
fought to save species through field-based
one area left in the wild where the sparrows
the sounds of grasshoppers, the sparrows
conservation and, when necessary, captive-
are known to reside — a swath of land not
are blissfully unaware that they are among
breeding programs. The team of researchers
far from Walt Disney World. The sparrow
the last of their kind. These birds share the
that make up TCI is working across the
population in that area has experienced a
property with a motley crew of endangered
world to protect and restore populations of
brutal decline in the past five years.
wildlife. There are the east African bongo
birds, land animals and marine species. The
antelopes, living far from the poachers and
institute has received core funding support
abandoned and the rest from nests expected
habitat destruction that have pushed their
from the Batchelor Foundation to help
to fail, were put into the care of Reillo and
species to the brink of extinction. Golden
sustain its programs. Nearly every species
his team — the first time the species
lion tamarins can be seen across the way,
the researchers are working with are fighting
was brought into captivity. Reillo was
part of a 40-year breeding program that has
for survival. Many are winning.
expecting a slow start, but the captive
helped restore the species in the forests
In the 1980s, populations of the red-
In 2015, seven young hatchlings, some
clutch shocked everyone when two birds
of Brazil. Large birds and tiny primates
browed Amazon parrot were falling to
mated and produced four hatchlings in
make up the rest of the residents of the
desperately low numbers. The species, with
the first year. The team had little time
property. They are part of a broad initiative
its distinctive green feathers and striking red
to celebrate because, soon after, heavy
in the Tropical Conservation Institute (TCI),
crown, appeared to be headed for extinction,
rains flooded the prairie. State and federal
a collaboration between FIU and the Rare
nothing more than a footnote in the history
wildlife officials recovered as many eggs as
Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF).
of the planet’s biodiversity. Reillo and the
they could and brought those to Reillo for
The Florida grasshopper sparrows are
RSCF team gave captive breeding a try.
incubation and rearing. “This little bird is doing everything to stay
the newest addition to the RSCF property.
They started with 11 birds. Today, nearly 30
Less than 60 breeding pairs remain in the
years later, the red-brow’s numbers have
on planet Earth, but the odds are against
wild today, according to Karl Miller with
grown to nearly 100 in captivity, and are
it,” Reillo said. “We have problems on every
the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
making a comeback in the wild. Reillo thinks
front. Financial. Disease. Habitat.”
Commission. Some say it could be fewer
the same could happen for the Florida
than 25. At about an ounce, the bird’s tiny
grasshopper sparrow.
size makes it difficult to find. Their cryptic
“It’s a species on life support,” he said.
When asked if the Florida grasshopper sparrow can elude extinction, Reillo doesn’t have an answer. But with so few left on
coloring of brown feathers with flecks of
“We need to pull out all the stops this year.
the planet, he says captive breeding is the
gray works like camouflage. They’re also
There is definitely optimism around here, but
difference between this bird being here
very elusive, so keeping tabs on them is
this bird is facing its end. It’s scary.”
and not. Continues
SPRING 2017 | 13
RSCF staff member Stephanie Howard is part of the team that provides comprehensive monitoring of the birds.
will also join the program for internships. This team will enjoy little rest now that the nesting season has begun. They will watch over any eggs, help rear hatchlings and conduct round-the-clock feedings. Because the 19 captive sparrows all arrived as young birds or eggs, they didn’t learn from their parents how to nurture their young or live in the wild. The team hopes to discourage domestication of the captive sparrows, keeping them as wild as possible, so their descendants might someday be able to return to the wild. Sneckenberger said U.S. Fish and
The Florida grasshopper sparrow is
be taken into captivity this year through
the newest addition to the Tropical
emergency interventions due to flooding,
Conservation Institute, of which FIU
fire ants or other threats. There may also
is a collaborator. ”It’s a species on
be some collections of family groups to
life support,” says the director of the institute, which has undertaken a captive-breeding program in support of the tiny birds. Continued
Sandra Sneckenberger, an endangered
Wildlife anticipates more sparrows will
introduce wild birds into captivity that exhibit natural behaviors, helping to teach those reared in captivity. The RSCF facilities are an ideal fit for the 19 sparrows currently residing at the property. But if the breeding program
just as their size and secretive nature make
continues its success and more wild
species recovery biologist with the U.S.
them difficult to locate while alive, it’s nearly
sparrows are introduced into the captive
Fish and Wildlife Service, says the Florida
impossible to find the bodies of Florida
setting as planned, TCI will need to expand
grasshopper sparrow is a tough species to
grasshopper sparrows when they die. Since
the facilities and deal with the rising costs of
take on. Few were willing to be involved in
first being placed into captivity, a few were
sustaining the delicate species. The project
a captive breeding program, she said, but
discovered to be carriers of a disease from
is currently supported by U.S. Fish and
federal officials knew Reillo and his team
the wild population.
Wildlife Service, dedicated funds from RSCF
could give the sparrow a fighting chance.
Reillo says it is now fair to presume that,
and donations. The annual cost to maintain
along with habitat loss, disease has played
the current birds exceeds $65,000, a figure
for scientists. The bird’s size makes it
a part in the species’ decline. The team is
that is expected to increase as the number
difficult to handle and nearly impossible to
investigating this and other health issues
of sparrows increases. Of all the challenges
examine. No long-term captive-breeding
while the breeding program continues.
faced by the Florida grasshopper sparrow,
The species presents unique challenges
program exists for similar sparrow species,
“We don’t have enough time to resolve all
this may be the most welcomed.
so the team has no template to follow.
the disease questions right now,” he said. “It
Little is known about their immunity or
would take us more time to investigate the
Conservation Institute is the final hope. This is
to what diseases they are susceptible.
diseases than this bird has left. Everything
especially true for Florida’s tiny grasshopper
Scientists often recover remains of animals
has to happen concurrently.”
sparrow where the fight for survival will be
For many species, the FIU Tropical
to investigate cause of death and determine
The team includes a handful of avian
difficult, and the odds long. But because of
if populations suffer from parasitic diseases,
keepers and husbandry specialists. This
TCI, there is hope — hope for survival and
bacterial infections or other illnesses. But
summer, two FIU undergraduate students
hope for many songs to come. n
14 | SPRING 2017
[FOCUS ON INNOVATION]
Better chemical testing R
esearch coming out of FIU combines advanced chemical coatings created in a campus lab with one of the most commonly
available fabrics on earth. The work has led to patents with the potential to revolutionize the multibillion-dollar sample preparation and analytical testing industry. FIU Provost and Executive Vice President Kenneth G. Furton and Abuzar Kabir of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education led the discovery. Furton, an analytical chemist and a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors who has five patents to his name and another six pending, and Kabir, a materials expert, collaborated on a way to simplify and enhance the chemical testing conducted by technicians in medical labs and coroners’ offices, as well as by environmental scientists in the field. Specifically, they wanted to improve the sample preparation process. Currently, to test for an illicit drug in urine or a pollutant in waste water, for example, the component to be analyzed must be separated from the sample in a complicated, multi-operation process that involves solvents and expensive devices. Depending upon a sample’s physical and chemical properties, achieving the required level of component extraction can take 24 hours or longer, and that time does not include the actual chemical testing. Among the materials the two scientists considered as a base for their portfolio of new chemical coatings was the same cotton muslin used to make apparel. The team of researchers experimented by applying a different coating to several postage stamp-size swatches and putting them in direct contact with various liquid samples. They were shocked by the result: Within 15 minutes, each of the targeted components was extracted in a quantity suitable for analysis. The FIU extraction method absorbs a greater amount of a component than currently available methods, which reduces the chances of false negatives and thereby improves the conclusiveness of test results. It also requires the use of little or no solvents, many of which are toxic, making testing environmentally friendlier. Already, researchers at 30 universities worldwide have devoted extensive time and effort to validating the patented technology, and more than 20 related peer-reviewed journal articles have been accepted for publication. “It’s exciting to have so many laboratories around the world demonstrating the advantages of our technology,” Furton says. “We hope this will be a game changer for the industry.” The university is currently working to commercialize the invention for widespread use in a variety of applications. n
Provost and Executive Vice President Kenneth G. Furton, right, and Abuzar Kabir are co-inventors of a new sample preparation method.
SPRING 2017 | 15
Building better bridges An FIU professor is leading the nation’s efforts to make infrastructure safer By Alexandra Pecharich | Photo by Doug Garland ’10
F
IU has designated five university
to his credit, the chair of the Department of
program in 2006. Azizinamini was the
programs as “preeminent,” a recognition
Civil and Environmental Engineering boasts
principal investigator leading an initiative
of high-caliber, collaborative work that
a long history of impacting his field, first by
that resulted in his developing the definitive
generates unique learning opportunities,
working in industry and then spending two
government guide for enhancing the service
pioneering research and meaningful
highly productive decades at the University of
life of bridges through design, construction
engagement with the external community
Nebraska, Lincoln, before landing at FIU
and maintenance.
while expanding the university’s financial
in 2011.
Nebraska’s state bridge engineer Mark
base. This is the first in a series of articles that
His expertise: building bridges fast.
Traynowicz praises the past work between his
explores these programs in greater depth.
“The best way I can describe him is
professional staff and Azizinamini as key to
as an innovator,” says Monica Starnes, a
“[elevating] Nebraska as one of the leaders in
When Atorod Azizinamini stood in the White
senior program officer at the Transportation
bridge design and bridge engineering in the
House in 2015 to be honored as a “Champion
Research Board of the National Academies
country. With his help, through research, he
of Change,” he formally accepted a title that
of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. She
put us on the map.”
many agree has described him for years.
worked with Azizinamini when Congress
With four patents and more than 200 articles
established a $232 million highway research
16 | SPRING 2017
Azizinamini shows no sign of slowing down in his drive to make impactful changes that
SPOTLIGHT ON EXCELLENCE
See what the ABC Conference is all about magazine.fiu.edu
benefit society — nor can the nation afford to let him.
Then in 2013, the U.S. Department of
mobility and work zone fatalities (resulting
Transportation put out a call to universities in
from more than 67,500 related crashes in
More than 25 percent of the country’s
a move to build increased collaboration with
2013 alone), not to mention financial losses to
600,000-plus bridges are older than the
the Federal Highway Administration and the
local businesses and commuter frustration.
50 years for which they were optimally
American Association of State Highway and
designed. Data from the 2016 National
Transportation Officials.
Bridge Inventory indicates that nearly
“We heard that the secretary of
56,000 bridges are “structurally deficient”
transportation wanted new ideas, new
— deemed safe for travel but in need of
innovations, something that can solve the
renovation or replacement — and another
problems and the challenges we have with
74,000-plus are “functionally obsolete”
the transportation system,” Azizinamini
— inadequate for current traffic demands
says. He prepared a winning $4.5 million
or unable to accommodate oversized or
proposal (and earned the federal designation
emergency vehicles.
“University Transportation Center”) around “accelerated bridge construction.” ABC, as
Full speed ahead
it’s known, uses cutting-edge techniques
“If you didn’t have alternative technology, that would be something,” he says, “but we have the solutions.”
New ways of doing business Those solutions include alternatives to what has been, until recently, standard construction practice. Instead of closing down a major artery for months at a time to demolish an existing bridge and erect a new one in its place, state departments of
Azizinamini arrived at FIU with the goal
that minimize onsite construction to produce
transportation are increasingly looking at
of establishing a federally funded center to
environmentally friendly bridges that are safer
ABC. Options include constructing an entire
make aging infrastructure safer. The university
and longer lasting than those built under
bridge off-site and transporting it whole to its
quickly provided $50,000 in seed money to
traditional methods.
designated location for installation; building
jumpstart the effort. Fellow faculty, industry
Azizinamini understands well the negative
a bridge alongside an existing one and then,
professionals and a growing number of
impacts associated with traditional bridge
following demolition of the older structure,
graduate students signed on.
construction: traffic delays, decreased
sliding in the new one; and a modular Continues
SPRING 2017 | 17
Continued
Dr. Azizinamini has done,” Traynowicz says, “is really put together a team of experts. He reached out to people across the country that are the best at what they do. I’m always impressed by that,” he says, referencing those who contribute as presenters as well as the professional staff who help run the center. “It’s just the way that he can get people together. You don’t have to be the one smartest person in the world or have all the answers, but when you can bring people together like that, you can get all the answers.” Azizinamini also gathers together federal highway administrators, state engineers, contractors, representatives of fabricating companies and academics in his role as
The folded plate steel girder system
chair of the Accelerated Bridge Construction approach that combines factory fabrication
says of research that doesn’t leave the halls
Conference, which is cosponsored by no
with minimal construction on site.
of academia. “I think why things worked so
fewer than 30 state DOTs and several federal
well [in Nebraska] is because the university
agencies. The next conference takes place
and even drives, the use of ABC nationwide
came up with these great, new, innovative
in December and will host more than 600
as well as addresses myriad issues related
ideas and we were able to implement them
attendees who participate in workshops,
to contemporary bridge making in general.
on real projects.”
listen to technical presentations and visit
The research coming out of FIU supports,
Re-funded in 2016 (with $7.5 million over
In addition to working with the state of
five years), the center continues to serve
Nebraska on several bridges, Azizinamini
as the lead institution of a consortium that
actively shared with officials and engineers the
includes four other universities (Iowa State
knowledge he and colleagues had gathered.
University, the University of Nevada-Reno,
“He went so far as to train us in what’s
more than 50 exhibitors in downtown Miami.
A profitable patent His long experience has given Azizinamini unique insight into areas of need within the
the University of Oklahoma and the University
going on in research not only at the university
field. Work he began at the University of
of Washington), each of which Azizinamini
but across the country,” Traynowicz says.
Nebraska has led to his own inventions.
invited to participate based on a particular
“We knew what we were doing, but he had
area of strength.
the latest advances and some of the most
officials gravitated almost exclusively to
current techniques.”
the use of concrete for spans of 100 feet or
At FIU, researchers are working on dozens of projects, among them studies to develop
Today Azizinamini uses a bigger bullhorn
Noting that for decades state transportation
less — a size range into which the majority
prefabricated concrete bridge railings; to
to reach a larger audience. He hosts monthly
of bridges fall — he started looking for a
establish best practices and guidelines for
webinars that attract as many as 4,000
potential alternative. “That gave me a little
demolition; to evaluate the feasibility of using
participants at a time, including folks in both
bit of a challenge,” says Azizinamini. “The
sensor technology to monitor corrosion;
the public and private sectors. In many cases,
motivation was to come up with something
and to develop a sensing system to monitor
whole departments huddle together to hear
that costs less to society, is more efficient,
soil erosion around abutments and piers
state engineers and project managers share
more economical, lasts longer.”
subjected to storm surge and sea level rise.
their experiences on specific projects. (The
From research to practice From his years of working with Azizinamini
By 2009 he had something — a folded
titles of recent presentations include, among
plate steel girder system — that industry
others, “West Virginia’s Basnettville Bridge
publications have predicted will revolutionize
Lateral Slide,” “Ontario’s Rapid Installation
the short-span bridge market.
in Nebraska, state bridge engineer Traynowicz
of Single-Span Bridges” and “PennDOT
The genius lies in bending a single steel
understands the value of getting such research
Replacement of Route 581 Bridge during
plate into a trapezoid-shaped girder (several
out to those who can best run with it.
Weekend.”) For those listening in, the chance
girders comprise the support on which a
to ask technical questions of the presenters,
deck, or the driving surface, rests), thereby
whether live or after the fact, is priceless.
eliminating the conventional use of multiple
“You can come up with these great ideas, but if you can’t get them built in the real world, they don’t really go anywhere,” he 18 | SPRING 2017
“One of the biggest things that
plates that have to be joined by welding
(the welded seam being a potential source of
step of changing programs midstream,
bridge weakness). The system uses less steel
she scoured academic journals and trade
than do traditional steel girders, making it less
publications for inspiration. One name cropped
expensive, and the innovative open-bottom
up more often than others: Atorod Azizinamini.
construction allows for easy maintenance
She sent him her research papers and made a
inspections, another cost savings. The girders
visit to Miami. The strength of her commitment
are fabricated in a plant and delivered to
and the quality of her work earned her a spot
the bridge site, where they are conjoined in
on his team, and she has been getting her
preparation for the pouring of a concrete deck
hands dirty ever since. (She studies deck
or the laying of precast concrete panels.
and slab connections.) Jahromi revels in the
CDR Maguire, a Miami-based engineering
comprehensive nature of her education under
firm owned and run by FIU alumnus Carlos
Azizinamini, who has an unparalleled grasp
Duart ’94, MS ’99, markets and distributes the
of how industry works. Upon graduation, she
steel plate girder system.
hopes to find a job with a private firm.
“The contractors absolutely love it,” says
“Some people think that civil engineering is
Duart, whose company will have overseen
only working with software and PCs, that they
production of 10 bridges using the system by
cannot go into the field, they cannot go [talk]
the end of 2017. “What they love about our
to the project manager,” she says, thrilled that
bridges is that in three hours they have the
her mentor believes otherwise. “He teaches
segments already in place.”
us how we can work as a civil engineer in the
The unique design is key. “What Dr. Azizinamini has been able to do
field, in industry.” And critical to making that leap: access to
is basically standardize bridge design, which
Azizinamini’s cutting-edge structural lab, where
of course reduces the cost,” Duart explains.
Jahromi and her fellow students can take
“It’s 99 percent pretty much standard, which
experimental concepts from the drawing board
is what’s really ideal and innovative about this
to another level.
particular product.”
“You don’t just work on the computer,” she
Duart expects to see the folded plate girder
stresses of the practical training she is getting.
system used to build 500 bridges by the close
“Whatever I can model on the PC, we can later
of 2022 and anticipates cornering 20 percent
see it in the lab using real materials [such as]
of the short-span market — or erecting 10,000
real concrete, real foam board, real rebar. We
bridges — within the next decade. FIU holds
can construct [bridge] elements in our lab to
a patent on the system developed specifically
see how they work in reality.”
for bridges longer than 60 feet, and Duart says
That full-spectrum, hands-on experience
that will translate into a financial boost for the
gives graduating students a real advantage, a
university in the tens of millions of dollars.
number of whom have scooped up high-level positions at top engineering firms, some even
Workforce of the future While spearheading research and getting it to those in the field, Azizinamini is at the same time preparing the next generation of
choosing among multiple offers. And wouldbe graduate students continue to apply at an increasing rate. That growing interest from young people
professionals. Currently eight Ph.D. candidates
bodes well at a time when Azizinamini is
work in his busy lab.
accelerating the pace of the center’s work,
Azadeh Jaberi Jahromi is one of them.
and the current U.S. administration considers
She spent a year as a Ph.D. student in the
directing greater funding to update the nation’s
civil engineering department at a university
infrastructure.
out west before recognizing that her lifelong
In late 2016 university leaders identified five standout research programs that they designated as “preeminent.” Another four with high potential are waiting in the wings. PREEMINENT Bridge Engineering Program A national leader in research related to accelerated bridge construction, an approach that minimizes bridge downtime 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 Institute for 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 Health Inequalities and Disparities Program Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center Tropical Biodiversity, Sustainable Agriculture and Conservation Program
“It has become part of my DNA,” the
interest in bridges made that program a poor
changemaker says of the boundless cache of
match for her career goals.
ideas he plans to trot out. “I just have to do
Determined to take the risky and unorthodox
Recognizing Excellence
something continuously new.” n SPRING 2017 | 19
By Karen Cochrane Photos by Doug Garland ’10 and Eduardo Merille ’97, MBA ’00
20 | SPRING 2017
S
omething had to be done. It was 2010
way we teach our students.” An education
not in all of the lower division gateway math
and the alarmingly high failure rate
researcher who specializes in how best to
courses, not just college algebra.
among students who were taking
teach math, Wells helped keep the momentum
the university’s college algebra course had
moving forward throughout initial attempts
become a crisis. Somewhere along the way,
to retool the course and along a sometimes-
MAC 1105 had become a stumbling block
bumpy road.
“That is remarkable,” says Wells, “and extremely rare in a university setting.” **** The redesign of the college algebra course is part of a broader university initiative called
for 70 percent of the students who took it. It
By the Spring 2012 semester, 50 percent of
had the highest failure rate of any course at
the students were now passing. At that point,
the Gateway Project that involves the redesign
FIU. Failing it meant retaking the class, which
Wells says, “The university went all in.” The
of 17 lower division courses characterized
meant delaying subsequent courses, which
first Math Mastery Lab opened in fall 2012. A
by large enrollment (there are approximately
interrupted timely degree progression. You
critical component of the course redesign’s
40,000 enrollments annually in these courses)
didn’t have to be a math whiz to understand
success, the lab is a high-tech, high-touch
with a high failure rate, a high attrition rate
that a number like this was holding back
approach to improving student performance.
for students that do fail the class, or both.
thousands of students who took the course
It’s equipped with more than 200 computers
These gateway courses, as they are so
annually and the institution that had made a
and staffed full time with undergraduate
called, include lower division math, general
commitment to educate them.
learning assistants and serves as a meeting
chemistry, general biology, intro to economics,
place for faculty office hours. It has been such
English composition and some history and
a success that a second lab opened recently.
religious study courses. So critical is the
In response, then-Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education (CASE) Kenneth G. Furton received a $2.5 million grant from the Department of Education aimed at increasing course pass rates. Over the next two years, 11 individuals came together to rethink the way college algebra was taught at FIU. “The redesign wasn’t about ‘fixing’ the students. They’re not broken,” says Leanne Wells, director of Technology Innovations
"The funding will not arrive unless we perform, and we have to perform in a way that is even more remarkable than our fellow institutions in the State University System."
—President Mark B. Rosenberg
and Learning Architecture and former director of the Math Mastery Program. “It was about improving the
Today the pass rate for college algebra
Gateway Project to the future of the university
hovers in the 70 percent range, and
that it was written into the university’s
universities from around the country visit
FIUBeyondPossible2020 strategic plan. A
FIU to learn more about the extraordinary
multi-year project, it’s expected that all of the
transformation. Instructors in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics now meet weekly to go over what’s working and what’s
gateway courses will be redesigned by 2018. How students perform in these courses is a strong predictor of how they’ll do in the rest of their academic journey. Little emphasis was put on these courses historically. That has changed, says Isis Artze-Vega, assistant vice president for Teaching and Learning. “The faculty teaching these courses provide the first impression of our institution,” says Artze-Vega. “Let’s support the faculty who do this really difficult work Continues
SPRING 2017 | 21
Continued
of teaching gateway courses so that those courses can be as effective as possible and a catalyst for student success.” Artze-Vega points out that most faculty are trained in their discipline, not in teaching, and the teaching models they’re familiar with are primarily lectures. “We’re suggesting to them that’s not enough. We have a whole body of literature telling us that students have to be active in those courses.” The Center for Teaching and Learning offers a variety of professional development for faculty such as summer institutes and reading groups and conducts student focus groups and surveys. In addition, center staff make classroom visits to observe faculty and the students they are teaching.
Making the Grade After graduating in May with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, this international student is off to MIT in the fall to pursue a Ph.D. in computer science. Geeticka Chauhan ’17 wanted to attend college in the United States. The reason, she said, was simple: She felt that a U.S. university would offer a more well-rounded education than an engineering school in her native India. “I wanted something more than just science,” she says. “I wanted to learn about the arts, too.” After considering offers from several U.S. universities, she chose FIU, in large part because she received a Presidential Scholarship. This allowed her to complete her undergraduate education debt free, which she says was an important consideration. Building a new life 9,000 miles from home was daunting. Chauhan says the personal attention she received from advisor Tiana Solis and her department professors helped her make the transition. Solis took the time to get to know her and routinely recommended courses she thought the Honors College student would enjoy. “I found my advisor and my professors willing to help the students in any way they could. Many times my professors went above and beyond to help me out,” says Chauhan, who was involved in three research projects while at FIU. She says her FIU experience was better than she envisioned. In addition to her research projects, highlights included a Study Abroad to France and an Honors College course in which students portrayed characters in the French Revolution. “Sometimes a student’s needs are academic, sometimes they’re not,” Solis says. “In Geeticka’s case it was more about her being an international student and missing her parents. Sometimes she just needed someone to talk to.” Chauhan used an online tool called Panther Degree Audit throughout her FIU career. She checked it every semester to make certain she was on track to graduate in four years, which she did. As she looks ahead to MIT, she says her experiences at FIU have helped clarify what she would like to do in the future. “I see myself as a research scientist in industry or academia trying to solve a problem that affects a lot of people,” she says. “I’m currently interested in how computers can understand human language and how that might be used to help people in developing countries.” Chauhan’s sister, Bhavyta, was so impressed with the university after hearing about Geeticka’s experiences that she also decided to attend FIU. She recently finished her sophomore year and is majoring in computer science as well. 22 | SPRING 2017
“We’re really drilling down,” says Artze-Vega. “Our faculty realize how much they don’t know about their students, so we help them collect data.” Early results are promising, with most of the redesigned gateway courses showing improvements in passing rates, student dispositions toward the discipline and/or in meeting learning objectives. Several improvements in passing rates are in the single digits while others have improvements of 30 or 40 percent. On average, improvement in gateway course passing rates is approximately 15 percent. “In higher education, we’ve never really thought of faculty as agents of student success,” she says. “They were looking at whether students learned their material, whether they performed well on their tests. I think most faculty didn’t have an awareness of drop rates. The data hadn’t been shared with chairs, and chairs hadn’t sought it out either. That was not an outcome they were held accountable for, so this is really a new day.” **** Much is riding on the success of the Gateway Project. In the fall of 2012, the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) began implementing its own transformative policies — in this case, changes to the way higher education in the state is funded. Comprising 17 members from across Florida, the BOG is the governing body for the State University System (SUS) of Florida, which includes Florida’s 12 public universities. The move by the BOG has forced institutions from Tallahassee to Miami to rethink the way they educate students. “We are at an inflection point in human history with the current decade likely to be the most disruptive period in higher education since the Academy was created by Plato 24 centuries ago,” says Furton, who became FIU provost and executive vice president in 2014. Education funding at the state level has been driven historically by enrollment and previous funding levels. With the exception of anxious parents, no one paid too much attention to how long it took students to graduate, what they studied or the cost of earning a university degree. But times have changed in the halls of state government and state leaders are intent upon improving educational outcomes.
Tennessee became the first state, in 1979, to introduce performance-based funding metrics into its higher education system. More than 30 states have since adopted this model, which rewards institutions financially for positive outcomes in specific areas. Florida introduced
FIUBeyondPossible2020 Critical Performance Indicator Goals The university’s goals were designed specifically to align with BOG metrics. “We’re calling this plan FIUBeyondPossible2020 because no majority-minority institution of higher education has attained goals this aggressive relating to student success — ever,” said Provost Kenneth G. Furton, who led the creation of the plan. “But we’ve done lots of things at FIU that no one thought we could do.”
Metric (Annual)
2014
2020
1
Students returning to FIU in 2nd year
79%
90%
2
Students graduating < 6 years
53%
70%
another in 10 performance goals tracked by
3
AA transfers graduating < 4 years
64%
70%
the BOG (see page 25). The funding formula
4
Graduates without excess hours
68%
80%
5
Graduates employed < 1 year
77%
80%
6
Strategic bachelor’s degrees
46%
50%
institutions that wind up in the bottom three
7
Strategic graduate degrees
52%
60%
lose all or a portion of their performance
8
Cost per degree
$26K
$20K
funding for one year (see page 25).
9
Wages of graduates
$36K
$40K
10
Degrees awarded to minorities
6,219
7,200
11
First Gen graduates
1,982
2,300
funding will not arrive unless we perform, and
12
Student internships
4,737
6,000
we have to perform in a way that is even more
13
Doctoral degrees
159
200
remarkable than our fellow institutions in the
14 Post-docs
83
129
State University System.”
15 Patents
2
20
16
2 5 8 20
the model in 2014, and in 2016, Gov. Rick Scott signed it into law. SUS institutions now compete against one
is complicated, but basically, universities that score in the top three receive additional funding for their good performance and
“We have a responsibility to make sure that we stay on the edge of responsiveness,” says FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg. “The
While the performance funding model is complex, Rosenberg is delivering a simple recipe for success: “Our message to our students is this — 30 credit hours a year for four years,” he says. “Reach out to your advisor, take advantage of internship opportunities and you will be in the best position to earn a job upon graduation.” Critics of the model say it pits universities against one another and forces institutions with fundamental differences (student demographics, for example) to be measured
FIU tech startups Startups assisted
17 FIU endowment private gifts
$176M $53M
18
Auxiliary revenue Auxiliary income
$197M $240M $20M $25M
19
Research expenditures S&E expenditures
$133M $200M $107M $165M
20
Total FIU students % of classes FTF:Hybrid:Online
54,000 65,000 67:8:25 30:30:40
The winners in all of this are the more
$300M $70M
The College Life Coaching program targets
against the same criteria. It is patently
than 350,000 students who attend a public
students who are on warning or probation
unfair, they say. But even those individuals
university in Florida.
after their first semester. Students in the
acknowledge it has improved the educational journey for students by forcing universities to become more focused on student success. Since 2014, student graduation and
**** One year after the BOG introduced its new funding model, FIU created a Student Success Initiative (SSI) office to provide
program meet one-on-one biweekly with a college life coach. “We don’t tell the students what to do,” says Cram, who has spent her career working
retention have been on the rise across
intense coaching and support to first-
the state. Florida now boasts the second
year students. Student Success Manager
highest graduation rate among the 10 largest
Bridgette Cram and a team of four work
states in the country. The number of both
together to create retention and graduation
undergraduate and graduate STEM (Science,
interventions. There are three interventions
phase of the College Life Coaching program,
Technology, Engineering and Math) degrees
that have already demonstrated success:
71 percent of the students who participated
awarded annually is also up. In March, Florida
the College Life Coaching program, the
experienced a positive increase in their GPA
was named the best state for higher education
Strategies for Success course, and the
and 43 percent moved from academic warning
by U.S. News & World Report.
retention and completion grant program.
to good standing.
with struggling students. “This is more about helping them grow as individuals.” The strategy is working. For the fall pilot
Continues
SPRING 2017 | 23
Irene Delgado has enrolled at FIU twice. The second time around has been a much better experience, thanks in part to advisor Cynthia Perez. “She’s been the key to my feeling at home at FIU this time around,” Delgado says.
Continued
“I believe it’s safe to say that it gave me
who received a grant graduated in the same
Approximately 75 new advisors have been
relief as well as gratitude to talk about my
semester the grant was awarded, and another
hired since 2010. Collectively, advisors interact
goals and ways to accomplish them,” wrote
5 percent graduated within one semester.
with all undergraduates both in person and
one student in an anonymous evaluation. “[The coach] gave me feedback which is 10 times
****
online using university software that tracks
Charlie Andrews, assistant vice president for
a student’s academic progress. If a student
Undergraduate Education, can appreciate how
fails the first test or never attends class, his
dramatically the educational experience has
or her faculty member can send an alert to
evolved. An FIU alumnus, he earned a math
both the student and advisor. The advisor then
degree with an emphasis in education in 1994.
schedules an appointment with the student to
make a difference because it encourages
Unlike when Andrews was a student, today’s
discuss resources that are available to help. A
students to reflect on why they didn’t do well,”
freshmen are required to declare a major
low GPA will trigger an alert as well.
says Cram. “I don’t think those conversations
because research shows that students who
took place before systematically.”
declare a major early in their college career are
they are contacted by their advisor or a
more likely to graduate.
member of their department with a message:
better than the usual ‘you should do this’ talk.” The newer Strategies for Success class was piloted in the Spring 2017 semester. “My gut tells me this course is going to
The SSI team is big on the personal touch. Students in danger of being dropped from
“Gone are the days that you can take two
When students finish their freshman year,
Continue your sophomore year of studies with
their classes are contacted via phone calls and
years to figure out what it is you want to be in
no interruption in enrollment. This term-to-
emails. Cram recalls the day she discovered a
life,” says Andrews.
term enrollment from freshman to sophomore
student was going to be dropped because she hadn’t accepted her Pell grant. Cram looked up the student’s schedule, went to her class
That makes academic advising all the more critical for students like Irene Delgado. Originally from Puerto Rico, Delgado went
year is called the second-year retention rate. It’s another key indicator of whether a student is likely to graduate on time. Says Andrews,
and asked the professor if she could speak
to Pittsburgh in the 1990s at the age of 18
“We’ve realized that the front end of our
with the student while attendance was being
to study communications. Soon she was
students’ education is critical to their success
taken. When they got outside the classroom,
married with a baby on the way; school was
at the back end.”
Cram handed the student her laptop that she
not a priority. She returned to school — this
had queued up to the page with the prompt
time to FIU — in 2002. “I picked hospitality
hours a student completes. With a BOG
to accept the Pell grant. The grateful student
management because I liked people,” she
metric that measures how many students
accepted her grant and remained an enrolled
says. Once again, it didn’t work out.
graduate within six years (that metric is
student in good standing.
The alerts get more strategic the more
Now that her daughter is in college, she
changing in 2018-19 to track a university’s
came back to FIU in 2015, choosing early
success at graduating students within four
and develops policies to reduce obstacles;
childhood education as her major. Delgado,
years), FIU now requires students who
more than $50,000 was awarded in grants
who is on track to graduate in Spring 2018,
have earned 90 of the 120 credits needed
this past spring. Grant recipients are students
credits advisor Cynthia Perez with helping her
to graduate to meet with their advisor to
who are typically close to graduating but, in
“feel at home.” This time around, she says, her
create a graduation plan. Not only does it
many cases, have exhausted their financial
FIU experience is different.
help students, Andrews says, it helps the
SSI awards retention and completion grants
aid. Rather than have those students postpone
“She’s a good sounding board. She’s not
their studies, FIU now steps in to help.
making the decisions for me, she’s making me
Approximately 84 percent of the students
think. That's empowering.”
24 | SPRING 2017
university with its course planning. Andrews says that today’s methods are more effective than previous ones.
Facing page: The university spent two years redesigning the college algebra course, which has seen passing rates rise dramatically. Team members pictured here, back row, left to right: Lakshmy Menon Narayanankutty and Shivanni Jagessar. Middle row: Roneet Merkin and Ada Monserrat. Front: Leanne Wells. Not pictured: Jeremiah Hower, Bao Qin Li, Hamid Meziani, Suzanna Rose, Kieron Thomas and Anna Wlodarczyk.
“I don’t think anybody tried not to be helpful in years past,” he says, “but what I would say is that our efforts were less intentional.” **** FIU’s efforts to improve graduation rates and prepare students for high-paying careers translated into $25 million in performance funds for the 2016-2017 year (see right). The university made the most gains in areas that included the six-year graduation rate for first-time-in-college students, academic progress rate and median wages for bachelor’s graduates working full-time in Florida. (FIU alumni earn the highest median wage among SUS graduates.) The funds are being poured back in to university initiatives that improve performance success for students as well as postgraduation success. No one professes to know what the future holds for higher education, but optimism remains high for the way FIU is handling this sea change. “The performance funding model has caused introspection about what we are doing to help our students be successful,” says Andrews. “The good part about that is that now, more than ever, we are making strategic decisions about where to allocate resources.” n
Florida Board of Governors
Performance Funding Allocation 2016-17
Allocation of Allocation of State Institutional Points Investment Investment*
Total Performance Funding Allocation
FAMU 65 FAU 84 FGCU 67 FIU 76 FSU 68 NCF 59 UCF 84 UF 82 UNF 56 USF 79 UWF 57 Total
$25,575,849 $46,988,911 $17,800,880 $56,119,445 $79,054,684 $ 2,740,857 $77,998,761 $96,875,833 $12,914,790 $71,796,363 $12,133,627 $500,000,000
$11,509,132 $25,346,748 $ 8,010,396 $25,253,750 $35,574,608 $0 $39,301,181 $47,695,822 $0 $32,308,363 $0 $225,000,000
$14,066,717 $21,642,163 $ 9,790,484 $30,865,695 $43,480,076 $ 2,740,857 $38,697,580 $49,180,011 $12,914,790 $39,488,000 $12,133,627 $275,000,000
As reflected above, institutions scoring 50 points or less or the three lowestscoring universities do not receive any state investment for one year. * Each university contributed a portion of their institutional budget, for a total of $275 million, to be allocated based on performance. Universities that scored 51 points or higher receive their full institutional funding restored.
Performance Funding Model 2016-17
Final Florida International University
Excellence
Improvement Score
Key Metrics Common to All Universities Plus Two Institution-Specific Metrics
Data
Points
Percent of bachelor’s graduates employed and/or continuing their education (1 year after graduation)
75.7%
8
Data -2.2%
Points 0
8
Median wages of bachelor’s graduates employed full-time in Florida (1 year after graduation)
$36,900
8
1.9%
3
8
Average cost per bachelor’s degree
$25,990
6
2.0%
0
6
6-year graduation rate full-time and part-time FTIC
56.8%
0
3.7%
7
7
Academic Progress Rate 2nd year retention with GPA above 2.0
80.4%
2
3.5%
7
7
Bachelor’s degrees awarded in areas of strategic emphasis
46.9%
8
0.8%
1
8
University access rate percent of undergraduates with a Pell grant
50.5%
10
-0.4
0
10
Graduate degrees awarded in areas of strategic emphasis institution-specific metrics
54.1%
7
1.7%
3
7
Percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded without excess hours
68.9%
5
1.3%
2
5
Bachelor’s degrees awarded to minorities
85.3%
10
1.3%
2
10
TOTAL 76 All SUS universities are scored on the first eight metrics listed above. In addition, each institution is assigned two metrics based upon input from the institutions themselves. Each university is given a rating from 1-10 on both excellence and improvement for every metric, with the higher of the two going toward the final score. This was done to help ensure that each institution has an opportunity to score well. Case in point: In the 2016-17 funding model, FIU only received 2 points out of a possible 10 in the “Excellence” category for its score of 80.4 percent on the Academic Progress Rate metric (those freshmen who advance to sophomore year with a GPA above 2.0). However, because that score reflected a 3.5 percent increase from the previous year, which is good, it received 7 points out of 10 in the “Improvement” category for that metric. The higher of the two values — the 7 — was then applied to FIU’s final score.
SPRING 2017
| 25
26 | SPRING 2017
Why not us? Butch Davis returns to the college football sidelines with a mission to put FIU on the map By Joel Delgado ’12 | Photos by Doug Garland ’10
W
hen FIU hired Butch Davis last November to take the helm of its football program, the move sent a buzz
through the college football landscape. The 65-year-old was one of the hottest coaching commodities in the country when he led the University of Miami football program in the late 1990s into 2000. Now, after six years away from the sidelines — he spent the last two as an analyst for ESPN — Davis is taking over an FIU football program that has gone through a number of fits and starts. “It’s great to be back on the field,” Davis said during the first week of spring practices. “I love being around the players, I love watching practices and I love seeing them get better and better every day.”
Continues
SPRING 2017 | 27
Continued
BLUE & GOLD CONNECTION
REBUILDING
a wide range of topics. One of the first was sportscaster Rachel Baribeau, who
Davis had a connection to FIU in his old
There has been no time to waste for
friend and colleague Pete Garcia, executive
Davis since taking the job. From building
addressed success and leadership and led a
director of sports and entertainment for FIU
a coaching staff to assembling his first
discussion about sexual violence on college
Athletics. The two knew each other from their
recruiting class, he hit the ground running.
campuses around the country.
days together at the University of Miami and the Cleveland Browns. Having just let go of the head football coach mid-season, Garcia in the fall of 2016 was looking for a permanent replacement and gave Davis a call.
Walk into the coach’s offices and you will
“You have to put people in front of the
find a large dry-erase board loaded with 48
[athletes] that help change the culture,
projects — a few completed, others ongoing
the expectations and the environment
and some still pending — on Davis’ to-do list.
of the program,” Davis says. “Part of my
“It’s been pedal to the metal from day
responsibility is to help educate and provide
one,” says Davis, who had to build his first
information to help our players become
recruiting class in approximately six weeks.
knowledgeable about that and sensitive to
of struggles throughout a 15-year history.
“Little by little, trying to erase the projects on
those topics.”
Outside of two bowl game appearances in
the board. There’s no shortage of things we
By then the program had had its share
2010 and 2011 during the T.Y. Hilton and Mario Cristobal era, the program could not
need to get done.” The team’s first week of spring practices in
On the field, the players feel the atmosphere changing as well. “There’s just a lot of great energy when we
break through and had suffered five straight
March were held at the FIU Soccer Stadium
come out to practice every day and we’ve
losing seasons. Would Davis be interested?
while a state-of-art playing surface was
all grown closer together as a team,” says
being installed at FIU’s football field at the
senior defensive end Newton Salisbury. “You
potential diamond in the rough,” Davis admits
updated and recently renamed Riccardo Silva
can really feel it.”
today, “an untapped potential because of
Stadium. New football practice fields have
its tremendous location that is close to a lot
since been constructed on campus.
“I’d always wondered if FIU wasn’t a
of athletes,” he says of the state of Florida’s
In the few months Davis has been on
Wide receiver Julian Williams, a redshirt junior, adds: “[Coach Davis] came in right away and promised us X, Y and Z, and we
prowess as a leader in turning out high school
board, the program has added a nutritionist,
went to work. He has kept his word. Coach
football talent. “But there’s a lot more to
established a new dining hall for the
Davis makes sure that we are coming
it,” he continues. “I wanted to know about
players, hired a sports psychologist and
together and care about each other, love
the vision for the school and what [school
made renovations to the strength and
each other and build things up together.”
leaders] want out of the football program.”
conditioning room.
Davis’ goals extend far beyond winning
And that’s just the start.
football games on Saturdays. He wants to
“We see that the university cares and
make sure his student-athletes leave FIU with
President Mark B. Rosenberg — “He’s a
wants to help us win,” senior quarterback
a degree and are prepared for life off the field.
good recruiter,” Davis says of Rosenberg,
Alex McGough says. “We know we’re not
who “convinced me that this was a great
alone and that the school is behind us.”
Davis took a tour of campus and learned more about the university in meetings with
opportunity” — as well as members of the FIU Board of Trustees. Before long, he agreed to become FIU’s fifth head football coach. 28 | SPRING 2017
“I have spent a significant amount of time coaching in football and one thing I know
The changes go even further.
for slam-dunk certain is that football is not a
Davis is bringing to campus guests to
career,” Davis says. “I want to have a team
speak with his student-athletes about
that is highly respected in the community,
[so that] when someone says ‘I am a football
“Almost everything that has positively
programs that would give potential recruits
player at FIU’ they know what kind of person
happened in my coaching career is rooted
plenty of options and appeal to parents; a
and what kind of qualities come with that.”
in lessons I’ve learned as an assistant coach
large alumni base within a two-county area
and as head coach at the University of
that promised the possibility of, one day,
Miami,” Davis says.
large crowds in the stands.
PERFECT FOR THE JOB The totality of Davis’ career has prepared
Those lessons come from coaching
He began to look at other programs that
him for the challenge of rebuilding FIU’s
against some of the highest profile programs
have accomplished great things on the field
football program. He’s been part of rebuilding
in the country, from Florida and Florida
with budgetary resources no larger than
college teams — not once, but twice.
State to Notre Dame and Penn State, and
FIU’s: Western Michigan, Northern Illinois,
learning how to recruit in a diverse major
Boise State, UCF and USF.
Few coaches have more experience or have had more success in recruiting studentathletes in Miami than Davis. He arrived in the
metropolitan area. He returned to college football in 2006, this
city in 1984 as a defensive line coach for the
time with the University of North Carolina.
University of Miami and served in that role
Davis took over a program that had had
for five seasons under famed coach
only one winning season in its past six. After
Jimmy Johnson.
a slow start, he led the Tar Heels to three
In 1989 Davis followed Johnson to the Dallas Cowboys, where he served as defensive line coach and later defensive
consecutive eight-win seasons and three bowl game appearances. But his tenure ended in a shroud of
coordinator during back-to-back Super Bowl
controversy. Davis was fired in 2011 with
wins. In 1995 Davis returned to UM as head
the UNC football program embroiled in two
coach. He inherited a Hurricanes program
investigations involving improper benefits for
marred by several violations of NCAA rules
players and academic misconduct.
during his predecessor’s tenure. In the
Davis was completely cleared of any
midst of sanctions, probations and loss of
involvement in the scandals, but the damage
scholarships, Davis found himself tasked with
was done and for years a head coaching job
leading UM through a painful rebuilding.
in college football eluded him. Until now.
Davis helped change the culture of the program and amassed a 51-20 record over six seasons, including an 11-1 record and a Sugar
WHY NOT FIU? As Davis weighed the FIU job, he
Bowl victory in his final season at Miami. In
asked himself, “Why? Why take it?” As he
2001, the year after he left to become the
considered the offer, the list of reasons in
head coach of the Cleveland Browns, the
favor began to grow: access to local talent;
Hurricanes won the national championship
a beautiful campus with a stadium on site;
with many of the players he had recruited.
an impressive, wide range of academic
Inspired, he started asking the question that he has posed publically ever since: “Why not us?” Davis hopes, starting now in his first year, that FIU football annually will be fighting for bowl eligibility and, eventually, perennially in the hunt for conference championships late in the season. At that point, it becomes about looking to the next hurdle: breaking into the Top 25 the way many of the aforementioned programs have done. “I want our players to buy into the idea that there should not be a ceiling,” Davis says. “In the months I’ve been here, I’ve yet to find a reason why not us.” n
Score a ticket deal with FIU Magazine! Save 50 percent on up to six sideline seats to the September 9 football home opener. go.fiu.edu/Football-Magazine Code: FIUMAG17 (offer ends August 1)
SPRING 2017
| 29
FIU receives largest gift from an alumnus By Gisela Valencia ’15
from Moss & Associates. The Sasha Seco
dollar national construction management
Women in Construction Scholarship and the
company with extensive experience in a variety
donation from an alumnus in FIU history. His
Kevin Love Fostering Success Scholarship
of sectors. The company has received more
$10 million gift to the College of Engineering &
are both namesakes of alumni now working at
awards than any Florida-based construction
Computing will create the newly named Moss
the company.
services firm and has worked on numerous
Chad Moss '94 has made the largest
School of Construction, Infrastructure and
The other endowment will support key
Sustainability. The contribution comes through
areas that will expand the school and the
the charitable foundation of his company,
students’ learning opportunities, such as
Moss & Associates.
faculty and post-graduate research and
With more than half of the world’s population living in urban environments, the
technology resources. “Chad Moss has shown incredible vision
large-scale projects.
Laying the foundation Moss serves on the construction management school’s industry advisory council and on the board of the FIU
school’s creation reflects a broader view of the
and entrepreneurship in Miami and across the
Foundation. With an earlier $250,000 gift,
industry and new approaches and methods for
country,” President Mark B. Rosenberg says.
Moss and his family helped establish the Moss
building a sustainable urban infrastructure.
“This generous and history-making donation
& Associates Built Environment Informatics
will help us educate a new generation of
Lab (BEIL) at FIU, which houses state-of-the-
to help students succeed and access higher
construction professionals who will have an
art virtual reality systems that offer numerous
education. Earnings from the Moss Endowed
impact on our community and beyond.”
educational and research opportunities.
The donation will create three endowments
Chair in Construction Management will be
Moss says his motivation is simple: "It’s
Moss regularly teaches a variety of
used to recruit a nationally distinguished
about the future, the students and providing
construction management and real-estate
director for the school.
them with the very best that they deserve.
courses at FIU. He has also given to FIU’s
There’s a lot of ingredients to success. But
Fostering Panther Pride program, which
giving back is the most important one."
supports former foster care and homeless
Another endowment will be dedicated to helping students through scholarships. Each scholarship is inspired by and named after outstanding colleagues and professionals 30 | SPRING 2017
Moss is currently the executive vice president of Moss & Associates — a billion-
students. His $50,000 donation was matched by the state, resulting in $100,000 to the
Left: Chad Moss '94, center, seated, is joined at the table by President Mark B. Rosenberg and Senior Vice President for University Advancement Howard Lipman as his proud family stands behind him. From left, parents Bob and Sandra Moss and brother and sister-in-law Scott and Katherine Moss. Beside them is Associate Vice President for University Advancement George Corton.
program. He also served as a mentor to a student in the program.
Creating bridges to the community Moss serves on the board of a Broward nonprofit organization called Helping Abused Neglected Disadvantaged Youth (HANDY), which assists youth in foster care. Several years ago, he led a collaborative initiative between FIU and HANDY that resulted in a scholarship program: FIU provides first-generation scholarships to qualifying HANDY students pursuing higher education. Civil engineering alumnus Kevin Love '15 arrived at FIU through this program. During Love’s junior year at FIU, he met Moss, found a mentor in him and landed an internship at the company. After graduation, Love joined the company full-time as project engineer at the El Paso branch. “I can’t make up a word to describe the way Chad has impacted my life,” Love says. “He
FIU HONORS ITS OWN The 2017 Torch Awards Gala honored 17
and education, your human resources to give back and contribute.”
alumni and one faculty member who make a difference in the community. Nearly 700
The 2017 Torch Awards honorees:
guests attended the event, which raised
Alumnus of the Year: Chad Moss ’94
money for first-generation scholarships and
Charles E. Perry Young Alumni Visionary
the future alumni center.
Award: Manny A. Varas ’10, MBA ’14
“Each one of you makes a difference for our FIU. You are torchbearers in more ways than one,” President Mark B. Rosenberg
Community Leadership Award: Dr. Seth J. Crapp ’98
told the awardees. “You lead by example.
Outstanding Faculty Award:
You shine the light on the path forward.
Mark Allen Weiss
Tonight, we celebrate you, because you are a part of our FIU family and all that you
Distinguished Alumni Awards
accomplish means so much to us. And also
Roberto R. Muñoz ’80
because right now, the world needs people
Thomas M. Cornish ’85
like you to step up, to take responsibility
John “Chip” L. Acierno III ’83
and to move the needle.”
Oscar E. Cordova ’85
Dr. Seth Crapp ’98, a pediatric
Pablo G. Ortiz ’91
radiologist who has committed himself
Brian L. Machovina ’91, MS ’94, Ph.D. ’15
to nonprofit organizations such as the
David L. Van Rooy MS ’03, Ph.D. ’05
youth-empowering Knots4Kids and the
Manuel S. Miranda ’78
lot to anyone — but especially to former foster
youth-enriching Artists Showcase of the
Marcia C. Del Rey JD ’05
care youth.
Palm Beaches, accepted an award for his
Aurelio M. Fernandez III ’74, ’85
dedication to others.
Marcus M. Flanagan ’90
plays the elder brother role. He’s always there for me.” Love says earning a college degree means a
“It’s bigger than career and money,” he explains. “It’s being perseverant. Knowing
“Community service — community
Michael R. Mendez ’03, MBA ’10
that I had the support system and the
leadership in particular — is something that
Walter B. Gonzalez Jr. ’96
opportunity from HANDY through Chad…It
when you’re involved with it, you’re not
Leonor R. Anthony ’06, MA ’09
made it realistic.”
looking for the recognition,” he said, “but it’s definitely a high honor to receive it from the
For more about this year’s honorees,
employment is a double blessing. FIU grads
university for your efforts. I think each of us
go to torchawards.fiu.edu.
find great jobs and his company gets some of
has some responsibility to use our talents
For Moss, being able to help Panthers find
the best employees in the business. "Moss & Associates is proud to be affiliated with FIU," he says. "I encourage all FIU alumni and South Florida business leaders to solidify your relationship with FIU. If you want success in South Florida, you need FIU grads to make it happen. About 10 percent of our professional workforce at Moss comes from FIU. They are well-prepared, many of them are from the community and they work hard." n
FIU parents and grandparents! The FIU Alumni Association is excited to introduce the Legacy Program, our new initiative to get to know the children and grandchildren, through age 16, of our proud alumni! Once enrolled, your legacies will receive gifts on select birthdays, event invitations and other special benefits. The program aims to introduce the daughters, sons and grandchildren of FIU graduates to all that the university offers. We look forward to welcoming them into our Panther family! For more about the Legacy Program, go to magazine.fiu.edu. SPRING 2017 | 31
CLASS NOTES A recent Alumni Association-sponsored trip to Chile brought together dozens of FIU graduates, their spouses and new friends for wine country tours and stops at historic sites. Among those enjoying the scenery, from left, Senior Vice President for External Relations Sandra Gonzalez-Levy, Margarita Villacampa '90, Angela Martinez and Irene Rodriguez. For information about upcoming trips, go to fiualumni.com/travel.
Ana Cristina Cash ’10 in March 2017 released “The Tough Love,” an extended play recording made at the famous Cash Cabin Studio. Joseph Goldberg JD ’11
1990s Yasin Daneshfar MBA ’09 joined Becker & Poliakoff, a commercial law firm, as an associate focusing on complex litigation and bankruptcy.
Ana-Paola Capaldo ’10, associate
bank’s presence in northeast Miami-Dade and south Broward.
Cisely Scott '00 was named the 2017 Assistant Principal of the Year by Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Scott serves at Lenora B. Smith Elementary.
general counsel for global ethics and compliance at Laureate Education Inc., was featured on the cover of the February 2017 Compliance & Ethics Professional trade magazine.
Cristina di Mauro ’01 was promoted to senior executive vice president at BankUnited. She is a member of the College of Business’ Dean’s Council.
Carlos Migoya ’74, MBA ’76 received
as senior vice president and director of banking centers. She was previously vice president and sales manager at Citibank.
the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s most prestigious honor, the Sand in My Shoes Award, which recognizes a community leader who has made significant contributions to the South Florida area.
Rick Fernandez ’93 was promoted to managing director of a wealth advisory team at Northern Trust. Biana Murnane BS ’95, M.Acc. ’01 was named executive vice president and chief financial officer at BrightStar Credit Union. She started there in 1997 as a controller. Janet Henfield-Green ’00, MBA ’07 was promoted to senior vice president and Aventura market manager at Marquis Bank, where she is responsible for developing the 32 | SPRING 2017
Emma Pacetti ’06 joined TotalBank
Kantesh Balani Ph.D. ’07 was awarded 2016 “Metallurgist of the Year.” The award is given by the Indian government to the most promising materials scientists. Balani is an associate professor at the Indian Institute of Technology.
Lourdes Cortizo-Acevedo ’07 is special legal counsel to the director for field legal operations at the office of the principal legal advisor within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She previously earned recognition as an asylum officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
and Amber Kornreich JD ’15 were among “40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers of South Florida” honored by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Lynne Wideline Gassant MS ’15, Mrs. Palm Beach County 2017, competed for the title of Mrs. Florida United States in April. Currently working as a talent acquisition recruiter, Gassant runs the nonprofit Scholar Career Coaching, which mentors students in after-school programs and has awarded 10 scholarships.
Jeremy Thompson MS ’10, JD ’16 published “Dismantling the School-toPrison Pipeline: South Florida’s Approach” on February 2, 2017, in Harvard Law and Policy Review.
Women at the Top: Fortune Magazine named three FIU alumnae among its list of the “50 Most Powerful Latinas of 2017.” Francis Hondal ’88, MBA ’94 is executive vice president for global consumer credit and loyalty solutions at MasterCard. Ileana Musa MBA ’93 is the managing director for the global client segment and strategy executive at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Myrna Soto ’93 is the senior vice president and global chief information security officer for Comcast.
VIP:
Very Important Panther
Humberto “Burt” Cabañas ’76 • Founder and Chairman, Benchmark Hospitality International • Bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management • Director, FIU Foundation Board • 2015 Alumnus of the Year • 2006 Torch Award Recipient Q: What is your secret to success? A: I have a sixth sense about people, and in the hospitality industry it’s all about people — your guests, your employees and the owners of the properties you manage. In general, you are only as good as the people who work with you. They must feel good about what they do, support their team and know that they will be held accountable. Q: You have been in the same industry for 54 years. How does one remain enthusiastic and relevant for the long term? A: Love what you do. It is not a nine-to-five mindset. It is a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week commitment. As soon as you finish a task, think about how you can make it better next time. Do not measure success with money. I see my success in how I impact others. Q: Was there someone who influenced you early on? A: I have had many mentors. Having lost my father when I was 7 years old, mentors served a key role in my life. At FIU, Professor Michael Hurst, who taught several food and beverage management courses, was a big influence on me. When I took his advanced course, I was an assistant manager at a hotel in Miami, and he referenced my experience in class to help other students understand the industry. He also made clear that he had very high expectations for me. We lost a great professor when he passed away in 2001. Q: You were among the first students to graduate from FIU. What changes have you most appreciated about your alma mater? A: My pride in the changes that have taken place does not come from the buildings FIU has built, but a commitment to being the best at everything FIU does. Q: You serve on the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management as well as the FIU Foundation Board. Why stay connected? A: I continue my involvement to support any and all activities that help take FIU to the next level of accomplishment, both domestically and internationally. Q: What do you do for fun? A: I enjoy golf. I try to play 50 rounds per year. Fishing in the Keys with friends gives me great peace of mind. And constantly thinking about how to give back keeps me energized.
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In 1999 FIU welcomed the Dalai Lama during his first-ever visit to South Florida. The exiled Buddhist leader shared a message of peace and compassion during a commencement ceremony in which he received an honorary degree. Brought to campus by Nathan Katz (far left), then a professor of religious studies and today a professor emeritus, the revered guru met donors, faculty and administrators during a luncheon that was the most coveted invitation in town. It was his sweet encounter with Katz’s seven-year-old son that lives on in this photo. (In the background stand then-Provost Mark B. Rosenberg and security personnel.) Read more — including comments from nowgrown Rafael “Rafi” Katz, currently an FIU senior — at go.fiu.edu/dalai_lama. Photo courtesy of FIU Special Collections & University Archives
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