February 2009 Vol. 2, No. 1 The Honors College celebrated its 8th Annual Convocation on Monday, October 13. The event serves as an official welcome for the incoming freshman class and as a show- case of the talent and diversity of the College’s student body. The day began with the Parade of Nations and States. Students from 45 nations and 15 states carried their representative flags. The FIU marching band led the parade to the Graham Center, site of the official ceremony. Over 500 people attended the event, including university administrators, faculty fellows, members of the Honors College Community Advisory Board, and dignitaries from the community. Dean Lesley A. Northup welcomed the new freshman class to the Honors College. Executive Vice President and Provost Ron Berkman delivered the ―Call to Excellence.‖ In his remarks, Berkman emphasized the importance of Honors Colleges at universities. He encouraged Honors College students to go after all the unique opportunities that the Honors College offers. He particularly stressed the value of the interdisciplinary curriculum in their lives after graduation. Honors Fellow Charmaine DeFrancesco, the keynote speaker, challenged students to examine their thinking and perception by asking themselves meaningful questions. DeFrancesco is an education professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. A convocation dinner was held in Professor DeFrancesco’s honor later in the evening. The dinner, attended by Honors College faculty and staff in the Graham Center, allowed participants to reflect and to toast the keynote speaker. This year the program also included a tribute to successful Honors College alumni such as Maryland State Delegate Kirill Reznik, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health Garth Graham, attorney Nicole Mestre, Professor Jacqueline Alfonso and actor Danny Pino. The program continued with awards for students who entered the Convocation contest. The ceremony was also punctuated by musical performances by Honors College students. Nikolas Balseiro led his band Robbed by a Flute in his rock composition, ―We Stole the Night.‖ Student singer Marlene Palomo and trumpeter Bradley Samore played George Gershwin’s ―Summertime.‖ Freshman Ayman Elyasin played on the durbake (a middle eastern drum) with violin and clarinet accompaniments. The ceremony ended, as it started, with loud rock music. The group Neveroff, led by Junior Noel Hernandez, played ―A Thousand Dreams.‖ The event was supported in part by Baptist Health South Florida and the Honors College’s many friends and donors. HONORS CRANKS IT UP AT CONVOCATION Neveroff performance Former Senator Bob Graham delivered the Fall Semester Honors College Excellence Lecture before an audience of over 300 students and faculty on November 6, 2008. The title of the senator’s speech was ―America in the World of the 21 st Century.‖ The topic was particularly relevant two days after the historic election of Barack Obama. The senator covered a wide range of issues from the threat of terrorism to global climate change. He paid special attention to the challenges and opportunities that face the new president. After the conclusion of his presentation, the senator took questions from the audience and later autographed copies of his book, Intelligence Matters, based on his experience on the Senate Intelligence Committee in the run-up to the Iraq War. You can view his lecture in its entirety at the Honors College website: http://honors.fiu.edu/grahamvid.htm. Bob Graham speaks to a full house in the center named after his late father. FORMER SENATOR GIVES TIMELY LECTURE
FORMER SENATOR GIVES TIMELY LECTURE Bob Graham speaks to a full house in the center named after his late father. Neveroff performance Lunch-on-the-Bay audience . Professor Fisher urges audience to find their passions during his Legacies Lecture on Nov. 21, 2008 in the BBC Mary-Anne Wolfe Theatre Students of the Overtown Youth Center perform their original play for the Page 2 Leonie Hermantin STUDENT LIFE Conference presenters show their Texan cowboy spirit
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Transcript
February 2009 Vol. 2, No. 1
The Honors College celebrated its 8th Annual Convocation
on Monday, October 13. The event serves as an official
welcome for the incoming freshman class and as a show-
case of the talent and diversity of the College’s student
body. The day began with the Parade of Nations and
States. Students from 45 nations and 15 states carried
their representative flags. The FIU marching band led the
parade to the Graham Center, site of the official ceremony.
Over 500 people attended the event, including university
administrators, faculty fellows, members of the Honors
College Community Advisory Board, and dignitaries from
the community. Dean Lesley A. Northup welcomed the new
freshman class to the Honors College. Executive Vice
President and Provost Ron Berkman delivered the ―Call to
Excellence.‖ In his remarks, Berkman emphasized the
importance of Honors Colleges at universities. He
encouraged Honors College students to go after all the
unique opportunities that the Honors College offers. He
particularly stressed the value of the interdisciplinary
curriculum in their lives after graduation.
Honors Fellow Charmaine DeFrancesco, the keynote
speaker, challenged students to examine their thinking
and perception by asking themselves meaningful
questions. DeFrancesco is an education professor in the
Department of Curriculum and Instruction. A convocation
dinner was held in Professor DeFrancesco’s honor later in
the evening. The dinner, attended by Honors College
faculty and staff in the Graham Center, allowed participants
to reflect and to toast the keynote speaker.
This year the program also included a tribute to successful
Honors College alumni such as Maryland State Delegate
Kirill Reznik, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health
Garth Graham, attorney Nicole Mestre, Professor Jacqueline
Alfonso and actor Danny Pino.
The program continued with awards for students who
entered the Convocation contest. The ceremony was also
punctuated by musical performances by Honors College
students. Nikolas Balseiro led his band Robbed by a Flute in
his rock composition, ―We Stole the Night.‖ Student singer
Marlene Palomo and trumpeter Bradley Samore played
George Gershwin’s ―Summertime.‖ Freshman Ayman Elyasin
played on the durbake (a middle eastern drum) with violin
and clarinet accompaniments. The ceremony ended, as it
started, with loud rock
music. The group
Neveroff, led by Junior
Noel Hernandez,
played ―A Thousand
Dreams.‖
The event was
supported in part by
Baptist Health South Florida and the Honors College’s many
friends and donors.
H O N O R S C R A N K S I T U P A T C O N V O C A T I O N
Neveroff performance
Former Senator Bob Graham delivered the Fall Semester Honors College Excellence
Lecture before an audience of over 300 students and faculty on November 6, 2008.
The title of the senator’s speech was ―America in the World of the 21st Century.‖ The
topic was particularly relevant two days after the historic election of Barack Obama.
The senator covered a wide range of issues from the threat of terrorism to global
climate change. He paid special attention to the challenges and opportunities that
face the new president. After the conclusion of his presentation, the senator took
questions from the audience and later autographed copies of his book, Intelligence
Matters, based on his experience on the Senate Intelligence Committee in the run-up
to the Iraq War. You can view his lecture in its entirety at the Honors College website:
http://honors.fiu.edu/grahamvid.htm.
Bob Graham speaks to a full house in the center
named after his late father.
F O R M E R S E N A T O R G I V E S T I M E L Y L E C T U R E
L E O N I E H E R M A N T I N S P E C I A L L E C T U R E
Leonie Hermantin
Tau Sigma Alpha (TSA), the Biscayne Bay Campus Honors College society, has launched its
own lecture series, inspired by Dr. Randy Pausch's "Journeys" lecture given at Carnegie Mellon
University last year. In his lecture, Dr. Pausch asks professors to answer the question, "If you
had one last lecture to give to your students, what would you say?" Dr. Pausch presented a
lecture on "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" to a crowd of over 400 students and
colleagues. Pausch's lecture was bittersweet because he had been diagnosed with pancreatic
cancer earlier in the year. Pausch has since died, but TSA is keeping his memory alive through
their monthly Legacies Lecture series. The society has invited Biscayne Bay Campus faculty
members to give their student community ―the lecture of a lifetime,‖ asking the same
question posed by the Journeys series. The first lecture, ―On the Importance of Curiosity,‖
was delivered on October 9 by Bruce A. Harvey, Associate Professor of English and Director
of the Humanities Program at BBC. Psychology Professor Ronald P. Fisher presented the
lecture ―Using One’s Talents to Improve the Quality of Humanity,‖ on November 6. The series continues with Honors College
Fellow and Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies Mary Lou Pfeiffer on January 27. Commenting on the lecture series
experience so far, TSA President Katie Bennett says, "Legacies has been amazing so far. We have had a great turnout for both
lectures. Students are really interested to hear what professors have to say outside of the classroom."
T S A P R E S E N T S L E G A C I E S L E C T U R E S
Gamma Epsilon Phi, the University Park Honors College society, hosted a lecture by Leonie
Hermantin, Deputy Director of the Lambi Fund of Haiti, on November 13, 2008. The Lambi
Fund is a community foundation supporting grassroots initiatives in Haiti's rural communities.
Hermantin spoke passionately about the dire situation in Haiti after the country was hit by a
series of hurricanes and floods. However, most of her talk focused on the use of disaster relief
for the purpose of economic development. Hermantin was critical of the traditional model of
foreign assistance, noting that direct food aid, while helping address the immediate problem,
tended to create food dependency and undermine local farmers, thus hindering the
development of the agricultural sector. Hermantin answered questions from students who
wanted to know how they could best help the Haitian people. For information on the Lambi
Fund, visit http://www.lambifund.org/.
B B C H O N O R S H O S T S O V E R T O W N Y O U T H C E N T E R
Professor Fisher urges audience to
find their passions during his
Legacies Lecture on Nov. 21, 2008
in the BBC Mary-Anne Wolfe Theatre
Students of the Overtown Youth Center
perform their original play for the
Lunch-on-the-Bay audience.
The Second Annual Overtown Youth Center Lunch-on-the-Bay took place on
Thursday, October 9, at the Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC). The event celebrates
the continuing partnership between the Honors College, Tau Sigma Alpha
(TSA), and the Overtown Youth Center (OYC). The theme for this year’s lunch was
―Possibilities.‖ Jayne Klein, Honors College Student Services Coordinator for the
BBC, served as mistress of ceremonies for the event. The official welcome for
the event was delivered by FIU Vice President for Student Affairs and
Undergraduate Education Dr. Rosa Jones, who declared that all OYC students in
attendance were now considered part of the FIU family.
Over 100 persons attended the event. The luncheon featured a special
performance by OYC students of an original hip-hop play that was written and
produced by the students. There was also live music courtesy of the band
Caribbean Music Farm. Another highlight was the presentation of a five-minute
video produced by the Center, depicting the Overtown neighborhood, the OYC’s
programs, and its students.
P a g e 3 V o l . 2 , N o . 1
A delegation of Honors College students and faculty attended the 43rd National
Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) Conference October 22 – 26 in San Antonio.
The students selected for the conference delivered presentations that were
accepted from among thousands of student submissions. Carla Cao and
Desiree Hurtado presented the paper, ―Service-Based Research in the Peruvian
Amazon,‖ along with their Honors College faculty mentor, Professor Jim Riach.
―Curating Cultural Expression in Miami‖ was presented by Rachelle Galindo,
Sarena Bahad, Meliza Frias, and Andrea Lahoz. The group’s mentor, Professor
John Bailly, was also in attendance.
Professors Devon Graham and Peter Machonis led the popular ―City as Text‖
exercise, while Associate Dean John Kneski participated in a panel discussion
on ―New Honors Facilities,‖ in which he presented on the planning
process for the proposed new Honors College building at FIU. Kneski was
also selected to serve on the NCHC International Education Committee.
S T U D E N T L I F E
Conference presenters show their Texan cowboy spirit
H O N O R S A T N C H C 4 3
Top row, left to right: Sen. Bob Graham interacts with Honors students & faculty following his lecture; Bradley Samore & Marlene Palomo perform at
Convocation; Prof. John Bailly’s Reacting class presents its own play. Middle row, l to r: Prof. Bailly & students discuss global issues in Food for Thought
meeting; Drummer Ayman Elyasin at Convocation; Meet the Honors Student Ambassadors Luncheon with faculty & staff; Bottom row, l to r: Assoc. Dean
John Kneski with Italy Abroad 2008 alumni at reunion dinner; Gamma Epsilon Phi members at the Susan Komen Race for the Cure breast cancer
marathon; Honors Place dorm residents race their built-from-scratch boats during Build a Boat event.
P a g e 4
On Saturday, September 6, 2008, thirty-five
student leaders, including the Honors Place I
and II Leadership Teams and the Gamma
Epsilon Phi, Tau Sigma Alpha, and MUSE
e-boards, participated in the ―Build-A-Boat‖
leadership retreat at Tamiami Park. After
learning about various leadership styles,
goal-setting, and cohesive event planning,
participants were divided into teams that
spent the remainder of the day constructing
floatable boats out of cardboard, pvc pipe,
duct tape and plastic. The teams were tasked
with formulating roles and goals, developing blueprints, preparing a marketing
presentation of the vessel, and finally, racing their finished boat against the
other teams.
Community Advisory Board members David Hitt and Frank Ramos assisted the students throughout the day with design
strategies. The Gamma Epsilon Phi e-board was victorious, beating out the Honors Place II Leadership Team and Resident
Assistants in the final stretch of the competition. The ―Build-A-Boat‖ leadership training and lunch was sponsored by generous
donations from members of the Community Advisory Board.
Honors teams, students and advisory board
members alike, test their newly-built boats in
race at Tamiami Park Pool
B A P T I S T H E A L T H L U N C H E O N
H O N O R S C O L L E G E C A R E E R / I N T E R N S H I P C E N T E R
Baptist Health recently hosted a networking luncheon at the corporate office for 12 students in
the Florida International University Honors College. Deborah Mulvihill, corporate vice president
and chief nursing officer, and Roymi Membiela, assistant vice president of marketing and public
relations, were featured speakers at the event. They each shared information about their professional backgrounds, the career
paths that have led them to their present positions and what attracted them to and has kept them at Baptist Health. Several
students expressed interest in an internship and/or employment opportunities in their areas of study, which ranged from
accounting to biology to information technology.
Other Baptist Health attendees included Manuela Vicente, corporate director of recruitment; Susan Tait, manager, recruitment;
Marsha Tejeda, professional development consultant, organizational learning; and Jeanine Armont, administrative assistant,
medical staff services. Also present were Meaghan Bradshaw, Honors College Coordinator of Student Enrichment, and Joli
Colquitt, FIU student and volunteer in Baptist Health’s executive offices.
2008-09
Freshmen Facts
Total Enrollment: Total Enrollment: 296296
Mean High School GPA: Mean High School GPA: 4.054.05
Mean SAT score: Mean SAT score: 12411241
% In% In--State Students: State Students: 81%81%
% Out% Out--ofof--State Students: State Students: 19%19%
% South Fl. Residents: % South Fl. Residents: 70% 70%
Student Enrichment Coordinator Meaghan Bradshaw, who primarily oversees student organizations,
administers leadership and organizational trainings, and coordinates student-centered special events, is
currently developing the College’s internship and career center.
The Honors College Career and Internship Center will provide students with a vast collection of
information regarding graduate schools, internships, and career guidance. Students will have access to
test-prep literature, an internship and graduate school database, personalized assistance researching
internships, individualized scholarship notifications and application assistance, and personal
development workshops.
All Honors students are encouraged to attend weekly Honors Hour sessions at 3:30 pm on Thursdays.
During this time, students can attend a variety of enrichment workshops, including financial planning,
fellowship opportunities, time/stress management, and graduate school info sessions.
Meaghan Bradshaw
B U I L D A B O A T
US Century Bank (USCB) Vice President and Honors College CAB chair Ruth Jimenez host-
ed a successful fundraiser for the Honors College on December 10 at the bank’s newly
remodeled Brickell Branch. Over 100 guests attended the event to raise money for study
abroad scholarships. The massive work of Costa Rican sculptor Jorge Jimenez Deredia
served as a wonderful backdrop for the evening. The $2700 raised will help students
participate in Honors Study Abroad programs in Spain, Italy, Jamaica, Ecuador and the
Peruvian Amazon.
To make a donation to support Honors Study Abroad Student Scholarships, you can send
a check to FIU/Honors College, 11200 SW 8th Street, DM 233, Miami, FL 33199. You
can also visit our website at www.honors.fiu.edu and click on ―Giving to Honors‖ on the
right side of your screen. For more information, contact Rachelle Galindo at rgalin-
F A L L 2 0 0 8 H O N O R S C O L L E G E G R A D U A T E S
G O L F S C R A M B L E
Spring Colloquium
Special Lecture
Spring Colloquium
Spring Excellence Lecture
Spring Excellence Lecture
Annual Research Conference
Lourdes Abraham Carolyn Andrade Angel Ares Daniella Bacigalupo Arce Maytee Brito Latoya Brown Rachael Caines Priscila Cavalcanti Montserrat De Para Charis Domador William Dovale Jessica Deboue Dulce Duran Boris Escalona Tiffany Fajardo Adriana Fernandez
Yaneris Figueroa Meliza Frias Rachelle Galindo Ana Garcia Leza Goldberg Alejandra Gonzalez Jessica Gonzalez Carlos Gutierrez Elise Hernandez Joanna Hernandez Otto Ike Diana Isaza Rajiv Kirpalani Masako Kubota Emmanuel Latorre James Lechter
Adrian Levisman Jorge Lopez America Manzano Rebecca Martinez Alejandra Maruri Trucillo Diana Medina Andrea Miranda Gordon Murray Pedro Muslera Bilqis Muzaffarr Reynier Otero Jose Parlade Jessica Pedraza Roshni Purran Vanessa Raschio Lauren Rey
Luis Rodriguez Ruben Rodriguez Stephen Rojas Jonathan Ruby Patricia Sando Brian Schmelkin Miguel Serrano Boris Shir Jenna Stone Levi Sutton Sarah Thorne Aditi Tiwari Dahyana Villalobos
G I V I N G T O H O N O R S
You can help nurture the next generation of
outstanding scholars and professionals by making a
donation to the Honors College. To give, please go to
the Honors College website (http://honors.fiu.edu) and
click the ―Giving to Honors‖ link found on the
homepage. You will find additional information on other
giving options on this site.
Honors College leadership seminar students, led by
Professor M.O. Thirunarayanan, are organizing the
second annual Honors Golf Scramble, an 18-hole
golf tournament whose proceeds will help endow a
scholarship for Honors students. The tournament will be held Friday,
April 3 from 1-7:00 PM at the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club
located at 650 Curtiss Parkway. For entry and sponsorship forms
and other information, please visit http:// honors.fiu.edu/scramble.
S A V E T H E D A T E
Prof. Pete Markowitz
Rasul Muhammad
Prof. Jack Parker
Eric S. Petersen
Eric S. Petersen
SRAI Students
February 5, 2009
3:30-4:45PM
February 11, 2009
2:00-3:30PM
February 24, 2009
3:30-4:45PM
March 11, 2009
7:00-8:30 PM
March 12, 2009
3:30-4:45 PM
March 26, 2009
9:00 AM-7:00 PM
DM 100, UP Campus
Wolfe Center Ballrooms,
BBC
DM 100, UP Campus
ACII 115, BBC
DM 100, UP Campus
Graham Center Ballrooms,
UP Campus
For more information about upcoming events, please call 305-348-4100 or visit http://honors.fiu.edu.