Jaquan Starling approaches engineering with a humanist edge

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–By Jessica Borsi MFA ’19 “Engineering gives me the space to be logically creative,” is how Jaquan Starling, Honors College student and Interdisciplinary Engineering senior due to graduate this June, describes how he likes to work.   For Starling, engineering isn’t just about building better technology; it’s also about questioning the ethical and societal implications of […]

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, […]

With gift to establish scholarship endowment in honor of her teenage daughters, FIU employee joins new Pathway to Philanthropist program

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Inspired to set an example for her two teenage daughters about the positive impact women can make in the world, Smilka Melgoza recently made a gift to establish the Vivian and Vanessa Melgoza Scholarship Endowment at FIU. The scholarship is named for her 13- and 15-year-old daughters and will support students in the Honors College, […]

FIU Foundation LinkedIn Series: Making Dreams a Reality Through the First Generation Scholarship Program

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Joan Casanova Gonzalez is the executive director of the Development Office for Student Success at the FIU Foundation. In her role, she oversees development for the First Generation Scholarship Program, which provides support to undergraduate students at FIU who are among the first generation in their families to earn a college degree. An alumna of […]

Leaving a legacy: What endowments mean for donors and the university

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–By Maria Rojas At FIU, we often say creating an endowment lets donors leave a legacy. But what does that really mean for a donor and for FIU?  An endowment is a safety net for FIU’s future, a way to ensure the impact of a contribution endures.   When donors initiate an endowment, their principal gift, a contribution of money or other financial assets, is invested. Though it may not start supporting university efforts for a few years (usually four to […]

FIU Law dean creates scholarship for first-generation students

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The scholarship will support students who are the among the first generation in their families to attend college in their endeavor to earn law degrees. Antony Page, dean of the FIU College of Law, recently made a $200,000 planned gift to the university to establish a scholarship for law students who are among the first generation […]

Donations to First Generation Scholarship Program now matched 2-for-1 by state

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International business senior Alberto Garcia Marrero hopes to go to law school after graduating. To get there, the Honors College student spends his time attending conferences in his field of study and leading a number of campus organizations, including Golden Key International Honour Society, for which he serves as president. Garcia Marrero was born in […]