Vol. 1, No. 2
February 2008
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At the 2007 National Collegiate Honors Council‟s annual conference in Denver, Colorado, Florida International University Honors College students stood out. Crystal Sepulveda and Jerry Gomez presented Beauty and Power in the Mediterranean, their class publication from Dean Kneski‟s third-year Honors seminar, Aesthetics, Values and Authority. Alex Diaz-Fergusson, Diana Medina, Rocio Perez and Katrina Rodriguez presented on the student-curated art exhibition in Professor Bailly‟s course, and Amanda Lachs showcased her research on the World‟s Fairs during a poster session. Although the trip started out rocky— due to a cancelled flight and hours spent in the airport— the students and faculty spent the time bonding. “Our time at Miami International Airport opened us up; it provided the opportunity to get to know one another better,” said student Crystal Sepulveda. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 4)
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Over five hundred faculty, staff, students, and distinguished guests attended the Seventh Annual Honors College Convocation. Despite heavy rain, students proudly carried flags and marched around campus behind the FIU band and Honors banner during the Parade of Nations and States. The parade culminated in a pep rally in the Graham Center ballrooms. Peer Advisor and Honors Leadership Council member Alejandra Maruri led the festivities. Ronald Berkman, Executive Vice President and Provost of Florida International University, addressed the students on maintaining high standards of excellence and reflected on his experience working with students on last year‟s art exhibition. Keynote speaker Darden Pyron enlightened the audience with a tribute to FIU, the university ideal and a criticism of the gap between the practice and the ideal of academic life. Professor
Honors College Students who participated in the 2007 National Collegiate Honors Council Conference.
C O N V O C A T I O N Pyron, the first chair of FIU‟s History Department, teaches courses in intellectual history, Greek history, and the American South. As an Honors faculty member, he has created innovative courses such as “Humor and Laughter” and “Creativity and the Human Condition.” Professor Pyron has twice received the University Teaching Award and the Teaching Incentive Program Award. Students Dalia Fishman, Sarah Thorne, Maria Carla Rosales and Ernesto Fernandez offered musical performances during the ceremony. Special guests and Community Advisory Board members Juan Carlos Vila and C a m i l l a Cochrane joined students for the Convocation ceremony and reception.
Flutist and Honors Student Ernesto Fernandez at Convocation.
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On Monday, October 8, 2007, the Honors College hosted “Possibilities,” a Lunch-on-the-Bay in the Wolfe University Center Ballroom at the Biscayne Bay campus, to celebrate the new partnership between FIU, the Honors College, and the Overtown Youth Center. Conceived by Honors BBC Coordinator Jayne Klein, the primary goal of the partnership is to empower the youth in the Center by providing them with mentoring, tutoring, homework assistance and other meaningful contributions to both their intellectual and their everyday lives.
Youth Center participants and Coordinator Jayne Klein enjoy the musical entertainment.
There were about thirty middle- and high-school students from the Overtown Youth Center in attendance at the inaugural luncheon, as well as several of the Center‟s administrators. After a Caribbean-style lunch and exciting musical entertainment, a group of Honors students conducted a tour of the campus, which culminated in an inspirational talk given by Honors College students about the importance of a college education.
FIU students, staff, and faculty will all be encouraged to participate in this endeavor and to provide opportunities for these young people to share in academic and other events. We expect that the partnership will enhance self-esteem and self-confidence, encourage young people to feel more comfortable in an educational environment, and help them to understand the importance of higher education and the many possibilities it can open up for them. “The event was a tremendous success, and it fostered a great deal of warm feeling and anticipation as to what the future of the partnership would bring to all those involved,” said Klein.
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Honors Means Business (HMB) is a new initiative launched in the 2007 Fall semester between the College of Business Administration (CBA) and the Honors College for business-related majors in the Honors College. It aims to provide academic opportunities, a connection with the CBA, and community-building consistent with a university-wide initiative to provide students with a full four-year academic experience. HMB is a resource-filled program in which Honors College students who are potential business majors learn about the various professional programs at CBA and the requirements for successful completion of these degrees. In addition to the academic component, there are social and networking opportunities available through special dinners, lectures, and tours with members of the business community of South Florida. The program also includes a peer-mentoring component, information on tutoring, opportunities to join student societies, and small group sessions with CBA deans and faculty.
H O N O R S
College of Business representatives advise prospective Honors Business majors during a reception held on October 17, 2007 in the GC Ballrooms.
C O L L E G E S T U D E N T - A T H L E T E I N I T I A T I V E
This spring semester will see the start of a joint program between the Honors College and University Athletics to recruit outstanding student athletes into Honors. Athletic Director Pete Garcia is excited about partnering with Honors to provide the best possible academic opportunities for Florida International University's athletes. Eligible athletes will be individually recruited, offered classes geared to fit their schedules, and specially advised in
cooperation with the AD's office. Honors will help tell the story of outstanding Florida International University scholar-athletes, and promote enthusiasm for FIU sports within the Honors community (as with this year's First Annual Honors Tailgate Party). With high-achieving sports figures like Marlon Bright (basketball) and Erin Pavlic (swimming), the College can already be duly proud of its accomplished athletes.
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A C T I N G A L U M S : H O L L Y W O O D A P P E A L
As the Honors College continues to produce exceptional graduates, a select group of alumni are making their faces known across the US. These talented individuals have starred in made-for-television movies, network series, and full-length movies in the entertainment industry. Danny Pino, a 1996 Honors College alum, has maintained a starring role in the popular CBS series “Cold Case” since 2003. In addition to his many small screen appearances, Danny has acted in four full-length movies, such as “Lost City” with former FIU student Andy Garcia, and in 2002 returned to the stage in London‟s West End summer production of “Up for Grabs,” appearing opposite Madonna. As an Honors College student majoring in Theatre, Danny appeared in the College‟s first recruitment brochure in 1996. Ana Maria Lagasca graduated from FIU through the Honors College with a degree in Liberal Studies. Honors College Professor Robert Hogner was her faculty advisor for an Honors College independent study project involving an internship at the VH1 cable channel. She made her television acting debut in “Almost a Woman”, a made-for-TV movie for PBS in 2001. In the last couple of years, she has had guest roles on several TV programs, including “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “ER.” Arlene Tur has appeared in ABC‟s “Grey‟s Anatomy” as a patient with a highly unusual ailment, and made her feature film debut in “Final Engagement” with Peter Greene of “Pulp Fiction” (Zed). A Journalism major, Arlene attended the Spain Study Abroad Program back in the summer of 1998. Assistant Dean Sharon Placide remembers the journalism major‟s carefree spirit as a student. “She had a spontaneous personality; It doesn‟t surprise me that she would get into acting,” Placide said.
F I R S T H O N O R S T A I L G A T E A N D P A N T H E R W I N Alumni, students, faculty and staff joined together for the inaugural Honors Tailgate party at the Orange Bowl. Sponsored by Roman Brand Sausages, the tailgate marked the final game of the Golden Panther season and the first win of the season against the University of North Texas. “The tailgate was a great success...can‟t wait to do it next year. The sixty or so attendees really enjoyed the food and festive atmosphere,” said Honors College Associate Dean Juan Carlos Espinosa. The Honors Leadership Council will coordinate next year‟s events in the new Panther football stadium at University Park Campus.
A L U M N I U N I T E A T S T U D Y A B R O A D R E U N I O N The Honors College Italy Program held its ten-year reunion in November with alumni from every year of the program attending. The reunion, which was held at the 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant near the airport, brought together over seventy of the two hundred plus participants who have gone to Italy through the program. The alumni from the earlier years affectionately designated themselves the “geezers” of the program as they shared memories of the experience while dining and watching slides from 1998 through 2007.
2004 Italy Program veterans Christine Flint, Stephanie Aiken, and Annette Shumway get caught up.
Professors Stephen Fjellman and John Kneski enjoyed reuniting with many of their former students. The faculty and participants hope the reunion will become an annual tradition.
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The Honors College students in the new Amazon Honors College Program are currently working on various projects for their upcoming trip to the Peruvian rainforest. The students took one introductory course in the fall and are working on developing their projects this spring. During the summer, they will travel to the Amazon to make their projects realities. The outcomes of these projects will help enhance health, economic development, and education among rural Amazonian communities.
Students gather during the first semester of the Honors Amazon Study Abroad course.
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The students intend to integrate traditional forms of healing, communication, music, arts, and crafts with modern approaches in the fields of art, science, business, and education. David Busch and Tiara Thanawastien are researching health, sanitation, diet and medicinal plants; Tina Free and Chris Gilette are conducting a project on animals and health; Karina Rodriguez, Ryan Vogel, and Carla Rosales are analyzing the development of economic opportunities; Lauren Elbaum and Carla Cao‟s project examines the revitalization of cultural traditions and history education; and Catalina Medina is analyzing the educational system.
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Honors students Katherine Quinones and Teresita Bollar have co-authored “Allelopathic Effects of Ragweed Compound Thiarubrine-A on Brazilian Pepper,” an article published in International Allelopathy Foundation 2007, a peer-reviewed publication. PetaGaye Johnson was also acknowledged for her work on the study. Quinones and Bollar‟s study showed how ragweed, a commonly found herb in South Florida, adversely affected the regrowth of the invasive Brazilian pepper plant in treated soil piles found in
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Florida‟s Everglades National Park. The study was conducted in the area of the park called the hole-in-the-donut, where the exotic plant has a stranglehold over the existing vegetation. They were able to determine that ragweed‟s roots synthesize a chemical compound that reduces seed germination and growth of the Brazilian pepper. The result of this research may lead to an effective and safe method to control the growth of the exotic plant in the National Park.
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Following their presentations, Professor Bailly‟s students were approached with requests for future curatorial projects. “I have been to presentations every day and have found them to be very informative. The one your students gave, however, is the only one I did not take notes at. I couldn't; I was so wrapped up in their story and accomplishments, I did not want to miss a moment. I wanted to congratulate your students, you, and your Provost,” said Dr. Peter A. Siedlecki, Dean of Arts and Sciences at Daemen College in Amherst. Also, Associate Dean Kneski‟s students‟ book was in high demand, requested by professors, students and the conference‟s Executive Director. In a joint statement, Honors students Gerardo Gomez, Rocio Perez, Katrina Rodriguez and Crystal Sepulveda concluded, “It‟s hard to point out the most memorable experiStudent presentation of ence of the trip. Whether crafting some of our signature surrealist poems, or visiting Beauty in the Mediterranean museums with guided tours by our professors, it was all a blast. Thanks to the Honors College‟s bold and creative outlook we were allowed to take a chance on our projects, elevating mere class assignments into tangible, long-lasting works. Bar none, it was the definitive trip of our college years.”
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W I T H F U T U R E L E A D E R S : I N K T E L D I R E C T Inktel Direct, a direct marketing service company headquartered in Miami, hosted the fall Dinner with Future Leaders (DWFL). Upcoming Honors juniors and seniors enjoyed a tour of Inktel facilities before joining Ricky Arriola, President and CEO, for an informal dinner. Arrriola emphasized the value of passion, drive, and commitment within the workplace in his remarks to students. “I enjoyed hearing Mr. Arriola‟s background and advice on how a recent graduate can secure a great job without having years of experience,” said senior Advertising major Teresa Ronquillo.
Ricky Arriola (center), President and CEO of Inktel Direct, hosted a Dinner with Future Leaders during the fall semester.
Arriola invited students to submit resumes for Inktel‟s competitive summer internship program. Baptist Health South Florida will be hosting a DWFL event in late January for interested Honors students.
P R O M I N E N T C O M M U N I T Y L E A D E R S A D V I S O R Y B O A R D The Honorable Judge Stephen Leifman, Special Advisor to the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court on Criminal Justice and Mental Health, chairs the Eleve n t h J u d i c i a l Circuit‟s Mental Health Committee and also serves as chair of the Florida Chief Justice‟s Subcommittee on Mental Health.
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Patrick G. Morris, President and CEO of Hands On Miami, Inc., helped found the non-profit organization in 1993. It has grown to include over five thousand volunteers completing more than eighty community projects a month. He also serves on the Governor‟s Commission on Community Service.
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Honors College alumnus Frank Ramos (1993) serves as a partner at the law firm of Clarke Silverglate & Campbell. Ramos handles a variety of matters, including medical and special education litigation. Ramos is also a member of the Cuban American Bar Association
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Artist Xavier Cortada and Regions Bank Senior Vice President David Hitt sponsored a successful fundraising event for the Honors College General Endowment in October of 2007. The Mangroves and Mojitos theme reflected Cortada‟s mangroves paintings, a precursor to the artist‟s Reclamation Project, a collaborative eco-art intervention on Miami Beach. Bacardi, USA, provided mojitos for the evening‟s event, which was held at Cortada‟s studio. The event, open to the public, provided a casual cocktail service and silent auction for guests to enjoy. Honors student ambassadors mingled with guests throughout the evening, answering questions and relaying information about the artwork. The event raised over $6,000 to support the College‟s mission. Advisory Board member Camilla Cochrane and guest Claudia de la Cruz won silent auction lithographs.
Event hosts David Hitt and artist Xavier Cortada with Honors College Dean Lesley Northup.
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The event is organized by Leadership Seminar students of the Honors College at Florida International University. Net proceeds of this event will raise funds to endow a scholarship for Honors College students. Schedule 7:00 a.m. – 7:55 a.m. Registration and Driving Range Practice 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon 18 Holes of Golf with a Shotgun Start at 8:00 a.m. 12:00 noon – 12:15 p.m. Break 12:15 p.m. until 1:15 p.m. Lunch, Awards, Auctions and Raffles
Entry Form Corporate Foursome – $500* Community Members Foursome Non-Corporate – $400* Faculty, Staff, and Students Foursome – $300*
Names of Golfers 1.__________________ 2.__________________ 3.__________________ 4.__________________ (Captain of the Team) Contact Information Name:_________________ Phone:________________ Email:_________________________________
Sponsorship Form Name:_____________________ Address:_________________________________________________ Phone _____________________ Please select and circle all that you wish to sponsor from the following list: Holes Sponsorship – $500 Other Holes – $300 each (Holes 1 and 9) Hole-in-One – $2500 plus Longest Drive – $500 plus prize
Banner on Cart – $100 each Lowest 18-Hole Score – $500 plus prize
Donation or Total Due (Please add all the amounts that you circled above ) $____________. Make check(s) payable to “Honors College, FIU” if entering event and/or to ―FIU Foundation‖ if sponsoring. No goods or services will be provided for sponsorship contributions; therefore the entire amount is taxdeductible. Sponsors will not receive any benefits in return for their contributions. Mailing Address for Checks and Forms:
Golf Scramble Honors College Florida International University University Park DM 233 Miami, FL 33199
* Tax Related Information — estimated benefit to each player is $85 (green and cart fees $60 and lunch $25) Bring your checkbook to buy mulligans and raffle tickets on the day of the scramble.
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H O N O R S S T U D E N T E A R N S F I R S T E C H E V E R R I A S C H O L A R S H I P The first Jose Antonio Echeverria Scholarship has been awarded to Honors College student Joaquin A. Pedroso, a fourth-year Honors student double-majoring in philosophy and political science. Pedroso is the beneficiary of a scholarship created last March by the family and friends of slain Cuban student leader Jose Antonio Echeverria to help mark the 50th anniversary of his death during a bold attempt to overthrow military dictator Fulgencio Batista on March 13, 1957. Although Echeverria was an architecture student, the family decided to fund a Political Science scholarship to encourage a new generation to become active participants in the current political environment and to be effective future leaders. The scholarship, which requires applicants to complete a Certificate in Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at FIU, awards $2,000 per academic year.
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Seven first-year Honors students accompanied Professors David Chatfield and Bennett Schwartz on a one-day field trip to the Center for the Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida. The group met with several famous chimpanzees and orangutans, including an orangutan named Sammy (pictured at right), who starred in the movie “Dunston Checks In,” and one of Michael Jackson‟s former pet chimpanzees. The Center opposes the use of apes in movies and cares for the primates after they are deemed “too big” for the entertainment industry. “Usually, the tour is about two hours, but our students had so many questions, and they were such good ones, that Tina Gilbert, the Center‟s Director, spent four hours with our group, answering questions and introducing the animals,” said Professor Schwartz. All support for the Center for Great Apes comes from individual memberships in the organization, private donor support, and grants from animal welfare foundations. The Center, which is not open to the public, does not receive any government funding. “Our students learned valuable information regarding the treatment of apes, non-profit fundraising within our legal system, and the importance of becoming a concerned citizen. The trip up and back sounds long, but it was a fine way for students to get to know each other better and, especially, to have a different kind of interaction with faculty,” wrote Professor Chatfield.
F A C U L T Y M E M B E R A N D F A M I L Y E S T A B L I S H S C H O L A R S H I P Leonard Elbaum, an Honors Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, has created the “Louis and Esther Elbaum Endowment” for Honors College students in memory of his father. The sole purpose of the endowment will be to provide scholarships for patient care technicians and/or their children who intend to pursue careers in any of the professional preparation programs offered by FIU‟s College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS) or College of Medicine (COM). The Elbaum family was inspired to create the endowment in honor of Louis Elbaum and in recognition of the outstanding medical and personal care he received at his home, Irving Cypen Tower, and at the clinics of Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged (MJHHA), Mount Sinai Hospital, and specifically at the Olson Hospital at MJHHA. “Our father was, and our mother is, thankful for the time and professional attention of their physicians, nurses, and therapists. They have also been impressed with the intelligence, diligence, compassion, and wisdom of their patient care technicians,” said Leonard Elbaum. Following traditional Jewish custom, in lieu of flowers, the family accepted donations in Louis Elbaum‟s memory to the endowment. Roger Wyman, Assistant Vice President of Advancement Services, assisted the family in establishing the fund.
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The MUSE program, a student-initiated Honors mentoring program focused on creating community and easing the transition into college life for first-year students, paired over twenty Honors College freshmen with their upper class counterparts. The program has a total of sixty members. During the fall semester, program participants bonded over movie nights, pumpkin carving, and gingerbread house construction. Planning and fundraising for Relay for Life is set to begin. The new e-board has been able to bring a fresh perspective and enthusiasm to the program, and will continue involving their participants in Honors and university endeavors. Learn more about this exciting program and its activities at museprogram.googlepages.com..
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The Honors College has taken on a new initiative— providing students with quick and easy access to the College‟s advisors, programs, and opportunities. A unique, studentcentered website is now available exclusively to Honors College students. The website will feature current job opportunities, internships, scholarships, student organizations, a calendar of events and Honors programs. “This site will serve as a resource tool for Honors students. They can learn about professional development opportunities, as well as civic engagement opportunities available specifically for Honors College students. It‟s a „one-stop shop‟ for our busy students,” said Elizabeth Williams, Associate Director of Student Enrichment.
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MUSE students building gingerbread houses for the holiday season.
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Four Honors College students, Vignesh Doraiswamy, Byron Gaskin, Stephanie Mathurin, and Michelle Narganes, have been selected to be 2008 University Peer Advisors for the University Park campus. Peer Advisors, undergraduate student leaders, assist with all aspects of freshman and transfer orientation programs at the Biscayne Bay and University Park Campuses. They are responsible for greeting new students and their families, proctoring placement tests, providing campus tours, introducing new students to campus resources, assisting with academic advising, and facilitating small groups. Over 160 students applied for the highly coveted 39 positions. “It‟s a really big honor to be accepted. I know it‟s going to be a lot of work, but I‟m looking forward to working with the new students,” stated Doraiswamy.
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Under the leadership of its new e-board, Gamma Epsilon Phi, the University Park Honors College Society, remains committed to conducting social and community related activities. The year began with a Beach Clean-up BBQ. Members cleaned the beaches of Bill Baggs State Park before grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. Students also began fundraising for the Race for the Cure Foundation through various bake sales and donations. GEP collected over $200 and participated during the walkathon. In preparation for the spring's Relay for Life, the GEP Boomers team originated a "Will you Dare to Care?” group via Facebook. The group, which aims to raise awareness about breast cancer, boasts over two hundred members. To foster community, members attended Rockin‟ Relay, a 50‟s social and karaoke night at Dave & Buster‟s. In addition to a toy drive for needy children, members collected over 150 cans of food to donate to a local orphanage for immigrant children. Gamma Epsilon Phi also displayed its Panther pride this past semester, adopting football player Toronto Smith; students attended every home football game, making signs and cheering for Smith and the team. The e-board aims to continue making a difference and building community.
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Mary Lou Pfeiffer, an Honors Fellow and full-time instructor, holds advanced degrees in Intercultural Human Rights from St. Thomas University School of Law (L.L.M) and in Religious Studies from Florida International University (MA). Her areas of specialization include American tribal cultures and human rights law, while her research areas further encompass earth ethics and breast cancer and asbestosis studies. Pfeiffer currently sits on the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board and the FIU Center for Spirituality Advisory Board, serves as President of FIU‟s Women‟s Studies Board, and chairs the Friends of Environmental Studies Board. Her involvement at the university and teaching expertise earned her the Alumni Torch Award, two Outstanding Service Awards from Religious Studies, and acceptance in Who‟s Who of American Women (2007) and Who‟s Who in America (2008). Pfeiffer, an avid surfer and swimmer, is currently completing a project on her uncle‟s original “V” mail letters from World War II, and two manuscripts—one on the Miami Circle, and a fictional work taken from her life as the wife of a naval fighter pilot who participated in the “Seagull Society” during the Vietnam years. In addition to her professorial duties, Pfeiffer owns and operates an art glass studio specializing in stained/etched glass and stone and wood sculpting. She has two sons: one is a paramedic firefighter and the other, an executive chef on Oahu‟s north shore.
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Honors College Professors Bill Ritzi and John Bailly conducted the firstever visual arts workshop at the 2008 National Collegiate Honors Conference, titled Oil and Acrylic: Expanding the Parameters of Painting. The workshop focused on expanding the participants‟ tactile manipulation of the formal elements of art and introduced alternative methods of combining mediums. Participants learned how to utilize non-traditional visual thinking strategies to guide their creative processes. Exploring a variety of mediums and techniques, the workshop introduced alternative methods of combining mediums, applicable to both representational and abstract art. Ritzi and Bailly focused primarily on artistic work that generates observation, hypothesizing, and summarizing. “We had approximately one hundred people in attendance and ran an extra hour to accommodate participants who did not want to stop painting. Honors College student Rose Romero was a star of this workshop, producing beautiful works on paper, “ said Professor John Bailly. That evening, the work of the participants was displayed at an NCHC conference exhibition. Due to the success of the workshop, the duo have been invited to conduct a similar workshop during next year‟s conference.
Above, Right Professor Bill Ritzi explains the elements of art to workshop participants. Below, Right Conference attendees enjoy the gallery of work created at the workshop during the Saturday exhibition.
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G R A D U A T I O N A S S E M B L Y : A N I N T I M A T E A F F A I R Family and friends joined graduating seniors in celebration at the fall Graduation Assembly. “Historically, it has been difficult for the fall graduates to attend the Awards Assembly held in the spring as many of them would have already transitioned into new endeavors. The ceremony thus allows the students an opportunity, while they are with us, to mark this milestone,” said Elizabeth Williams, Associate Director of Student Enrichment. Keynote speaker Patrick Morris, an Advisory Board member and President of Hands On Miami, discussed the importance and positive life-long effects of volunteering and giving back to the community as a professional. Graduates received Honors Certifications of Completion, tassels and medallions from Dean Lesley A. Northup, FIU Associate Vice President and Ombudsman Larry Luns- Assoc. Dean John Kneski , Danny Rodriguez & Wendy Ordoñez ford, and Morris. A reception followed the ceremony, providing students with a chance to interact and introduce Honors faculty and staff to their guests.
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Michael Grunwa ld, an environm ental r epor t er for T ime magazine, was this year‟s fall excellence lecturer. He addressed over 250 faculty, staff, and students on October 30, 2007. Grunwald, who spent over a year slogging through the Everglades and conducting research for his award-winning book, The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise, spoke about the “dreamers and schemers who have tried to settle, drain, tame, develop, sell, preserve and restore the Everglades.” He ended his lecture on an optimistic note when he discussed the park‟s attempts to bring the wetland to its former glory. He believed that this effort would become the model for other countries with regards to water management and restoration in the future.
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The Honors College Fall Colloquium series hosted meteorologist Hugh Willoughby and College of Architecture professor Camilo Rosales.
spoke during the October Colloquium on the “Shifting Climates of the 21 st Century.” He also discussed the importance of hurricane mitigation in the upcoming years.
Dr. Willoughby, a distinguished tropical cyclone formation and i n te ns i fica t io n r e s e a r c h professor in the Earth Sciences Department,
Willoughby has flown over four hundred missions into the eyes of storms as a federal government meteorologist. This past year, he initiated a successful campaign for a meteorology degree program at FIU. Rosales discussed the architectural evolution and transformation of two countries during the November
Colloquium, “China and Japan: New Cities, New Landscapes, New Buildings.” After earning a Masters of Architecture with Honors from the University of Texas at Austin, Rosales received the prestigious “Award for Built Project” from the American Institute of Architects. Throughout his distinguished career, he has participated in six research grants and contracts related to developments in architecture and architectural education that total over $300,000.
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Dr. Spencer Wells, director of the Genographic Project, spoke to a large and enthusiastic audience of students, faculty and community m e m b er s d ur in g th e E xc e l l en ce Lecture on January 31. Dr. Wells, the National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, gained acclaim through his very popular book and documentary film, The Journey of Man. His research, using cheek swabs from thousands of indigenous participants, promises to provide information not only on human origins, but on the social and environmental factors that have shaped human history. Honors partnered with the Student Government Association to bring Dr. Wells to campus as part of the popular lecture series.
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In the spring semester, Brian L. Weiss, M.D., will discuss his book, Same Soul, Many Bodies. Weiss, one of the first doctors to explore the past lives of his patients as a means of therapy, reveals how past and present lives can affect our future lives, and how our future lives can transform us in the here and now. Dr. Weiss is Chairman Emeritus of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami. He also maintains a private practice. In addition, Dr. Weiss conducts national and international seminars and experiential workshops as well as training program for professionals. His first book, Many Lives, Many Masters, was a popular bestseller.
H O N O R S C O L L E G E B U I L D I N G O N T H E H O R I Z O N The Honors College collaborated with the School of Architecture last semester on a project to create proposals for a new building for the Honors College at University Park. The project was based in a senior-level architectural design studio directed by Associate Dean John Kneski, who has taught in the School of Architecture since 1993. The students were given the actual site at University Park that has already been designated on the FIU campus master plan as the
Computer model of a proposal for the new Honors College Building by Juan C. Moran
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future home of the College. The tangible nature of the project, which included developing a realistic budget, added a sense of excitement to the design project for the twelve students in the studio class. A five-member panel of architecture faculty and professionals from the community were invited to take part in the final review of the work, which took place in the GC Ballrooms. The final proposals will be displayed in the Honors College in the spring semester.
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Honors Colloquium Rasul Muhammad
Honors Colloquium Ricardo Allicock
Honors Colloquium Lydia Martin
Spring Excellence Lecture Brian Weiss
Nation of Islam February 13, 2008 - 12:00PM WUC Ballrooms B, BBC
Consul General of Jamaica February 20, 2008 - 12:30PM Graham Center 243
Miami Herald Columnist March 11, 2008 - 12:30PM Graham Center 243
Author and Psychiatrist March 13, 2008 -2:00PM Mary Ann Wolfe Theatre, BBC
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