September 2009
Vol. 2, No. 2
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Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Hoeveler of the Southern District of Florida received a Doctorate Honoris Causa from Florida International University at the spring 2009 commencement ceremony of the College of Arts and Sciences. Hoeveler was nominated for the honor by Interim Dean Lesley A. Northup who, along with FIU President Modesto A. Maidique, presented the judge with the degree and the FIU medallion. Hoeveler is a graduate of Bucknell University and Harvard University Law School, and is a former Marine officer. He was appointed to the federal bench by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Among the high profile cases he has handled are the Manuel Noriega drug trafficking trial, the Zamora case, a landmark suit filed against television networks over the question of “TV intoxication,” and several important cases involving the Everglades and the environment. Hoeveler has also been the recipient of many honors and recognitions for his work as a jurist and as a community leader, including the Judicial Recognition Award from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Lifetime Achievement awards from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and the Miami Chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Pontifical Medal Benemerenti bestowed by John Paul II in 2000. In addition, two awards have been created in his name, the William M. Hoeveler Award for Ethics and Leadership in the Legal Profession bestowed by the University of Miami and the William M. Hoeveler Judicial Professionalism Award presented by the Florida Bar Standing Committee on Professionalism. Hoeveler was the inaugural recipient of both honors.
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A generous donation from U.S. Century Bank has allowed the Honors College to create two new awards for graduating seniors: the U.S. Century Bank Excellence in Honors Award and the Outstanding Service Award. The USCB Excellence in Honors Award is now the top honor received by a graduating senior in recognition of academic achievement and commitment to service. The winner this year was Meliza A. Frias, an English major who plans to attend law school. She received an award of $1,000. Daniella Ottati and Melissa Gaviria each received Outstanding Service Awards of $250. The awards were presented by USCB Vice President and Branch Manager Ruth Jimenez and USCB Senior Vice President and Regional Manager Frank Fernandez. Jimenez, an FIU alumna, is the current chair of the Honors College Community Advisory Board. We value the relationship with the Honors College,” she said. “It is rewarding to recognize the hard work and success of the best and the brightest.” (left to right) U.S. Century Bank Senior V. P. Frank
The special gift is an example of USCB‟s long-term commitment to the Fernandez, Daniela Ottati, Meliza Frias, Melissa Gaviria, and U.S. Honors College and FIU. In fact, the bank was introduced to FIU through Century Bank Branch Manager Ruth Jimenez the Honors College in 2005 when Jimenez joined the CAB. Soon thereafter, the bank made a donation of $7,500 to help fund alumni activities and two scholarships. USCB hosted a successful fundraiser for the Honors College in December 2008 at their Brickell Branch that featured the work of Costa Rican artist Jimenez Deredia. “The Honors College is pleased to partner with U.S. Century Bank,” Dean Lesley A. Northup remarked. “These gifts today are just another example of the support we continue to receive from U.S. Century Bank, a true partner with FIU,” she added. Established in 2002, USCB is one of the ten largest community banks headquartered in Miami, with assets of $1.8 billion. U.S Century Bank is the recipient of the 2008 Beacon Award in Financial Services and a 2009 and 2008 Outstanding Minority Business Award from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. It also has named FIU‟s sports arena. For more information about USCB, visit www.uscentury.com.
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Noted FIU physicist and Honors Fellow Pete Markowitz was the speaker for the first Spring Honors College Colloquium, speaking on “Exploring Exotic Forms of Matter: from Strange Nuclei and Stars to Extra Dimensions.” In addition to his exploration of the science and mystery of subatomic particles, Markowitz discussed his work on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world‟s largest and highest-energy particle accelerator, located near Geneva, Switzerland. The primary goals of this potentially groundbreaking experimental device are to achieve a greater understanding of the formation of the universe following the Big Bang, as well as the nature of dark matter and its impact on the universe‟s development. Markowitz also talked about his work at the Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Virginia. The event was held on February 5 on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus (MMC). FIU Environmental Science and Chemistry Professor Emeritus Jack Parker delivered the second Honors College Spring Colloquium on February 24 at MMC. The topic of Parker‟s talk was "Sustainable Energy for a Warming Planet." Parker discussed the impact of human activity on global climate change and ways by which humans can mitigate the harm done to the earth‟s environment. Parker recommended the use of “green” products, energy-efficient vehicles and appliances, and recycling. Noting there was no such thing as “clean coal,” Parker pointed to solar, wind and tidal power; biofuels; hydrogen; and safe nuclear technology as alternatives to fossil fuels and other nonrenewable sources.
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FIU Creative Writing Professor and poet Denise Duhamel served as the Legacies Lecture speaker on March 31, 2009, at the Mary Anne Wolfe Theater at the Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC). The series is sponsored by Tau Sigma Alpha, the BBC Honors College society. As in previous lectures, the guest speaker is asked the question, “If you had one last lecture to give to your students, what would you say?” Duhamel‟s lecture was titled “Punch Lines and Line Breaks: Humor in Contemporary American Poetry.” In her exploration of the influence of pop culture on American verse, she used popular music as illustration. She entertained the audience with a video excerpt of Helen Reddy‟s song “I Am Woman” to show the irony of certain modern feminist poetry. Duhamel concluded her presentation by asking two student volunteers to sing “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” from Rodger and Hammerstein‟s The Sound of Music, to help the audience relate to a poem about the discordant nature of arranged marriages in the developing world. Duhamel is a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, has read her work on National Public Radio and was a featured poet on the PBS Bill Moyer‟s special, “Fooling with Words,” in 1999. Most recently she was named “Best Local Poet” by the Miami New Times in its Best of Miami 2009 issue. She is the author of numerous books and chapbooks of poetry. Her most recent titles are Two and Two and Queen for a Day: Selected and New Poems.
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Jefferson scholar Eric S. Petersen was the Spring Semester Honors College Excellence Lecturer. Petersen spoke at both BBC and MMC on March 11 and 12, respectively. The author delivered a spirited talk based on his book Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness, an edited volume of thirtyfour pieces by Thomas Jefferson. Petersen delivered the entire lecture without reference to notes in what one member of the audience called a virtuoso performance. Petersen spent most of his time discussing Jefferson‟s philosophical and political thought with quick asides to comment on contemporary issues as he thought Jefferson might view them. The author shared interesting facts about Jefferson‟s life, including his command of several foreign languages and his passionate interest in music. Petersen also dismissed the controversial claim that the third president had an affair and fathered the children of Sally Hemings, a slave on his plantation. A reception and book signing followed each event. Petersen is a managing partner at the New York Law Firm of Hawkins Delafield & Wood LLP, which specializes in public finance law. For more information about his book, please visit http://ww.lightandliberty.org.
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Three out the six FIU graduates in the inaugural class of the FIU Wertheim College of Medicine are Honors College graduates. Hanadys Ale, Dillon Arango and Diana M. Morlote were chosen from a pool of 3,332 applicants. Hanadys, a biology major, was born in Havana, Cuba. Inspired by her grandmother, she decided to become a doctor from an early age. Hanadys graduated with an AA in biology from Miami Dade College and later came to FIU and joined the Honors College. After graduating from FIU in the spring of 2008, Hanadys worked as a science teacher at Hialeah Gardens High School. Dillon AranHanadys Ale Dillon Arango Diana Morlote Triana go was born in Miami but moved to Colombia at the age of 11 with his parents, who were missionaries. He returned to Miami five years later. Dillon began attending FIU as a high school student in the dual enrollment and early admissions program. Dillon was a chemistry major who was also very active in the Honors College‟s Student Research and Artistic Initiatives (SRAI) Program, presenting a paper at the 2008 conference titled “Locating Binding Sites of RNA Polymerase Using Restriction Enzymes.” Diana M. Morlote was born in Sagua la Grande, Cuba. She and her family came to the United States in 2003 after living in the Dominican Republic for six years. Diana knew she wanted to be a doctor from an early age after watching her cardiologist father work with patients at his clinic. The biology major had a 4.0 grade point average and co-authored a paper on “Genetic Insights into the Origins of Tibeto-Burman Populations in the Himalayas,” published in the Journal of Human Genetics.
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The Honors College is proud to welcome two new members to the Honors Community Advisory Board (CAB) team: businessman Sergio Barrera (left) and Honors and FIU alum Gabriel Valdes (right). Sergio Barrera is President & CEO of Business Travel Advisors, Inc., a Florida corporation founded in 1982 with headquarters in Coral Gables. The company has consistently ranked among the region‟s top travel management companies. Barrera‟s professional career prior to travel management includes hospitality, with an emphasis on food and beverage and hotel management. He is a past chair of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of the MiamiDade Beacon Council. He is also involved with a variety of civic organizations, including the Mercy Foundation and The Sandra DeLucca Developmental Center, a Division of the City of Miami‟s Parks and Recreation Department. Gabriel Valdes is Special Assistant in the Miami office of United States Senator Mel Martinez. He is also a recent graduate of the FIU Honors College and of the FIU Landon Undergraduate School of Business, where he received his B.B.A. in International Business. A summa cum laude graduate, Valdes was the recipient of several merit-based scholarships, including the Sam Walton Community Scholarship, the Badia Spices Scholarship, and the FIU Presidential Scholarship. Upon graduating, Valdes was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, the highest honor bestowed on business majors and into Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest, largest, and most selective all-discipline honor society.
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Students in Professor M.O.Thirunarayanan‟s freshmen leadership course organized the Second Annual Honors College Golf Scramble this spring to raise money for Honors College scholarships. The event took place on April 3 at the Miami Springs Golf Course. Students received hands-on training in areas ranging from event planning to marketing. Faculty, staff, and community friends of the Honors College participated in the tournament, which raised $5,000. A luncheon and awards ceremony followed the event. Honors student Umer Rahman tees off at Golf Scramble
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The Student Research and Artistic Initiatives program (SRAI) provides Honors College students the opportunity to conduct research, work with top-notch faculty mentors and later present their work at conferences at the local, state and national levels. SRAI held its annual conference on March 26, 2009, at the Graham Center Ballrooms on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus. Eighty-eight students presented work to an audience of students, faculty, university administrators and special guests. The students shared their findings in presentations, panel discussions, and posters. The topics presented this year reflect the diverse research interests of Honors College students, ranging from robotics and ethnobiology, to cytology and engineering, to the Everglades and economics. The projects Khadija Harris discusses her project with were supervised by over fifty FIU faculty research affiliates or mentors. This year‟s luncheon faculty member Dr. Peter Machonis speaker was Jon Mogul, Fellowship Coordinator at the Wolfsonian-FIU museum.
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Four Honors College students attended the 23rd National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in April at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The prestigious annual conference hosts 2,000 students and their faculty mentors, who present their research through posters, oral presentations, performances and art exhibits. The students from FIU were Carolina Bautista (Biomedical Engineering), presenting “The Use of a Flow Chamber for Endothelial Cell Culture”; Erica Kapadia (Biology), presenting “The Ethics of Organ Transplantation”; Camilo A. Silva (Computer Engineering/Mathematics), presenting “Bioinformatics: Improving the Efficiency in Genomic Analysis”; and Eladio Mendez (Chemistry), presenting “A Correlation in VOC's Found in Individuals Across Blood, Urine, Saliva, and Scent.” While in Wisconsin, the group, lead by Student Research and Artistic Initiative (SRAI) Director John Kneski, were also afforded the opportunity to explore the local wilderness on mountain bikes. SRAI is the vehicle for all sponsored Honors College conference participation. Students interested in conducting research that could lead to national conference participation are strongly encouraged to speak with Associate Dean Kneski or SRAI Program Assistants Marlene Palomo and Aryn Garcia.
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Honors researchers at University of Wisconsin- La Crosse
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Desiree Hurtado‟s work in the Honors College Peruvian Amazon Program has earned the attention of the Explorers Club, a prestigious multidisciplinary professional society dedicated to the advancement of field research. The focus of her work is the creation of a guide to the medicinal applications of indigenous plants for the residents in the Orosa River Basin Region of Loreto, Peru. The Honors Peruvian Amazon program is based on a research- service model. Students who conduct research as part of the program are expected to do work that will benefit the indigenous population. Desiree has delivered five presentations at national, regional and local conferences and has written an Honors College thesis under the direction of Professor Jim Riach. The Explorers Club has awarded Desiree two research grants; the first funded her initial visit to the Amazon in summer 2008 and the second covered a trip to complete her project during the summer of 2009. Computer Engineering major Allan Villorin is already skyrocketing to professional success by participating in NASA's Cooperative Education (Co-Op) Program. Allan‟s interest in NASA began when he saw a posting for an internship position in the Honors College weekly email announcements. He applied and was accepted. Soon after completing the internship in May, he was selected for the agency‟s prestigious Co-Op Program. Allan is currently helping to develop the metric reports for the launch control system being developed for Constellation, the new space launch system. The system is going to be replacing the space shuttle and will help NASA return to the moon and get to Mars. Honors College sophomore Joy Castro delivered a presentation introducing students to classical music through Looney Tunes cartoons on April 17 in the Lounge on the 4th floor of Everglades Hall at Modesto A. Maidique Campus. Castro, a violinist, showed how classical music was everywhere, from car commercials to horror movies. She highlighted Bugs Bunny cartoons to illustrate her lecture and featured Rossini‟s Barber of Seville, Richard Wagner‟s Ride of the Valkyries, and Johann Strauss‟s Blue Danube Waltz. Her talk was well received by the audience. Castro‟s talk was part of a three-semester project on the sociology of classical music, directed by Honors College Associate Dean Juan Carlos Espinosa.
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The fourth annual Aesthetics and Values Art Exhibition was presented at the Green Library on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus. The event, which ran from March 16 - April 10, featured ten prominent South Florida artists, including Edouard Duval-Carrie, Ruben Torres-Llorca and Julie Davidow. The exhibit is the culmination of Honors College Professor John Bailly‟s upperdivision course, Art as Social Language. The class challenges students to examine the ways artists engage in social dialogue through their work. Students select artists for the exhibit and work with them to explore their art and process, serving as curators and researchers at the same time. Other students coordinate other aspects of the event from advertising to fundraising to hanging the show. “The exhibition is yet another example of innovative and exciting pedagogy that characterizes both Professor Bailly‟s classes and the curriculum of the Honors College at FIU,” said Dean Lesley A. Northup. The A & V Exhibition was preceded by the highly successful “Shapeshifterd” show at the prestigious Dorsch Gallery located in Miami‟s Wynwood Art District. The one-day event took place on January 17. Gallery owner Brook Dorsch allowed students to take pieces from the “Shapeshifter” exhibit and re-curate the show according to their own vision. For instance, students mounted paintings onto chairs, creating a different visual perspective of the artwork. This collaborative project was the first off-campus curation venture of the Honors College Aesthetics & Values class. “It is very rare (unheard of really) for any gallery, especially one of this caliber, to open its doors and invite a college class full of non-art majors to help curate an exhibition,” said Civil Engineering major and Honors A&V student curator Gabriela Garcia.
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The A&V class hosted a poetry reading by acclaimed Cuban-American poet Richard Blanco, held on Friday, March 6, 2009, at MMC. Blanco‟s first book of poetry, City of a Hundred Fires, explores the negotiation of cultural identity as a Cuban-American and was awarded the 1997 Agnes Lynch Starrett Prize. In 2005, he published his second book of poetry, Direction to the Beach of the Dead, that follows Blanco in his travels and seeks to answer the questions “What is home? What is place?” Recently, Blanco collaborated with Honors College Fellow John Bailly to produce Place of Mind, which mixed his published and unpublished poetry with Bailly‟s artwork.
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The A & V 2009 class also hosted a lecture by art historian Brandi Reddick at the Frost Art Museum on January 30. Reddick is Art Education and Community Outreach Coordinator with Miami-Dade Art in Public Places. The topic of Reddick‟s talk was “Art in the Public Realm: Defining Miami-Dade‟s Civic Spaces.” Reddick spoke about major issues in curatorial practice and shared insights with the A&V student curators on the selection of pieces for exhibition based on theme, venue, and practical installation considerations. She illustrated her talk by showing slides of prominent outdoor and indoor art installations in Miami. In addition to her work at MiamiDade Art in Public Places, Reddick serves as Vice President of the Florida Association of Public Art Administrators and is curator of The Art Gallery at Government Center.
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During February and March of this year, the libraries at both the Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay campuses hosted exhibitions of student photography from the 2008 Honors College Italy Study Abroad Program. The exhibitions were a celebration of Italian culture and landscape. The 30 photographs exhibited were selected from hundreds of pictures submitted by 22 students after their studies in Rome, Sorrento, Florence, and Venice. Both venues hosted a reception for the photographers, friends, families and the public. Plans are under way for another exhibit of photographs from the 2009 program, which returned from Italy at the end of May. Italy Program Director John Kneski defined the exhibit as “fantastic photos of a great experience,” noting “the public reaction throughout the four week exhibit was wonderful.”
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Honors Model UN Student Delegates pose inside UN General Assembly
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Honors College students helped lead the FIU Model United Nations team to victory again this year. Honors College students participating in the Model UN program included Victoria Cueto, Zeke Romero, Walsy Saez, Amanda Fernandez, Emmanuel Mevs, Robert Myers, Ana-Paola Capaldo, Jessica Ortiz and Carlos Aponte. Led by faculty advisor and Honors College alumnus Christian Ochoa, the team competed at the tournament at Harvard University in February and at the Model United Nations conference in New York in April. Over 200 universities competed in the Harvard meeting, where FIU won 4 individual awards, including Best Delegate in the World Summit for Sustainable Development (HC junior Walsy Saez representing Greece). The New York meeting took place at the actual United Nations building, where students debated global concerns with over 1,400 of their colleagues from around the world. The final sessions took place at the General Assembly Hall. At this year‟s event, Emmanuel Mevs and Walsy Saez earned “Best Delegate” awards. The FIU team also won the Outstanding Delegation Award and an Outstanding Position Paper Award.
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Psychology major Kathleen Crum has been a very active researcher during her time at FIU, having worked in both the Developmental Psychobiology and Infant Development Labs. She presented her research on the individual recognition capacities of neonatal bobwhite quails at this year‟s SRAI conference. Kathleen is studying the ability of very young precocial birds to identify others from the same brood, a subject area that had not been previously investigated. After graduating in April 2009, Kathleen is continuing her research. She is expanding her original SRAI thesis and will be presenting her findings at a conference for the International Society for Developmental Psychology in November. She will also be working with researchers at the University of Miami Developmental Psychobiology Lab on an eye gaze study of Bobwhite quails. This fall Kathleen will be applying to graduate school to obtain a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology. Political Science graduate and former Model UN senior delegate Ezequiel Romero has begun charting the path of his career, which has already led him to Capitol Hill and abroad. He is one of eight Hispanic university students who were chosen for a selective leadership program in Washington, D.C. Zeke spent six weeks interning in the Communications Division of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). Among other things, he was responsible for creating daily press releases, updating the NRCC website, doing research on bills on the floor of the House, and creating strategy plans for up and coming Republicans trying to win Congressional seats. His future plans include attending law school at either Yale, Georgetown, or the University of Miami.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the four national winners of the 2009 class of the USDA Public Service Leaders Scholarship Program on July 28. Honors College alum William Dovale was one of them. The award winners receive a full tuition scholarship to complete a Master‟s degree in Economics or International Relations and are guaranteed a position with the USDA‟s Foreign Agricultural Service after graduation. William served four years in the Navy before coming to FIU. He graduated cum laude with a B.A. in International Relations and a minor in Economics in August 2008. He is currently pursuing a Master‟s degree in Management Information Systems at FIU with plans for a second Master‟s in International Affairs and eventually a doctorate. William is interested in working in the field of International Development. He is married and has two children. Michael Zecca is a man of dedication, integrity and intelligence. The Iraq veteran has overcome many challenges in his life. On his own since age 15, Michael was homeless for most of his high school years. He joined the U.S. Army immediately after high school. Michael served as a combat engineer for 4 years and earned the rank of Technical Sergeant, receiving numerous awards and honors throughout his military career. Upon his return to the U.S., Michael worked as a recruiter, then as Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) of Engineering at Homestead Air Reserve Base. He decided to go back to school to study engineering, and has maintained a GPA of 3.8 and participated fully in student life at FIU. He was inducted into the Tau Beta Pi and Chi Epsilon engineering societies and was awarded a position in NASA‟s Undergraduate Research Program. He is currently a McNair Fellow. Michael will graduate with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in fall 2009.
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Tau Sigma Alpha (TSA), the Honors College Biscayne Bay Campus Honors Society, won the Outstanding Service Organization Award at the university-wide Student Life Awards this year. This award is bestowed on the organization that has most "demonstrated a strong sense of caring for others through extensive community service." TSA beat fellow finalists the FIU Alternative Break program and the National Organization for Women (NOW), an impressive feat given the longevity, popularity and size of those two organizations. TSA has continued going strong with community service and educational events, such as their partnership with the Overtown Youth Center, where they tutor elementary school children and help prepare high school students for the SAT. They also host an annual Honors College Overtown Youth Center day at BBC. In addition to their community service work, TSA sponsors academic activities such as the Legacies Lecture series, which features prominent scholars from a variety of disciplines.
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Top row, left to right : Honors faculty during Jeopardy Challenge against Honors students; Aesthetics & Values students at Pinch a Penny Exhibit; Honors Place residents at the annual end-of-year banquet. Middle row, l to r: Gamma Epsilon Phi members at Student Fishbowl; Honors Model UN student delegate Walsy Saez, who won the “Best Delegate” award at this year‟s Model UN program in New York City, at her post representing Denmark; Denise Duhamel & Tau Sigma Alpha members perform “16 Going on 17” from The Sound of Music. Bottom row, l to r: Prof. Bailly‟s Reacting class as French Revolution participants; Honors staff & students at Freshmen Reception; Honors Place Pasta & Poetry event.
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The Honors College puts great emphasis on developing student leaders. Each year dozens of students are elected to positions in student government, honor societies, fraternities and sororities, cultural groups, political and social organizations and other campus organizations. The Honors College helps prepare our students for the future with our rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum, student activities, and opportunities for internships and study abroad. In addition, all first year students attend a one semester seminar on leadership taught by Honors faculty and staff.
MEET THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT PRESIDENTS AND HONORS COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVES Anthony Rionda‟s career experiences and ambitions extend beyond student government and into local and state government and public service. Graduating with a B.A. in Political Science in 2009, Anthony has interned at the offices of Florida senator Mel Martinez and at the labor law firm of Ford Harrison, LLP. He has also been president and owner of Wind Insurance Mitigation, Inc., as well as an experienced home and safety inspector with a variety of agencies in South Florida. Anthony‟s commitment to service is also demonstrated by his involvement in other FIU student organizations, such as Pi Sigma Alpha, the Political Science Honors Society, the Order of the Torch, and the Honors Leadership Council. He is currently completing a Master‟s in Public Administration at FIU and plans to go to law school in the future. Anthony is the first SGA President for the Modesto A. Maidique Campus who has been an Honors College student.
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Sholom Neistein is a third-year Honors College student and president of SGA at Biscayne Bay Campus and Broward Pines Center. He is majoring in Biological Sciences and Psychology. He is also a Director on the FIU Foundation Board, which solicits and administers gifts used for the advancement of the university. Sholom plans on going to medical school after graduation, already having interned at the University of Miami Medical School „s Cardiology Department. In addition, he has published in three journals. He has also been part of several student government committees at Biscayne Bay Campus and is involved in numerous honors societies, including Psi Chi, Delta Epsilon Iota, Omicron Delta Kappa, Tri-Beta, Sigma Alpha Lambda and Golden Key.
Vignesh Doraiswamy , a fourth-year Honors College student, is the SGA Senator representing the Honors College. Vignesh is one of FIU‟s most active and dynamic student leaders and manages to maintain an almost perfect GPA. A Biology and Religious Studies double major, he plans to be a doctor. In addition to his role as senator, he is also the overall director of the prestigious FIU Student Ambassador Program and a Peer Advisor. Vignesh is active in many organizations, including Pi Kappa Phi, the Student Alumni Association and the Indian Students Association. He also dedicates many hours to community service and student philanthropy.
These Honors College students are also involved in FIU‟s student government:
Andrea Cruz Honors College BBC Senator
Robert Tassy III Journalism and Mass Counnunications BBC Senator
Adam Nieves Johnson Arts & Sciences MMC Senator
Moses Aluicio MMC Executive CabinetCommunications
William-José Vélez González Engineering MMC Senator
Chelsea Franco MMC Executive CabinetDirector of Public Relations
Stephanie Jimenez MMC Senator At-Large
For more information about SGA, visit http://www.fiu.edu/~sga/.
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Some Honors College professors have an impact on their students‟ lives that reaches far beyond the classroom. For junior Gabriela Garcia, the professor who best fit this description was artist and Honors Fellow John Bailly. Gabriela, a civil engineering major, nominated him for the Inspire Integrity Awards, a prize bestowed by the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NCCS) to full-time university faculty who “instill the importance of personal and academic integrity on their students.” Bailly was selected as the national runner-up from a field of 110 candidates. He sees the recognition as a reflection of his students‟ accomplishments more than anything he has done. “In order for inspiration to work, someone needs to be inspired,” he said. “Without their willingness to act, inspiration can‟t work.” The NSCS awarded him $1,000 and donated $1,000 on his behalf to the Honors College scholarship fund. P S Y C H
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Psychology Professor Dr. Bennett Schwartz conducts research in the fascinating areas of human metamemory (what we know and how we experience our own memories) and animal cognition. In the last two years, this has led to a collaboration with French researchers in Strasbourg on the effects of benzodiazepines (e.g., valium) on memory, and research at the SunCoast Primate Sanctuary near Tampa on whether or not gorillas recognize themselves in mirrors (they do). He has also examined how emotional states affect the retrieval and forgetting of well-learned information. His current projects include studying workplace transactive memory (or the knowledge employees have of co-workers‟ skills) with Honors student David Jaramillo and completing a textbook titled Memory: Foundations and Applications, to be published in 2010 by Sage Publishers. Schwartz will co-teach the freshman Honors seminar with fellow faculty members Bill Ritzi and John Bailly for the fourth consecutive year. In addition, for the first time he will be teaching his own upper-division Honors course on “Animals and Society,” which will investigate the relationships between humans and animals. Through both his research and teaching, Schwartz helps us gain insights into both human and animal cognitive processes, which in turn will help us understand how memory works.
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Marilyn Hoder-Salmon has taught in the Honors College since 1999. Her courses have focused primarily on the importance of analyzing literature in the context of the third-year Honors theme of aesthetics, values and authority. Professor Hoder-Salmon also teaches English and Women‟s Studies and has devoted her scholarly attention to female writers throughout history. In particular, her research focuses on U.S. women writers during 1860-1930, women and film, and women's narratives of war prose and girlhood. Her publications include Kate Chopin's 'The Awakening': Screenplay as Interpretation, and she is currently co-editor of a series of reprint novels by British author Phyllis Bottome. On her experience teaching in Honors, she says, “The rewards of teaching in the Honors College are many. I particularly enjoy the opportunity to teach texts and media from other subject areas and gain interesting new knowledge alongside the students. Even more rewarding is the satisfaction that comes from getting to know students especially well through the small class and two-semester system. I like to plan extracurricular events that enrich the university experience; this can range from guided botany walks and art museum visits to attending conferences and other events. I just like Honors!”
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Associate Dean Juan Carlos Espinosa led a group of about 30 Honors College students to a concert of the Cleveland Orchestra at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami on January 30. The program, conducted by Hans Welser-Möst, featured Richard Wagner‟s Wesendonck Lieder, performed by soprano Measha Brueggergosman and the Symphony No. 7 “The Leningrad” by Dmitri Shostakovich. Espinosa‟s class, The Art of War, had studied the Shostakovich piece in early January and had the opportunity to hear one of the world‟s great orchestras perform the symphony. Espinosa, who also delivered the pre-concert lectures for the Cleveland Orchestra‟s January program in both Cleveland and Miami, was pleased by student reaction. “Most had never been to an orchestral concert before. It was wonderful to see their response.”
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The Spring 2009 Honors College Awards Assembly for graduating seniors was held on April 24, 2009. The event was attended by over 500 students, family members, faculty, staff and special dignitaries on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus. Honors College Community Advisory Board Vice-Chair Camilla Cochrane delivered the keynote speech on the importance of lifelong learning and community involvement. Following her remarks, Dean Lesley A. Northup (left to right) Dean Lesley Northup with Honors Student Rafael Bosse presented FIU Vice President of and Vice President of Student Affairs Student Affairs Dr. Rosa Jones with an Rosa Jones. Honorary Fellow Award. Dr. Jones has been a strong advocate for the Honors College and was instrumental in its creation at both Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay Campus. Graduating students received the Honors medallions they will wear at university commencement ceremonies. Several individual students were also recognized at the ceremony. The top honor, the U.S. Century Bank Excellence in Honors Award, went to Meliza A.Frias. Honors student Bradley Samore plays a trumpet solo for audience.
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The award was presented by U.S. Century and Vice President and Branch Manager Ruth Jimenez, who is the current chair of the Honors College Community Advisory Board. Lara Nations received the Fernando Gonzalez-Reigosa Award of Excellence, named after the first Honors College Dean and given to the student with exceptional academic accomplishment and commitment to the community. Daniella Ottati and Melissa Gaviria each won Outstanding Service Awards for their work at the university and in the community.
Honors College Community Advisory ViceChair Camila Cochrane delivering the keynote address before Honors graduates.
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G R A D U A T E S
Lourdes Abraham
Colleen Carpenter
Esther Garcia
Diana Morlote Triana*
Dilean Rodriguez*
Noushin Ahmed
Lisa Caspera
Lourdes Garcia
Stephan Mothe Hinsberger*
Karina Rodriguez
Arnold Aiken
Santiago Castillo
Melissa Gaviria
Travis Murphy*
Carlos Romero
Ramon Alatorre
Qi Chen
Amalia Gonzalez
Zachary Murray
Mark Romero
Nicole Allahar
Sean Chislett
Danielle Goveia
Robert Myers
Ezekiel Romero McCausland
Jason Allen
Andrew Cohen
Gregory Grandio
Lara Nations*
Rosemary Romero McCausland
Grace Altamirano
Eli Cohen
Stella C. Guillam
Justine Naylon
Ashley Rousseau
Agustin Alterman
Natalie Condon
Giselle Gutierrez
Stephanie Nunez
Yvonne Ruano
Alejandra Alvarez
Stephanie Coriolan
Barbara Hawkins
Rebeca Olavarrieta
Damaris Rubios
Cristina Alvarez
Kathleen Crum
Cristin Hebert
Rosmery Osuna
Marian Ruiz
Jennifer Amy
Victoria Cueto
Francesca Hernandez
Daniela Ottati Reperger
Delmary Salcedo Patricia Sando
Alejandro Arias
Noor Daghistani
Lisa Hoang*
Rozina Parbtani
Erika Ariolla
Vanessa De La Ossa
James Horne
Rahul Patel*
Stacy Santin
Jessica Ariste
Michelle Diaz
Laura Hucaluk
Nestor Perez
Meaghan Skogrios
Guido Bebchik
Yamaris Diaz
Mahreen Khan
Osman Perez
Christopher Thomas
Sonia Beharry
Alyson Earnhardt
Chistopher Khawand
Patrice Persad*
Susan Thomas
Esther Benayoun*
Kimberly Engelhardt
Jennifer Labandera
Megan Petrosky
Gabriel Valdes
Shalyne Berges
Boris Escalona
Karissa Lopez
Diego Pezua
Crystal Van Orsdel
Veronica Bilbao
Alexandra Espinosa
Steven Martel
Julia Poletti
Jessica Vila
Steven Blanc
Maria Espinoza
Amanda Massa
Damon Pourtahmaseb-Sasi
Jennifer Wiese
Jennifer Borges
Adam Febles*
Maria Mejia
Juan Prado-Rodriguez
Kaila Wong
Raphael Bosse*
Nicole Fernandez
Eladio Mendez
Andres Ramos
Leng Young
Jose Boubou
Rosemary Fernandez*
Rosem Mitrani
Penelope Ramos
Mimy Young
Andrea Caicedo
Danil Flores
Melissa Montes
Roxanna Rasekhi
Michael Zolondek*
Joel Calafell
Hilda Fouladi
Camilo Montoya
Floriana Riccio
Patricia Camino
Jessica Freund
Alexandra Moore
Anthony Rionda
Andrea Cardarelli
Linda Fuentes
Elizabeth Morell
Corazon Rodriguez
* Phi Beta Kappa inductees
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G R A D U A T E
A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S
Agustin Alterman was a member of the FIU men‟s soccer team, volunteered as a children‟s counselor, and is an administrative intern at Hillel Second Generation. He will be working as a Sports Marketing Assistant for Triangle Financial Services LLC.
Rafael Bosse was admitted into the MD-PhD program at the University of Florida College of Medicine. He received a full stipend scholarship and a full tuition waver to cover his four years of medical school. Rachel Caines was accepted to the prestigious Master of Philosophy program in Development Studies at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
Victoria Cueto, a participant in the MUSE program and Head Delegate of the 2009 Model United Nations Team, Victoria plans to attend FIU‟s College of Law.
Daniela Ottati, a member of Phi Kappa Phi, participated in the Italy Study Abroad 2008 Program as well as the SRAI and FCHC conferences. She was a Teacher Assistant and will be working as a teacher before attending graduate school. Jennifer Borges is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and was part of the FIU Engineering Student Council. She plans to earn a graduate degree in civil engineering.
Kimberly Engelhardt had an essay published in the Chronicle of Higher Education. She also received a Community College Activities Association award for her opinion column in MDC‟s Metropolis. She plans on working full-time after graduation.
Jessica Freund will be working as the Head Project Manager of Non-Profit Operations for Spice4Life in Cape Town, South Africa. Lara Nations was one of only seven awardees granted a 2009 US State Department Critical Language Scholarship. Beginning in mid-June for 7-11 weeks, Lara will travel either to Tunisia or Egypt to study the Arabic language.
Graduating with Honors Summa Cum Laude — 9 % Magna Cum Laude — 37 % Cum Laude — 32 % Phi Beta Kappa Invitees — 28 % Michael Zolondek was recognized during the Spring 2009 Commencement Ceremony for having a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout his undergraduate career at FIU.
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H O N O R S
T E A M
Alan G. Raudez has joined the Honors College as an advisor. A California native, Alan moved to South Florida to pursue higher education. He graduated from Miami Dade College and later graduated from FIU with two degrees, a BA in History and one in Liberal Studies. Alan has been at FIU for four years, serving as a recruiter/advisor in the office of Undergraduate Admissions and most recently as an enrollment coordinator and advisor for graduate students at the FIU School of Architecture. Alan will be starting the FIU Master‟s in Public Administration in the fall.
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Cecile Houry is the new the Coordinator of Student Enrichment. She will oversee student organizations and housing communities, coordinate special events, and direct the Honors College career and internship center. Cecile was born in Orleans, France, and graduated from the University of Orleans with a Bachelor of English in 2000. She earned a Master‟s degree in History from the University of Miami in 2002. She is currently working on her doctoral dissertation at the University of Miami, focusing on American women and the Summer Olympic
S A V E Fall Colloquium @ BBC
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Games. Before coming to FIU, Cecile taught History and Civics at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School. The Honors College would like to say farewell and recognize the contributions of those who have worked for the Honors College this past year and have now moved on: Meaghan Bradshaw Sachin Gursahani Nicole Stratten The Honors College would like to also congratulate Rachelle Galindo‟s promotion to Academic Advisor of the Honors College.
D A T E
Prof. Jane Daugherty
September 22, 2009 3:30-4:45PM “TMI, NEN” (Too Much Info, Not Enough News)
Academic One 194, BBC
Football Tailgate
Honors Community
September 26, 2009 5:00-7:00PM
FIU Stadium, MMC
Fall Colloquium @ MMC
Prof. Bennett Schwartz “Does My Dog Really Love Me?”
October 1, 2009 3:30-4:45PM
Deuxieme Maison 100, MMC
Honors College Convocation
John Bailly, Faculty Speaker
October 15, 2009 1:00-4:30PM
Graham Center Ballrooms, MMC
Overtown Youth Center Lunch on the Bay
Overtown Youth Center
October 19, 2009 12:00-2:30PM
Wolfe Center Ballrooms, BBC
October 29, 2009 3:30-4:45PM
College of Business Complex 155, MMC
November 19, 2009 3:30-4:45PM
Deuxieme Maison 100, MMC
Fall Excellence Lecture
Fall Colloquium @ MMC
Dr. Garth Graham, “Healthcare for Underserved Communities” Marifeli Perez-Stable “Future of Democracy in Latin America”
Associate Editor: Dr. Juan Carlos Espinosa, Associate Dean of the Honors College / Editors: Juan C. Lopez and Leif Elliott, Media Support Officers For more information about newsletter content or upcoming events, please call 305-348-4100 or visit http://honors.fiu.edu.
The Honors College Modesto A. Maidique Campus, DM 233 Miami, FL 33199 honors@fiu.edu 305-348-4100 Change Service Requested
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