{"id":15613,"date":"2018-12-14T19:18:07","date_gmt":"2018-12-14T19:18:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/?p=15613"},"modified":"2018-12-14T19:23:48","modified_gmt":"2018-12-14T19:23:48","slug":"torch-awards-gala-showcases-the-best-and-brightest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/2018\/12\/14\/torch-awards-gala-showcases-the-best-and-brightest\/","title":{"rendered":"Torch Awards Gala showcases the best and brightest"},"content":{"rendered":"

This story originally appeared in FIU Magazine.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The 2018 Torch Awards Gala<\/a> attracted a record-breaking 1,000 attendees to make it the largest in FIU history.<\/p>\n

The November event, held at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus, honored 15 alumni and one faculty member who are each making a difference in their professions, in the community and at the university. Proceeds from the event benefit the First Generation Scholarship Program, which supports students who are the first in their families to obtain college degrees, and the future construction of the FIU Alumni Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach new class of Torch Awards recipients joins an elite group of FIU torchbearers, leaders who exemplify the best of the university and serve as an inspiration to all,\u201d said Duane Wiles, executive director of the\u00a0FIU Alumni Association<\/a>. \u201cThe Torch Awards celebrate their many achievements while supporting the next generation of Panthers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Alumna of the Year Diane M. Faulconer \u201974, MSM \u201974 with President Mark B. Rosenberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Alumni Association named Diane M. Faulconer \u201974, MSM \u201974 the 2018 Alumna of the Year. Faulconer was a nurse administrator and health care consultant for more than 30 years. The author of dozens of professional journal articles, she traveled extensively to developing countries to share her expertise in surgical services, operating room management, post-anesthesia care, emergency medicine and ambulatory services.<\/p>\n

Joined by her late husband, Prentiss Faulconer, Diane Faulconer has dedicated her later life to philanthropy. The couple have supported scholarships for students in the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences<\/a> as well as other areas of need.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Receiving] this award means that I have led a very blessed and meaningful life,\u201d Faulconer said from the stage. She encouraged other alumni to consider giving to their alma mater, just as she has done in recognition of FIU\u2019s pivotal role in helping her achieve her life goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all have it within us to be compassionate futurists,\u201d she said, \u201cbecause each one of us can appreciate the people and circumstances that have contributed to the lives we lead today.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two-time alumnus Armando Diaz II \u201909, MS \u201910 was one of a pair of recipients of the Charles E. Perry Young Alumni Visionary Award. At just 31 years old, Diaz became a general superintendent at Suffolk, the firm currently overseeing construction of the Brightline train station in downtown Miami. Diaz has won numerous accolades in his young career, including being named one of the South Florida Business Journal\u2019s<\/em> \u201c40 Under 40\u201d top business executives in 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis award is the most important achievement of my young professional career,\u201d Diaz said of his Torch honor.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
1975 hospitality alumnus Duffy Keys (in tux) was honored at the 2018 Torch Awards. He is flanked here, from left, by Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Executive Director of Development Simone Champagnie, wife Judy Keys and Rene Diaz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

College of Business<\/a> alumna Misha Kuryla MIB \u201904, founder of the popular South Florida bakery chain Misha\u2019s Cupcakes, received this year\u2019s Entrepreneurial Leadership Award. Kuryla\u2019s company was born in her home in 2005. Today, it produces more than 10,000 cupcakes per day in 36 flavors and has locations throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties. In 2017 alone, she donated more than 80,000 cupcakes to philanthropic efforts in Miami.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat an amazing feeling to have my FIU take such a profound interest in my success \u2013 initially as a student, and then an alum, businesswoman and member of our South Florida community,\u201d Kurlya said. \u201cIt validates and solidifies my desire to continue to be a part of FIU\u2019s growth and success through my personal and professional contribution.\u201d<\/p>\n

The night honored 15 alumni, but it also paid tribute to one special faculty member: Fiorella Terenzi, a physics instructor in the College of Arts, Sciences & Education<\/a> who received this year\u2019s Outstanding Faculty Award.<\/p>\n

Through her research in astrophysics, Terenzi pioneered a technique to convert radio waves from galaxies into sound. The result was released by Island Records as “Music from the Galaxies.” Her goal: weave astronomy and music, science and art into a tapestry for the senses.<\/p>\n

Currently, Terenzi is working to raise fund for a 360-degree, full-immersion planetarium as part of the FIU faculty-and-staff giving campaign called Ignite.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll my life I have worked to blend science and art, knowledge and emotion,\u201d Terenzi said. \u201cI hope to continue to inspire new connections with the universe for FIU students and alumni, where reason and imagination are not enemies, but rather partners in advancing an appreciation of the wonders of our universe.\u201d\u00a0\u2666<\/span><\/p>\n

See more photos on flickr<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This story originally appeared in FIU Magazine. The 2018 Torch Awards Gala attracted a record-breaking 1,000 attendees to make it the largest in FIU history. The November event, held at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus, honored 15 alumni and one faculty member who are each making a difference in their professions, in the community and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":15618,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[415,12,41],"class_list":["post-15613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-alumni-association","tag-fiu-alumni","tag-torch-awards-gala"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15613"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15613"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15613\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15615,"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15613\/revisions\/15615"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15618"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}