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

P a g e 2

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-

do@fiu.edu or at (305) 348-4100.

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

U S C E N T U R Y B A N K F U N D R A I S E R

The Honors College Community Advisory Board named banker Ruth D.

Jimenez as chair and attorney Camilla Cochrane as vice chair for 2009.

Jimenez is Vice President and Branch Manager of the Brickell branch of US

Century Bank. She has been a member of the CAB for four years. During

that time, she has nurtured the relationship between US Century Bank and

the Honors College. Most recently she hosted an exhibition/fundraiser that

helped raise money for Honors College study abroad programs. Camilla

Cochrane is an attorney and an educator. A graduate of the University of

Miami Law School, she has specialized in labor and employment issues.

She also taught law and business courses as an adjunct faculty member at

FIU and St. Thomas University. Prior to becoming an attorney, Cochrane

spent fifteen years in public education and advocating for homeless

children and those with special needs.

The Honors College is proud to announce that Mercedes Ponce,

Executive Director of FIU's Continuing and Professional Studies

Program (CAPS), H. Scott Fingerhut, trial lawyer and Honors College

and College of Law teaching faculty member, and Orlando Gonzales,

Account Manager for Jostens Printing and Publishing, have joined the

FIU Honors College Community Advisory Board (CAB). The board

serves as the liaison between the Honors College and the external

community, works to develop funding for scholarships and other

Honors activities, and helps enrich the opportunities the College

offers its outstanding students.

These three new board members bring an intimate knowledge of FIU,

a personal commitment to the Honors College, and energy and drive

to our expanding and active board.

N E W C A B M E M B E R S

C A B A N N O U N C E S N E W C H A I R & V I C E C H A I R

Orlando Gonzales Mercedes Ponce

Ruth D. Jimenez Camilla Cochrane

Artist Jorge Jimenez Deredia with

USCB President Octavio Hernandez

P a g e 6

H O N O R S J O U R N E Y T O O T T A T I

In a break from the noise and bustle of big Italian cities, Professor John Kneski and four

students from the Honors College Italy Program embarked on an adventure to visit Ottati, a

small town with a population of only 809. Ottati is in the province of Salerno, which is located

in the Campania region of southwest Italy. The Honors College group traveled from Sorrento to

Salerno by boat, then by foot through the ancient quarter of Salerno, with its aroma of

chocolate mixed with delicate perfumes, and then from Salerno to Ottati by bus over rolling

hills covered with vineyards and olive groves. The visit was of special significance for student

Daniela Ottati. She had long wanted to visit the town that was once home to her ancestors. Her

wish came true on May 15, 2008. The group was welcomed by the Mayor of Ottati, Pasquale

Marino, who presented gifts to the students. Professor Kneski and the rest of the group were

taken on a tour of the picturesque town. During their walk, the group visited the town's school

and churches and was also invited into the ancestral home of the family of their guide. The group was able to experience life in

Ottati and get a taste of small-town Italian life.

Students and faculty

study images and

artifacts from the

Peruvian Amazon at

the UP Campus Library

exhibition

N E W H O N O R S S T U D Y A B R O A D P R O G R A M

The Ecuador Study Abroad Program is a team-taught class with an interdisciplinary curriculum exploring various aspects of

indigenous life in Ecuador: dance, history, music, and religious traditions, with special emphasis on the "Wisdom of the Andes,"

with local shamans and healers. The base camp for the program is the San Jorge Eco-Lodge and Botanical Reserves, an 18th-

century farm on 200 acres of protected land in the Pichincha foothills just outside of Ecuador's capital, Quito. The preserve is

home to more than 130 species of birds, a large variety of endemic plants and animals, pre-Inca trails, sacred waterfalls and

ecological zones including high barren plains, highland rainforest, cloud rainforest, and subtropical rainforest. Students will stay

in co-ed dormitories located on the grounds of San Jorge. The program consists of practicums, lectures, seminars, and

excursions to historical and cultural sites, and community service at local schools and in the surrounding communities. It is

offered in the Summer A and Summer B semesters from July 28- August 6. Scholarships are available through the Office of

Education Abroad and the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Center (LACC). For more information on this program visit the

program webpage: http://honors.fiu.edu/ecuador.

A M A Z O N C O M E S T O F I U I N S U R P R I S I N G W A Y

Over the past two months, exciting art work and photography from the Amazon rainforest has greeted

students and other visitors to the Green Library at FIU’s University Park Campus, as well as at the

Biscayne Bay Campus Library. The artwork includes wooden masks, finely woven handbags, decorated

gourds and even children’s toys, while the photos range from portraits of people and animals to

documentary and artistic examinations of daily life and the environment. The twin art exhibits received

very favorable commentary from library patrons. What was most interesting about the exhibits is that

they were the products of FIU students enrolled in the Honors College Amazon Program for the 2007-

2008 academic year.

The images were captivating, stimulating, and professional. FIU students and faculty took all of the

photos during the four weeks they spent in the Peruvian Amazon in July 2008 during the study abroad

part of the Amazon Honors course. The students captured the images during their daily interactions

with local people and while exploring and living in the natural environment of the Amazon. The fresh

and dynamic artwork and handicrafts were the creations of Yagua Indian villagers and ranged from

utilitarian to purely decorative items.

An unusual study abroad program, the Amazon Program emphasizes service learning. Students

develop project proposals on campus prior to traveling to the Amazon. The projects give the students

the opportunity to interact closely with local people, make a contribution to their well-being, and

experience the Amazon in a way few visitors can imagine. The Amazon Study Abroad program is still

accepting applications for this year’s trip. Please contact Assoc. Dean Kneski at kneskij@fiu.edu.

Ottati Residents with Italy Study

Abroad Students & Staff

P a g e 7 V o l . 2 , N o . 1

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

Barbara Bader Scholarship

This scholarship awards $1,000 to a current Honors College student who has demonstrated financial need and has shown

evidence of motivation, character, and potential through community service. The candidate should demonstrate an effort to

integrate university learning with civic engagement.

Recipient: Sarena Bahad, a junior majoring in finance.

Harvey L. Young Family Foundation Scholarship

This scholarship awards $2,000 to a current Honors College student with outstanding academic performance who has

demonstrated financial need, Florida residency, and evidence of motivation, character, and potential. The scholarship is

renewable, provided the recipient remains an Honors College student in good standing and maintains a GPA of 3.3 or high-

er.

Recipient: Dianne Barrett, a sophomore majoring in biology with minors in business administration and chemistry.

Lucille E. Snaith Memorial Honors College Scholarship

This scholarship awards $2500 to a current Honors College student with outstanding academic performance, who has

demonstrated unmet financial need, Florida residency, and evidence of motivation, good character, leadership potential,

and community service. The scholarship is renewable, provided the recipient remains an Honors College student and

maintains a GPA of 3.3 or higher.

Recipient: Michelle Callava, a junior majoring in finance.

Sheri Anne Graham Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship awards $2,500 to a full-time entering freshman in the Honors College who has achieved a minimum 3.5

high school GPA and intends to major in the arts and sciences. The scholarship is renewable, provided the recipient

remains an Honors College student in good standing and maintains a GPA of 3.3 or higher.

Recipient: Bryan Cheddar, a freshman majoring in biomedical engineering.

Tony Menendez Computer Scholarship

The scholarship awards a laptop computer with all the pertinent programs

and IT support from the College’s computer lab staff when needed.

Scholarship candidates are incoming freshmen of the Honors College who

have demonstrated academic achievement in high school with a GPA of 3.5

or higher and have established financial need. Scholarship recipients will

keep the assigned laptop provided they remain Honors College students in

good standing, make satisfactory progress towards a bachelor's degree,

and maintain a 3.3 cumulative GPA at FIU.

Recipients: Andy Jean, a freshman majoring in engineering; Aliasghar Taqi, a freshman majoring in nursing; Jose Campin, a

freshman majoring in political science;

William T. Jerome III Community Service Scholarship

This scholarship awards $900 to an Honors College senior in good standing who has shown evidence of motivation, good

character, and potential through community service and has demonstrated an effort to integrate university learning with

civic engagement.

Recipient: Yessenia M. Caldera, a junior majoring in political science, with a minor in philosophy.

Robert Hogner, Professor of Management and International Business, was the 2008 recipient of

the Florida Campus Compact Service-Learning Faculty Award. Florida Campus Compact is an

organization that works with colleges and universities throughout Florida to promote academic

engagement through both research and campus-community collaboration and service learning.

FIU History and Women’s Studies Professor Aurora Morcillo has been appointed the new director of the

Honors Spain Study Abroad Program. Morcillo’s expertise in Spanish political and cultural history made her

an ideal choice. She is currently completing a book examining Spanish politics and its relationship with the

allegorical female body of the nation.

Three returning Honors Faculty Fellows— Librarian and English Professor Andy Grof, Biologist Devon Graham, and

Physics Professor Bernard Gertsman— were recognized and officially reinducted into the Honors family during the Fall

2008 Honors College Convocation ceremony.

P a g e 8

F A C U L T Y P R O F I L E S

Professor Pete Markowitz is involved in a literally cosmic research project whose results may provide

insights into the very origin and makeup of the universe. Markowitz is one of nine FIU scientists (who

are among the 10,000 total contributing physicists worldwide) who were recruited for the

experiment being conducted by the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN.

The experiment will be carried out using CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a device that

accelerates beams of colliding subatomic particles so that new data can be gathered by studying the

results of their interactions. Having helped design the calibration for the collider’s particle energy-

measuring device, Professor Markowitz has had intimate knowledge of the LHC’s development since

its inception.

The primary goals of this potentially groundbreaking experiment are to achieve a greater

understanding of the formation of the universe following the Big Bang, as well as the nature of dark

matter and its impact on the universe’s development. Another of the experiment’s primary ambitions

is to try to verify the existence of a mysterious and elusive subatomic particle called the Higgs boson

or the ―God‖ particle, which was given the latter nickname because one theory posits that the particle may give mass to

everything in our universe. Markowitz is hopeful that the results will support the existence of the Higgs boson particle: ―The

theory has stood up so long. The only thing left is to find it.‖

Honors College Fellow and FIU Law Professor H. Scott Fingerhut participated in a roundtable

discussion entitled ―The Death Penalty: European and International Perspectives,‖ and was also

recently appointed a member of the Honors College Community Advisory Board.

Prior to his teaching career, Fingerhut spent 20 years serving as a criminal trial and appellate

litigator. Before joining the FIU College of Law faculty, he also held a four-year appointment in FIU’s

School of Policy and Management, teaching courses such as criminal constitutional law and

procedure and judicial process and policy. Among his many positions and memberships, he is

currently the Assistant Director of the Trial Advocacy Program as well as Chair of the Criminal Court

Committee of the Dade County Bar Association.

Prof. Fingerhut’s other recent distinctions include being named the Dade County Bar Designee to the

Mayor’s 2005-2007 Mental Health Task Force, receiving the 2007 Professor of the Year and Pioneer

Awards from the FIU College of Law student body, and being selected to the 2009 list of Best Lawyers

in America.

F A C U L T Y F E L L O W S N E W S

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

P Y R O N W I N S P R E S T I G O U S F A C U L T Y A W A R D

FIU History Professor and Biographer Darden Pyron was the winner of the 2008

FIU President’s Council Outstanding Faculty Award. The awards ceremony was

held at the end of Faculty Convocation Week on Friday, September 19, in the

Wertheim Performing Arts Center at University Park Campus. Pyron was

recognized for his over 40 years of teaching and research at FIU as well as his

prolific career as a biographer. His specialty as a biographer has been figures of

the American South such as Margaret Mitchell (Southern Daughter: The Life of

Margaret Mitchell) and his current project, an edition of the Civil War memoirs of

General William T. Sherman.

Pyron’s accomplishments also earned him a place in FIU’s 2008 Best in Class

Campaign, a media publication series spotlighting some of FIU’s outstanding faculty and students for their contributions to the

university and the community. He has also been twice recipient of the University Teaching Award, having taught undergrad and

graduate courses in, among other things, intellectual history, Western and Greek civilization, and the Civil War. Pyron has

taught in the Honors College for many years, creating two courses entitled ―Creativity and the Human Condition‖ and ―Humor

and Laughter.‖

José Rodríguez has

been appointed Assis-

tant Dean of Student

Services at the

Honors College. Jose

began his career as

an academic advisor

in the University of

Miami's Department of Psychology

before moving to Florida International

University in 2005. At FIU, he has

served as an academic advisor with the

College of Business, and as Director of

the Office of Student Services for the

School of Journalism and Mass

Communication. José is originally from

Southern California, but has lived in

Jillian Torres has

joined the Honors

College as the new

SRAI Program

Assistant. She will

be working with

Associate Dean

John Kneski and

helping students with their SRAI research

projects and Study Abroad inquiries. Jil-

lian, a senior at FIU, will graduate in the

spring with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liber-

al Studies from the College of Arts and

Sciences.

Miami for over 15 years. He has a

bachelor’s degree in communication

and psychology as well as a Master’s

Degree in education from the

University of Miami.

Assistant Dean Sharon Placide left the Honors College at the beginning of the fall

term to complete her Ph.D. in Sociology and Anthropology at FIU. Sharon began her

career at Honors in 1996 when she was hired as Coordinator of Student Services.

She saw Honors grow from its humble beginnings as a program in Undergraduate

Studies to a full-fledged College of over one thousand students. Sharon’s

dedication to students and to the Honors College is legendary. In her twelve years

with us she made an impact on the academic life and personal development of

hundreds of students as an advisor, administrator, Spain study abroad coordinator,

Honors fellow and friend. The Honors College is very appreciative of her years of

service and dedication.

S H A R O N P L A C I D E L E A V E S H O N O R S C O L L E G E

H O N O R S T E A M G R O W S S T R O N G E R

The Honors College would like to

recognize the student assistants

who have worked for the Honors

College this past year:

Katherine Bennett

Leif Elliott

Brianna Huggins

Ana Perez

Omar Santos

P a g e 1 0 V o l . 2 , N o . 1

Anitere Flores is the perfect example of homegrown talent. She was born and raised in Miami’s Legislative

District 114 and hasn’t left since. Flores represents House District 114, including portions of the City of

Sweetwater, Southwestern Miami-Dade County, and Florida International University. She graduated from Our

Lady of Lourdes Academy in Coral Gables and went on to graduate through the Honors College with a B.A. in

Political Science and International Relations. She then received a J.D. from the University of Florida College

of Law.

After law school, Rep. Flores was hired by the Florida House of Representatives to work on the Education

Council, and she was later hired by Governor Jeb Bush as his Education Policy Chief. Prior to being elected a

State Representative, she spent two years advocating for university students in her district as Director of

State Relations for Florida International University. She continues working for FIU as Director of Community

and Civic partnerships.

Rep. Flores was elected to office in 2004 and was subsequently reelected in 2006 and 2008 with no opposition. She was the first

Honors College graduate elected to public office. As a State Representative, she chairs the K-12 Education Committee and sits on

the Schools and Learning Council, the Committee on Constitution and Civil Law, and the Committee on Utilities and

Telecommunications. She currently also serves on the Honors College’s Community Advisory Board.

Reflecting on her time at FIU and in the Honors College, Rep. Flores notes, ―My time and experience as an FIU student were

incredibly enhanced by my participation in the Honors College. The College prepares our community’s future leaders with a variety

of innovative teaching styles.‖

We would like to extend our congratulations to Rep. Flores and her husband, Dustin Anderson, on the birth of their first child, a son

named Max, in early September 2008.

A L U M P R O F I L E S

As a successful entrepreneur, Joel Gandara has learned the crucial importance of looking at the big picture

and being open to new ways of thinking and tackling a major project. Joel credits the instruction he received at

the Honors College for helping him develop these valuable skills. Born in Havana, Cuba, and raised in San

Francisco, California, Joel moved to Miami in 2000. After earning an Associate’s degree from Miami Dade

College, he came to FIU to study business. Joel was an active Honors student and served as President of the

FIU Chapter of the American Marketing Association. He also founded his own business while still in school --

Underwear Station, Inc., a wholesale distributor selling men and women's intimate apparel. Joel graduated

from FIU in 2003 with a major in International Relations, a minor in Business Administration, and a certificate

in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Joel is married to Jessica, a nurse and fellow FIU alumnus.

Honors College alumnus Kirill Reznik is an attorney and international development specialist who

currently serves as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates (state legislature). Reznik was born in

Kiev, Ukraine, in 1974. He and his family immigrated to the United States in 1978 and settled in Miami

Beach. Reznik attended and graduated in 1995 from Florida International University with a B.A. in

International Relations and a minor in Economics. He later attended American University and received an

M.A. in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and a J.D. from American University's Washington

College of Law. Reznik is currently a project manager for The QED Group, LLC, a small, minority- and

women-owned consulting firm with a focus on international trade and development.

Reznik holds the distinction of being the first FIU alumnus elected to public office outside the state of

Florida. He was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates of the Maryland General Assembly in 2007,

representing Legislative District 39 in Montgomery County. Reznik credits the Honors College with ―giving

him opportunities to enhance his creative and critical thinking skills outside the bounds of his degree programs and helping him

become a better educated, well rounded citizen.‖ He is also a strong supporter of FIU, serving as president of the Washington

DC/Baltimore Chapter of the Florida International University Alumni Association from 1997-2006. He currently serves as treasure

of the chapter.

A L U M P R O F I L E S

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Dr. Garth N. Graham is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health in the Office of Minority Health at

the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The Office of Minority Health develops and

coordinates federal health policy that addresses minority health concerns and ensures that federal, state and

local health programs take into account the needs of disadvantaged, racial and ethnic populations.

Dr. Graham’s lifelong passion for and interest in medicine and community service is evident in the various

positions he has held. He was previously appointed a White House Fellow and special assistant to former

Secretary Tommy G. Thompson at the DHHS. He founded the Boston Men's Cardiovascular Health Project, a

project designed to identify behavioral explanations for decreased adherence to adequate diet and exercise

by African American men. Dr Graham was the Founding Senior Editorial Board Member of the Yale Journal of Health, Law, Policy,

and Ethics, and served on the Editorial Board of the Yale Journal of Biology and Science, Public Health Reports and a number of

other guest editorial boards. He also served on the Public Health Executive Council of the Massachusetts Medical Society, the

Board of Directors of Physicians for Human Rights, as Chairman of the American Medical Association/MSS National Minority

Issues Committee and on the Steering Committee of the Boston Men's Health Coalition. He is currently on the faculty of Harvard

Medical School, where he trained in Internal Medicine and serves as a visiting scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Graham graduated from FIU and the Honors College in 1997 with a B.S. degree in Biology, and subsequently earned an M.D.,

cum laude, from the Yale School of Medicine. He also earned an M.P.H. from the Yale School of Epidemiology and Public Health,

with a focus in health policy administration. He has received numerous accolades for his leadership and service in promoting

health, including the 2002 American Medical Association Leadership Award, the Partners in Excellence Award, the Miriam

Kathleen Dasey Award from Yale Medical School and the 2005 Reginald Hawkins award. The Business Network Journal also

named him one of the Forty Leaders Under Forty.

Attorney Adela Estopiñan was born and raised in New York City and returned to school after a successful career as a

nurse. She graduated magna cum laude through the Honors College in 2003 with a B.A. in Political Science. After

taking the LSAT, she turned down twenty scholarship offers from law schools around the country to attend the FIU

College of Law. Following graduation in 2006, she became an Assistant State Attorney in Miami. Today, Estopiñan

is a University of Miami adjunct faculty member and manages the South Florida regional offices of the largest

bankruptcy firm in America. She has been a resident of South Florida for over twenty years, and her oldest daughter now attends

FIU. Estopiñan credits her experience at Honors with easing her transition from working adult to successful college student.

Dean Swinford currently lives in Fayetteville, NC, where he is an Assistant Professor of Medieval and Early Modern Literature in

the Department of English and Foreign Languages at Fayetteville State University. He received his Master of Arts and Ph.D. from

the University of Florida. In 2002, Swinford worked at Ghent University in Belgium as a Fulbright Fellow. He recently published

Through the Daemon’s Gate: Kepler’s Somnium, Medieval Dream Narratives, and the Polysemy of Allegorical Motifs (Routledge

2006), an exploration of medieval dream narratives and their influence on the scientific imagination of the early astronomer

Johannes Kepler. His experiences in the FIU Honors Program helped to cultivate his interest in international literature and culture.

Jacqueline Alfonso was born and raised in Miami, attending G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School. After majoring in

Psychology at FIU, from which she graduated summa cum laude in 2000, Jackie attended the University of Central

Florida’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program, of which she is a recent graduate. She currently resides in Boston, MA,

after accepting a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Psychology Department at Emmanuel College. She

was among the first Honors College students to study abroad in Italy during its launch summer in 1998, and to this

day credits the Honors College with her decision to pursue a career in academia after being inspired by the faculty, staff, and

students that made her college experience a series of indelible and treasured memories.

Scott Bunch was born and lived all his early life in Miami. He enrolled at FIU, where he received his B.S. in Physics in 2000.

Subsequently, he enrolled in the Department of Physics at Cornell University and received his Ph. D. in May 2008. He is currently

an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He lives there with his

wife Heeyoun and daughter Daniella. He credits the Honors College with stimulating his interest in academic research, which

continues to this day.

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

P a g e 1 2

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.