S E V E N T H A N N U A L C O N V O C A T I O N

Pyron, the first chair of FIU‟s History Department, teaches

courses in intellectual history, Greek history, and the

American South. As an Honors faculty member, he has cre-

ated innovative courses such as “Humor and Laughter” and

“Creativity and the Human Condition.” Professor Pyron has

twice received the University Teaching Award and the Teach-

ing Incentive Program Award.

Students Dalia Fishman, Sarah Thorne, Maria Carla Rosales

and Ernesto Fernandez offered musical performances during

the ceremony.

Special guests

and Community

Advisory Board

members Juan

Carlos Vila and

C a m i l l a

Cochrane joined

students for the

C o n v o c a t i o n

ceremony and

reception.

Over five hundred

faculty, staff, stu-

dents, and distin-

gu ish e d gues t s

attended the Seventh

Annual Honors Col-

lege Convocation.

Despite heavy rain,

students proudly

carried flags and marched around campus behind the FIU band

and Honors banner during the Parade of Nations and States.

The parade culminated in a pep rally in the Graham Center ball-

rooms. Peer Advisor and Honors Leadership Council member

Alejandra Maruri led the festivities.

Ronald Berkman, Executive Vice President and Provost of

Florida International University, addressed the students on main-

taining high standards of excellence and reflected on his experi-

ence working with students on last year‟s art exhibition.

Keynote speaker Darden Pyron enlightened the audience with a

tribute to FIU, the university ideal and a criticism of the gap

between the practice and the ideal of academic life. Professor

Flutist and Honors Student Ernesto Fernandez at

Convocation.

Honors College Students who participated in the 2007

National Collegiate Honors Council Conference.

T R I U M P H A T 2 0 0 7 N C H C

February 2008 Vol. 1, No. 2

At the 2007 National Collegiate Honors Council‟s annual conference in Den-

ver, Colorado, Florida International University Honors College students stood

out. Crystal Sepulveda and Jerry Gomez presented Beauty and Power in the

Mediterranean, their class publication from Dean Kneski‟s third-year Honors

seminar, Aesthetics, Values and Authority. Alex Diaz-Fergusson, Diana Medi-

na, Rocio Perez and Katrina Rodriguez presented on the student-curated art

exhibition in Professor Bailly‟s course, and Amanda Lachs showcased her

research on the World‟s Fairs during a poster session.

Although the trip started out rocky— due to a cancelled flight and hours spent

in the airport— the students and faculty spent the time bonding. “Our time at

Miami International Airport opened us up; it provided the opportunity to get to

know one another better,” said student Crystal Sepulveda.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 4)

P a g e 2

On Monday, October 8, 2007, the Honors College hosted “Possibilities,” a

Lunch-on-the-Bay in the Wolfe University Center Ballroom at the Biscayne

Bay campus, to celebrate the new partnership between FIU, the

Honors College, and the Overtown Youth Center. Conceived by Honors BBC

Coordinator Jayne Klein, the primary goal of the partnership is to empower

the youth in the Center by providing them with mentoring,

tutoring, homework assistance and other meaningful contributions to both

their intellectual and their everyday lives.

There were about thirty middle- and high-school students from the

Overtown Youth Center in attendance at the inaugural luncheon, as well as

several of the Center‟s administrators. After a Caribbean-style lunch and

exciting musical entertainment, a group of Honors students conducted a

tour of the campus, which culminated in an inspirational talk given by

Honors College students about the importance of a college education.

FIU students, staff, and faculty will all be encouraged to participate in this endeavor and to provide opportunities for these young

people to share in academic and other events. We expect that the partnership will enhance self-esteem and self-confidence,

encourage young people to feel more comfortable in an educational environment, and help them to understand the importance of

higher education and the many possibilities it can open up for them.

“The event was a tremendous success, and it fostered a great deal of warm feeling and anticipation as to what the future of the

partnership would bring to all those involved,” said Klein.

Honors Means Business (HMB) is a new initiative launched in the 2007 Fall semester

between the College of Business Administration (CBA) and the Honors College for busi-

ness-related majors in the Honors College. It aims to provide academic opportunities, a

connection with the CBA, and community-building consistent with a university-wide initi-

ative to provide students with a full four-year academic experience.

HMB is a resource-filled program in which Honors College students who are potential

business majors learn about the various professional programs at CBA and the

requirements for successful completion of these degrees. In addition to the academic

component, there are social and networking opportunities available through special

dinners, lectures, and tours with members of the business community of South

Florida. The program also includes a peer-mentoring component, information on

tutoring, opportunities to join student societies, and small group sessions with CBA

deans and faculty.

College of Business representatives advise prospective

Honors Business majors during a reception held on

October 17, 2007 in the GC Ballrooms.

Youth Center participants and Coordinator Jayne Klein enjoy the

musical entertainment.

H O N O R S C O L L E G E S T U D E N T - A T H L E T E

I N I T I A T I V E

cooperation with the AD's office. Honors will help tell the story of

outstanding Florida International University scholar-athletes, and

promote enthusiasm for FIU sports within the Honors community

(as with this year's First Annual Honors Tailgate Party). With

high-achieving sports figures like Marlon Bright (basketball) and

Erin Pavlic (swimming), the College can already be duly proud of

its accomplished athletes.

This spring semester will see the start of a joint program between

the Honors College and University Athletics to recruit outstanding

student athletes into Honors. Athletic Director Pete Garcia is

excited about partnering with Honors to provide the best possible

academic opportunities for Florida International University's

athletes. Eligible athletes will be individually recruited, offered

classes geared to fit their schedules, and specially advised in

P A R T N E R S H I P F O R M E D W I T H

Y O U T H C E N T E R

H O N O R S M E A N S B U S I N E S S

P a g e 3 V o l . 1 , N o . 2

Alumni, students, faculty and staff joined together for the inaugural Honors Tail-

gate party at the Orange Bowl. Sponsored by Roman Brand Sausages, the tail-

gate marked the final game of the Golden Panther season and the first win of

the season against the University of North Texas.

“The tailgate was a great success...can‟t wait to do it next year. The sixty or so

attendees really enjoyed the food and festive atmosphere,” said Honors

College Associate Dean Juan Carlos Espinosa.

The Honors Leadership Council will coordinate next year‟s events in the new

Panther football stadium at University Park Campus.

A C T I N G A L U M S :

T H E H O L L Y W O O D A P P E A L

As the Honors College continues to produce exceptional graduates, a select group of alumni are making their faces known

across the US. These talented individuals have starred in made-for-television movies, network series, and full-length movies in

the entertainment industry.

Danny Pino, a 1996 Honors College alum, has maintained a starring role in the popular CBS series “Cold Case”

since 2003. In addition to his many small screen appearances, Danny has acted in four full-length

movies, such as “Lost City” with former FIU student Andy Garcia, and in 2002 returned to the stage in London‟s

West End summer production of “Up for Grabs,” appearing opposite Madonna. As an Honors College student

majoring in Theatre, Danny appeared in the College‟s first recruitment brochure in 1996.

Ana Maria Lagasca graduated from FIU through the Honors College with a degree in Liberal Studies. Honors

College Professor Robert Hogner was her faculty advisor for an Honors College independent study project

involving an internship at the VH1 cable channel. She made her television acting debut in “Almost a Woman”,

a made-for-TV movie for PBS in 2001. In the last couple of years, she has had guest roles on several TV

programs, including “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “ER.”

Arlene Tur has appeared in ABC‟s “Grey‟s Anatomy” as a patient with a highly

unusual ailment, and made her feature film debut in “Final Engagement” with Peter Greene of “Pulp Fiction”

(Zed). A Journalism major, Arlene attended the Spain Study Abroad Program back in the summer of 1998.

Assistant Dean Sharon Placide remembers the journalism major‟s carefree spirit as a student. “She had a

spontaneous personality; It doesn‟t surprise me that she would get into acting,” Placide said.

F I R S T H O N O R S T A I L G A T E

A N D P A N T H E R W I N

The Honors College Italy Program held its ten-year reunion in No-

vember with alumni from every year of the program

attending. The reunion, which was held at the 94th Aero

Squadron Restaurant near the airport, brought together over seven-

ty of the two hundred plus participants who have gone to Italy

through the program. The alumni from the earlier years

affectionately designated themselves the “geezers” of the

program as they shared memories of the experience while dining

and watching slides from 1998 through 2007.

Professors Stephen Fjellman and John Kneski enjoyed reuniting with

many of their former students. The faculty and participants hope

the reunion will become an annual tradition.

A L U M N I U N I T E A T

S T U D Y A B R O A D R E U N I O N

2004 Italy Program veterans Christine Flint, Stephanie Aiken, and

Annette Shumway get caught up.

S U C C E S S A T 2 0 0 7 N C H C ( C O N T ’ D )

Following their presentations, Professor Bailly‟s students were approached with re-

quests for future curatorial projects. “I have been to presentations every day and have

found them to be very informative. The one your students gave, however, is the only

one I did not take notes at. I couldn't; I was so wrapped up in their story and accom-

plishments, I did not want to miss a moment. I wanted to congratulate your students,

you, and your Provost,” said Dr. Peter A. Siedlecki, Dean of Arts and Sciences at Dae-

m e n C o l l e g e i n A m h e r s t . A l s o , A s s o c i a t e D e a n

Kneski‟s students‟ book was in high demand, requested by professors, students and

the conference‟s Executive Director.

In a joint statement, Honors students Gerardo Gomez, Rocio Perez, Katrina Rodriguez

and Crystal Sepulveda concluded, “It‟s hard to point out the most memorable experi-

ence of the trip. Whether crafting some of our signature surrealist poems, or visiting

museums with guided tours by our professors, it was all a blast. Thanks to the Honors

College‟s bold and creative outlook we were allowed to take a chance on our projects,

elevating mere class assignments into tangible, long-lasting works. Bar none, it was the definitive trip of our college years.”

Florida‟s Everglades National Park. The study was conducted

in the area of the park called the hole-in-the-donut, where the

exotic plant has a stranglehold over the existing vegetation.

They were able to determine that ragweed‟s roots synthesize a

chemical compound that reduces seed germination and

growth of the Brazilian pepper. The result of this research

may lead to an effective and safe method to control the

growth of the exotic plant in the National Park.

Honors students Katherine Quinones and Teresita Bollar have

co-authored “Allelopathic Effects of Ragweed Compound Thiaru-

brine-A on Brazilian Pepper,” an article published in International

Allelopathy Foundation 2007, a peer-reviewed publication. Peta-

Gaye Johnson was also acknowledged for her work on the study.

Quinones and Bollar‟s study showed how ragweed, a commonly

found herb in South Florida, adversely affected the regrowth of

the invasive Brazilian pepper plant in treated soil piles found in

Student presentation of

Beauty in the Mediterranean

The Honors College students in the new Amazon Honors College Program are

currently working on various projects for their upcoming trip to the Peruvian rain-

forest. The students took one introductory course in the fall and are working on

developing their projects this spring. During the summer, they will travel to the

Amazon to make their projects realities. The outcomes of these projects will

help enhance health, economic development, and education among rural Ama-

zonian communities.

The students intend to integrate traditional forms of healing, communication,

music, arts, and crafts with modern approaches in the fields of art, science, busi-

ness, and education. David Busch and Tiara Thanawastien are researching

health, sanitation, diet and medicinal plants; Tina Free and Chris Gilette are con-

ducting a project on animals and health; Karina Rodriguez, Ryan Vogel, and Car-

la Rosales are analyzing the development of economic opportunities; Lauren

Elbaum and Carla Cao‟s project examines the revitalization of cultural traditions

and history education; and Catalina Medina is analyzing the educational system.

S t u d e n t R e s e a r c h A b o u n d s

A M A Z O N H O N O R S C O L L E G E P R O G R A M

P a g e 4

Students gather during the first semester of the Honors

Amazon Study Abroad course.

S T U D E N T S C O - A U T H O R I N P E E R R E V I E W

D I N N E R W I T H F U T U R E L E A D E R S :

I N K T E L D I R E C T

Inktel Direct, a direct marketing service company

headquartered in Miami, hosted the fall Dinner with Future

Leaders (DWFL). Upcoming Honors juniors and seniors

enjoyed a tour of Inktel facilities before joining Ricky Arriola,

President and CEO, for an informal dinner. Arrriola

emphasized the value of passion, drive, and commitment

within the workplace in his remarks to students.

“I enjoyed hearing Mr. Arriola‟s background and advice on how

a recent graduate can secure a great job without having years

of experience,” said senior Advertising major Teresa Ronquillo.

Arriola invited students to submit resumes for Inktel‟s

competitive summer internship program. Baptist Health

South Florida will be hosting a DWFL event in late January for

interested Honors students.

M A N G R O V E S A N D M O J I T O S F U N D R A I S E R

Artist Xavier Cortada and Regions Bank Senior Vice President David Hitt spon-

sored a successful fundraising event for the Honors College General Endow-

ment in October of 2007. The Mangroves and Mojitos theme reflected

Cortada‟s mangroves paintings, a precursor to the artist‟s Reclamation Project,

a collaborative eco-art intervention on Miami Beach. Bacardi, USA,

provided mojitos for the evening‟s event, which was held at Cortada‟s studio.

The event, open to the public, provided a casual cocktail service and silent

auction for guests to enjoy.

Honors student ambassadors mingled with guests throughout the evening,

answering questions and relaying information about the artwork. The event

raised over $6,000 to support the College‟s mission. Advisory Board

member Camilla Cochrane and guest Claudia de la Cruz won silent auction

lithographs. Event hosts David Hitt and artist Xavier Cortada with Honors College

Dean Lesley Northup.

The Honorable Judge Ste-

phen Leifman, Special Advi-

sor to the Chief Justice of

the Florida Supreme Court

on Criminal Justice and Men-

tal Health, chairs the Elev-

e n t h J u d i c i a l

Circuit‟s Mental Health Committee and also

serves as chair of the Florida Chief Justice‟s

Subcommittee on Mental Health.

P R O M I N E N T C O M M U N I T Y L E A D E R S J O I N

A D V I S O R Y B O A R D

Ricky Arriola (center), President and CEO of Inktel Direct, hosted a Dinner with Future

Leaders during the fall semester.

Patrick G. Morris, President

and CEO of Hands On

Miami, Inc., helped found

the non-profit organization

in 1993. It has grown to

include over five thousand

volunteers completing more

than eighty community projects a month.

He also serves on the Governor‟s Commis-

sion on Community Service.

Honors College alumnus

Frank Ramos (1993)

serves as a partner at

the law firm of Clarke

Silverglate & Campbell.

Ramos handles a variety

of matters, including

medical and special education

litigation. Ramos is also a member of

the Cuban American Bar Association

P a g e 5 V o l . 1 , N o . 2

The event is organized by Leadership Seminar students of the Honors College at Florida International University. Net proceeds of this event will raise funds to endow a scholarship for Honors College students.

Schedule

7:00 a.m. – 7:55 a.m.

Registration and Driving Range Practice

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon 18 Holes of Golf with a Shotgun Start at 8:00 a.m.

12:00 noon – 12:15 p.m.

Break

12:15 p.m. until 1:15 p.m. Lunch, Awards, Auctions and Raffles

Schedule

7:00 a.m. – 7:55 a.m. Registration and Driving Range Practice

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

18 Holes of Golf with a Shotgun Start at 8:00 a.m.

12:00 noon – 12:15 p.m. Break

12:15 p.m. until 1:15 p.m.

Lunch, Awards, Auctions and Raffles

P a g e 6

Entry Form

Corporate Foursome – $500* Community Members Foursome Non-Corporate – $400*

Faculty, Staff, and Students Foursome – $300*

Names of Golfers

1.__________________ 2.__________________ 3.__________________ 4.__________________

(Captain of the Team)

Contact Information

Name:_________________ Phone:________________ Email:_________________________________

Sponsorship Form

Name:_____________________ Address:_________________________________________________ Phone _____________________ Please select and circle all that you wish to sponsor from the following list:

Holes Sponsorship – $500 Other Holes – $300 each Banner on Cart – $100 each

(Holes 1 and 9)

Hole-in-One – $2500 plus Longest Drive – $500 plus prize Lowest 18-Hole Score – $500 plus prize

Donation or Total Due (Please add all the amounts that you circled above ) $____________.

Make check(s) payable to “Honors College, FIU” if entering event and/or to ―FIU Foundation‖ if sponsor-ing. No goods or services will be provided for sponsorship contributions; therefore the entire amount is tax-deductible. Sponsors will not receive any benefits in return for their contributions.

Mailing Address for Checks and Forms: Golf Scramble Honors College Florida International University University Park DM 233 Miami, FL 33199

* Tax Related Information — estimated benefit to each player is $85 (green and cart fees $60 and lunch $25)

Bring your checkbook to buy mulligans and raffle tickets on the day of the scramble.

Seven first-year Honors students accompanied Professors David Chatfield and Bennett

Schwartz on a one-day field trip to the Center for the Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida.

The group met with several famous chimpanzees and orangutans, including an

orangutan named Sammy (pictured at right), who starred in the movie “Dunston

Checks In,” and one of Michael Jackson‟s former pet chimpanzees. The Center oppos-

es the use of apes in movies and cares for the primates after they are deemed “too

big” for the entertainment industry.

“Usually, the tour is about two hours, but our students had so many questions, and

they were such good ones, that Tina Gilbert, the Center‟s Director, spent four hours

with our group, answering questions and introducing the animals,” said Professor

Schwartz.

All support for the Center for Great Apes comes from individual memberships in the organization, private donor support, and grants

from animal welfare foundations. The Center, which is not open to the public, does not receive any government funding.

“Our students learned valuable information regarding the treatment of apes, non-profit fundraising within our legal system, and the

importance of becoming a concerned citizen. The trip up and back sounds long, but it was a fine way for students to get to know each

other better and, especially, to have a different kind of interaction with faculty,” wrote Professor Chatfield.

The first Jose Antonio Echeverria Scholarship has been awarded to Honors College student

Joaquin A. Pedroso, a fourth-year Honors student double-majoring in philosophy and political

science. Pedroso is the beneficiary of a scholarship created last March by the family and friends

of slain Cuban student leader Jose Antonio Echeverria to help mark the 50th

anniversary of his death during a bold attempt to overthrow military dictator Fulgencio Batista on

March 13, 1957.

Although Echeverria was an architecture student, the family decided to fund a Political

Science scholarship to encourage a new generation to become active participants in the

current political environment and to be effective future leaders.

The scholarship, which requires applicants to complete a Certificate in Cuban and

Cuban-American Studies at FIU, awards $2,000 per academic year.

H O N O R S S T U D E N T E A R N S F I R S T

E C H E V E R R I A S C H O L A R S H I P

F A C U L T Y A N D S T U D E N T S V I S I T A P E S

C E N T E R

F A C U L T Y M E M B E R A N D F A M I L Y

E S T A B L I S H S C H O L A R S H I P

Leonard Elbaum, an Honors Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, has created the “Louis and Esther Elbaum

Endowment” for Honors College students in memory of his father. The sole purpose of the endowment will be to provide scholarships

for patient care technicians and/or their children who intend to pursue careers in any of the professional preparation programs offered

by FIU‟s College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS) or College of Medicine (COM).

The Elbaum family was inspired to create the endowment in honor of Louis Elbaum and in recognition of the outstanding medical and

personal care he received at his home, Irving Cypen Tower, and at the clinics of Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged

(MJHHA), Mount Sinai Hospital, and specifically at the Olson Hospital at MJHHA.

“Our father was, and our mother is, thankful for the time and professional attention of their physicians, nurses, and therapists. They

have also been impressed with the intelligence, diligence, compassion, and wisdom of their patient care technicians,” said Leonard

Elbaum.

Following traditional Jewish custom, in lieu of flowers, the family accepted donations in Louis Elbaum‟s memory to the endowment.

Roger Wyman, Assistant Vice President of Advancement Services, assisted the family in establishing the fund.

P a g e 8

P E E R A D V I S O R S

The MUSE program, a student-initiated Honors mentoring

program focused on creating community and easing the transi-

tion into college life for first-year students, paired over twenty

Honors College freshmen with their upper class counterparts.

The program has a total of sixty members.

During the fall semester, program participants bonded over mov-

ie nights, pumpkin carving, and gingerbread house construction.

Planning and fundraising for Relay for Life is set to begin.

The new e-board has been able to bring a fresh perspective and

enthusiasm to the program, and will continue involving their

participants in Honors and university endeavors.

Learn more about this exciting program and its activities at

museprogram.googlepages.com..

The Honors College has taken on a new initiative— providing

students with quick and easy access to the College‟s advi-

sors, programs, and opportunities. A unique, student-

centered website is now available exclusively to Honors Col-

lege students. The website will feature current job opportuni-

ties, internships, scholarships, student organizations, a calen-

dar of events and Honors programs.

“This site will serve as a resource tool for Honors students.

They can learn about professional development opportunities,

as well as civic engagement opportunities available specifical-

ly for Honors College students. It‟s a „one-stop shop‟ for our

b u s y s t u d e n t s , ” s a i d E l i z a b e t h W i l l i a m s ,

Associate Director of Student Enrichment.

N E W W E B S I T E

G A M M A E P S I L O N P H I

Under the leadership of its new e-board, Gamma Epsilon Phi, the University Park Honors College Society, remains

committed to conducting social and community related activities. The year began with a Beach Clean-up BBQ. Members cleaned

the beaches of Bill Baggs State Park before grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. Students also began fundraising for the Race for the

Cure Foundation through various bake sales and donations. GEP collected over $200 and participated during the walkathon. In

preparation for the spring's Relay for Life, the GEP Boomers team originated a "Will you Dare to Care?” group via Facebook. The

group, which aims to raise awareness about breast cancer, boasts over two hundred members. To foster community, members

attended Rockin‟ Relay, a 50‟s social and karaoke night at Dave & Buster‟s.

In addition to a toy drive for needy children, members collected over 150 cans of food to donate to a local orphanage for immi-

grant children. Gamma Epsilon Phi also displayed its Panther pride this past semester, adopting football player Toronto Smith;

students attended every home football game, making signs and cheering for Smith and the team. The e-board aims to continue

making a difference and building community.

O u r S t u d e n t s : O r g a n i z a t i o n s

M U S E : M E N T O R I N G T H A T W O R K S

P a g e 9 V o l . 1 , N o . 2

MUSE students building gingerbread houses for the holiday season.

Four Honors College students, Vignesh Doraiswamy, Byron

Gaskin, Stephanie Mathurin, and Michelle Narganes, have

been selected to be 2008 University Peer Advisors for the

University Park campus. Peer Advisors, undergraduate student

leaders, assist with all aspects of freshman and transfer orien-

tation programs at the Biscayne Bay and University Park

Campuses. They are responsible for greeting new students and

their families, proctoring placement tests, providing campus

tours, introducing new students to campus resources, assisting

with academic advising, and facilitating small groups. Over

160 students applied for the highly coveted 39 positions.

“It‟s a really big honor to be accepted. I know it‟s going to be a

lot of work, but I‟m looking forward to working with the new

students,” stated Doraiswamy.

P a g e 1 0

Mary Lou Pfeiffer, an Honors Fellow and full-time instructor, holds advanced degrees in Intercul-

tural Human Rights from St. Thomas University School of Law (L.L.M) and in Religious Studies

from Florida International University (MA). Her areas of specialization include American tribal

cultures and human rights law, while her research areas further encompass earth ethics and

breast cancer and asbestosis studies.

Pfeiffer currently sits on the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board and the FIU Center for

Spirituality Advisory Board, serves as President of FIU‟s Women‟s Studies Board, and chairs the

Friends of Environmental Studies Board. Her involvement at the university and teaching exper-

tise earned her the Alumni Torch Award, two Outstanding Service Awards from Religious Stud-

ies, and acceptance in Who‟s Who of American Women (2007) and Who‟s Who in America

(2008).

Pfeiffer, an avid surfer and swimmer, is currently completing a project on her uncle‟s original “V”

mail letters from World War II, and two manuscripts—one on the Miami Circle, and a fictional

work taken from her life as the wife of a naval fighter pilot who participated in the “Seagull Soci-

ety” during the Vietnam years. In addition to her professorial duties, Pfeiffer owns and operates

an art glass studio specializing in stained/etched glass and stone and wood sculpting. She has

two sons: one is a paramedic firefighter and the other, an executive chef on Oahu‟s north shore.

F A C U L T Y S P O T L I G H T : M A R Y L O U P F E I F F E R

N C H C V I S U A L A R T W O R K S H O P

Above, Right Professor Bill Ritzi explains the elements of art to workshop

participants. Below, Right Conference attendees enjoy the gallery of

work created at the workshop during the Saturday exhibition.

Honors College Professors Bill Ritzi and John Bailly conducted the first-

ever visual arts workshop at the 2008 National

Collegiate Honors Conference, titled Oil and Acrylic: Expanding the

Parameters of Painting. The workshop focused on

expanding the participants‟ tactile manipulation of the formal

elements of art and introduced alternative methods of combining

mediums.

Participants learned how to utilize non-traditional visual thinking strat-

egies to guide their creative processes. Exploring a variety of mediums

and techniques, the workshop introduced alternative methods of com-

bining mediums, applicable to both representational and

abstract art. Ritzi and Bailly focused primarily on artistic work that

generates observation, hypothesizing, and summarizing.

“We had approximately one hundred people in attendance and ran an

extra hour to accommodate participants who did not want to stop

painting. Honors College student Rose Romero was a star of this work-

shop, producing beautiful works on paper, “ said Professor John Bailly.

That evening, the work of the participants was displayed at an NCHC

conference exhibition. Due to the success of the workshop, the duo

have been invited to conduct a similar workshop during next year‟s

conference.

P a g e 1 1 V o l . 1 , N o . 2

W R I T E R P O N D E R S E V E R G L A D E S ’

P A S T & F U T U R E

Family and friends joined graduating seniors in celebration at the fall Graduation As-

sembly. “Historically, it has been difficult for the fall graduates to attend the Awards

Assembly held in the spring as many of them would have already transitioned into new

endeavors. The ceremony thus allows the students an opportunity, while they are with

us, to mark this milestone,” said Elizabeth Williams, Associate Director of Student En-

richment.

Keynote speaker Patrick Morris, an Advisory Board member and President of Hands On

Miami, discussed the importance and positive life-long effects of volunteering and

giving back to the community as a professional.

Graduates received Honors Certifications of Completion, tassels and medallions from

Dean Lesley A. Northup, FIU Associate Vice President and Ombudsman Larry Luns-

ford, and Morris.

A reception followed the ceremony, providing students with a chance to interact and introduce Honors faculty and staff to their guests.

G R A D U A T I O N A S S E M B L Y :

A N I N T I M A T E A F F A I R

Michael Grunwald, an environmental repor ter for T ime

magazine, was this year‟s fall excellence lecturer. He addressed over 250 facul-

ty, staff, and students on October 30, 2007.

Grunwald, who spent over a year slogging through the Everglades and conduct-

ing research for his award-winning book, The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida,

and the Politics of Paradise, spoke about the “dreamers and schemers who

have tried to settle, drain, tame, develop, sell, preserve and restore the Ever-

glades.”

He ended his lecture on an optimistic note when he discussed the park‟s

attempts to bring the wetland to its former glory. He believed that this effort

would become the model for other countries with regards to water

management and restoration in the future.

F A L L H O N O R S C O L L O Q U I A

spoke during the October Colloquium on

the “Shifting Climates of the 21st

Century.” He also discussed the im-

portance of hurricane mitigation in the

upcoming years.

Willoughby has flown over four hundred

missions into the eyes of storms as a

federal government meteorologist. This

past year, he initiated a successful

campaign for a meteorology degree

program at FIU.

Rosales discussed the architectural

evolution and transformation of two

countr ies during the November

Colloquium, “China and Japan: New

Cities, New Landscapes, New

Buildings.” After earning a Masters

of Architecture with Honors from the

University of Texas at Austin, Rosales

received the prestigious “Award for

Built Project” from the American

Institute of Architects. Throughout

his distinguished career, he has

participated in six research grants

a n d c o n t r a c t s r e l a t e d t o

developments in architecture and

architectural education that total

over $300,000.

The Honors College Fall Colloquium series

hosted meteorologist Hugh Willoughby and

College of Archi-

tecture professor

Camilo Rosales.

Dr. Willoughby, a

d i s t i n g u i s h e d

tropical cyclone

formation and

in tens i f icat ion

r e s e a r c h

professor in the

Earth Sciences

D e p a r t m e n t ,

Assoc. Dean John Kneski , Danny Rodriguez & Wendy Ordoñez

The Honors College

University Park, DM 233

Miami, FL 33199

honors@fiu.edu

305-348-4100

NONPROFIT ORG

US POSTAGE

PAID

MIAMI, FL

PERMIT NO 3675

Change Service Requested

D R . S P E N C E R W E L L S D R . B R I A N W E I S S

Dr. Spencer Wells, director of the Genograph-

ic Project, spoke to a large and enthusiastic

audience of students, faculty and community

members dur ing the Excel lence

Lecture on January 31. Dr. Wells, the

National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence,

gained acclaim through his very popular book

and documentary film, The Journey of Man.

His research, using cheek swabs from thousands of indigenous

participants, promises to provide information not only on human

origins, but on the social and environmental factors that have

shaped human history. Honors partnered with the Student

Government Association to bring Dr. Wells to campus as part of

the popular lecture series.

In the spring semester, Brian L. Weiss, M.D.,

will discuss his book, Same Soul, Many Bod-

ies. Weiss, one of the first doctors to explore

the past lives of his patients as a means of

therapy, reveals how past and present lives

can affect our future lives, and how our

future lives can transform us in the here and

now.

Dr. Weiss is Chairman Emeritus of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai

Medical Center in Miami. He also maintains a private practice.

In addition, Dr. Weiss conducts national and international

seminars and experiential workshops as well as training program

for professionals. His first book, Many Lives, Many Masters, was

a popular bestseller.

H O N O R S C O L L E G E B U I L D I N G

O N T H E H O R I Z O N

future home of the College. The tangible

nature of the project, which included

developing a realistic budget, added a

sense of excitement to the design

project for the twelve students in the

studio class. A five-member panel of

architecture faculty and professionals

from the community were invited to take

part in the final review of the work, which

took place in the GC Ballrooms. The final

proposals will be displayed in the Honors

College in the spring semester. Computer model of a proposal for the new Honors College

Building by Juan C. Moran

Honors Colloquium

Rasul Muhammad

Nation of Islam

February 13, 2008 - 12:00PM

WUC Ballrooms B, BBC

Honors Colloquium

Ricardo Allicock

Consul General of Jamaica

February 20, 2008 - 12:30PM

Graham Center 243

Honors Colloquium

Lydia Martin

Miami Herald Columnist

March 11, 2008 - 12:30PM

Graham Center 243

Spring Excellence Lecture

Brian Weiss

Author and Psychiatrist

March 13, 2008 -2:00PM

Mary Ann Wolfe Theatre, BBC

All talks are open to interested supporters and the public.

The Honors College collaborated with

the School of Architecture last semester

on a project to create proposals for a

new building for the Honors College at

University Park. The project was based

in a senior-level architectural design

studio directed by Associate Dean John

Kneski, who has taught in the School of

Architecture since 1993. The students

were given the actual site at University

Park that has already been designated

on the FIU campus master plan as the

P a g e 1 2

S A V E T H E D A T E