Inspired to Give and Succeed

FIU’s Division of Student Affairs has greatly increased its participation in this year’s Ignite Faculty & Staff Campaign, thanks to the team effort of its staff. One of them, Diana de Castro ’08, MBA ’12, played a critical role in assisting her supervisor and fellow Igniter Matilde Gramling in the endeavor.

Building a Home Away from Home

The FIU Alumni Center will soon become home to the university’s alumni and friends. Thanks to a $2 million planned gift from Richard W. Strait ’76 and Marcia L. Martinez-Strait, MS ‘77, that dream for a place to call home is turning into a reality. One of the largest alumni contributions to date, this momentous gift will support the design, construction and operation of the future Alumni Center.

Bringing Art to Life and into the Classroom

Since 2011, FIU landscape architecture students have been learning to use three-dimensional modeling software through assignments that incorporate The Wolfsonian-FIU’s collections. The Wolfsonian Curriculum Development Grant, supported by a three-year, $500,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, made it possible for Ebru Özer, Assistant Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture, to develop a new graduate course that enhances students’ learning by forging a connection with the museum’s collections.

Courage to Reach Beyond Her Limits

Senior hospitality management major, Mary Ondari, bravely pushed past the cultural norms of her native country of Kenya to forge a better future for herself. Over the past year, FIU has served as her ticket to a world of possibilities.

Supporting FIU’s Top Graduates

Committed to excellence in graduate education, FIU’s University Graduate School (UGS) offers fellowship opportunities for students from across the globe. The most prestigious among the fellowships awarded by UGS, the Presidential Fellowship, attracts top-quality graduate students to doctoral degree programs at FIU and provides a stable platform to help launch their careers.

Education in the Hands of a Future Surgeon

Dale Segal represents the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) with pride. A recipient of the FIU HWCOM Tuition Remission Scholarship, Dale has the support of the College to pursue his dream of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.

Museum Goes Virtual

The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum at FIU recently announced the launch of the Virtual Frost Art Museum, a new website that enables art enthusiasts to view exhibitions from their computer or smart phone, thanks to a $35,000 matching grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as part of its Knight Arts Challenge. The Virtual Frost Art Museum can be accessed by visiting http://virtual.frostartmuseum.org.

The Annual Giving Center

“My journey through FIU has been a long but memorable one. The people I have met here have played a huge role in my life and my growth,” said Andre Harrrell, a senior criminal justice major who one day aspires to work for the Drug Enforcement Administration.