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 […]

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. […]

Investment in the Next Horizon continues with recent gifts to FIU

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Following a record-breaking fundraising year, the FIU Foundation is grateful to share some of the more recent investments made in the university’s Next Horizon: Bank of America awarded FIU $1,000,000 to help minority students successfully complete the education and training necessary to enter the workforce after graduation. The grant will help scale a pipeline program […]

Meet the Ratcliffe Art + Design Incubator entrepreneurship fellows

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–By Tatianna Basanta Three years ago, the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts and the Philip E. and Carol R. Ratcliffe Foundation sought to give FIU art and design students the tools they needed to turn their ideas into profitable businesses – and thus the Ratcliffe Art + Design Incubator (RA+DI) was born. RA+DI recently received $2.5 million […]

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 […]

Foundation responds to immediate needs of FIU, the community during pandemic

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When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and FIU announced its shift to remote learning and work in March, leaders of the FIU Foundation knew the university’s Next Horizon capital campaign would need to be placed on pause to address a more immediate need: Students, faculty and staff, and the surrounding community were suffering, and the Foundation […]

Philanthropy in times of crisis: Howard Lipman explains why philanthropy is needed now more than ever

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Before his current role as CEO of the FIU Foundation and previous executive positions in university advancement, Howard Lipman served as the President and CEO of the Greater Miami and The Keys Chapter of the American Red Cross. In that position, he was tasked – among other things – with fundraising for disaster relief. This experience has provided him with a unique lens to view […]

Researchers inform decisions, promote community health during pandemic

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FIU researchers from across disciplines have concerted efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. From creating programs that track the virus’s spread to examining the efficacy of emerging telemedicine technology among underserved communities, and more, their work seeks to advance understanding of the novel virus that has infected more than 52.9 million people worldwide. Their projects are […]

An interview with FIU’s Equity Action Initiative committee

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Equity Action Initiative Proposal
With the movement arising throughout the nation calling for an end to racial injustice and inequality, in June FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg announced the creation of a new university advisory group, the Equity Action Initiative, to review and recommend initiatives to address issue of inclusion and equity, particularly as they concern FIU. He named […]

Training the next generation of physicians: Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

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The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at FIU is empowering those who have heard the call of duty to become the next generation of community-minded doctors through state-of-the-art training and an education that emphasizes diversity and compassion.