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FIU magazine winter 2015 2016
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WINTER 2015-16 VOLUME 33
Fertile GroundFIU collaborates with the South Dade communityto encourage the business of farming and economic growth
SERVICE AS CELEBRATION FIU students and staff came out for the Homecoming Week Day of Service to show their support of the community and continue to mark the 50th anniversary of FIU’s founding. Participating in a variety of service events throughout the year—including beautification activities at Homestead Bayfront Park, below—members of the FIU family have contributed to the common good and collectively reflect FIU’s commitment to all who live in South Florida.
Photo by Ben Guzman ’11
22E-HEALTH ASSISTANTALWAYS ON CALLA mobile device-based health avatar could soon help us all stay healthier.
32 PUTTING A NOVEL TO RESTCreative writing professors lovingly finish and publish a deceased student’s book.
AN ARTIST GROWS IN NEW YORKAn FIU alumna sees her star rise with an installation in Madison Square Park.
8
ON THE COVER PLANTING THE SEEDSOF SUCCESSFIU is helping military veterans and minorities break into the business of farming. Pictured on cover: Garfield Jarrett ’14 on his South Dade farm
16
FOSTERING HOPEAn FIU initiative provides support for former foster care and homeless students.10
REMEMBERING GREGORY WOLFEFIU’s third president capitalized on the university’s international nature. 6
PANTHER ATHLETICS MAKES STRIDES IN REBUILDINGFall sports gave FIU fans plenty to cheer about.
26
WINTER 2015-16 | 1
• Be inspired by former foster care and homeless students who are succeeding at FIU. • Read about the engineering research of FIU professors working in earthquake-torn Nepal.• See Professor Christine Lisetti and her team as they develop a digital personal health assistant. GET FEATURED ON FACEBOOK! Send us a photo of yourself reading FIU Magazine — at home, at work or on vacation — and we will share it on our Facebook page! Email photos to magazine@fiu.edu.
WHENEVER YOU SEE THE PLAY BUTTON, VISIT MAGAZINE.FIU.EDU OR USE THE FIU MAGAZINE APP TO GET OUR DIGITAL-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
FIU MAGAZINEDIGITAL EXCLUSIVES
MEET MEREDITH MARCHIONI PH.D. ’09, a cultural anthropologist who documents tribal hunting and fishing practices in remote Native American villages in Alaska.
Download “FIU Magazine” at no charge in your device’s app store.
Check out more from FIU Magazine, online and via the FIU Magazine app for tablet.
Or view online atmagazine.fiu.edu
Posthumous publication Hear Creative Writing Professor John Dufresne read from a novel by an alumnus who passed away.
EXPERIENCE THE ARTWORK OF TERESITA FERNANDEZ ’90 in an amazing 360-degree tour (best viewed on tablet) that puts you in the middle of Madison Square Park in New York.
Fitness forwardWatch a cool animation of the upcoming expansion of the Rec Center at MMC.
Art for the massesMeet alumnus Omar Lopez Chahoud, organizer of an annual fair presented during Art Basel Miami Beach.
2 | WINTER 2015-16
FIU Magazine is printed on 30 percent PCW recycled paper that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day,
a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting
somewhere behind the morning.”
— J. B. Priestly (author, novelist, playwright, essayist)
New beginnings. I find they arrive imbued with promise.
Whether it’s a new home, new school, new job, new love, my
life changes have always been accompanied by a sense of
hope — if not immediately, at least eventually. I haven’t asked
for every change life has handed me — in fact, some of these changes have brought me
to my knees — but when I regained my bearings, my new reality, more often than not, was
life-affirming.
This issue of FIU Magazine is filled with stories of new beginnings. Writer Amy Ellis
writes movingly of our students who have “aged out” of the foster care system and are
left with little support to navigate the vagaries of college. Reading about this special
population fills me with pride, not only because of what FIU is doing to help them but
because of the indomitable spirit these Panthers display in building futures that will deliver
them from their pasts.
Our cover story by Evelyn Perez and Alexandra Pecharich about FIU’s ongoing
initiatives in South Dade is a tale of myriad new beginnings — those of our military
veterans and others seeking a career in the business of agriculture as well as the
university’s efforts to further its impact in the southern part of the county.
Elsewhere in this publication you’ll find 2016 Panther Getaway Tours advertised. Why
not you in 2016? Literally and figuratively, new beginnings await.
This fall I experienced my own new beginning, of sorts, when I became editor of FIU
Magazine. While it has been my great, good fortune to serve as a writer for the university
for nearly 15 years, I have never served as editor of FIU’s flagship publication. I’m
energized to continue its tradition of excellence and to work alongside one of the best
creative teams in the country.
Last but not least, our FIU Magazine app is now available through the App Store
and the Google Play store to read on iPad and Android tablet devices. Months in
development, the app gives us a chance to bring the magazine stories to life in a way
that print cannot. You’ll find videos, audio and additional editorial content there as well as
online to enhance your experience of the magazine.
I think J.B. Priestly was on to something. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find my
own bit of magic “somewhere behind the morning.”
Always Blue and Gold,
Karen Cochrane
FROM THE EDITOR FIU PresidentMark B. Rosenberg
FIU Board of TrusteesClaudia Puig (Chair)Cesar L. AlvarezJose J. ArmasJorge L. ArrizurietaLeonard BoordAlexis CalatayudMayi de la Vega ’81Gerald C. Grant Jr. ’78, MBA ’89Michael G. JosephNatasha LowellJusto L. PozoKathleen L. Wilson
FIU MAGAZINE Division of External Relations
Sandra B. Gonzalez-Levy Senior Vice President
Terry Witherell Vice President
Karen Cochrane Editor
Alexandra Pecharich Managing Editor
Aileen Solá-Trautmann Art Director
Doug Garland ’10Senior Multimedia Producer
Barbarita Ramos Graphic Designer
Writers JoAnn C. Adkins Eric BartonJoel Delgado ’12Amy EllisSissi Garland ’99, MA ’08 Clara-Meretan Kiah ’15 Evelyn S. Perez Gisela Valencia ’15
PhotographersBen Guzman ’11Alex HernandezSam LewisChristopher Necuze ’11
Copyright 2016, Florida International University. FIU Magazine is published by the Florida International University Division of External Relations and distributed free of charge to alumni, faculty and friends of the university. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. To reach us, call 305-348-7235. Alumni Office: Write to Office of Alumni Relations at MMC MARC 510, Miami, FL 33199, or call 305-348-3334 or toll-free at 800-FIU-ALUM. Visit FIUalumni.com. Change of Address: Please send updated address information to FIU Office of Alumni Relations, MARC 510, Miami, FL 33199 or by email to alumni@FIU.edu.Letters to the Editor: FIU Magazine welcomes letters to the editor regarding magazine content. Send your letters via email to alumni@FIU.edu; by fax to 305-348-3247 or mail to FIU Magazine, Division of External Relations, MMC PC 515, Miami, FL 33199. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. All letters should include the writer’s full name and daytime phone number. Alumni, please include your degree and year of graduation.15053_01/16
FIU MAGAZINE Editorial Advisory BoardHeather Bermudez ’06, MS ’12 Marketing Manager South Beach Wine & Food Festival
Lori-Ann Cox Director of Alumni Advocacy University Advancement
Paul Dodson Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
Amy Ellis Assistant Director of PR and Marketing Office of Engagement
Stephen Fain Professor Emeritus College of Education
Lazaro Gonzalez Marketing and Branding Strategist Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Susan Jay Assistant Vice President of Development and Assistant Dean for Medical Advancement Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Nicole Kaufman Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
Larry Lunsford Vice President for Student Affairs University Ombudsman
Maureen Pelham Director of Clinical Trials Division of Research
Duane Wiles Executive Director Alumni Association
Mark Williams Interim Dean, Robert Stempel School of Public Health and Social Work
FROM THE EDITOR
WINTER 2015-16 | 3
ON THE PROWL
Issued between the World Wars, a
model airship construction set promised
both education and amusement for flight-
minded American youth. An illustrated
instruction book accompanied the
complex array of steel bolts and tin plates,
which industrious children could assemble
into any of five historically accurate
configurations. Seen here is the German
Graf Zeppelin from The Wolfsonian-FIU
museum’s Mitchell Wolfson Jr. Collection.
Inaugurated in 1928, the real-life airship—
at the time the largest and fastest ever
built—operated regular transatlantic and
intercontinental flights that included a
1933 stopover at Miami-Dade’s Opa-
Locka air station en route from Rio de
Janeiro to Akron, Ohio, to Chicago for the
World’s Fair.
The late-1920s toy airship, assembled from a construction set manufactured by Metalcraft Corporation of St. Louis, was modeled on the real Graf Zeppelin and is on display at The Wolfsonian-FIU through May 8 as part of the museum’s “Margin of Error” exhibition.
Treasures: Toy Zeppelin
Gift supports food production labThe advanced food production laboratory at FIU’s Chaplin School
of Hospitality & Tourism Management has a new name thanks to
a $500,000 gift from Badia Spices, Inc. The 22,000-square-foot
Badia Spices Food Production Laboratory provides students with
state-of-the art instructional technology and access to a specialized area
where they can develop and test new product ideas.
The company’s contribution funds scholarships in perpetuity for teaching and research
assistants working in the lab, as well as continuous maintenance of the facility through
equipment upgrades. In addition, Badia Spices’ full product line is available for use in the
lab, among them the two celebrated mixes that FIU students have helped inspire and for
which they received scholarships. A percentage of sales of the unique products comes
back to the school in support of students. The first, Holy Smokes, a meat rub, has been
available in stores since 2014.
The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
holds its own on two prestigious lists that
includes some of the oldest, most respected
institutions in the country. In the category of
Top Medical School for Career Support,
the college took the No. 4 spot, recognition
of the school’s commitment to student
success. And in terms of “access to relevant,
interesting, challenging courses by qualified
professors,” FIU ranked 20th. The rankings
were the result of data and reviews gathered
from more than 3,000 students nationally and
were published by GraduatePrograms.com.
FIU Medicine earns high marks for quality of education
4 | WINTER 2015-16
Natural
BRU
SHES
-V
EC
TO
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5Questionsfor the Museum DirectorBy Alexandra Pecharich | Photo by Doug Garland ’10
The Frost Art Museum welcomed a new director in January 2015. Jordana Pomeroy most recently served as executive director at Louisiana State University’s Museum of Art in Baton Rouge, and previously was chief curator at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. She shared a few thoughts with FIU Magazine.
1. What attracted you to the Frost Art Museum? The idea of running an academic museum in the heart of a city with an art scene as thriving as Miami’s was too good to pass up. The city is in a period of enormous growth as a global arts hub, on par with New York and London. In large part it all begins with Art Basel. The confluence of artists, dealers, collectors, curators, museum directors and those just purely interested in the “scene” generates an energy unique to South Florida.
2. What is your approach to exhibitions? The Frost has a two-pronged mission: to present a well-rounded slate of exhibitions that does justice to the wondrousness of art throughout history and to present arts education at all levels. That means making students and other visitors feel comfortable and happy in the museum environment. I embrace the challenge of converting non-museum goers into museum lovers by giving them the tools they need to approach art.
3. How will you build up programs and attract new audiences? We’ll experiment a bit but also gather some data on our visitors to find out more about their impressions and experiences. If something doesn’t work, I’ll sit down with my staff and figure out why. I also believe strongly in the power of good advertising. Promoting the museum’s offerings as widely as possible, and in creative and unexpected ways, will attract new audiences.
4. Do you have a favorite artist or type of art? My favorite art is the kind that takes my breath away. The British landscape painter J.M.W. Turner does this to me, as does the South African artist William Kentridge, who uses masterful draftsmanship to describe political narratives and poetic musings. I am also keenly interested in architecture and design.
5. In your free time, what have you tried to do in Miami? Drinking cortaditos, of course, and finding those jewel boxes of restaurants that only the locals know about. I’ve also vowed to learn basic Spanish—if the former mayor of New York can do it while running a city of eight million, por qué no yo?
WINTER 2015-16 | 5
g regory Baker Wolfe thoroughly
embraced the university’s international
nature and set the institution on a path
to becoming world class. Following the death
of FIU’s third president in December, some 29
years since he led FIU, his legacy remains a
part of its DNA.
“It was a transformational presidency,” said
John Stack, executive director of the Steven
J. Green School of International and Public
Affairs, who was a young faculty member
when Wolfe arrived. “It was Greg
Wolfe who began to undertake
and envision an international
component. For him, it wasn’t just
a word. It was the world he had
worked for all his life. He had a
vision of public service, a vision
of government service. He had a
vision of a dynamic university.”
A World War II veteran, Wolfe
had served as an intelligence
analyst for the U.S. State
Department and worked on the
White House staffs of John F.
Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson
before heading to Portland State University
in Oregon and then FIU. The son of Russian
immigrants, he was a linguist fluent in Spanish,
French, German and Portuguese who earned
a Ph.D. at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of
Law and Diplomacy. He landed on campus in
February of 1979, a seasoned diplomat with
the savvy to get things done.
Stack recalled how the eloquent orator
began chipping away at the anonymity – the
“FIWho?” syndrome – that had dogged
the fledgling university. Along with his wife,
Mary Ann, he hosted dinners that brought to
campus luminaries from the worlds of politics,
government and public service, the media
and the diplomatic corps. And he instituted a
lecture series with big-name speakers such
as then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
and Noble Laureate Elie Wiesel that “gave us
exposure in the city that we simply had not
had before.”
Agreed FIU President Mark Rosenberg,
“Dr. Wolfe and his lovely wife helped move
the university forward at a time when it was
still the new kid on the block. Through their
commitment they put FIU on the map.”
Retired former director of the Graham
Center Ruth Hamilton worked with Wolfe
to bring many of the dignitaries and other
important guests to campus, something that
was not happening elsewhere in town. She
often worried that the high-level visitors might
be taken aback by FIU’s, at the time, relatively
unattractive surroundings, its poured-concrete
buildings standing in sharp contrast to the red
brick and ivy many were used to.
In fact, Hamilton said, many did express
surprise at the lackluster facilities, but “the
moment they met the president, he would
make them feel comfortable,” she said. “They
would be laughing and sharing stories. He
made them feel at home.”
A staunch believer in
multiculturalism, the president
showcased FIU’s burgeoning
international enrollment to the many
locally stationed consuls by inviting
them to campus. He had students
from the corresponding countries
hand deliver the invitations, Hamilton
recalled, and then a parade of nations
would precede the meal.
Recognizing Miami’s potential,
and its needs, Wolfe knew that FIU
could not remain an upper-division
institution for long. So he made an
impassioned case for expansion to
the Florida legislature, where he had his share
of supporters.
“We want Miami to be a metropolitan,
cosmopolitan city in another 30-40 years,”
Hamilton recalled him telling local leaders. “If
we want to attract corporations, companies,
investors, talent to this city, we must have
a top-notch four-year public university.”
FIU’s inaugural group of freshmen arrived in
August of 1981.
Legacy of FIU’s third president still felt today
Gregory Baker WolfeIn memoriam
(1922-2015)
President Gregory Wolfe at a (rainy) campus concert with Ella Fitzgerald
6 | WINTER 2015-16
Wolfe went on to name a dean of
undergraduate studies, add new graduate
programs and turn the Biscayne Bay Campus
(BBC) into a thriving community that included
FIU’s first student residential housing, a new
student center—today known as the Wolfe
University Center—an aquatic center and a
library. BBC also began offering a host of adult
education programs.
During his tenure, the university also added
full-fledged schools of engineering, nursing
and journalism.
For all his success in navigating politics and
his ease in entertaining the intellectual and the
powerful, the president maintained a down-to-
earth sensibility that resonated across class
and background.
“It didn’t matter who you were,” said Kay
Fahringer, former chair of the FIU Foundation
Board of Directors, who worked closely with
situation, Wolfe pulled a spectacular move
when in 1983 he introduced legendary singer
Ella Fitzgerald to a crowd of concertgoers at
BBC. Hamilton remembers how the weather
did not cooperate for the outdoor affair.
“When she went on stage, it was raining,
and President Wolfe got an umbrella and held
it for her, and she sang under that umbrella.”
The image of the university president with the
movie-star good looks shielding the first lady
of jazz from the elements summed up the man
for Hamilton.
“He understood people, relationships,” she
said. “He was a very charismatic person.”
Wolfe retired from the presidency in 1986
and for years remained a distinguished
professor in FIU’s Department of
International Relations. n
Photos courtesy of FIU Special Collections & University Archives
Wolfe to raise money for the university. “He
made you feel that you were the only person in
the world. He made you feel very important. He
gave full attention, was always complimentary
and he did it with such charm.”
Barbara Bader, an administrator and former
College of Education faculty member, recalled
with amazement one particular walk across
campus with Wolfe.
“He stopped to speak with one of the
groundskeepers. In Spanish, he greeted him
by name and inquired about his family,” she
remembered. “In the cafeteria, he spoke with
the woman serving our food, also in Spanish,
and asked about her children by name. After
lunch he pulled up a chair where several
students were finishing their lunch and said,
‘Hi, I’m Greg Wolfe and I’m interested in
knowing how school is going for you.’”
Knowing just what do in almost any
WINTER 2015-16 | 7
On the cusp of greatnessAlumna Teresita Fernandez takes the New York art world by storm
By Nick Ducassi | Photo by Doug Garland ’10
8 | WINTER 2015-16
Eager tourists stand in the middle of
New York City’s Madison Square Park,
smartphones and cameras in hand, craning
their necks skyward. It’s not an unusual sight
for a city that attracts millions of visitors a year
to gawk at the impossibly tall skyscrapers and
the iconic skyline.
On the other side of their collective gaze,
however, aren’t the tops of buildings but
dancing, glowing reflections of the walkway
beneath their feet and their own faces. More
than 200 panels—perforated discs, polished
to a golden, mirrored hue—hover 12 feet in
the air on steel beams and cover nearly 500
feet of the park’s center walkway.
The structure suggests leaves in a canopy
of trees, and the discs bend the sun’s rays to
their will. The resulting glow is mesmerizing,
and can transport anyone within sight of it —
around Madison Square Park, or those looking
down on it from the surrounding buildings —
to another world. And in a near-feat of magic,
the play of light can transform the massive
metal sculpture into the invisible — and that’s
largely the point, says the artist, 46-year-old
Teresita Fernandez ’90.
The sculpture’s name — Fata Morgana —
comes from the mystifying, hovering mirage
created by looking out at the horizon line of
the ocean. “It looks like a floating landscape.
It is an optical illusion that distorts the natural
landscape,” Fernandez says. “I was interested
in this idea of distortion on a grand scale and
how I could make a sculpture that appears like
a mirage in the middle of NYC.”
“Fata Morgana” is the largest sculpture
in the park’s history and received one of the
longest runs of any installation there. Its nine-
month run concluded in January.
As big as the scope of work is, the concept
for “Fata Morgana” was birthed in Fernandez’s
small Brooklyn studio. Many of her pieces
seek to evoke natural landscapes like caves,
glistening bodies of water and the night sky.
Like the grandeur of the other tableaus she
has sought to bring to life, this one required “a
team of fabricators and engineers,” Fernandez
says. Installing the structure took more than
three months, and the entire process, from
conception to installation, took more than
three years.
“The first thing I do when I start a new work
is ask the very simple question, ‘Where am
I?’” Fernandez explains. “I take that question
very seriously. So, in a way I start excavating
and researching where I am historically,
economically, socially, geographically, visually,
emotionally, physically — where exactly is
this site located? Not just physically, but in
people’s imaginations and in history and in the
entire context of place.”
Certainly grand visions are nothing new for
Fernandez, who recalls watching mystifying
sunsets and skies while growing up in Miami.
She witnessed “a spectacular colorful sky
event every evening,” and she credits Miami
as the birthplace of her “thoughts about
specificity of place, of flatness, of
explosive color.”
Raised by Cuban immigrants, she spent
her high school years drawing and went on to
study art at FIU, where she eventually took a
sculpture class. She loved the physical and
visceral nature of sculpting; how she could
mold the industrial to her will.
With an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth
University under her belt — there she became
known on campus for the scale of her
sculptures, which sometimes took up entire
studios — she moved back to Miami, quickly
making a name for herself in the burgeoning
art community. Before long, she was invited
to group shows and museums around South
Florida and in the mid-‘90s presented her first
solo show in New York City.
After an artistic residency brought her to
Japan, her works began to further increase
in size, scope — and exposure. Soon she
was living and working out of New York City.
Before long, Louis Vuitton was commissioning
her to create site-specific large-scale
installations for its Shanghai and Paris
locations, and museums and private galleries
began exhibiting her work, including the
Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the
Smithsonian Museum of American Art in D.C.,
the Castello di Rivoli in Italy and the Centro de
Arte Contemporaneo in Spain.
Along the way, she racked up a series
of accolades, including a MacArthur
Foundation “Genius” grant, and was
appointed by President Obama to the U.S.
Commission of Fine Arts where she reviewed
and offered opinions on public sculptures.
“Teresita is really an artist who is on the
cusp of greatness,” Brooke Kamin Rapaport,
senior curator of Madison Square Park
Conservancy, told the Wall Street Journal, “and
I think that Fata Morgana is going to propel her
to the highest rank of artists working today.”
Currently engaged in another commission
and presenting a solo show at the Lehmann
Maupin Gallery in New York, Fernandez takes
an approach to her work that, ultimately, has
led to her connecting with audiences around
the globe.
“For me, art functions as this kind of way-
finding,” she says. “As human beings, we have
always been trying to find our way, to place
ourselves within the world.”
In Fernandez’s case, that place is front and
center, at the crossroads of critical success
and the appreciation of everyday viewers. n
Take a tour of Fernandez’s installation at
magazine.fiu.edu
“It is an optical illusion that distorts the natural landscape,” Fernandez says. “I was interested in this idea of distortion on a grand scale and how I could make a sculpture that appears like a mirage in the middle of NYC.”
WINTER 2015-16 | 9
to former foster care and homeless students
FIU offers
Hope & Help
Vanessa Morales
By Amy Ellis | Photos by Doug Garland ’10
10 | WINTER 2015-16
Vanessa Morales remembers packing up
hundreds of care packages with food, toiletries and
clothing for students in need at FIU. What her fellow
volunteers at Baptist Collegiate Ministries did not
know was that Vanessa desperately needed a care
package herself.
For two months, Morales, a junior at FIU studying
elementary education, had been living in her car
in the parking lot of the student health center. She
showered at the FIU gym and ate food from the
Fresh Food Company, where she worked, given
to her by a kind supervisor. She never told the
supervisor she had no place to live. She thinks the
woman just sensed that she could use some help.
Morales never wanted to think of herself as
homeless. She called herself a “nomad.”
“People expect a homeless person to look all
dirty,’’ she said. “But any student you pass by, they
could be homeless and you’d never know it.’’
Morales, now 21, found herself with nowhere
to live after her parents divorced and her father,
unemployed, drinking heavily and in a deep
depression, told her she had to move out to make
room for his new girlfriend. Her stepmother was
diagnosed with cancer and unable to help. Her
extended family lived in Costa Rica.
She never asked anyone for help because she
figured there were plenty of people facing worse
circumstances.
She didn’t want to think of herself as a beggar or
worse, hopeless.
a national trend In any given semester at FIU, there are dozens of
students with similar stories — living on the streets,
in cars or shelters, or abandoned by those who were
supposed to protect and care for them.
Some have suffered abuse or neglect and
bounced from one foster home to another; others
have suffered the loss of a parent, landing them in
state custody or, if they are 18 or older, on their own.
One student slept outside the Frost Art Museum
for several days until an FIU advisor helped him find housing.
The struggles of homeless and former foster
care youth in higher education is a national issue
that advocates say is finally getting the attention
it deserves.
More than 30 states, including Florida, now
provide scholarships, grants or tuition exemptions
to foster care youth who have “aged out” of
the system and want to go to college. A federal
program provides up to $5,000 annually to those
who enroll in college.
Students who are homeless are also eligible
for free tuition and fee waivers at state colleges
and universities, though the process to prove
homelessness can be daunting.
Still, experts say the needs of students who
have endured so much so early in life run far
beyond the financial.
Lacking a solid support system, they struggle
to navigate the bureaucracies of higher education
and financial aid. Many need help academically
to succeed at the college level. Others suffer
from mental or emotional problems brought on by
childhood trauma.
FIU is one of a growing number of universities
and colleges in the country working to create a
more holistic solution, built around addressing all
of a student’s needs, whether academic, physical,
emotional or mental.
The university’s Fostering Panther Pride program
offers former foster care and homeless students a
safety net throughout their college years.
The program is winning praise from advocates in
Florida and around the country.
“When you have a young person who has been
mistreated, neglected or abused, you’ve got to
provide them with a supportive community so
they can succeed,’’ said Brett McNaught, CEO of
Educate Tomorrow, a Miami-based nonprofit that
provided an initial $35,000 to fund FIU’s program.
“Getting an academic institution like FIU to focus on
this population is a game-changer.’’
Continues
WINTER 2015-16 | 11
National experts – who are working to
identify what works and what doesn’t at
colleges and universities around the country
— agree and say FIU is on the right track.
“The research has shown that these kids
are not going to college and if they do, once
there, they have trouble succeeding,’’ said
John Emerson, a postsecondary education
advisor with Casey Family Programs.
“So while scholarships are important, it’s
not enough.”
Launched in November 2013 by
FIU’s Office of Engagement, Fostering
Panther Pride combines the one-on-one
guidance of a dedicated success coach
with mentoring, academic and financial
assistance and a network of outreach
focused on everything from study skills and
internships to balancing a checkbook and
preparing a resume.
Struggling to succeed The challenges - and the numbers - are
daunting. In Fall 2014, FIU estimated there
were more than 80 former foster care and
homeless youth enrolled at the university.
The latter were “couch-surfing” with friends,
doubling up with other families, or living in
shelters or their cars. Nearly a third of the
students were on academic probation with
GPAs of less than a 2.0.
University records that indicate whether a
student has been granted a tuition exemption
make it possible to identify those coming
from foster care or who might be homeless.
The real challenge is reaching the students to
provide the help they need.
Professors, even close friends, often have
no idea of their struggles. Students hesitate
to be labeled or linked to anything that might
identify them as homeless or from foster care.
“These are kids who have traveled a
long way through valleys most people will
never see,’’ said Kirk Brown, the director of
extended foster care for the Department of
Children and Families. “It’s up to us to get
them to the end.’’
Without intervention, the odds of success
are not in their favor. Nationally, fewer than
10 percent of former foster care youth enroll
in college and fewer than 3 percent make it
to graduation.
Florida — and Miami-Dade County — are
at the epicenter of the problem. The state has
the third highest foster care population in the
country – nearly 20,000 children in 2012. Of
these, more than 4,800 live in Miami-Dade.
The county also has the largest number
of homeless children in the state – more than
6,400 in 2012-13, including those in shelters,
hotels, cars, parks or “doubled-up” with
other families.
“For some of these kids, school is the
only consistency in their lives,’’ said Debra
Albo-Steiger, program manager for Project
UPSTART, the homeless education division
of Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
“Against all odds, they get their high school
diploma so we want to ensure they are able
to go to college. What’s happening at FIU is
very exciting.”
Overcoming the odds Despite the obstacles, the success stories at
FIU are plentiful – even incredible.
At 15, Kevin Love watched as every
member of his immediate family— his mother,
sister and two brothers — were locked up.
He ended up in foster care and though
he went through periods of hopelessness,
several role models helped him find his way
to FIU, where he became a resident advisor,
joined a fraternity and was accepted into the
Continued
Order of Omega Greek honor society.
Love graduated in spring of 2015 with a
degree in civil engineering and accepted a
position with Chad Moss Construction. He
wants to use his experience to show others
that they, too, can find success.
“The kids I used to know are out selling
drugs and getting into fights,’’ he said. “I want
to use what I’ve been through to help push
other people in the right direction. There’s
no use having a story if you don’t use it for
something good.’’
Kenya Adeola, recognized as a “Worlds
Ahead Graduate” at commencement in the
spring of 2015, lived in nine different foster
homes by the time she was 18. She refuses
to let that experience define her.
Getting an education – and breaking the
cycle of drug addiction and abuse she was
born into – has been her number one priority.
“I had a period where I was very angry, very
depressed,’’ said Adeola, who earned her
degree in Spanish. “School became my only
outlet. I knew that, if I didn’t do it for myself,
who would?’’
At FIU, Adeola was a peer advisor, a
member of the homecoming committee and
participated in Academy of Leaders. This
summer, she completed two internships
in Washington, D.C., one as a legislative
aide to Sen. Tim Scott, the other for the
Congressional Coalition for Adoption
Institute, where she helped draft policy for
children in foster care.
“These are students who refuse to let their
circumstances define them,’’ said President
Mark B. Rosenberg, who has touted what
he calls FIU’s “super stars” on television, in
speeches and at commencement.
“What they have seen — and overcome —
is a testament to their strength and resilience.
We don’t take credit for their success. But
we are committed to supporting them in
whatever way they need.”
Support for FIU’s program — from the
“For these are all our children, we will all profit by, or pay for, whatever they become.” — James Baldwin
12 | WINTER 2015-16
private, nonprofit and public sectors — has
been considerable. In addition to Educate
Tomorrow, the Miami Foundation, the
Miami Coalition for the Homeless, Voices
for Children and UPS Foundation all
stepped forward with funding to launch the
program. Helping Abused, Neglected and
Disadvantaged Youth (HANDY), a nonprofit
based in Fort Lauderdale, and Our Kids
of Miami-Dade/Monroe have helped with
planning and referrals.
FIU alumnus Chad Moss ’94, a board
member at HANDY and mentor to a former
foster care student at FIU, has committed
$10,000 per year for five years for students
from the program who are first in their
families to attend college. The state matches
those dollars for a total impact of $100,000.
“I view this as an investment in lives,’’
said Moss, a member of the FIU Foundation
Board of Directors. “I firmly believe in early
intervention in youngsters’ lives to show
them there is a ladder to a better way of life.’’
In a major milestone for the program,
the state Legislature this year allocated a
recurring commitment of $300,000 annually
to fund housing and other assistance.
One anonymous FIU employee donated
$10,000 to cover the cost of on-campus
housing and meals for one student this year.
“It’s overwhelming what this program has
done in a very short time,’’ said Janie Valdes,
assistant vice president of undergraduate
education, who oversees the program.
“Much of that is due to the uber-commitment
of our staff. And the work of Ana Ramos.’’
Ramos, the program’s success coach
and a former teacher and social worker
from Honduras, is the heart of Fostering
Panther Pride. Hers is a dedicated, fulltime
position focused solely on helping students
navigate the myriad services for which they
may be eligible, both inside and outside the
university.
“I clear the path for them,’’ Ramos
explains. “Whether it’s housing, financial
aid or food stamps, I help them meet their
needs so they can graduate on time. I can’t
work harder than they work, but I can help
them make a plan and prioritize what’s most
important.”
Douglas Robertson, dean of undergraduate
education, has described Ramos as the
“earth mother” of Fostering Panther Pride.
“The university has lots of tools to help
students succeed – some high tech and
some high touch,’’ he said. “For these
students, Ana Ramos is a lifeline to all
of that.’’
That lifeline can mean the difference
between persevering – and giving up.
“It’s hard enough for students with family
support to navigate the system of higher
education,’’ said Charisse Grant, senior
vice president for programs at the Miami
Foundation, which provided an initial grant
of $15,000 for FIU’s program and has
committed another $25,000 this year. “To
attempt to create that kind of a support in a
university setting is really significant.”
working for change With the right support, students who have
faced the worst circumstances can succeed.
Students in Fostering Panther Pride are
demonstrating that.
Ashley Hunter, a senior majoring in
psychology, lived in six different foster
homes after the state removed her from her
father’s care when she was in elementary
school. Both her parents were addicted to
drugs. Her father is now in prison.
Hunter came to FIU from Miami Dade
College in January 2014 and said she felt
alone and scared. Soon she met Ana Ramos
and the team at Fostering Panther Pride.
“Kids in foster care are often overlooked,’’
Hunter said. “We’re on our own, so having
that extra support, someone you can call Ashley Hunter
Continues
WINTER 2015-16 | 13
when you have a question, is so important.’’
For Christian Aguilar, attending FIU has
brought more stability to his life than he’s had
in years. After his mother died, he bounced
from one relative to another before landing in
foster care at 17.
At 18, while still a senior in high school,
he found an apartment with a co-worker and
thought his situation was turning around.
Then, outside his Kendall apartment late one
night, he was shot in the stomach by three
masked gunmen in an attempted carjacking.
He spent two weeks in the hospital and
another couple months recuperating. His
attackers have not been caught.
“It was surreal,’’ said Aguilar, who with the
support of Educate Tomorrow managed to
graduate high school and enrolled at FIU in
Fall 2014. “It’s a miracle that I’m alive and I’m
here for a purpose.’’
Though he has struggled academically, he
said he knows that Fostering Panther Pride is
there to support him. “I’m not going to give
up,” he said, “and I know they aren’t giving up
on me.’’ n
Just as essential as the services FIU is
providing is research to document results,
experts say.
“Collecting data on the impact these
programs have on student progress and
retention is critical to their sustainability,’’ said
John Emerson, a postsecondary education
advisor with Casey Family Programs.
“Funders want to see results.’’
A portion of the state dollars for Fostering
Panther Pride will fund faculty and student
research into former foster care and homeless
youth. In addition, the university is tracking
grades, retention and graduation statistics,
as well as employment and enrollment in
graduate or professional school.
“Our vantage point as a research university
is that we have an opportunity to engage
our faculty who are either already doing
original research on these underrepresented
populations or are interested in doing so,’’
said Janie Valdes, assistant vice president
of undergraduate education, which oversees
Fostering Pather Pride.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the
findings will further inform how best to
support our students, as well as make
a significant contribution to the existing
literature,’’ said Valdes. “At the core, our
faculty are adding a puzzle piece that no one
else can add.” n
Researching how students succeed
Christian Aguilar
For more information about the Fostering Panther Pride program, visit undergrad.fiu.edu/fpp/ or contact Ana Ramos at 305-348-6106 or by email at anramos@fiu.edu. To make a donation, visit give.fiu.edu/give-now.
Meet more students who are beating the odds at
magazine.fiu.edu
Continued
14 | WINTER 2015-16
By Gisela Valencia ’15 | Photos by Ben Guzman ’11
The modern workspace has changed quite
a bit in the last 10 years. Tech companies are
creating communal workspaces that encourage
collaboration and creativity among employees.
FIU’s new $3 million Tech Station is
raising the bar for educational institutions,
promoting and reflecting the kind of creative
workspace that companies have begun
offering their employees.
“It’s critical that our students be prepared for
the best jobs possible, and Tech Station can
be a major force in preparing students for the
workforce,” President Mark B. Rosenberg said.
Designed for students of FIU’s School of
Computing & Information Sciences within the
College of Engineering & Computing, Tech
Station will help them learn about the tech
industry in a dynamic way.
Located on the ground level of Parking
Garage 6 at the Modesto A. Maidique
Campus, the facility was made possible by
an Information Technology Performance
Funding grant and a Targeted Educational
Attainment grant, funded by the Florida
Legislature with the intention of producing
more graduates for careers in the state’s
highest-need areas. Multiple tech
companies have likewise been involved.
“This is essential for a technology
ecosystem to thrive and for companies in
South Florida to compete worldwide,” said
College of Engineering & Computing Interim
Dean Ranu Jung.
Planners of the 8,000-square-foot facility
hope students will be able to experience a new
atmosphere and develop a new perspective.
“We’re trying to break a mold,” said Director
of Technology Steve Luis. “We’re trying to get
students to think differently about what an
educational environment looks like and what
the experience is.”
The three labs, which provide 49
computer workstations and 24 developer
workstations, were designed with a home
floor plan in mind as creating a comfortable,
innovative environment involves makes
students feel at home.
Tech Station also offers students innovative
features like team rooms designed to
encourage group work.
“The team rooms are great because they
let students have their study groups in there.
Everybody can share their work on screens
without having to have a special type of
computer or device,” computer sciences major
Fernando Mendez said. “It makes it easier for
students to get together and collaborate.”
Four active learning classrooms are also
housed in Tech Station. These rooms are
designed for students to get hands-on
experience and collaborate with their peers,
with professors acting as mentors.
“This is the largest collection of contiguous
active learning classrooms in one location on
our campus. This is the future – it puts us on
the map in terms of how we want our students
to receive education and what kind of an
environment we expect our students to work in.
It’s a game changer for that,” Luis said.
And the school’s Academic Advising Center
is based in Tech Station, putting counselors
close at hand to help students complete their
degrees and graduate on time as well as find
internships and jobs.
“It’s a lasting impression,” Luis said. “When
they leave, we want them to leave feeling,
‘wow, what an experience.’” n
THE FUTURE OF TECH EDUCATION
WINTER 2015-16 | 15
For more than 10 years, Garfield Jarrett proudly wore the uniform of a
U.S. Marine. Military service was both his passion and his career. But
injuries sustained during a 2008 roadside attack in Iraq ended it all.
Granted a medical discharge, Jarrett returned home to South Florida
and enrolled at FIU to pursue a bachelor’s degree in social work. Driven
by a desire to help others, Jarrett graduated and promptly started on a
master’s degree in the same field. Yet he felt adrift in his new reality.
Then one day on campus, a flyer caught his attention. It announced
a new agriculture program for military veterans. Suddenly, Jarrett’s
aimlessness gave way to fond childhood memories of growing up on his
grandfather’s sugarcane plantation in Jamaica. The possibilities brought a
smile to his face.
A RECOGNIZED NEEDFlorida has large numbers of minority and new farmers. The most
recent USDA Agricultural Census identified more than 10,000 operators
as having farmed for less than 10 years, of which more than 4,000 are
Hispanic and roughly 750 are women. The majority are located in South
Florida and many, according to the Coalition of Florida Farmworkers
Organizations, represent an emerging trend in Miami-Dade County: They
are both farmworkers—that is, they labor for others who own land—as
well as decision-making farmers, who lease land on the side to cultivate
on their own as a means of supplementing income.
By Evelyn Perez and Alexandra Pecharich | Photos by Doug Garland ’10
FIU provides support for a growing community of military veterans and minorities interested in the business of farming
cultivating success
Continues
16 | WINTER 2015-16
mention budgeting, planning, marketing and
more. Daunting as all that might sound, the
rewards are there for the motivated.
“Even with one acre in South Florida, if they
learn all these techniques, it is profitable,”
Jayachandran said.
FIU IN THE FOREFRONTAlready involved with the local farm
community, Bhat and Jayachandran, in
collaboration with retired U.S. Army Col.
John Mills, who now serves as president of
non-profit Redland Ahead, debuted the Veterans
and Small Farmers Outreach Program at FIU in
early 2015. The initiative caters to former soldiers
and new or aspiring minority farmers. Just as
FIU’s College of Business runs a successful
small business development center for budding
entrepreneurs, Bhat and Jayachandran have
established the equivalent for would-be farmers.
Funding comes from a source that
understands the value of fostering new
enterprise: the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
(USDA’s) Office of Advocacy and Outreach.
With the current staff of the USDA already
busy serving traditional, established farmers,
legislators appropriated funds to mobilize
universities and nonprofits around the country
to help new agricultural startups. In 2012,
the USDA launched the Hispanic-Serving
Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU)
program, which was approved in the 2008 farm
bill. FIU was among the first universities in the
nation to receive the designation.
The professors already had a history of
securing grants from the USDA: Combined, they
have brought in approximately $7 million over
the years from the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture to conduct research, train students
and engage in community activities. So the two
jumped at the opportunity given by the USDA to
apply for nearly $170,000 in support of the local
farming population. The grant has since been
renewed for a second year.
At around the very same time that Garfield
Jarrett was wondering where his life was
headed, the professors were putting some of the
recently awarded USDA money toward launching
the Veterans and Small Farmers Outreach
Program in the heart of South Florida farm
country, the Redland Agriculture Area.
FACILITATING FINANCIAL HELPWithin the first nine months of launching,
the program directly served more than 90 new
farmers. Many wanted information about USDA
microloans—up to $50,000 in support of startup
enterprises—and FIU staff worked with them to
complete the required application.
“We help them figure out what documents
they need to bring in, how to fill it out, what kind
of information they need,” says Nina De la Rosa,
the farm education and outreach coordinator at
FIU and an alumna of the university. “Every client
takes about three to four hours.”
De la Rosa translates the application for her
Spanish-speaking clients, which account for
the vast majority of those who walk through the
door, the greatest numbers hailing from Central
America. Language barriers aside, the 8-10 page
document simply scares off some people looking
to break into the industry.
“It’s a little confusing,” agrees Nancy Mundo,
the farm loan manager at the USDA’s local Farm
Services Agency and one of the people who
refers clients to De la Rosa. “Farmers usually
want to be on their farms. If you give them
the application, a lot of them may not come
back because they don’t want to fill out that
application because it’s too intimidating.”
The allure of financial help has achieved its
goal of “trying to bring people into the farming
industry,” Mundo said. But with the popularity
of the microloan program has come even more
work for an already overwhelmed agency.
Separately, Florida has a growing population
of recent veterans—some 200,000 have returned
to or moved to the state since 2008, according
to the U.S. Census—and the largest portion has
made its home in Miami-Dade County. As many
as 10 percent are currently unemployed.
Two professors in the Department of Earth
and Environment within the College of Arts &
Sciences know the statistics well. Ten years
ago, Krish Jayachandran and Mahadev Bhat
founded FIU’s Agroecology Program, a research-
based and experiential learning academic track
geared to educating students to work at the
U.S. Department of Agriculture and in related
businesses. As the pair and their students took
advantage of the living lab all around them
—that is, the surrounding farm areas, including
places such as Homestead and the Redland
Agriculture Area, home of the nation’s winter
vegetable garden—they began to see
ripe possibilities.
The professors say, and local USDA
officials concur, that plenty of individuals are
willing and able to put in the time and effort
required of such an endeavor, but they lack the
means and knowledge to get up and running.
Bhat and Jayachandran characterize the
ramping up of even a small parcel as “a very
complicated process.”
“It’s not just finding a piece of land and putting
in plants. If you really want to make a living out
of that you have to do it very systematically,”
Bhat said. “You need all the resources that are
required, including financial resources, and then
you need to have the know how.”
The latter includes an understanding of
local vegetation and growing seasons, soil
and climate, pest control and irrigation, not to
“It’s not just finding a piece of land and putting in plants. If you really want to make a living out of that you have to do it very systematically.
You need all the resources that are required, including financial resources, and then you need to have the know how.”
— Mahadev Bhat
Continued
18 | WINTER 2015-16
“Without [FIU’s] help, we would be
bombarded, and we are bombarded. That is just
one area that has been alleviated: We don’t have
to sit with the potential borrower and help him or
her fill in the application. Nina helps them, and it
takes a burden off us.”
In addition to assisting with the all-important
paperwork, De la Rosa and a student assistant
organize monthly workshops led by USDA
officers, experts from FIU and others within
the industry. These address technical skills
such as beekeeping, composting and disease
management. And meetings on business
topics such as budgeting and marketing are
offered, regularly bringing together as many as
20 participants at a time to take notes, share
experiences and get to know one another.
FIRST-RATE FIELD EXPERIENCESAlso critically important, the program gives
would-be farmers a chance to participate in
“rotations” at several of the 16 local farms with
which FIU has established partnerships.
Jarrett likens the opportunity to the
practicum he completed for his social work
master’s degree, which had him working under
supervision at a VA hospital, a substance abuse
treatment center and a nursing home. Here,
aspiring farmers learn the ropes by serving
paid apprenticeships in farm management at
established operations that specialize in fruit and
vegetable production, animal husbandry and
nursery-plant production.
De la Rosa has seen firsthand how the
experience of working under seasoned farmers
changes participants’ outlooks, often moving
them from simply a strong desire to work the
land to something akin to determination. “Their
business mindset is where we see the greatest
shift,” she said. “It’s no longer ‘I’m going to do
this because I love it.’ It’s ‘I’m going to do this
because I love it, and I’m going to sit and plan
how to make it profitable.’”
And she adds, “The main idea of the rotations
is trying to create a new network of people that
will be able to help these farmers. It would be
great if you have one mentor, but it’s even better
Since its inception, the Agroecology Program has engaged as many as 2,500 members of the local and international communities in its outreach programs. This includes college students and working professionals who have participated in the Veteran and Small Farmers Outreach Program, the Horticulture Professional Training Program and the International Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Workshop. Agroecology also offers robust programming for K-12 students, including an annual kindergarten day and a unique high school summer internship program. This is in addition to the FIU students who enroll in agroecology classes, a certificate program and Earth and Environment bachelor’s degree programs. Scholarship funding from the USDA has supported 145 undergraduate and graduate students interested in agroecology as a career.
Krish Jayachandran, left, and Mahadev Bhat started the Agroecology Program in 2006.
ContinuesWINTER 2015-16 | 19
"The nation’s Hispanic-Serving Agricultural
Colleges and Universities can accelerate
research, and complement the extension and
teaching of our land-grant universities,” said
Arts & Sciences Dean Mike Heithaus. "At
FIU alone, we are helping to develop more
resilient crops, combat invasive pests, develop
agribusiness opportunities and training the
next generation of farmers. In many ways, the
collaboration and complementary roles played
by FIU and UF are a metaphor for what future
collaboration with HSACUs should look like."
Because Homestead and the Redland
Agricultural Area are home to a wide variety
of fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants,
Jayachandran says it is a prime location for
future research and
economic development
initiatives in agroecology.
Already he and students
have set up test plots
to study plant biofuels
and naturally occurring
bacteria with the
potential to serve as
organic pesticides.
A BLOOMING FUTUREA lot of good could come out of the increased
attention to South Florida’s agricultural
landscape. Garfield Jarrett knows this on a
personal level. Like Bhat and Jayachandran and
others with a vested interest in the Miami-Dade
farming community, he too has a vision.
More than just making a living, he hopes to
combine his work on the land—in addition to
crops, he also raises goats, sheep, chicken and
ducks—with his social work background to
change the lives of others. He looks forward to
one day providing families with tours of his farm
and inviting veterans and others to volunteer as
a means to helping them heal, just as working
the land has done for him. Through agriculture,
he has found both a calling and a place where
he truly feels at home.
“When I’m out there with nature,” he
says, “it’s my way of coping, of doing
something positive.” n
they hope will promote environmentally
sustainable practices, positively impact food
security and foster economic growth within
the region. The two embrace education and
innovation as the means to get there.
“Agriculture education is not just [about]
a practice of farming. It is science and
technology,” Jayachandran says. “It is exploring
and discovering about biogeochemical
processes, nutrient cycling, on-farm and off-
farm pollution remediation measures, surface
and groundwater management, bioenergy, food
safety and security. If we are going to feed more
than 9 billion people in the future, we have to
get creative in how we use our soil resources
and water resources.”
Achieving many of these goals requires
research collaborations across FIU and
with other higher education institutions. For
example, agri-scientists and researchers in
the International Center for Tropical Botany,
a collaboration between FIU and the National
Tropical Botanical Garden, work closely
together to study and cultivate plants that could
have new uses. The Agroecology Program is
also working with the FIU Chaplin School of
Hospitality and Tourism Management to develop
farm-to-table food programs.
And a partnership with the University of
Florida, the state’s land grant university, could
lead to establishing an important facility in the
heart of Miami’s agricultural community. While
the idea is still in early consideration, the
ultimate goal is to create a business incubator
built around product development and food
science. Such a facility in southwest Miami-
Dade County would create jobs and promote
entrepreneurial enterprises.
if you have four or maybe five.”
With his twin degrees from FIU in hand,
Jarrett was among the first to enroll in the
program and take advantage of all it offers.
“It opened my eyes to the resources that
were out there,” he says, resources “that
you wouldn’t know about unless you were in
the industry or an established farmer.” Such
knowledge helped Jarrett understand that he
qualified for free soil testing of a property that
he currently leases and on which he grows kale,
Brussels sprouts, peppers and other crops.
Another option open to him: up to $15,000 in
help for irrigation work and pest management,
the latter an especially
important concern as he
seeks to establish himself
as an organic producer,
one who chooses natural
methods over herbicides
and pesticides.
And getting to know the
right people, as De la Rosa
stressed, has boosted his
chances of success. “As
long as you’re willing to do
the hard work, a lot of them are willing to help
you,” Jarrett says of the more-experienced
farmers and others he has met.
AGRO-INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIESNestled between Biscayne National Park and
Everglades National Park, southwest Miami-
Dade County is the future for agroecology in
the state, Jayachandran believes. Throughout
Florida, more than 1.5 million people work in the
state’s agriculture, natural resources and food
processing industries, and that number is on the
rise. In Miami-Dade County alone, agriculture
has a nearly $2.7 billion annual economic
impact, all the while occupying just 6 percent
of the county’s available land, according to the
South Dade Chamber of Commerce.
Bhat and Jayachandran believe this high-
return industry represents untapped potential.
By educating students and farmers about
sustainable agriculture and farm business
management, they are creating an ecosystem
“Agriculture education is not just [about] a practice of farming. It is science and technology. If we are going to feed more than
9 billion people in the future, we have to get creative in how we use our soil resources and water resources.”
— Krish Jayachandran
Continued
20 | WINTER 2015-16
Stephany Alvarez-Ventura MS ’11, a once-aspiring banker, now
spends her days among honeybees and organic gardens.
The Dominican Republic native worked part-time at a bank in high
school. Upon graduation, she enrolled at FIU to pursue a career in
finance. But an essay project in an English class piqued her interest
in the environment, specifically pollution. She shifted her career
aspirations and began pursuing a degree in environmental studies.
During that same time, she married her high school sweetheart,
bought her first home and started a family.
“When I was eight months pregnant, my environmental sciences
labs involved taking water samples from filthy canals and trekking
the Everglades swamps in a kayak to study ecological restoration. I
loved it,” Alvarez-Ventura said.
After the birth of her daughter, she landed an internship at the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Ground Water and
Drinking Water in Washington D.C. Upon completion, she was offered
a job as an environmental science tech with the agency, but decided
to return home to Miami and further her education.
Like many before her, Alvarez-Ventura was drawn by the
enthusiasm of Earth and Environment professors Mahadev Bhat and
Krish Jayachandran. Likewise, the professors were impressed with
her. They helped her secure a research assistantship to pursue a
master’s degree. She devoted her thesis to studying colony collapse
disorder — a serious disease affecting honeybee colony health and
its ability to pollinate crops. Alvarez-Ventura found the support she
needed to finish her studies, but she also found a family at FIU.
Today, she is the program coordinator with the FIU Agroecology
Program and continues to foster new relationships throughout Miami-
Dade County. She works closely with the program’s Organic Garden,
which was designated a People’s Garden—one that benefits the
community and invites the collaboration of various partners—by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. She also helps develop and manage
programs for local communities, area K-12 schools and more.
Since its inception in 2005, the Agroecology Program has awarded
more than 150 scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students
like Alvarez-Ventura. In 2012, FIU became one of the first universities
in the nation to receive the USDA’s Hispanic-Serving Agricultural
Colleges and Universities designation, which Alvarez-Ventura says is a
testament to her alma mater’s commitment to people like her.
Looking to the future, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. and mentor the
next generation of female and minority agriscientists as an extension
of what her mentors did for her.
“Agroecology can address many of the food security and
environmental challenges we’re facing now as a society, as well as
the challenges we’ll face in the future as our population continues to
grow,” Alvarez-Ventura said. “I hope to give the next generation of
agriscientists opportunities in research, professional development
and outreach early on their academic careers so they are prepared to
undertake these challenges.” n
FIU alumna finds a calling in environmental studies
Stephany Alvarez-Ventura
By Evelyn Perez | Photo by Doug Garland ’10
A passion for Agroecology
WINTER 2015-16 | 21
AVATAR COULD BECOME MODERN VERSION OF A DOCTOR’S HOUSE CALL
VIRTUAL HEALTH ASSISTANTBy Eric Barton | Illustration by Chris McAllister
It’s happy hour, and there’s a man, a man
with a drinking problem, headed to his
favorite bar. He turns into the parking lot,
and his phone comes to life. It’s an image of
a woman, her voice calm and reassuring.
“I noticed you’re headed to the bar,” the
woman says, using the GPS in his phone to
track him. The man explains that he’s had a
bad day and just needs a drink or two.
“How about instead I call a friend for
you?” the woman asks, knowing that
the man’s friends have talked him out
of destructive behavior before. The man
agrees, and the woman on his cellphone
dials up someone who can talk him out of a
bad decision.
This may all seem like something from
a far-in-the-future science fiction movie.
Go behind the scenes of health-avatar research at
magazine.fiu.edu
22 | WINTER 2015-16
among problem drinkers worked for half of
users after a year, a high success rate for
substance abuse counseling. Lisetti thinks
the number could be even higher with a
computer-based avatar.
Williams thinks the avatar will be beneficial
especially for those who don’t have access to
in-home medical care.
“For people whose insurance doesn’t
cover in-home care, or simply just don’t have
access to it, the avatars can serve many
purposes,” he said. For instance, the avatar
can help remind patients about when and
how much medication to take. The avatar can
also store other information given to the user
by a doctor, so the patient can ask follow-up
questions of the avatar once back at home.
Lisetti imagines the avatar becoming a
companion that users interact with for years.
The benefit is that a computer program never
forgets, so the avatar will have the user’s full
medical history any time a new issue comes
up. If the user, for instance, is diagnosed
with cancer, the avatar would know that a
previous immune disease might become a
problem in chemotherapy.
Lisetti, who says it might be a few more
years before the avatar is ready to go live,
gets help from five undergraduates who
work in her lab, along with a research
assistant and one or two Ph.D. students.
Affective computing is a profitable field now,
and three of Lisetti’s former lab workers
this year took jobs at software companies
working on avatars.
“We are just beginning to understand all the
benefits of this,” Lisetti said. “We are creating
a program that can fill many needs.” n
seem more human. To accomplish this,
they recorded video of addiction counselors
interacting with clients.
After studying five hours of tapes, the
researchers noticed how often the counselors
would look down or simply turn their attention
to something else in the room, as is common
in normal conversation. “It may seem obvious,
but when we had her stop staring directly
at the user, it dramatically improved the
program,” Lisetti said.
Lola can also now understand some of the
nuances of human behavior. For instance,
she can smile during a light moment of a
discussion. Lisetti’s lab has run internal tests
on the program prototype, but Lisetti knew
that before Lola could be used by medical
professionals, the avatar would need to be
given appropriate social intelligence and
eventually tested in a clinical setting.
When Lisetti shared a table at FIU’s Faculty
Club one day with Mark Williams, then-
interim dean of the Robert Stempel College
of Public Health & Social Work, he was
fascinated with Lisetti’s research. Williams
offered to help put together a clinical trial
once the technical design, programming and
evaluation of the avatar’s social behaviors
were complete.
Lisetti and Williams submitted their idea to
the National Science Foundation and received
a $497,000 grant to develop advanced design
principles for computer-simulated agents
and to test the system with a trial, which is
expected to begin next year. Similar programs
using a text-message-based interface have
proven helpful in the past. A text-message
system meant to reduce alcohol consumption
But a researcher at FIU is close to making
it a reality.
Professor Christine Lisetti has developed
a medical avatar, an interactive computer
program that can help people better
understand a host of medical issues and avoid
destructive behavior. Next year, the program
will be tested in a clinical setting, and Lisetti
believes it will stand in when doctors and
nurses aren’t available.
Lisetti’s program is far more than a dry
computer program. Her team has created
an animated character capable of advanced
human responses to questions.
“We want to create a social companion
you can relate to long-term,” said Lisetti,
director of FIU’s Affective Social Computing
Laboratory in the School of Computing and
Information Sciences. “We want it, or her, to
know you long-term and understand your
health patterns.”
Lisetti began her work as a graduate student
in the 1990s. She helped found what was then
a new field of study called affective computing,
or programming computers to understand the
nuances of human emotion. The field works to
develop a simulated emotional intelligence that
can interact with a person in a realistic way. In
the early 2000s, Lisetti helped develop a road
safety program that could detect when a driver
falls asleep, technology that’s now being used
by car manufacturers.
After joining FIU in 2007, Lisetti began
developing a virtual health assistant. It started
with a simple question-and-answer program,
which could make determinations about a
person’s problems with substance abuse.
The next step was designing an avatar, a
computerized figure that could be emotionally
expressive and have a conversation with the
user. Lisetti’s team calls her Lola, and since
then, they’ve been tinkering with ways to give
her realistic reactions and emotions.
Recent additions have endowed Lola with
non-verbal behaviors, something Lisetti’s
team has determined are key to making her
“We want it, or her, to know you long-term and understand your health patterns.”
— Christine Lisetti
WINTER 2015-16 | 23
2016 PANTHER GETAWAY TOURSDiscover the world with fellow Panthers and friends
Extend your lifelong learning | Create memories for a lifetime
Start planning your Panther Getaway today
April 15-24, 2016 Sunny PortugalFrom: $3,269* (includes air from Miami)
Be swept away on the Portuguese Riviera. Explore sunny Portugal, with its miles of dramatic shoreline. Indulge in Portugal’s fresh cuisine and wines during your interactive cooking class and two winery visits.Visit: Cascais ∙ Lisbon ∙ Sintra ∙ Obidos ∙ Fatima ∙ Monsaraz ∙ Algrave ∙ Sagres ∙ Lagos ∙ Faro ∙ São Brás de Alportel ∙ Azeitao OptionalExtension: Five days in Funchal, Madeira
April 12-20, 2016Italy’s Magnificent Lake DistrictFrom: $3,490* (plus air)
no single supplement
Where Italy kisses Switzerland, glacial lakes sparkle in the sun. Discover Italy’s Lake District of idyllic towns, stunning villas, lush gardens and dazzling array of art and architecture. Explore the sophisticated city of Milan and view Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, “The Last Supper.”Visit: Stresa ∙ Lago Orta ∙ Lago Maggiore ∙ Borromean Islands ∙ Milan ∙ Bellagio ∙ Como ∙ Pallanza
March 4-14, 2016India’s Golden Triangle From: $1,899* (plus air)
Conjure up India at its most alluring – the mystique of Eastern religions, the swirl of colorful saris, prolific wildlife and the magic of the Taj Mahal. Experience the sights, sounds and spice of the subcontinent while hitting the highlights of the Golden Triangle with its exotic architecture and prolific wildlife. Visit: Old Delhi ∙ New Delhi ∙ Sikandra ∙ Agra ∙ Ranthambore ∙ Jaipur ∙ Taj Mahal ∙ Amber Fort ∙ Cochin Optional extension: Cochin, Kerala Backwaters and Mumbai
24 | WINTER 2015-16
September 24-Oct. 1, 2016 New England Fall Foliage From: $1,869* (plus air)
Autumn is the perfect season to explore New England’s time-honored landmarks. From the quintessential autumn fare of Vermont to the colonial roots of Salem, take in the history and charm of the East Coast - all under a vibrant canopy of color. Visit: Green Mountains ∙ Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory ∙ Vineyards ∙ White Mountains ∙ Cabot Cheese Factory ∙ Mountain Memorial Park ∙ Portland ∙ Kennebunkport ∙ Salem ∙ Boston
September 30-October 11, 2016 Albuquerque Balloon Festival & U.S. National ParksFrom: $2,499* (plus air)
Watch hundreds of hot air balloons float gracefully upward, filling the sky with color. Gaze into the depths of the Grand Canyon, see the famed Old Faithful and stand in the shadow of the Grand Tetons.Visit: Albuquerque ∙ Mesa Verde National Park ∙ Kayenta ∙ Grand Canyon ∙ Zion National Park ∙ Salt Lake City ∙ Jackson ∙ Grand Teton National Park ∙ Yellowstone National Park
October 8-15, 2016 Autumn in Tuscany From: $4,500* (plus air)
Enjoy the magic of autumn in Italy as you spend a fabulous time between the Tuscan countryside and the gorgeous city of Florence. Experience “wine in the making” at your VIP visits to renowned wineries. You’ll visit famous museums, authentic restaurants, discover charming hilltop villages and Tuscany’s most famous towns.Visit: Florence (4 nights) ∙ Radda-in-Chianti (3 nights) ∙ Siena ∙ Greve-in-Chianti ∙ San Gimignano ∙ Montalcino
October 30-November 13, 2016SE Asia Cruise on Celebrity MillenniumFrom: $2,013* (plus air)
Southeast Asia is a traveler’s nirvana, offering natural wonders like the mystical limestone islands of Halong Bay, timeless treasures like the storybook temples of Thailand and Cambodia and booming cities like Hong Kong and Singapore. It’s this blend of old and new that makes SE Asia such a dynamic place to explore. Visit: Hong Kong ∙ Hanoi/Halong Bay ∙ Hue/Da Nang ∙ Ho Chi Minh ∙ Bangkok/ Laem Chabang ∙ Singapore
February 23-March 4, 2017 A Taste of Chile - Wine, Cuisine & CultureFrom: $4,200 (plus air)
Call for additional informationVisit renowned Chilean wine valleys during harvest time. Learn about Chile’s cuisine with famous chef Pilar Rodriguez and participate in a cooking class. Tour the stunningly located ‘Isla Negra’ coastal home of Chile’s most famous son, poet Pablo Neruda.Visit: Santiago ∙ Aconcagua ∙ Casablanca ∙ Valparaiso ∙ San Antonio ∙ Colchagua ∙ Santa Cruz ∙ Cachapoal ∙ Maipo
May 6-15, 2016 Amalfi Walking TourFrom: $2,049* (plus air)
Experience the breathtaking beauty that surrounds the Amalfi Coast, from small villages to long stretches of beach, the perfect balance between history and nature. Visit: Naples ∙ Sorrento ∙ Libra ∙ Almalfi ∙ Positano ∙ Atrani ∙ Ravello
May 14-23, 2016 SicilyFrom: $3,590* (plus air)
Explore Sicily with its vast history spanning 3,000 years. This majestic island abounds with enchanting natural beauty. Sun-bleached Greek temples stand in peaceful valleys and Roman ruins house spectacular mosaics. Ancient theaters, still valued for their prime acoustics, stand majestically in the midst of lively towns.Visit: Palermo ∙ Monreale ∙ Erice ∙ Segesta ∙ Cefalù ∙ Taormina ∙ Argrigento ∙ Syracuse ∙ Mt. Etna
May 17-25, 2016 Ireland - Wild Atlantic WayFrom: $3,290* (plus air)-no single supplement
Forge a path through County Mayo in the remote, northwest corner of Ireland. From your base in Westport, a winsome Georgian town, embark on a special journey steeped in Irish culture. Discover both rural traditions and Ireland’s famous literary and musical heritage.Visit: Foxford ∙ County Sligo ∙ Achill Island ∙ Connemara ∙ Kylemore Abbey ∙ Cong ∙ Galway
May 23-30, 2016Pompeii & HerculaneumFrom: $2,750* (plus air)
Enjoy a privileged introduction to perfectly preserved Roman towns, grand villas and Greek Temples with an expert scholar. Follow in the footsteps of the citizens, senators, slaves and Caesar who once walked these ancient streets.Visit: Paestum ∙ Pompeii ∙ Stabiae ∙ Herculaneum ∙ Mt. Vesuvius ∙ National Archaeological Museum in Naples
May 28-June 3, 2016London: The City Experience From: $1,699* (plus air)
Get acquainted with this city at your own pace, strolling through Kensington Gardens, entering Westminster Abbey and seeing Big Ben up close. City tour included. Optional excursions: Windsor Castle ∙ Stonehenge Salisbury ∙ Oxford ∙ St. Paul’s Cathedral ∙ Westminster Abbey
June 12-19, 2016BermudaFrom $1,019* (plus air)
King’s Wharf has something for everyone. Sample typical island food and stroll through the shops and museums of the Royal Naval Dockyard, an impressive military fortress built in 1815. Sail the clear waters of Hamilton Sound. Find quaint gems at the Bermuda Arts Center and Craft Market. Or have a close encounter with dolphins at Dolphin Quest, where you can swim, dance and kiss these magnificent sea creatures.
June 14-22, 2016Ronda, SpainFrom: $3,290* (plus air)
no single supplement
Discover Spain’s sun-kissed southern coast. Marvel at great monuments such as the magnificent Alhambra. Sample the cherry of Jerez and enjoy meals of authentic regional cuisine in spectacular settings at several paradors, Spain’s boutique hotels. Visit: Malaga ∙ Ronda ∙ Seville ∙ Granada ∙ Jerez de la Frontera
June 19-July 1, 2016Baltic Capitals Cruise on Celebrity SilhouetteFrom: $2,129* (plus air)
A treasure trove of experiences awaits you as you cruise the Baltic. From the opulent palaces of the Tsars in St. Petersburg to Stockholm’s breathtaking harbor or Copenhagen’s spectacular Tivoli Gardens, few cruising regions offer such diverse treasures as the Baltic.Visit: Stockholm ∙ Helsinki ∙ Tallinn ∙ St. Petersburg (2 nights) ∙ Warnemünde ∙ Copenhagen ∙ Amsterdam
July 9-17, 2016 Costa Rica: Rainforests, Volcanoes & WildlifeFrom: $1,799* (plus air)
From misty, cloud-covered forests and lush jungles to volcanic landscapes and sun-kissed beaches, there’s much to love about this Central American hot spot. Begin your adventure in Tortuguero, the Land of the Turtles, then take a dip in the natural hot springs at the foot of the mighty Arenal Volcano.Visit: San Jose ∙ Rainforest & Canal Expedition ∙ Arenal Volcano National Park ∙ Monteverde Optional extension: Tarcoles River cruise & Manuel Antonio National Park
July 15-22, 2016 Tracy Arm Fjord Alaska Cruise on Celebrity SolsticeFrom: $1,382* (plus air)
Enjoy the splendor of the Alaskan wilderness, glacier-carved fjords, wildlife, quaint ports and the remarkable beauty of the Inside Passage.Visit: Seattle ∙ Ketchikan ∙ Tracy Arm Fjord ∙ Juneau ∙ Inside Passage ∙ Victoria (British Columbia)
August 20-25, 2016Iceland: Reykjavik to the GlaciersFrom: $2,099* (plus air)
Inhale fresh Icelandic air, tap into the country’s natural restorative powers and discover geysers and waterfalls on this adventure. From your home base in progressive Reykjavik, set out to see the inspiring Golden Circle, the otherworldly beauty of South Iceland, the world-famous Blue Lagoon and the Northern Lights.Visit: Reykjavik ∙ Golden Circle ∙ Thingvellir National Park ∙ Golden Waterfall ∙ South Coast Glaciers ∙ Blue Lagoon
For additional details on our 2016 tours, go to FIUalumni.com/travel or contact
Bill Draughon at 305-342-0772 or bdraughon@fiu.edu
*Pricing is per person based on double occupancy - prices, tours and dates subject to change.
Host dependent on minimum number of reservations.
Join us in
2017
Wait list available only
WINTER 2015-16 | 25
One can make the argument that FIU’s
men’s soccer program has the most
impressive and accomplished history of any
sports program in the university’s history.
The program has been around since the
university opened in 1972, winning two
Division II championships in the early 1980s
and making a memorable run to the NCAA
Division I championship game in 1996.
Major League Soccer greats Steve Ralston,
Robin Fraser and Tyrone Marshall all played at
FIU during those golden years for the program,
but those days have been gone for quite some
time now.
At the time Head Coach Scott Calabrese
was hired in 2014, it had been years since FIU
had sniffed at the chance to compete in the
Conference USA tournament and even longer
since the team had an above .500 record.
Calabrese was tasked with accomplishing
what his recent predecessors had failed to do:
bring back a sustainable winning culture to FIU
men’s soccer. And with the way his team has
performed on the pitch this season, he may be
close to doing just that.
In only his second year at the helm, the
program enjoyed its best season in years.
The Panthers rapidly climbed up the national
rankings while putting together an impressive
seven-game winning streak, peaking at
No. 14 in the country in National Soccer
Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)
poll in early October.
“Everything was clicking during that period.
We moved the ball incredibly well, we had tons
of confidence moving forward and it was a
great feeling,” Calabrese says.
Success, however, brings with it a new
set of challenges, including a large target on
their backs from teams no longer overlooking
FIU on the pitch.
“A lot of teams have adjusted to prevent
us from being effective and that is actually
something we’re not used to,” Calabrese says.
“It’s a different kind of challenge.”
But after concluding the regular season
with a 9-6-1 record and securing a spot in
the conference tournament, the Panthers
completed an improbable run through the
tournament and clinched their first ever
Conference USA championship after defeating
Marshall 1-0 in the final.
By winning the conference championship,
the Panthers earned an automatic bid to NCAA
Tournament for the first time since 2004.
“They did everything that they were asked
to do and more. They’ve earned it,” Calabrese
said after beating Marshall. “When you get in
the tournament, it’s just about an opportunity
and the guys seized it.”
Men’s soccer, football and indoor volleyball are trending upward and offer hope for brighter days in the near future.
Senior outside hitter Lucia Castro (#2) has helped the FIU volleyball team bounce back after several down seasons.
Sophomore quarterback Alex McGough had a great season.
By Joel Delgado ’12 | Photos by Alex Hernandez and Sam Lewis
FALL RESURGENCE
Men’s soccer clinched the 2015 Conference USA title.
26 | WINTER 2015-16
But men’s soccer isn’t the only program
this fall that is enjoying a resurgence.
OUT OF THE CAGE Football Head Coach Ron Turner inherited
a program that was in shambles when he
took over in 2013.
When he arrived, the memories of T.Y. Hilton
making plays worthy of a SportsCenter Top
10 plays segment and helping FIU clinch two
football game appearances seemed to be
nothing more than a distant memory.
Since then, it has been a slow – but steady
– and often painful climb for the Panthers as
Turner has attempted to reinvent the program.
After winning just one game in 2013, the
Panthers saw a noticeable improvement a year
later thanks to the surprising play of several
new faces and a stronger-than-expected
defense, winning four games and losing a
handful of others by less than a touchdown.
This season, a slightly more experienced but
still relatively young Panthers squad matched
last year’s win total almost a month earlier than
they did in 2014 and picked up their fifth win of
the season against Charlotte on Nov. 7.
It’s the most wins the program has had
since the team earned a trip to the Beef O’
Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl in 2011, and
they’ve done so despite suffering a series of
nagging injuries to starters in a number of
key positions throughout the season.
“I don’t know if I have ever been in a
situation where I’ve had this many guys out
because of injuries,” Turner said. “It has
definitely taken a toll, but I admire these guys
and the perseverance they’ve had to put us
in the position we are now.”
Quarterback Alex McGough has played a
huge part in that success since winning the
job early on last year as a freshman. Now in
his sophomore year, McGough has continued
to impress and is in the midst of what could
be considered the best season any FIU
quarterback has ever had.
In 2015, McGough broke single season
records for most touchdown passes (21),
passing yards (2,722) and highest completion
percentage (64 percent).
“It’s a total team effort. When I make plays,
that means my wide receivers are making
plays,” McGough said.
Many of the team’s key contributors are still
freshmen, sophomores or juniors, and as they
continue to grow and develop, the program
could be close to a breakout season.
“We’ve played well this year, we just have
to make the plays when it really matters
consistently,” McGough added. “At some
points we have, and at other points we’ve
lacked that. If we come together and play as
a unit, we can score a lot of points.”
FINALLY CLICKING After enjoying several years of success
thanks in large part to the duo of Yarimar Rosa
and Natalia Valentin – today stars of Puerto
Rico’s national team – the Panthers’ indoor
volleyball team failed to keep the momentum
going after their departures.
The rebuilding process has been a bit
slower than expected for Indoor Volleyball
Head Coach Rita Buck-Crockett, who came
on board after the conclusion of the 2011
season. The 2014 season was a low point,
with the team garnering just seven victories.
But in her fourth season, with most of
her starters returning with another year of
experience along with the addition of some
key players such as Miami-Dade transfer
Katie Hogan, that process finally seems to
showing glimpses of what could be a bright
future on the court.
Buck-Crockett was confident prior to the
2015 season that her team was poised for a
turnaround season. Her optimism proved to
be justified.
The team finished the season with 15 wins –
the highest win total in the Buck-Crockett era
thus far – and a spot in the Conference USA
Championships after missing out last season.
“Since I’ve been here, this is the best
indoor team I’ve had,” Buck-Crockett said.
“I’m really happy with how the team is
progressing. I think we’re getting there –
getting to where we want to be. We just have
to keep moving forward.”
A SPARK AT HOME
Success at home has been an essential
boost for all three programs this season.
The football team played well for most of
the season at home, winning four of its five
games at FIU Stadium. In those four victories
at home, the Panthers won by an average
27.8 points.
The men’s soccer team won five games,
earned one draw and lost just once in its
seven home matches at FIU Soccer Stadium
this season while the indoor volleyball team
finished with an 8-7 record at FIU Arena.
“It’s always really important to make your
home field a fortress, where nine out of ten
times you’re going to get the result you’re
looking for,” Calabrese said.
The recent success for each program,
after an extended period of struggles and
challenges, has begun to instill an essential
ingredient for any coach trying to rebuild a
program: belief.
“Our players believe in each other and they
believe that we’re doing the right things,”
Calabrese says. “When you have that kind
of belief and that kind of foundation, you
can continue to improve. And I expect us to
continue improving in the years to come.” n
WINTER 2015-16 | 27
Vehicle courtesy of Lexus of North Miami
Show Your Pride with a New License Plate!
Get yours today!
The specialty plate is available through Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) for a $25 annual fee (plus registration fees);
proceeds benefit the university’s general scholarship fund.
Visit FIUalumni.com/plate to get your plate today or purchase at your local tag agency.
After you buy the new plate, share a picture on social media using the tag #RepFIU.
GO PANTHERSLicense Plate AD for MAG.indd 1 12/1/15 3:40 PM
1970sClaudia Galofre-Krevat ’78, chef at Claudia’s Mesa, joined the “Lentil Underground” book tour during a week of educational and cooking events in San Francisco in February, cooking for journalist and food author Michael Pollan.
Del Sebastian Placides ’79, MS ’93 was invited by the University of Washington State Historical Society and other organizations to speak about his two recent nonfiction books, “The Home Front Kid,” published in 2014 and chronicling his childhood in a South Philadelphia neighborhood in the shadow of World War II, and “Runaway Boy from Bicolandia,” published in 2013 and telling his father’s life story.
1980sJusto Pozo ’80 was elected to the FIU Board of Trustees for a five-year term.
Maria Elena González ’80 was awarded grand prize at the 30th Annual Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts at the MGLC-International Centre for Graphic Arts in Slovenia for her “Tree Talk Series.”
James Border ’81, vice president and global tax counsel for Carnival Corporation and PLC, was reappointed chairman of the Global Tax Committee for the Cruise Lines International Association, which represents 64 separate cruise lines throughout the world on matters of international tax policy and regulation.
Mark Chmielarski ’85, a shareholder in Greenspoon Marder Law’s Orlando office, was nominated to the Leadership Group of the Volusia County Association for Responsible Development, a non-profit association for Central Florida professionals who work in various aspects of land development. The association focuses on environmental issues, regulatory changes of federal, state and local governments, and current planning for land development.
1990sGonzalo Acevedo ’91, MBA ‘10, who currently serves on The Wolfsonian-FIU Museum Board of Advisors and the FIU
CLASS NOTES
Alumni Association Executive Committee, has taken the position of senior vice president and managing director of the AllianceBernstein, L.P., Private Wealth Management office in Miami.
Rosary Plana-Falero ’91 MBA ’94 joined Coconut Grove Bank as executive vice president of private banking.
Mabel Morales ’94 MS ’97 was named president of the Florida Art Education Association.
Francis Rodriguez ’95 was named partner in charge of the Shutts & Bowen LLP Miami firm. In 2014, he was appointed to FIU’s President’s Council.
Ralph Rosado ’96, MA ’03 is president of Rosado and Associates, an urban planning and economic development strategy firm based in Miami. Holder of a second master’s degree from Princeton and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, he serves as research fellow at FIU’s Metropolitan Center and an instructor of graduate and professional programs at FIU and the University of Miami. Most recently his efforts on behalf of a resident-led effort to establish a neighborhood park earned
him a Grassroots Initiative Award from the Gold Coast APA Chapter. And his idea for redesigning local bus shelters to make them more attractive and more protective against the elements garnered an award in the Miami Foundation’s 2015 Public Space Challenge.
Armando Hernandez ’89 MS ’96, president and CEO of Hernandez & Company, has been selected by the National Academy of Public Accounting Professionals as
one of the 2015 “Top 10 Public Accounting Professionals” in Florida.
David Barbeito ’97, M.Acc ’03 and Cristina Perez ’98, MS ’01 were named partners at De La Hoz, Perez & Barbeito, P.A.
Lourdes Oroza Ed.D. ’97 was named president of Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus.
Ian Rambarran ’98 received the distinction of Top Lawyer in Sacramento from Sacramento Magazine for exemplary practice in both construction and business/corporate law.
Carolina Sarassa ’05 is
a three-time Emmy award- and a four-
time National Gabriel award-winning
news anchor and correspondent for
MundoFOX National Network News
in Los Angeles. Prior to joining that
organization, she was the anchor and
producer for Univision’s KINC in Las Vegas and a
correspondent for the news-magazine show “Primer
Impacto” and, before that, anchored and reported for
Univision KORO in Texas. Carolina has served on the
board of governors for the Academy of Television Arts
and Sciences and is currently a board member for the
LA Press Club.
Adding to her list of accomplishments, Sarassa in
2014 saw the publication of “Dancing on her Grave,”
the true story of the brutal murder of a college-
educated Las Vegas showgirl, a crime that shocked
and riveted the public. Sarassa co-authored the book,
which recounts the months of investigation that led
to the apprehension of a suspect and his subsequent
trial and life imprisonment.
WINTER 2015-16 | 29
CLASS NOTES
Twelve FIU alumni were honored in Legacy magazine’s 2015 40 Under 40 Leaders of Today and Tomorrow in July 2015. They were chosen for making a significant contribution within their fields and in the local community. Honored were Kareem Brantley MSF ’02; Kenol Thomas ’02; Theo Williams ’02; Kristina Jones ’07, MS ’11; Calonie Gray MS ’07, Ph.D. ’09; David Coleman MBA ’08; Kenasha Paul ’10; Jonise Sainvil MPA ’11; Mikhaile Solomon M.Arch. ’11; Adia McKenzie ’12; Donna Comrie Ph.D. ’13; and Jadine Louissaint MBA ’13.
Beth Goldstein MS ’99 was named Florida Outstanding Secondary Art Educator of the Year. She was honored by the Florida Art Education Association in October 2014.
2000sJorge Grossmann ’00 composed the piece “Notus,” which will be performed by the Grammy award-winning Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra at the inaugural concert of the Festival Latinoamericano de Música in October.
Mike Gonzalez MS ’01 was named the Junior and Middle School Administrator of the Year by the Wisconsin Association of School Councils.
Robert Noroña MBA ’01 was promoted to senior vice president at Ocean Bank.
Joanne Bashford Ed.D. ’02 was named president of Miami Dade College’s InterAmerican Campus.
Justo Torres ’02 was named director of contracts and grants at North Carolina State University.
Zameer Upadhya ’03 was named one of Houston Business Journal’s 2015 “40 Under 40” business leaders.
Vivian Gonzalez MS ’04, Ed.S. ’07 was a semi-finalist for the inaugural Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation.
Casandra Roache Henriquez ’04, MPH ’06 married motivational speaker Andy Henriquez in Riviera Maya, Mexico, on Oct. 18, 2015.
Breny DaParre Garcia ’05, MA ’07, Ph.D. ‘15 has been appointed assistant vice president of institutional relations for FIU. In this role, she leads select institutional and presidential initiatives pertaining to key university donors and prospects, community partners, academic organizations, student success and constituent relations. Breny also volunteers her time as a board member for FIU’s Young Alumni Council and Janelle’s Wishing Well Foundation and recently was elected to a two-year term on the national Supreme Council of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority. She has served the organization for 10 years as a member of multiple committees and task forces as well as a chapter key advisor.
Brian Matijevic ’08 joined U.S. Century Bank as assistant vice president, treasury officer.
Charles Rego ’08, president of the Veterans Panther Network, has recently moved to Boston with his wife and family for six months to complete his master’s degree at Harvard.
Daniela Ottati ’09, Ph.D. ’15, an adjunct professor of communication arts in the College of Architecture + The Arts, was presented with a proclamation honoring her continuous dedication and commitment to education by City of Aventura Mayor Enid Weisman and the city council.
Marla Baldomero ’09, MS ’13 and Daniel Oliu ‘11, who met at FIU freshman year and spent their first year together hanging out at the Barnes & Noble cafe in the Graham Center, were married July 11, 2015.
Latoya Brown ’08, JD ’13 was elected to the Dade County Bar Association Board of Directors, where she will serve a three-year term as director for Group 1.
Liliana Korn Custy ’09, a professor in the Department of Interior Architecture, spoke for the fourth year in a row at the National Homebuilders Association International Builders Show in January.
2010sRebecca Rodriguez MS ’10, an associate at the GrayRobinson, P.A., Fort Lauderdale office, was accepted to Leadership Fort Lauderdale’s Class
XXII. Leadership Fort Lauderdale is a tri-county program intended to help business leaders understand local issues and create a strong bond with fellow graduates.
Elizabeth Fernandez ’10 passed the Florida Bar Exam and has joined EPGD Law as an attorney.
Christin “Cici” Battle ’11 ’14, former Biscayne Bay Campus Student Government Association president, moved to Cali, Colombia, where she teaches leadership development and industry-specific English to college students as a full-time volunteer through the Colombian government and Volunteer Colombia. While there, she is also working with women and girls’ organizations to do capacity building, program development and fundraising.
Helena Ramirez ’11, former president of the Student Government Association and eastern coalitions coordinator for LIBRE Initiative, was featured
in Forbes 2015 30 Under 30 in Law and Policy for her work as the inaugural chair of She Should Run’s Frontrunners, which encourages women to run for public office, as well as her work with Hispanic churches, entrepreneurs and women for the Koch-affiliated conservative group.
Steven Cruz ’12, representing the Alpha Chi Chapter of Beta Theta Pi at the 176th General Convention in Orlando in August, was recognized as
Rookie District Chief of the Year.
Michael Perez ’12, Latin America marketing and promotions associate at The Walt Disney Company, was a featured speaker at the Idea Center, presenting the various ways Disney uses creativity to support brand initiatives.
30 | WINTER 2015-16
Panthers invade Venice: FIU was well represented on the streets — and waterways — of Italy’s most storied city when a group of friends took a fall trip together. Pictured, left to right, are Ofelia Gonzalez ’87; Francis Hondal ’87, MBA ’94; Elizabeth Falla ’88; Manny Becerra ’86; Ana Becerra ’87; Eddie Hondal ’88, MS ’00.
Nelson Hincapie ’06, a children’s advocate, and Patricia Kayser ’15, an advocate for those with autism, spoke in November at the fifth annual TEDxFIU. The pair joined seven FIU faculty and current students who each contributed positive stories under the theme of “Always Forward.”
Hincapie, who today heads the Voices For Children Foundation, talked about his work with children in foster care. Kayser, founder of the nonprofit Autism & Music and pictured above, recounted the moment she discovered the power of music to help her brother, who suffers with autism, better communicate and socialize.
Held at the Wertheim Performing Arts Center before a sold-out crowd, the event was hosted by four-time master of ceremonies Alberto Padron ’98, MBA ’09.
Katie Edwards JD ’12, a state representative was given the 2015 Florida Chamber Distinguished Advocate award by the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
Andy Señor ’13 directed a Spanish production of Jonathon Larson’s musical “RENT” in Cuba. It is the first Broadway show that has been produced in Cuba in 50 years.
Dylan Gonzalez JD ’14 and Igor Hernandez ’09, JD ’13, FIU Law and Trial Team alumni, placed second and third, respectively, during the 2015 Legal Eagle Closing Argument Competition.
Nick Aquart ’14, former Student Government Association senator and founder of Hope2o International, a nonprofit organization devoted to finding solutions to the global water crisis, earned an internship with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Paola Katherine Rodriguez ’15 had her photographic work “Takia,” a part of her series “Broken Free,” which documents the stories of victims of abuse,
featured in the Fifth Annual Exposure Award reception’s portraiture collection at the Musée du Louvre.
Nathalie Alfonso ’15 curated her “Among Body Marks,” created in conjunction with FIU Department of Art and Art History professor Michael Namkung, at The Projects/FATVillage in Fort Lauderdale in February.
Bill Draughon, center, the former executive director of the Alumni Association,
retired in 2015 from his position as associate vice president for Advancement. Named
an honorary Panther by President Rosenberg in 2012, Draughon will continue to
run the Alumni Association travel program, information about which can be found
at FIUalumni.com/travel. Pictured above with Draughon are past presidents of the
Alumni Association Board of Directors, from left, Jose Perez de Corcho ’93, Will
Trueba ’90, Gayle Bainbridge ’75 and Jack Gonzalez ’97.
Clara-Meretan Kiah ’15 was hired as a full-time staff writer for the Division of External Relations.
Alumni participate in TEDxFIU
WINTER 2015-16 | 31
Jack Vaughn’s old friend Cal has gone
missing. His vintage Cadillac has been
pulled out of a South Florida canal. His
house is suddenly up for sale. His gym has
been appropriated by a gang of Russian
thugs. Vaughn suspects foul play. The
fictional ex-cop goes in search of his friend,
hoping to find him alive.
And that is where Vaughn’s story was
about to end.
Jack Vaughn is the creation of FIU
alumnus Anthony Gagliano, who earned
his Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative
Writing in 2002. The search for Cal was
Gagliano’s second crime novel featuring
Jack Vaughn. Gagliano titled the book “The
Emperor’s Club.” But in 2009, midway through his manuscript,
Gagliano suffered a stroke. He died shortly after at the age of 53.
The plight of Vaughn and his missing friend Cal was resigned to the
fate of a book not yet finished.
Gagliano’s first book, “Straits of Fortune,” was critically
acclaimed. His former professors, best-selling writers Les
Standiford and Dan Wakefield, were fans. So when their former
student unexpectedly passed away, they were disappointed to
know his next novel would never see the light of day.
“I knew Anthony was a real talent from the first time he read
in my class,” Wakefield said. “I told him, ‘You can just take Jack
Vaughn and keep going.’”
But because he couldn’t, Wakefield and Standiford decided they
would keep Vaughn going — at least until the story ends in “The
Emperor’s Club.” So they contacted Gagliano’s widow and asked
for the incomplete manuscript. She dug it up from his computer
and sent it to the professors. They got to work.
“This was a labor of love. We wanted to do it,” said Standiford,
who is director of FIU’s Creative Writing Program within the
Department of English. “The manuscript was really good and close
to being publishable. So we gave it a shot.”
There are many challenges in finishing another person’s
creative work, especially when you don’t know how the story was
supposed to end. Maintaining another author’s cadence and the
voice of their characters is tricky. And making sense of unfinished
chapters can be downright confusing.
“I’d be reading along and I’d say, ‘Wait, didn’t this just
happen?’” Standiford said.
It was in that moment Standiford realized Gagliano would move
around pieces of the plot to find the best fit within the storyline.
Existing text sometimes would be repeated later in the manuscript,
and it became evident that the writer had intended to reconcile
these replicated storylines in the final draft. With Standiford
gaining clarity of Gagliano’s organizational style, he was able to
reconcile the incomplete storylines. He sorted out the old from the
new, inserting transitions as he went. Standiford and Wakefield
passed the manuscript back and forth, collaborating throughout
the process.
“It was challenging but not impossible,” Standiford said.
While Standiford did a lot of the heavy lifting, it was up to
Wakefield to decide how the book ends. He was tasked with
writing the final chapter. Once the manuscript was completed,
FIU colleague John Dufresne stepped in as editor.
“I was a fan the first time I read it,” Dufresne said.
He gave the book a second read to ensure it was ready for
publication. Satisfied, the trio went in search of a publisher. Three
years went by with nothing. The crime novel was facing a major
challenge. Typically, publishers expect authors of mystery and
suspense thrillers to create a series out of their lead characters.
“The Emperor’s Club” was the second book to follow fictional ex-
cop Jack Vaughn. It would also be the last.
“Publishers look at what it will be like at the end of 10 books in
somebody’s career. Not a single book,” Standiford said.
Undeterred, Dufresne turned to a friend and colleague at
MidTown Publishing in New York. With a single phone call, they
found their publisher. “The Emperor’s Club” hit bookshelves
earlier this year, and Gagliano’s widow arranged to donate
proceeds from the book to the FIU Creative Writing Program.
“For me,” Dufresne said, “this is Anthony getting his rightful
place in Miami literary history.” n
The Last WordTwo FIU Creative Writing professors pay tribute to their deceased former student by completing
his unfinished second novel for publication
Listen to John Dufresne read from The Emperor’s Club at
magazine.fiu.edu
By Evelyn Perez
32 | WINTER 2015-16
Belkys Nerey• WSVN-TV Anchor
• Bachelor of Science in Communication, 1989
• Torch Award recipient, 2015
Q: What ignited your passion for news?A: I’m naturally an inquisitive person interested in what’s going on
around me. It’s probably not a big surprise I ended up doing a job
where I get to ask people questions. I enjoy telling their stories.
Q: Your light-hearted on-camera persona differs from how many news anchors portray themselves. Where does this come from?A: It’s just me being me. My personality comes through during the
broadcast. My greatest compliment is when people meet me and tell
me I’m just like I am on TV. Viewers can spot a fake from a mile away.
Q: You have covered every type of news. Is one most satisfying to you?A: I’ve covered history-making events like Princess Diana’s death,
Prince William and Kate’s royal wedding and the election of Pope
Francis, to name a few. Whenever I’m covering something of that
magnitude, I take a minute to remind myself how lucky I am to
witness history firsthand. Those stories are the ones I’ll be telling
my friends in the nursing home.
Q: Do you have a secret to staying energized in what is a very demanding job? A: No secrets, really. I just try to lead a balanced life. I have a boyfriend
I adore, and we love to travel. I have great friends and a wonderful
family. I love my work, but I can also disconnect from it completely.
Q: What advice do you have for young people looking to break into broadcast news?A: I would tell young people to be prepared to start small and work
their way up. Young people today think they can graduate and sit
at the anchor desk. That’s not the way it works. My first job was
at a cable station where I shot and edited my own video in English
and Spanish. I would also tell them to be prepared to move away to
some small town for their first job if that’s what it takes.
Q: Do you have an FIU memory to share?A: I just remember being at FIU and wanting to do this so
badly. I couldn’t wait to graduate to get my career started. My TV
broadcasting class final project was to shoot and edit three stories
about FIU, and that tape landed me my first job at the cable station.
Q: How do you decompress?A: I love eating out for my Bite with Belkys blog, then coming home,
plopping on the couch and watching anything that’s on Bravo.
Photo courtesy of WSVN
VIP: Very Important Panther
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First-Class First Class: More than a dozen dignitaries and 196 freshmen turned out for the opening of FIU’s
lower division on August 26, 1981. Until then, FIU had served only upperclassmen and graduate students.
President Gregory Wolfe presided over the festivities, which included an introduction of Laura Metscher,
above, a Sunset High graduate who exemplified the excitement and promise of a new era for the university.
Photo courtesy of FIU Special Collections & University Archives
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