Alumni Spotlight – Leonel Garcia ’17

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Picture of FIU Alumnus Leonel Garcia '17
FIU College of Arts, Sciences & Education alumnus Leonel Garcia ’17 is one proud panther. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, his connection to FIU runs deep and it’s a family affair — his older and younger brother also graduated from FIU. As first-generation college students, FIU was the place they all chose to lay […]

Opening Doors: How Scholarships Change Student Futures At FIU

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FIU students at commencement
— By Samantha Vargas A conversation with Senior Director of Academic Support Services, Laura Castillo, detailing the broader impact of donor-funded scholarships. At Florida International University (FIU), scholarships often determine whether a student can stay enrolled and reach graduation. Powered largely by philanthropy, initiatives like All In for FIU Scholarships make it possible to meet […]

Rosita Gedeon Scholarship Celebration Brings Together Gedeon Family and FIU Gedeon Scholars 

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FIU Gedeon Scholars with the Gedeon family
Philanthropist Harvey Gedeon, members of his family, and FIU Gedeon Scholars came together on February 26, 2026, for the Rosita Gedeon Scholarship Celebration.  Held at the International Center for Tropical Botany (ICTB), located within The Kampong, the historic estate of plant explorer Dr. David Fairchild, the event began with a cocktail reception followed by a private tour led by ICTB […]

FIU Student Joins Legacy of Family Graduates Pursuing Careers in Education

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When Matthew Johnson graduates with a degree in exercise science this December, he will be the third generation in his family to graduate from FIU’s School of Education and Human Development. Both his mother and grandmother earned their bachelor’s and master’s degrees from FIU. Matthew grew up with them ever-present in his life while they […]

Lee Caplin makes $10 million naming gift to Journalism & Media at FIU

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FIU CARTA students
– By Heather Radi-Bermudez Florida International University and its Department of Journalism + Media, within the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA), today announced a $10 million naming gift from philanthropists Mr. and Mrs. Lee Caplin establishing the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media. The gift, one of the largest donations to a […]

Physician believes in paying it forward, sets up scholarship for medical students

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The Loewenherzes on a recent visit to FIU with College of Medicine Interim Dean Dr. Juan Cendan and Dr. Yolangel Hernandez Suarez, interim executive associate dean for Student Affairs.
–By Ileana Varela Growing up in Chicago, Dr. James Loewenherz spent his entire childhood around water– quarries, rivers, and lakes. By age 12, he was sailing across Lake Michigan. “The only place I couldn’t go safely is underwater, and I wanted that freedom.” Scuba diving provided that freedom and, eventually, his entry into the world […]

CEO Howard Lipman on the FIU Foundation’s pivotal role advancing the university progress

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–By Todd Ellenberg MS ’91 In this issue of SOAR, we spoke with FIU Foundation CEO Howard Lipman on the growth of the FIU Foundation and its pivotal role in advancing the university’s progress. How has the FIU Foundation evolved since Next Horizon was launched, and how has it been instrumental to the campaign’s success? […]

Alumnus Abe Ovadia assists law students’ job hunt through generous gift to FIU Law’s Career Planning & Placement Office

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Abe Ovadia JD '09
–By Clara-Meretan Kiah ’15 After FIU Law alumnus Abraham “Abe” Ovadia graduated in 2009, he found himself in a bit of a rut. The nation was experiencing the worst economic recession since the Great Depression and the legal profession was retrenching. At the time, FIU’s College of Law had only graduated four classes and was […]