When it comes to startups, having the idea is the easy part. The hard part? Raising the money and getting the guidance required to make the idea a reality. FIU alumnus Walter Gonzalez Jr. ’96 knows this firsthand. Almost a decade ago, he was launching his own e-commerce startup, GOJA. Today, Walter’s company is a […]
Jaffer family endows Center for Muslim World Studies at FIU
To promote greater understanding of the global Muslim community, Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer, longtime supporters of Middle East studies and other programs at FIU, have donated $2 million to create a Center for Muslim World Studies at the university. The first-of-its-kind in South Florida, the center will be named the Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer Center for Muslim […]
Remembering Harry B. Smith
On February 3, 2018, the FIU family lost a committed community leader, philanthropist, and advocate for the arts, Harry B. Smith. For 31 years, he was the husband of Joan Smith, a FIU Foundation BOD Emirata. Joan served on the FIU Foundation’s BOD for 14 years (1994-2008), and she is well known to many of […]
Trustee gets to know Panthers, campus life
Marc D. Sarnoff, a member of the FIU Board of Trustees, spent Feb. 12 in the Graham Center Pit getting to know Panthers on a more personal level. A partner at Shutts & Bowen practicing land use and government relations law and a former City of Miami commissioner, Sarnoff brings 30 years of experience representing the South Florida […]
FIU becomes Knight of the Rural Development Merit Order of Burkina Faso
The Grand Chancery Order of the Office of the President of Burkina Faso has recognized FIU as a Knight of the Rural Development Merit Order. The honor was recently presented to Lakhdar Boukerrou, a research associate professor in the Department of Earth and Environment who oversaw the USAID West Africa-Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (USAID WA-WASH) Program in […]
Celebrating first-generation students
If you meet a student from FIU, there’s a good chance that he or she is a first-generation student. Panthers come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and many of these students come from households where neither parent completed a four-year degree. These students face a unique set of challenges that can range from a lack […]
Major gift by late philanthropist caps 18-year legacy of Wolfsonian support
Palm Beach philanthropist Jean S. Sharf and her late husband, collector and scholar Frederic A. Sharf, have gifted more than 650 items to The Wolfsonian–FIU. A longtime trustee and benefactor of museums across the United States, Fred Sharf initiated the donation in early fall 2017, just a few months before his death in late November. His final […]
Save 20% on SOBEWFF® while supporting FIU
FIU is proud to announce an exclusive offer for FIU alumni and donors! Save 20% on each ticket for: Barilla’s Italian Bites on the Beach sponsored by HCP Media and the Miami Herald Media Company hosted by Giada De Laurentiis on Thursday, February 22, 2018* BACARDÍ presents Walshy Fire’s Rum & Bass Beach Party on Saturday, February […]
CEO of Gates Foundation says FIU health grads inspire her
During the recent winter commencement ceremonies, graduates of the College of Medicine, College of Nursing and College of Public Health & Social Work were inspired by Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann, the CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Although some in the audience may have been expecting a typical commencement speech, Dr. Desmond-Hellmann flipped the […]
In gratitude: Hats off to those who support FIU in crisis and year-round
“Unprecedented destruction.” These two words have been spoken frequently by government officials, aide workers and news anchors during the past couple of months. Between hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, as well as the earthquake in Mexico and wildfires on the Pacific Coast, natural disasters have created great need for aid in the United States and […]