Mellon Foundation grants address inequities of vulnerable, marginalized communities

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Vulnerable communities are often disproportionately impacted by disasters such as hurricanes, floods and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Often, these same communities’ voices have been silenced or marginalized when history is preserved.   Now, thanks to major grants from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Florida International University is addressing these inequities through two innovative programs that draw upon the talent and expertise of multiple academic areas […]

A local MD’s journey and efforts to increase Black presence in the medical profession

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Dr. Seth Crapp
–By Nina Rose “Do I belong here?”  Look around the classroom. Few of the students look like you, and many come from families of doctors. The faculty don’t look like you, and the school’s culture may communicate that you don’t belong. How are you going to find mentors, build a network? Only a tiny percentage […]

Every gift matters

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For most Panthers, showing pride in their alma mater doesn’t happen only once. They don’t go to just one baseball game, participate in one Panther Alumni Week, or drive around once sporting an FIU license plate. Showing Panther pride is something that alumni do regularly – without thinking twice about it.  And for many, giving back is no […]

Forging the future: Developing personalized treatments for cancer patients

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The leading-edge research of FIU faculty member Diana Azzam is advancing the field of personalized cancer treatment. But were it not for a project when she was an undergraduate chemistry student in her native Lebanon, she may not have pursued her current work.  “I got involved in an observational study of incidences of cancer in a mountain area versus the city,” she recounted. “We found there was a higher incidence of […]

VIDEO: Knight Foundation, FIU to accelerate growth of Miami’s tech ecosystem

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Building on South Florida’s momentum around technology and entrepreneurship, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation made a $10 million gift to FIU’s School of Computing and Information Sciences to develop technical talent at scale to meet the demands of industry and Miamians seeking to advance their tech skills. The investment will catalyze the […]

Knight Foundation investment sparks anticipation among FIU students, alumni

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Knight School students
When the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation invested $10 million in the newly renamed Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences, students and alumni across the country – like Cesar Villa Garcia ’18, Jose Maldonado ’17, and Ph.D. candidate Mireya Jurado – were ecstatic. The value of their degrees had just received an important boost. The College of Engineering & Computing, which houses the Knight School, is […]

Jorge Mas and family make $5 million lead gift to CasaCuba at FIU

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On behalf of the Mas family, Jorge Mas, one of the most prominent Cuban American business leaders in the United States, has made a $5 million lead gift to CasaCuba at Florida International University. A founding member of the CasaCuba Board of Advisors and chairman of the Board and co-founder of MasTec, his gift will support the mission and […]

Following gift from Maurice A. Ferré Foundation, FIU celebrates launch of Maurice A. Ferré Institute for Civic Leadership

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Public policy professor Agatha Caraballo named inaugural director –By Amy Ellis for FIU News Widely regarded as the father of modern-day Miami, Mayor Maurice A. Ferré led the city through some of its most challenging times – the McDuffie riots, the Mariel boatlift and the drug wars. His early vision of Miami as the gateway […]

Young alum joins Pathway to Philanthropist program with gift to establish scholarship for first-generation students

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With a recent gift to establish the Ruth Andrade – Jose Alberto Maldonado Zavala Scholarship Endowment, computer science alumnus and first-generation college graduate Jose Maldonado ’17 has become one of the first members of FIU’s Pathway to Philanthropist program. The scholarship will benefit first-generation students in the Honors College, of which Maldonado is a graduate, […]

Donors inspired by a campus experience that continues to enrich their lives: Meet Herb Gruber and Donna Steffens ’06

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The BBC Student Food Pantry upgraded to a new space this year, and a group of highly motivated students in the College of Arts, Sciences & Education are getting a well-earned boost toward graduation, thanks to the support of a lifelong learning student named Herb Gruber and his partner, FIU alumna Donna Lee Steffens ’06. […]