Hundreds of alumni return to campus – virtually – to connect with students during Panther Alumni Week 2021

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Panther Alumni Week (PAW) looked a little different this year. For the first time, the annual PAW took place online, as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. But that didn’t stop scores of alumni – 250, to be exact – from joining FIU classes virtually from as far away as London to share their career advice […]

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

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

FIU Business alumna’s scholarship endowment will support diverse, female future accountants

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FIU College of Business alumna Jacqueline Cecile Williams ’94, CPA, recently made a planned gift to FIU that will establish a scholarship to help bolster the future pipeline of minority, female accountants in South Florida. Inspired by the financial support and guidance she received as a student preparing to break into the accounting industry, Williams […]

Brian Breittholz named new FIU AVP for alumni relations

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–By Clara-Meretan Kiah and Todd Ellenberg for FIU News Brian Breittholz is FIU’s new associate vice president for alumni relations and chief alumni officer. Breittholz, an accomplished higher education leader with a wealth of experience in alumni relations, development, student affairs and communications, joins FIU after serving seven years as Cleveland State University’s (CSU) assistant vice president for alumni affairs and executive […]

New FIU Young Alumni Network hosts wellness, professional development, financial literacy ‘Growth Conference’ for students, recent grads

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On August 15, the FIU Alumni Association and Young Alumni Network (YAN) hosted the 2020 Growth Conference, designed to equip students and recent graduates with tools to succeed in the workplace after graduation. “GrowthCon” brought together prominent alumni and other industry leaders on Zoom to help attendees identify goals and strategize their paths to personal […]

Business alumni leverage industry experience, FIU education to shift company focus to include pandemic response

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Carlos Duart ’94, MS ’99 and Tina Vidal-Duart ’02, MIB ’04, president and executive vice president, respectively, of CDR Maguire, leveraged their contacts and industry experience to help advise and coordinate relief efforts on a major scale. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, College of Business alumni Carlos Duart ’94, MS ’99 and Tina Vidal-Duart ’02, […]

Fall is here: What you need to know

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The following message was shared with the FIU community on August 21, 2020: Campus protocols for Fall 2020 Libraries and study spaces available by reservation only  FIU’s COVID-19 Response Team In just a few days, FIU will begin a new semester – one unlike any other. Those of you who will be on campus at […]

Two-time alumnus, FIU parent discusses family’s Panther legacy, why he gave to student emergency relief fund

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Two-time alumnus Josue Raudales ’97, MS ’05 is a proud FIU Panther and an FIU parent, as well. Raudales was an international student from Honduras and a member of the Honors College during his time at the university. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the College of Engineering & Computing and […]

A community of supporters bolsters South Florida hospitality industry, including alumni-owned restaurants and bars

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For alumna Heather De La Torre and her husband Jesus, owners of Jr’s Gourmet Burgers in Miami Springs, business is a family affair. The “mom-and-pop” restaurant celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year, and the couple thinks of their small, close-knit staff as kin. But, like many restaurants nationwide, the COVID-19 pandemic dealt Jr’s a tough […]

FIUstrong: Providing emergency relief for students during the pandemic

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The university is raising funds for students suffering financially during the health crisis. When FIU student Gabriella Llaña lost her job during the pandemic, she feared she might lose her apartment, too. Living alone, she wasn’t sure how she would afford rent. With support from the FIUstrong disaster relief initiative, the university was able to […]