MacKenzie Scott makes a $40 million gift to FIU that will transform the student experience

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Philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott and husband Dan Jewett have announced a $40 million gift to FIU. The gift is unrestricted and will be used to support student success programs. “Higher education is a proven pathway to opportunity, so we looked for 2 and 4-year institutions successfully educating students who come from communities that have […]

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 […]

So close! Completion grants push students past the finish line

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–By Kenneth Setzer “I got into college!”  Opening that college acceptance letter is thrilling – and a little scary. While scholarships can help with the costs of tuition and books, a worrying trend that appears later in the academic career sees many students have to choose to delay their studies when the graduation finish line is nearly in sight.  To redress this, more institutions are offering what are called “completion grants,” a type […]

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. […]

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, […]

BankUnited iCare Scholarship targets students engaged in diversity

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–By Ellen Forman for BizNews In the summer of 2020, BankUnited launched its iCARETM program. The mission of iCARETM, which stands for Inclusive Community of Advocacy, Respect and Equality, is to create a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace where individuals are valued for their talents, feel free to express themselves and are empowered to achieve their […]

Honors College students earn early acceptance to Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and mentorship on pre-med track

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–By Brittany Torres Rivera for FIU News Every year, ambitious sophomores at FIU’s Honors College are given the distinctive opportunity of being considered for guaranteed admission at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM). In addition to securing an acceptance of admission, the HWCOM Early Assurance Program assists students throughout their premedical planning by helping to define […]

20 FIU programs ranked among world’s best

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–By Morgan Hughes for FIU News Twenty FIU programs were ranked among the world’s best, according to the 2021 QS World University Rankings by Subject. Eight of these programs ranked in the top 50 for their category among public U.S universities. They are: Hospitality & Leisure Management: FIU ranked No. 10 Architecture: FIU ranked 17-25 Business […]

Student Food Pantry at BBC upgrades to new space thanks to generous donation amid pandemic

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The BBC Student Food Pantry upgraded to a new space this year, thanks to the support of a lifelong learning student named Herb Gruber and his partner, FIU alumna Donna Steffens ’06. The new pantry, already open for business, is located at Wolfe University Center 256 and, like its MMC counterpart, is open to all […]