FIU Foundation Annual Report 2025

ANNUAL

REPORT 2024-2025

FIU FOUNDATION MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP

Dear FIU Family, As we reflect on the 2024-2025 fiscal year, I am proud to share how our momentum continues to build during a pivotal and exciting time for Florida International University. This year, we embraced the inspiring leadership of our new President, Jeanette M. Nuñez — the first woman and first FIU alumna to lead our institution. Her bold vision and deep connection to our university community have already begun to chart a path toward unprecedented growth and national distinction.

At the FIU Foundation, we are aligning our efforts to support this next chapter with clarity and ambition. Our sights are set firmly on our shared goal: to elevate FIU and become a Top 30 public university in the nation by 2030. With this guiding objective, we have continued to grow our impact, strengthen our financial position, and invest strategically in initiatives that elevate student success, research excellence, and innovation.

This year, the Foundation’s assets reached $557 million, reinforcing the power of collective generosity and sound stewardship.

Through your continued support, FIU has earned national recognition as the No. 46 public university in the nation (U.S. News & World Report) and a Preeminent state research university with $306 million in research expenditures.

Throughout this report, you will see the heart of FIU: powerful stories of purpose, progress, and people. These moments are not just milestones, they are reminders of what we can achieve together when we believe in a greater future.

Thank you for standing with us during this remarkable journey.

Sincerely,

Adalio T. Sanchez ’87 Chairperson, Board of Directors FIU Foundation

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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FIU FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOARD LEADERSHIP Chairperson Adalio T. Sanchez ’87 S Group Advisory, LLC President Vice Chairperson Gerald C. Grant Jr. ’78, MBA ’89 G Financial Group President Development Committee, Chair Investment Sub-Committee, Vice Chair Treasurer Marcel L. Navarro ’93 MMG Equity Partners Principal Finance Committee, Chair Secretary Jill M. Granat, Esq. ’87 Restaurant Brands International General Counsel President Jeanette M. Nuñez ’94, MS ’98 Florida International University Chief Executive Officer Kenneth C. Hall FIU Foundation, Inc. Stewart L. Appelrouth, CPA, MS ’80 Citrin Cooperman Advisors, LLC Partner, Taxation and Litigation Consulting Audit Sub-Committee, Chair Athletics Sub-Committee, Vice Chair Humberto “Burt” Cabañas ’76 Benchmark Founder & Chairman Alumni Center Steering Committee, Chair Cristina di Mauro ’01 BankUnited Head of Wholesale Banking Investment Sub-Committee, Chair Development Committee, Vice Chair LaTéssa Dotson Hall Richard P. Hall Eagles Foundation, Inc. Executive Director, Founder Membership & Board Governance Committee, Chair

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

Juan J. Martinez ’90, MAcc ’93 John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Vice President, CFO & Treasurer Foundation Enterprise Growth Committee, Chair Finance Committee, Vice Chair Elliot N. Stone Royal Castle Builders, LLC Principal Real Estate Sub-Committee, Chair David M. Zinn, MST ’98 Ocean Azul Partners Founding and Managing Director FIU Ventures Sub-Committee, Chair Foundation Enterprise Growth Committee, Vice Chair

DIRECTORS

James W. Loewenherz, MD, FACP, FASN James W. Loewenherz, MD, PA President Albert “Al” Lorenzo ’74 Quantum Results, Inc. President & Owner Membership & Board Governance Committee, Vice Chair Hugo Mantilla Graystone Consulting

by Morgan Stanley Executive Director, Wealth Management, & Institutional Consulting Director Claudia Puig SBS Corporate Chief Communications Officer

Robert “Bob” A. Baer Sr. ’89 Central Civil Construction CEO

Thomas C. Ragan Ragan & Freeman, LLP Partner

Carmel J. Barrau, MD, FACP Unihealth of South Florida, Inc. President

Orlando Roche ’88 First Horizon Bank Market President

Malcolm “Buster” Brown ’88 Seacoast Bank Wealth Advisor, Market Leader, Senior Vice President

Carlos A. Somoza, Esq. ’93 Kaufman Rossin & Co., PA Principal, International Tax Debra “Debbie” Taño

Ira D. Giller, A.I.A. Giller & Giller, Inc. President Real Estate Sub-Committee, Vice Chair

Andre L. Teixeira ’92, MAcc ’93 The Graham Companies EVP & Chief Financial Officer

Walter B. Gonzalez Jr., Esq. ’96 Goja, LLC President

Richard P. Tonkinson Tonkinson Financial, Inc. President

Yolangel “Yogi” Hernandez Suarez, MD, MBA, FACOG Alice Walton School of Medicine Executive Vice Dean

Candido K. Viyella Earthview Capital, LLC President & CEO

Francis A. Hondal ’87, MBA ’94 Board Member | Executive | Advisor Former President, Loyalty & Engagement for Mastercard Jeffrey L. Horstmyer, MD, FAAN Brain Center Chairman & CEO

FOUNDATION FELLOWS Trish and Dan Bell Bell Family Foundation

EX-OFFICIOS Elizabeth M. Bejar, PhD, MS ’98 Florida International University Provost, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Wilkin Caseres FIU Student Government Association Vice President Sean Gazitúa ’04 Florida International University Alumni Association President Sneh Gulati, PhD Florida International University Coordinator of Departmental Development and Special Projects; and Department of Mathematics and Statistics; and Fellow; Extreme Events Institute Jennifer Olmedo-Rodriguez, Esq. ’99 Buchanan, Ingersoll and Rooney, PC Managing Shareholder & Board Member Albert R. Taño, MD Kidz Medical Services, Inc. President & Medical Director FIU Board of Trustees

CHAIRPERSON EMERITUS AND EMERITUS DIRECTORS Neal O. Amdur* John K. Aurell Oscar Bustillo Alvah H. Chapman Jr.*, Chairperson Emeritus Jordan Davidson* Victor I. Eber* Leon J. Ell* Catherine H. Fahringer* Stanley J. Glaser* Gui L. P. Govaert* J. Stephen Hudson Lester R. Johnson Roz Kovens William M. Lehman Jr. Morris Levitt Modesto A. Maidique Albert Morrison Jr.* W. James Orovitz* David L. Perlman*, Chairperson Emeritus Ricardo Nuñez-Portuondo Earl W. Powell Joan Peven Smith Theodore Spak* Amancio V. Suarez Norman R. Weldon Gerald Thomas Wolfe ’80, ’86 Sonny Wright Charles Zwick

FORMER FOUNDATION BOARD CHAIRPERSONS John K. Aurell (1971-1973) Lester R. Johnson Jr. (1973-1975) Jay Janis (1975-1976)* Dave W. Schornstein (1976-1977) J. Stephen Hudson (1977-1978) Thomas D. Lumpkin (1978-1980)* David L. Perlman (1980-1982)* Catherine H. Fahringer (1982-1984)* W. James Orovitz (1984-1987)* Robert H. Coords (1987-1988) Alvah H. Chapman Jr. (1988-1993)* Joseph P. Lacher (1993-1994) David R. Parker (1994-1997) Patricia Frost, EdD, DPS ’02 (1997-1999) Herbert A. Wertheim, OD, ScD ’96, MD ’13 (1999-2000) Sherrill W. Hudson (2000-2002) Donald E. Lefton (2002-2004) Carlos A. Migoya, PhD ’74, MBA ’76 (2004-2006) S. Lawrence Kahn, III (2006-2008) Joseph L. Caruncho Sr., Esq. ’81 (2008-2009) Albert Morrison Jr.*, Honorary Chairperson (2010-honored posthumously) Noel J. Guillama-Alvarez ’99 (2010-2011) Justo L. Pozo ’80 (2011-2014) Thomas M. Cornish ’85 (2014-2017) Richard Brilliant ’93 (2017-2020) Humberto “Burt” Cabañas ’76 (2020-2023)

FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP Kenneth C. Hall SVP, University Advancement CEO, FIU Foundation 305-348-2646 – kenhall@fiu.edu Lark Bennett Senior Director of Principal Donor Strategy & Engagement 305-348-1925 – larbenne@fiu.edu Stephanie Cox Assistant Vice President for Development 305-348-6298 – stcox@fiu.edu Linda Curiel-Menage Assistant VP, Campaigns, Advancement Communications, and Donor Relations and Stewardship 305-348-7952 – lcuriel@fiu.edu Sara DuCuennois Associate VP, Alumni Relations 305-348-4213 – sducuenn@fiu.edu Cristine Figueroa, MSHRM ’07 Director, Human Resources 305-348-0414 – crfiguer@fiu.edu Yolande Flores, MS ’08 Executive Director, Finance and Administration 305-348-8317 – floresy@fiu.edu Maria Madriz ’04, ’07, MSHRM Sr. Executive Assistant, Advancement Administration 305-348-8078 – mmadriz@fiu.edu Christy Martinez ’09, MIB ’13 Assistant VP, Advancement Operations Assistant Secretary, FIU Foundation 305-348-3130 – chrmarti@fiu.edu Adrianne N. Perdomo, CPA ’08, MAcc ’09 Associate VP, Foundation Finance Controller, Foundation & DSOs 305-348-0113 – perdomoa@fiu.edu Svetlana “Lana” Simkins Vice President, Development 305-348-6298 – sgilyalo@fiu.edu

*deceased FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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FINANCIALS

FIU FOUNDATION AND SUBSIDIARIES STATEMENT OF NET POSITION ASSETS

LIABILITIES, DEFERRED INFLOWS, AND NET POSITION

Cash and investments Contributions receivable, net Depreciable capital assets, net Nondepreciable capital assets Other assets

$513,163,978 35,007,508 3,830,877 3,555,558 1,329,238

Total assets

$556,887,159

Liabilities Deferred inflows related to rental income Net position

$29,761,389 294,905 526,830,865

Total liabilities and net position

$556,887,159

STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENSES, AND CHANGE IN NET POSITION REVENUES

EXPENSES

Contributions Investment earnings Other revenues

$34,972,468 69,231,181 756,735

Total revenues

$104,960,384

Programs, scholarships, and building support to FIU $48,160,570 Fundraising 9,123,420 General and administrative 6,134,120 General support to FIU 1,803,209 Depreciation 167,186 Total expenses

$65,388,505

Other activity Interest expense Support from FIU Gain before endowment contributions Endowment contributions

(84,000) (205,833) 7,942,733 47,224,779 7,187,253

Change in net position

54,412,032

Net position, beginning of year

472,418,833

Net position, end of year

$526,830,865

Please note: These figures agree with the audited financial statements, which are presented on a full accrual basis. Liabilities reflect an endowment grant that is held by the Foundation on behalf of the university and for purposes of the audited financial statements is reported on the separate Statement of Fiduciary Net Position.

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

IMPACT The FIU Foundation aims to connect people, passions, and possibilities through philanthropy, financial stewardship, and engagement. The Foundation strives to enrich the quality of education at the university by supporting scholarships, endowed chairs and professorships, and other programs that rely on private funding. The Foundation accepts charitable donations to support FIU in its goal to be a leading urban public research university that is focused on student learning, innovation, and collaboration.

With $556,887,159 in total assets, a portion of which is endowed to support academic initiatives, the Foundation provided over $48 million, including the state match on the First-Generation Scholarship Program, in the fiscal year 2024-2025 to advance FIU’s mission. Funds were used to support our talented students, exceptional faculty, cutting-edge research, modern facilities, and collaborative engagement with our local and global communities.

FOUNDATION SUPPORT OF FIU PROGRAMS $50 45 40 35

In Millions

30 25 20 15 10 5 0 FY 13

FY 14

FY 15

FY 16

FY 17

FY 18

FY 19

FY 20

FY 21

FY 22

FY 23

FY 24

FY 25

Fiscal Year

THE FIU FOUNDATION INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO ALLOCATION Asset Class

June 30, 2025 Allocation

Asset Characteristics

Public Equity

60.4%

Capital appreciation, global diversification; highly liquid

Private Equity

18.9%

High return potential; illiquid

Hedge Funds

0.2%

Absolute return potential; semi-liquid

Real Assets

7.1%

Capital appreciation and income generation; various levels of illiquidity

High Quality Bonds and Cash

13.4%

Capital preservation and limited income generation; highly liquid

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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FINANCIALS

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF FIU The nation’s most prestigious universities are consistently assessed by the size of their endowments. The creation of an endowment is one of the highest demonstrations of a donor’s abiding belief in FIU and commitment to ensure its vibrant future. As the financial bedrock of the university’s drive to build excellence, endowments are vital to create and sustain important initiatives — scholarships, fellowships, faculty positions, and programs — in perpetuity. When a donor invests in FIU to establish an endowment, it creates a legacy that will provide permanent income to support a meaningful project while preserving the principal of the endowment. Any investment return over allowed spending is channeled back into the fund to increase growth.

ENDOWMENT MARKET VALUE $450

400

350

In Millions

300

250

200

150

ENDOWMENT MARKET VALUE FY 25: $380M 100

50

0 FY 13

FY 14

FY 15

FY 16

FY 17

FY 18

FY 19

FY 20

FY 21

FY 22

FY 23

FY 24

FY 25

Fiscal Year

INVESTMENT RETURNS 35% 30% 25% 20% 15%

11% 7.8%

10% 5% 0% -5% -10% -15% FY 13

FY 14

FY 15

FY 16

FY 17

FY 18

FY 19

FY 20

FY 21

FY 22

Fiscal Year FY Returns

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

Average 3-Year Returns

Average 10-Year Returns

FY 23

FY 24

FY 25

FY 24-25: OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS $

66,675,460 raised in FY 2024-2025

1,429,945

$

9,050,312

$

$

16,761,151

raised for building projects

$

raised for scholarships + state match

14,394,445

$

in cash gifts

raised for research

2,090,286

created 13 new endowments

4,849,549

$

from alumni

UNIVERSITY HIGHLIGHTS 2024-2025 Our Efforts — Yours and Ours — Recognized

The dedication that FIU, the FIU Foundation, and our donor partners have shown over the last year to advancing our cause of higher education as a launching pad has not gone unnoticed. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked FIU as the #46 best public university in the nation, thus maintaining our Top 50 distinction. It also included FIU among the Top 20 most innovative public universities in the nation; Washington Monthly included FIU in the Top 10 best U.S. universities; and The Wall Street Journal ranked us as the #1 university in Florida.

FIU’s dedication to the public good and to higher education as a pathway to prosperity has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of the university as the #1 best among national universities for promoting upward social mobility.

Recognition like this is truly a result of the investment we put into all we do to consistently and relentlessly elevate FIU and the community it serves.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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26%

24%

Corporations

Individuals

SNAPSHOT OF GIVING

Fiscal year 2024-2025 (giving percentages)

7%

Alumni

5%

Organizations

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

38%

Foundations

RANKINGS #1

2026 Top Performers on Social Mobility U.S. News & World Report National University Rankings

#46

Best Public University U.S. News & World Report

Among the

TOP 10 U.S. Universities Washington Monthly

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION DESIGNATED PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY BY THE FLORIDA BOARD OF GOVERNORS

FIU IS THE YOUNGEST UNIVERSITY TO RECEIVE THIS DESIGNATION

TOP 20 2026 Most Innovative Public Universities U.S. News & World Report

ONE OF ONLY 21 UNIVERSITIES IN THE U.S. THAT HAVE EARNED BOTH THE R1-VERY HIGH RESEARCH AND THE OPPORTUNITY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES DESIGNATION Carnegie Foundation, 2025

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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STUDENT-CENTERED TRANSFORMATION

EMPOWERED JOURNEYS

Scholarships unlock potential. Donor-funded scholarships provide lifechanging resources for the college journey and open doors to growth opportunities for students with massive potential.

Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarship recipients pictured with Helios Education Foundation leadership.

HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION SUPPORTS A LEGACY OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AT FIU

C

elebrating two decades of impact, Helios Education Foundation awarded $500,000 in scholarships and student support to 20 state college transfer students pursuing four-year

degrees in 2025.

Five of the 20 Florida students receiving the Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarship are earning their bachelor’s degrees at FIU. Each is awarded up to $20,000 to support their college journey, honoring both their academic achievements and their potential to make a lasting impact.

Across the country, transfer students face unique challenges in persisting through college and are at a higher risk of dropping out. On top of this, they are a student demographic that is not often funded through scholarships. Helios’s innovative scholarship creates a powerful incentive for transfer students to complete their studies at four-year institutions, including FIU. Transfer students represent 47% of FIU undergraduates, and more than half of FIU transfer students are Pell eligible. The university has already established various resources to support transfer students from Miami-Dade College and beyond, including the Connect4Success program, but there is still an estimated $500,000 in scholarship need for FIU transfer students each year.

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

With Helios’s most recent contribution to FIU, the needs of five transfer students have been fully met.

One FIU scholarship recipient, Destiny Higgs, is a biochemistry major and an aspiring veterinarian. With this award money, she feels more empowered to finish her bachelor’s degree, attend veterinary school, and eventually realize her dream of opening her own veterinary office.

Since 2007, Helios has

“Completing my bachelor’s degree will assist me in achieving my long-term

gifted a total of $3.1 million

goal of becoming a veterinarian. My ultimate aspiration includes attending medical school for veterinary science,” Higgs told Helios. “FIU will support me in becoming Dr. Higgs — not just a doctor, but a successful one who has the care, compassion, and knowledge to look after animals and their families.”

Other recipients include Leina Olazabal Rodriguez, an accounting major; Raul Cisneros, a criminal justice major; Rayann Olanipekun, a marine biology major; and Yuna Yi, a graphic design major.

to FIU directly and through partnerships, including a $900,000 gift to establish the Helios Last Mile Scholarship in 2020.

With an unwavering commitment to expanding access to educational programs, Helios has invested over $350 million across Florida and Arizona since its founding, impacting nearly 2.4 million students and supporting more than 520,000 education professionals.

LEARN MORE

about the Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholars.

Helios’s impact at FIU has been substantial. Its first investment in FIU in 2007 — the Helios Education Foundation First-Generation Scholarship — was designed to help address teacher shortages by supporting future educators. Then, in 2021, Helios established the Helios Last Mile Scholarship, which supports students who are academically eligible to graduate but are at risk of dropping out due to unmet financial need. Last Mile recipients also participated in over 830 financial wellness coaching sessions, 542 tutoring sessions, 196 career development events, and 116 college life coaching sessions.

“The Helios Last Mile Scholarship is critical to our commitment to social mobility and has enabled 795 students to complete their degrees,” FIU Vice President of Academic Affairs: Student Success Operations and Integrated Planning Dr. Bridgette Cram said. “We are deeply grateful for this partnership, not only for the transformative effect it has on FIU students today, but also for the lasting impact these graduates will have on our local and state economies.”

Now, after nearly 20 years of partnership, Helios continues to invest in the success of FIU students, gifting these five transfer students with both the resources and the confidence to complete their four-year degrees and pursue their career aspirations.

This continues a trend of the foundation not just funding initiatives but also investing with care, foresight, and a genuine commitment to helping students succeed.

“This milestone is a testament to what’s possible when communities come together with an unwavering commitment to education,” Helios Education Foundation President and CEO Paul J. Luna said. “Our scholars embody the very purpose of Helios — to create opportunities and ensure that postsecondary education is within reach for every student who aspires to it.”

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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FIU PANTHER PARENTS GIVE BACK TO COLLEGE OF MEDICINE STUDENTS

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

Aviva and Aaron Stauber, donors who formed the Aviva & Aaron Stauber Scholarship Endowment

After watching their daughter thrive at FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Aaron and Aviva Stauber were inspired to create the Aviva & Aaron Stauber Scholarship Endowment.

W

hen Aaron and Aviva Stauber’s youngest child, Alyssa,

good academic and professional standing and demonstrate

enrolled in FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

financial need. It is specifically designed for students who are

in 2015, the couple felt a mix of pride and apprehension. Like

not receiving full-tuition scholarships, ensuring that their gaps

many parents, they worried about the challenges their daughter

in funding are met. Since 2019, a total of 16 students have been

would face in medical school and how she would manage the

awarded scholarships.

demands ahead. That concern lingered until the day of her White Coat Ceremony.

“Besides the stress of schooling, there are students who are on loans and have the pressure of having to repay them. That’s why

“We were sitting there, a little anxious,” Aviva recalls. “Watching

the scholarship was important to us, to alleviate some pressure

our daughter take this step, we couldn’t help but think about all

for students and the overall pressure of having to go through

that lay ahead.”

medical school,” Aviva said.

But as the ceremony unfolded, their apprehension began to give

The Aviva & Aaron Stauber Student Activities Fund was created

way to reassurance as former Dean John Rock started speaking.

in 2018 to fund conference attendance, fellowship opportunities,

Aaron recently shared his memories from that day with FIU

and College of Medicine activities geared towards providing

Medicine Magazine: “[Dean Rock] looked at the group of students

mental health support for students. One of these events includes

and said, ‘Everyone who’s sitting here is here because you are

a pre-exam breakfast, where students can slow down and refuel

qualified to be doctors. You deserve to be here. If at any point

after a long night of cramming.

during your education here, you feel that you can’t do it … that’s a failure on us, that’s our responsibility.’” Aaron and Aviva were so encouraged by Dean Rock’s speech that they left the ceremony in tears of relief. Soon after, they reached out to him, volunteering to host events for medical students and contribute to fundraising

“The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine is grateful for this investment in the well-being and success of our students,” said Senior Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Juan C. Cendán.

efforts. This gave them an opportunity to meet their daughter’s

“Thanks to the Staubers’ commitment to meeting our students’

peers, hear their stories, and become inspired by their passion

financial needs and providing opportunities for stress relief and

and work ethic. Since then, Aaron and Aviva have invested over

personal wellness, our students have been able to fully immerse

$845,000 in FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, with

themselves in their education and thrive at FIU Medicine.”

funding focused on scholarships, professional growth opportunities, and student affairs.

As for the future of the Staubers’ partnership with the College of Medicine, the couple would like to see an expansion of student

In 2018, soon after their daughter graduated, Aaron and Aviva

research funding, mental health and wellness resources, and

established the Aviva & Aaron Stauber Scholarship Endowment,

on-the-field community aid programs. They believe programs

making an initial $500,000 gift to support student scholarships

like the College of Medicine’s Green Family Foundation

and activities that enhance students’ academic experience. In

Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (HELP) are

2025, they donated an additional $260,000 to the endowed fund,

essential to exposing students to the community and inspiring

as well as $33,000 towards the Aviva & Aaron Stauber Student

South Floridians to pursue medicine.

Activities Fund.

“I would tell anybody who’s interested in being involved, this is top

The Aviva & Aaron Stauber Scholarship provides financial support

of the causes,” Aaron said, “If you want to give to your community

to Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine students who are in

and have an incredible impact, this should be one of the tops.”

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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Through his estate, an FIU alumnus established the David Beaty Creative Writing Program Scholarship Endowment Fund, the largest gift in the program’s history.

FIU ALUMNUS DAVID BEATY LEAVES HISTORIC GIFT FOR NEXT GENERATION OF CREATIVE WRITERS FIU alumnus David Beaty, MFA ’98

T

o those who knew David Beaty, MFA ’98, while he attended

spent there would eventually become the inspiration

FIU, he was the kind of writer who put his all into his

for his writing.

work. While pursuing an MFA degree in creative writing at 50 years old, Beaty brought his love for literature and decades of experience into the classroom, enhancing his workshop feedback and writing assignments.

travel for writing seminars. His short story, “Ghosts,” set within the waterfront mansions of Biscayne Bay, was included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2000. Another of Beaty’s works, “The

In 2022, Beaty passed away due to complications from

Last of Lord Jitters,” was featured in Miami Noir: The Classics,

Parkinson’s disease. Through his estate, he established the David

edited by Les Standiford. Other stories have appeared in Unbound

Beaty Creative Writing Program Scholarship Endowment Fund,

Press, Having a Wonderful Time, Tigertail, and other anthologies

designating $700,000 towards the endowment. It is the largest

and literary journals.

gift in the program’s history. With this funding, the Creative Writing Program will be able to create fellowship opportunities for the next generation of storytellers.

Beaty’s childhood friend, William “Toby” Muir, described him as “immensely well-read, hugely entertaining, a wonderful friend, and a strong supporter of FIU.”

His love for books inspired him to work part-time at Books & Books in Coral Gables, becoming beloved by coworkers and store regulars alike. Beaty’s last project was a series of short stories set in Greece. With his passing, the series was left uncompleted.

“His friend, Tom Swick, described him as an ‘unfinished writer’ because he had a number of writing projects that he didn’t live

“[David] always had an interest in the arts and in writing,” Muir

long enough to complete,” Muir said. “He was an interesting

shared. “He spent time working in the graduate program at FIU,

person — widely traveled, an inquiring mind, and a kind and

in Dr. Les Standiford’s Creative Writing Program. He received a

good individual who wanted to leave something behind at

master’s degree there and enjoyed it enormously. He had huge

the university.”

respect for Les.”

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Beaty ultimately settled in Coral Gables, though he continued to

Beaty’s legacy gift to FIU will empower creative writing

Beaty was born in Brazil but moved to Coconut Grove with his

students to fully concentrate on crafting their own stories,

family when he was young. After excelling in high school, he

poems, and essays without financial stress. With additional

earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Columbia University.

fellowship opportunities, students will also be able to complete

Post-graduation, he moved around, returning to Brazil for some

any necessary research and take part in career-advancing

time, then moving to the Island of Patmos to pursue writing. He

opportunities without worrying about financial setbacks, allowing

later moved to London, England, working odd jobs. The time he

their work to reach its full potential.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

Tom Ragan has made significant contributions to The Wolfsonian–FIU, FIU’s Pride Center, and the Centers for Student Engagement. He has been an active FIU Foundation Board member since 2022.

FIU FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBER SECURES AND CONTRIBUTES FUNDING FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AND THE ARTS

T

om Ragan’s philanthropic

service on The Wolfsonian Advisory Board, Ragan works to promote

impact has touched many

FIU student access to the collections.

aspects of the FIU community.

Not only has he been a consistent donor towards

FIU Foundation Board Member Tom Ragan

the arts, scholarships, and student affairs in the last 10 years, but he has also given

the university his time, taking on roles within the FIU Foundation Board of Directors and The Wolfsonian–FIU’s Advisory Board.

Ragan has been an active FIU Foundation Board member since 2022, consistently mobilizing board and community support to garner philanthropic investments in FIU. Using his influence as a regular patron of the arts, he secured support for a graduate student assistant and internship at The Wolfsonian–FIU. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1970 and serving as a 1st lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Ragan embarked on a career in international corporate finance as a partner in major U.S. law firms

During the 2024-2025 fiscal year, Ragan contributed over $85,000 to FIU, with most of those funds going to the Centers for Student Engagement, including the Pride Center.

The Centers for Student Engagement encompass a variety of centers and university-wide programs, from the Men’s Engagement Center, the Women’s Center, and the Pride Center to Heritage Programming, the Annual Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, and the MultiFaith Council. With the support of donors like Ragan, the Centers for Student Engagement create community-centered spaces for personal exploration, mentorship, empowerment, and student services.

“I was encouraged by my board mentor to look around the university and find an activity I would like to support,” Ragan said. “I was introduced to the Centers for Student Engagement, and through them, the Pride Center. I started talking to students there and realized that this is a constituency of FIU that needs support.”

with extensive experience in Latin America, which made Miami his

FIU’s Pride Center is a resource for LGBTQIA+ students and allies that

natural second home. In 2001, he founded his own firm, Ragan &

promotes empowerment, affirmation, and inclusion through education,

Freeman, LLP, where he has worked ever since.

support, and celebration. Since 2022, Ragan has gifted over $127,000

Ragan’s involvement at FIU began with his support for The Wolfsonian–FIU, which has become consistent throughout the years. He’s supported The Wolfsonian’s Discretionary Fund, made a gift of one-half of his collection of maritime books to

to the Pride Center alone. Additionally, as an FIU Foundation Board member, Ragan helped raise money so that the center could hire a full-time counselor professionally equipped to help LGBTQIA+ students adjust to college life.

the museum, and made a planned gift of the balance, creating

“Tom Ragan’s generosity has played a pivotal role in advancing

the Thomas C. Ragan Collection. The collection includes

student success and belonging at FIU,” David Bynes, director

hundreds of books about steamship travel, naval ships, and

of the Centers for Student Engagement, shared. “Through his

maritime disasters.

consistent support of the Centers for Student Engagement and FIU’s

“The Wolfsonian–FIU is unique in that its collection focuses on 20th-century design, everything from furniture to housewares

Pride Center, Tom has helped create spaces where students feel empowered to lead, connect, and thrive.”

to posters and commercial activity. Over the years, it’s become

Outside of his current and past contributions to FIU, Ragan has

a repository of not only history, but of ideas,” Ragan said. “For

also ensured he will have a long-term impact on the university’s

example, if you look at The Wolfsonian’s collection of 1930s

future, establishing another planned gift to the Pride Center that

and 1940s posters, you will find amazing parallels to what is

will be distributed from his estate. Through his work at FIU, Ragan

happening in the United States today. I think those things ought

hopes to continue helping the FIU causes and communities he

to be readily available for people to consider.” Through his

believes need support.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

17

GQG PARTNERS’ SCHOLARSHIP KEEPS STUDENTS ON A PATH TO ACHIEVEMENT “These emergency funds are an investment in students that can have an impact on our communities and society. Investing in the future always pays off.”

— Natalie Sandoval, a Green School Student Success Fund scholarship recipient and a public policy student at the Green School

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

A

s a part of the university’s All In for FIU Scholarships initiative,

FIU faculty and staff, and local philanthropists. Now, with this

the GQG Partners Community Empowerment Foundation

major boost from GQG, the school will be able to have an even

made a significant gift to the FIU Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs’ Student Success Fund, making it possible to provide more students with scholarships.

larger impact on students.

Natalie Sandoval, a public policy student, is one of many students who have received funding thanks to GQG’s contribution. When

Founded by Rajiv Jain and Tim Carver in 2016, GQG Partners is

she was only 17 years old, she emigrated from Peru to Miami on her

an investment management company based in Fort Lauderdale.

own. Since then, she has been financially independent, taking on

Made through the GQG Partners Community Empowerment

two jobs to support herself while pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

Foundation, this latest donation goes hand-in-hand with GQG’s three philanthropic pillars, which include expanding access to education for first-generation college students.

Unfortunately, soon after transferring to FIU, Sandoval faced personal challenges that threatened her ability to stay in school.

All at once, she was burdened with car troubles and housing

Rajiv Jain and his wife, Latika Jain, have been supporting FIU

insecurity. Despite being in the middle of a semester, she began

for nearly 15 years. Initiatives include the Bhagwan Mahavir

working more than 60 hours a week just to make ends meet. It

Professorship of Jain Studies at FIU’s Department of Religious

became difficult to find the time to focus on anything else, let

Studies, and later, through the Latika and Rajiv Jain Charitable

alone coursework.

Foundation, the Latika and Rajiv Jain First-Generation Scholarship, which focuses on first-generation STEM students.

Growing worried about her academic future, Sandoval reached out to her professor for support. FIU faculty and administrators helped

“At GQG Partners, we are deeply committed to empowering

her obtain emergency funding, significantly easing her financial

first-generation students through access to higher education.

stress and allowing her to focus on school.

Our support of the All In for FIU Scholarships initiative reflects this mission by alleviating the financial challenges students may encounter. We believe that meaningful community engagement is the foundation for creating lasting changes,” said GQG Partners Chief Operating Officer Todd LaFountaine.

Through its contributions, the GQG Partners Community Empowerment Foundation is having a significant impact on students.

“I was so grateful that it happened and that I was able to access those resources,” Sandoval said. “Their support definitely helped me stabilize my situation and make it more manageable.”

Her hard work and dedication are already paying off. This past summer, Sandoval was accepted into and participated in the Next Generation Service Corps Summer Policy Academy, a fully paid, five-week program in Washington, D.C., and Seattle, Washington, at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. The program gave her the chance to engage

ALL IN FOR STUDENT ACCESS, SUCCESS, AND EXCELLENCE The Green School established the Student Success Fund to

with government leaders and other high-profile figures in public service and advocacy through interactive workshops and networking events.

support initiatives that promote student access, success, and

With the help of her scholarship, Sandoval is determined to finish

excellence. This includes providing financial relief to students

her bachelor’s degree, complete an MBA, and gain experience

facing unexpected personal emergencies, such as health

working in local government. She’s also considering joining the U.S.

issues, car accidents, loss of income, and housing insecurity.

Air Force as an officer once she obtains her master’s degree.

These sudden, life-altering situations may make it challenging for students to prioritize education, leading them to consider delaying graduation or dropping out of school entirely.

“It means a lot when somebody seems invested in me, because nobody’s forcing [them] to help me,” Sandoval said. “These emergency funds are an investment in students that can have an

The scholarship has been supported by donations to the Green

impact on our communities and society. Investing in the future

School Student Success Fund by alumni, community members,

always pays off.”

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

19

FLORMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION’S

$1.55M+ CAPS A LEGACY OF SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

Ending a 28-year legacy of giving to FIU, the sunsetting Florman Family Foundation makes generous and especially meaningful parting gifts.

S

ince its founding in 1996, the Florman Family Foundation

For years, the Florman Family Foundation focused on boosting

has invested in education, the arts, and community aid

this endowment and other nursing funds, such as the Nursing

programs across South Florida. This work honors the legacies

Faculty Development fund and the Nursing General Scholarships

of Betty and Marvin Florman, who dedicated themselves to

fund. The foundation became a strong supporter of FIU’s

philanthropy and social welfare in Miami for decades.

Fostering Panther Pride program when it launched in 2014.

The Florman Family Foundation has been an especially

Fostering Panther Pride offers specialized educational

valuable ally of FIU, with total giving of $3.4 million directed

resources, aid, and advisement to former foster youth and

towards student aid programs, like Fostering Panther Pride, and

students experiencing homelessness. The foundation has

scholarship funding. Their gifts have long fueled FIU student

donated to the program each year, contributing about $290,000

programs and supported nursing students and faculty in FIU’s Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences. In addition to funding student scholarships, the foundation also

over the last 11 years.

supported scholarships for nursing faculty to complete their

BOOST TO ALL IN, FOSTERING PANTHER PRIDE

doctoral degrees, a long-held goal of the college’s leadership.

The Florman Family Foundation’s recent contributions towards

In December 2024, the Florman Family Foundation announced it was sunsetting after almost 30 years of operation. As a final gesture recognizing its long-valued partnership with FIU, the foundation made a generous $1.55 million gift to enhance the Betty Florman Nursing Scholarship Endowment, along with separate gifts towards the All In for FIU Scholarships initiative and the Fostering Panther Pride program.

“The foundation’s Trustees felt that a final, significant gift to FIU’s School of Nursing was the most meaningful way to honor Betty’s vision,” Mark Blank, chairman of the Florman Family Foundation, said. “FIU has been a trusted partner for nearly three decades, demonstrating a consistent ability to turn the foundation’s support into real opportunities for students and faculty. By directing the foundation’s largest-ever gift to FIU, we ensured that Betty’s memory will live on in a way that continues to strengthen the nursing profession and benefit the community she loved.”

A LEGACY OF SUPPORT FOR THE NURSING PROFESSION AND FIU STUDENTS IN NEED The foundation began its relationship with FIU by establishing the Betty Florman Nursing Scholarship Endowment in 1997. Initially,

the All In initiative have already positively impacted students.

The All In initiative is a fundraising effort focused on boosting general scholarships, retention to completion scholarships, and emergency funding. FIU has awarded 178 students over $213,000 in emergency aid thanks to the Florman Family Foundation’s gift.

With this newest donation, which also supported Fostering Panther Pride, students facing housing insecurity received emergency housing, ensuring their safety and ability to complete their degrees at FIU. “The generous donation from the Florman Family Foundation is transforming the lives of Fostering Panther Pride students facing financial challenges. This support enables them to continue their academic journey without the burden of unexpected financial setbacks,” Ana Ramos, Fostering Panther Pride program director, said.

With these meaningful final gifts, the Florman Family Foundation has added to its powerful legacy at FIU and in the nursing profession, giving FIU students the financial and emergency resources they need to achieve their academic dreams.

this scholarship was meant to elevate nursing faculty by providing

“Over the years, FIU has demonstrated that it could translate

scholarships to help them complete their Bachelor of Science in

philanthropic support into lasting impact for students, faculty,

Nursing degrees. The foundation later extended its support to

and the broader Miami-Dade community,” Blank said. “We felt

both graduate and undergraduate nursing students. Since 2007,

confident that our gifts were not only honoring Betty Florman’s

over 300 nursing students with financial need have received

wishes but also creating a legacy of care that will endure far

funding, with over $794,000 in total scholarship funds dispersed.

beyond the foundation itself.”

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

21

FIU AND TURNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY DEVELOP NEW EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAM

22

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

S

ince its establishment in 1983, the Turner Construction Company Foundation’s investments have positively impacted

the communities in which Turner builds. Aligned with this mission, the foundation has partnered with FIU to establish the Turner Construction Foundation Scholarship Endowment, allocating $25,000 toward the endowed fund.

This new endowed scholarship not only provides financial support for eligible architecture, construction management, and

“Through this partnership with FIU, we are

engineering students, but it also creates a unique experiential

amplifying our commitment to workforce

learning opportunity. Through Turner Construction’s jobshadowing program, recipients gain hands-on experience in the

development and our Future Builders initiatives.

construction industry and insight into internal operations that

It’s about ensuring students not only have

extend well beyond the job site.

access to higher education but thrive within it.”

Launched in August 2025, the program is also designed to

— Amaury Genao, community and citizenship manager at Turner Construction Company

expand collaborative research opportunities rooted in realworld experience, merging academic expertise with an evolving industry. Students are able to collaborate with mentors at Turner Construction, pitching their ideas to industry professionals and exploring ways to implement them.

Amaury Genao, community and citizenship manager at Turner Construction Company, worked with Dr. Jose Rodriguez, director of FIU’s Organizational Sciences Master’s Program, to develop the program.

“After several months of careful planning and collaboration with our team, we are finally ready,” Genao said. “Its success will be driven

by Dr. Rodriguez’s dedication to learning and his commitment to creating impactful opportunities. Establishing pathways for job shadowing and industry-driven research is particularly exciting.”

For Genao, whose wife and various family members graduated from FIU, the university was a natural choice for launching such an ambitious program. FIU’s dedication to accessibility for first-generation students, commitment to progress, and strong community presence made it the right partner.

over $220,000 in scholarships and student programs. However, this marks Turner’s first endowed scholarship in South Florida. “By investing in local youth, we provide students with the essential tools, skills, and mentorship they need to positively impact their communities,” Genao said. “Our ultimate aim is to nurture future leaders who, guided by their education and experiences, will uplift their neighborhoods. An endowment at FIU will enable us to have this kind of an impact for generations to come.”

This collaboration also signifies a new chapter in the relationship between FIU and the Turner Construction Company Foundation as the partners build a pathway for students to gain on-the-job experience and conduct industry research while pursuing their degrees at FIU. “Through this partnership with FIU, we are amplifying our commitment to workforce development and our Future Builders initiatives,” Genao added. “It’s about ensuring students not only have access to higher education but thrive within it. FIU’s environment aligns perfectly with our values, underscoring the

This is not the Turner Construction Company Foundation’s first gift

importance of creating supportive, empowering spaces both

to FIU. Since 1990, the Turner South Florida office has invested

academically and professionally.”

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

23

AGILE, INNOVATIVE GIVING

CATALYSTS OF CHANGE

Philanthropy powers novel programs in immersive entertainment and catalyzes academic health partnership initiatives.

MAKING D.R.E.A.M.S. COME TRUE

T

he location-based entertainment (LBE)

opportunities for hands-on education, exclusive

industry is projected to exceed $20 billion

internships, and exciting careers. The gift funds

by 2032, growing rapidly as entertainment

a director position, a faculty member, a program

merges with new technologies. The D.R.E.A.M.S.

assistant, student scholarships, program

program — funded with a leadership gift from

development, and marketing, making it a fully

Tom Dolan and the Dolan Family Foundation —

self-supporting program. “There’s not a lot of

puts FIU and its students at the forefront of this

understanding around this industry, so many

pioneering field.

people come to it not knowing what to expect,”

LBE refers to interactive, immersive experiences that physically and digitally engage audiences.

It’s often at work in theme parks, immersive theaters, esports arenas, interactive museums, and large-scale events — creating unforgettable experiences that blend technology, storytelling, and physical space. D.R.E.A.M.S., which stands for Digital Research Entertainment Arts Media Sciences, is FIU’s bold step to become a research

director of D.R.E.A.M.S. “But once they begin to grasp all that it has to offer, I see the lightbulbs go off and the eyes light up. That’s what excites me most about this project.”

D.R.E.A.M.S. is housed within the School of Communication’s Global Strategic Communication program, part of the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA).

and education leader in this fast-moving field.

The program’s first three elective classes, open to

“Entertainment is evolving, and education must

in Fall 2025. Taught by Cloyd, along with high-

evolve with it,” said Tom Dolan, director of the

powered industry guest lecturers, the courses

Dolan Family Foundation. “D.R.E.A.M.S. at FIU

are LBE Industries and Insights, LBE Leadership

seeks to ensure that the next generation of

and Entrepreneurship, and LBE Immersive

creative minds is prepared to lead the future of

Management. So far, student interest is high,

immersive storytelling. By combining academic

and plans are underway to establish an LBE

excellence with real-world industry collaboration,

concentration, certificate, or even a major within

this program will attempt to redefine how

the MS in Global Strategic Communication.

students learn, create, and innovate.”

24

said tech futurist and FIU Professor Travis Cloyd,

graduate and undergraduate students, launched

With his vast industry connections, Cloyd has

Thanks to the Dolan Family Foundation,

recruited an impressive list of professionals

D.R.E.A.M.S. is giving FIU students unparalleled

to the advisory board, including Darcy Troy

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

The new D.R.E.A.M.S. program is giving FIU students opportunities for hands-on education, exclusive internships, and exciting careers in location-based entertainment — interactive, immersive experiences that physically and digitally engage audiences.

Pollack, who served as the vice president of immersive experiences at MGM Resorts; Lee Caplin, a founding faculty member of California State University’s high-tech campus in Monterey and namesake of FIU’s Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media; Dave Stump, an Academy Award-winning cinematographer and visual effects artist; Ted Schilowitz, a former futurist at Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox; Kimberlee Archer ’05, an FIU alumna who has worked at Samsung, Meta, and Snapchat; and Billy Zane, a renowned actor, among others.

This program has several strategic tentacles — strengthening the student experience, innovation and technology in communications, and deep industry alliances — directly aligning its mission with FIU’s Experience Impact 2030 strategic plan.

“If you’re looking for a comparable program at other colleges and universities,” Cloyd said, “I don’t think there are any.” He adds, “Vast amounts of money are being spent on LBE, but there’s not much talk about how to train the next generation of creative business leaders and entrepreneurs to meet the needs and potential of the industry going forward.”

If Cloyd has his way, FIU students will be the first — and best — talent to fill that need.

The FIU community was immersed in a carnival atmosphere and a drone show, a form of location-based entertainment, at the Homecoming Uncaging event held on September 19, 2024, on the Graham Center Lawns.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

25

A SIGNATURE INVESTMENT IN ACADEMIC HEALTH

FIU Board of Trustees Chair Carlos A. Duart ’94, MS ’99, and Tina M. Vidal-Duart ’02, MIB ’04

I

n the face of a nationwide physician shortage, FIU is doubling down on health.

Two years ago, FIU and transformational partner Baptist Health South Florida formed an alliance to strengthen academic medicine and close the physician talent gap in South Florida. New investments and

initiatives are helping propel this academic health partnership forward.

Recently elected FIU Board of Trustees Chair Carlos A. Duart ’94, MS ’99, and Tina M. Vidal-Duart ’02, MIB ’04, committed $1 million in support of the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine/Baptist Health South Florida Academic Medical Enterprise Fund in 2024. FIU and Baptist Health representatives on the Academic Medical Center Joint Steering Committee will jointly select initiatives supported by this fund.

As chair of the Board of Trustees and CEO of CDR Enterprises, Inc., Duart was instrumental in helping secure state support for a new FIU clinical building that Baptist Health will operate. This commitment from Chair Duart and Vidal-Duart, CEO of CDR Health Care, further validates the FIU-Baptist Health partnership and its future impact on the physician pipeline, breakthrough research, and the standard of care in South Florida.

“This partnership can improve patient outcomes and create high-paying jobs by retaining graduates in South Florida,” Duart recently stated in the FIU Medicine Magazine. “The economic ripple effect,” he noted, “will expand access to health care resources and position FIU as a global leader, particularly in Latin America.”

“We see FIU’s research capabilities being accelerated as a result of the Baptist Health partnership. Their work will lead to new treatments and cures of rare medical conditions and create a pipeline for students to solve these challenges,” Vidal-Duart said.

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

86,000 68%

Nationally, more than two-thirds of U.S. physicians practiced in the same state where they completed both medical school and graduate medical education (AAMC, 2024).

The nation will face a physician shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036 (AAMC, 2024).

91%

31%

FIU’s MD Class of 2029 (121 medical students) is 91% Florida residents; 66% are from South Florida, and over a quarter are FIU alumni.

of the MD Class of 2025 was matched to residencies in South Florida. Nearly half will train in Florida.

PANTHER CHAMPIONS OF FIU Highly engaged alumni, Duart and Vidal-Duart have served in various leadership Directors. An FIU Honors College graduate, Vidal-Duart served as chair of the

THE FIU-BAPTIST HEALTH ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER

Honors College Dean’s Advisory Board for several years. She also served on the

Appropriations by the Florida Legislature totaling

FIU President’s Council. Duart has served on advisory councils in the College

$160+ million will build a state-of-the-art clinical

of Engineering & Computing, the College of Business, and the Honors College

building on FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus. The

and chaired the recent presidential search committee. He currently sits on the

163,000-square-foot, six-story FIU-Baptist Health

steering committee of the University Transportation Research Center. Both

Academic Medical Center will be located on SW 107th

roles at the university, including as members of the FIU Foundation Board of

Panthers have received FIU Alumni Torch Awards, among other accolades, and championed several FIU initiatives. Their recent philanthropy established the Vidal-Duart Wine Studies Program at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, supported the Chip Cassidy Distinguished Professorship, created two Honors College scholarship endowments, and funded FIU Athletics facilities enhancements and the construction of CasaCuba, among other giving. Chair Duart recently committed funds to erect a bronze statue of President Ronald Reagan on the front lawn of the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential House.

This latest signature investment in academic health by a prominent Panther couple will be instrumental in advancing the FIU-Baptist Health partnership and the planned clinical facility at FIU.

Avenue, south of FIU’s Innovation Complex. The center will offer advanced multi-specialty care and diagnostic and outpatient surgical services to the neighboring community, elevating the level of care available at FIU. There are many opportunities to support the center, its clinical programs, and the FIU-Baptist Health partnership.

MAKE YOUR GIFT TODAY! FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

27

SPACES THAT SHAPE FUTURES

PLACES OF POSSIBILITY

Philanthropy centers disciplines to accelerate discovery and the development of novel interventions in cardiovascular health.

FLORIDA HEART RESEARCH FOUNDATION AND FIU TACKLE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES Partners envision a robust research ecosystem in South Florida.

C

ardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the leading cause of death in the U.S., outpacing cancers and accidental deaths combined, according to

the American Heart Association.

A team of FIU researchers in biomedical engineering, medicine, public health, and science is tackling this challenge, partnering with the Florida Heart Research Foundation to accelerate, translate, and strengthen cardiovascular research.

Their vision is to create a robust cardiovascular research ecosystem in South Florida.

Fueling this vision, the Florida Heart Research Foundation recently committed $11.7 million for cardiovascular research and education, funding:

•

FACULTY RESEARCH

•

JUNIOR FACULTY GRANTS

•

DOCTORAL STUDENT GRANTS

•

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

•

ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER RESEARCH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

•

CARDIAC NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS

In recognition of this generous investment, the university is establishing the FIU-Florida Heart Research Foundation Center for Innovation in Cardiovascular Health, which will be located on the sixth floor of the new Innovation Complex building. Dr. Joshua Hutcheson, associate professor in the FIU Department of Biomedical Engineering, is the founding director.

Forming a center at a large research university is a feat. Dr. Hutcheson credits Dr. Andrés G. Gil, senior vice president for research and economic development, for facilitating the process and expanding the vision to include junior faculty grants. “For the center to retain the talent it invests in, we needed that final piece — funding that would give a strong start to junior faculty working on research at the intersection of engineering and science,” said Dr. Gil. Interim Dean of the College of Engineering & Computing Dr. Inés Triay views the center as a model for how technology can drive solutions that save lives on a global scale. “The Florida Heart Research Foundation’s investment enables FIU to accelerate discoveries that will shape the future of cardiovascular health,” added Dean Triay.

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

Dr. Joshua Hutcheson (left), director of the FIU-Florida Heart Research Foundation Center for Innovation in Cardiovascular Health, with Dr. Valentina Dargam (right), recipient of the center’s first junior faculty grant.

EDUCATION, INNOVATION, TRANSLATION

includes proceeds from the foundation’s “Stop Heart Disease”

The center has three interconnecting pillars: education,

specialty license plate program.

innovation, and translation. Education involves building the research talent pipeline from high school to faculty and community outreach through American Heart Month in February and the Miami Heart Day Symposium in August, among other initiatives.

Innovation and translation describe the center’s research goals: developing new methods and devices for detecting, diagnosing,

A longtime donor of FIU, the foundation first funded cardiac nursing scholarships and equipment. In 2018, it began funding cardiovascular research in biomedical engineering. Support for doctoral fellowships and undergraduate and high school student research came next. This multifaceted partnership inspired FIU’s new Center for Innovation in Cardiovascular Health.

treating, remediating, and preventing cardiovascular diseases.

From the laboratory to clinical settings and back, the center’s

SIGNS OF A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM

translational work will connect affiliated scientists, engineers,

The partners’ vision to create a cardiovascular research

student researchers, nurses, and clinicians. “The Center for

ecosystem already bears fruit. Four high school summer

Innovation in Cardiovascular Health is built on the idea that

research interns are enrolled at FIU and remain actively

breakthroughs happen when different areas of expertise come

involved in cardiovascular research.

together,” said Dr. Hutcheson. “A key part of this vision is training the next generation at every level, from high school and undergraduate

A doctoral student in biomedical engineering, recognized in 2022

students gaining their first exposure to research, to PhD trainees

as the “Stop Heart Disease Researcher of the Year” by the Florida

learning to collaborate across disciplines, nursing students seeing

Chapter of the American College of Cardiology and the Florida

how innovation connects to patient care, and faculty who continue

Heart Research Foundation, recently completed postdoctoral

to grow as leaders in cardiovascular discovery.”

research at the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social

“We believe that through research and education, heart disease can be prevented, stopped, and even reversed if the right corrective steps are taken,” said Nancy Cavalie, executive director of the foundation. “We focus on projects and research partners that

Work on environmental toxicants and cardiovascular health.

Valentina Dargam ’18, MS ’23, PhD ’24, is now a research assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the recipient of the center’s first junior faculty grant.

demonstrate the most promise for advancement in the field, which

These are all signs of a healthy research ecosystem, pumping talent

is why we’ve invested in FIU,” said Cavalie. The foundation’s support

back into the center.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

29

PARTNERS DRIVING WELLNESS

HEALTHIER TOMORROWS

Philanthropy powers the traditions and scholarships that make tomorrow’s doctors and addresses the mental health challenges facing FIU students and children in our community.

FIU FACULTY MEMBER GIVES BACK: A NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS community health centers. As an educator, he has 20 years of experience teaching in higher and medical education. He even spent a decade teaching undergraduate liberal arts, earning tenure at a liberal arts college.

“I love teaching,” he said, “and in some ways I consider myself more of a teacher than FIU’s Dr. Gregory Schneider and his wife, Arcelia Rodriguez

D

r. Gregory Schneider did not come from a wealthy family. Raised by a single mother, he

paid his way through college and medical school with the help of a couple of scholarships that made all the difference. This past year, he and his wife, Arcelia Rodriguez, decided it was time to give back.

“Arcelia and I both believe that as much as possible, we should extend a hand to people if we can, so they can pursue careers they aspire to,” he said.

With a gift of $28,500, Dr. Schneider and his wife created the Gregory Schneider and Arcelia Rodriguez Scholarship Endowment to support FIU medical students with financial need — a testament to their love for the community.

“It truly is a community-based medical school that cares about the local people it serves,” said Dr. Schneider, who appreciates how the student body reflects the community and includes a high number of first-generation college students. “FIU gives them a chance,” he added.

30

a physician.”

At FIU, Dr. Schneider teaches medical students at all levels, concentrating on clinical skills, ethics, and the social factors involved in health. He also serves as the associate dean for curriculum and medical education, overseeing the fouryear medical student curriculum and the Office of Medical Education, which strives to foster excellent student outcomes while improving the student and faculty experience.

“I am deeply grateful for Dr. Schneider’s and Arcelia’s heartfelt gift to our medical students,” said Senior Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Juan C. Cendán. “It is especially moving when one of our faculty sees a need and creates an endowment to ensure it is met in perpetuity.”

“I hope the spirit of our giving can encourage others to give,” Dr. Schneider said. “Maybe one of our scholarship students will remember this gift after graduation and be inspired to give, too, or perhaps a colleague will realize they’re in a position to give. My wife and I believe that if you

As a clinician, Dr. Schneider has practiced primary

are lucky enough to have something to give,

care in academic health, student healthcare, and

think about what you could do.”

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

FIU’s 2025 Wellness Wave event brought a new donor family to FIU. The Potters started a wellness wave of another kind, giving to mental health awareness, research, and student support.

POTTER FAMILY STARTS A WELLNESS WAVE WITH RIPPLE EFFECTS

S

ometimes, you just have to come to one of our campuses and meet our students and faculty to get inspired. For first-time

donors Robert and Kathryn Potter, it all started with an FIU Wellness Wave event in March 2025.

“The Wellness Wave brought together movement, mindfulness, and community for an important cause — mental health awareness,” said Robert, whose gift of SEAAV athleisure wear benefitted students. “In addition to participating in a fitness class, each student received a SEAAV workout piece.”

Over 200 FIU students attended the Wellness Wave, along with the Potters and their two college-age daughters. The family’s passion for mental health awareness stems from firsthand experiences with challenges facing families today. Both of their daughters stressed the importance of having strong mental health resources available on their college campuses and shared their friends’ struggles both pre- and post-COVID-19.

Following the Wellness Wave, Robert, CEO at Oomnitza, was invited by family friend Brad Aldrich, director of development at the FIU Foundation, to speak at FIU cyber classes. Then, Robert met Dr. Katie Hart, director of FIU’s Center for Children & Families.

Robert and Kathryn Potter

That’s when the Potters’ interest in broadening their philanthropy

“We are proud to partner with the center to advance the mission of

to FIU solidified. Robert toured the center’s labs and was

supporting children and families facing mental health challenges,”

impressed. Of all the institutions he’s visited — many with long

said Kathryn. “Our hope is that families know what resources are

medical legacies — none were conducting the kind of practical

available, which is crucial to building resilience, improving children’s

research he observed at FIU.

academic performance, and equipping them with the skills to

The Potters’ $100,000 gift will support faculty research focused on

manage challenges and achieve their potential.”

integrating prescriptive medications with psychological therapies.

The Potters’ gift also funds mental health awareness initiatives

It will also provide funding for travel expenses for center faculty to

at the Center for Fraternity & Sorority Enrichment and provides

collaborate with leading experts at institutions across the country.

industry conference support to students at the Steven J. Green

“We are deeply grateful to the Potter family for their commitment to

School of International & Public Affairs.

our center and for helping us expand our impact in the community,” said Dr. Hart. “Their generosity allows us to advance critical research on innovative treatment approaches and ensure these

The Potters’ generosity is fueling a stronger, more resilient future.

From meeting the immediate needs of FIU students to supporting

advances reach the children and families who need them most.”

vital mental health research that will impact future generations of

With this gift, the Potter family aims to help families in need.

of their own — one with long-term ripple effects.

children and their families, the Potters are making a wellness wave

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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It all started with the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine’s first class of medical students in 2009.

For 17 years, Leon Medical Centers has given each incoming class new stethoscopes.

LEON MEDICAL CENTERS STETHOSCOPES START A CHERISHED TRADITION W ith families cheering and cameras flashing, FIU’s newest

Of the 121 incoming students beginning their medical journeys

medical students proudly donned white coats in August.

as the Class of 2029, 91% are from Florida — 66% from South

The White Coat Ceremony — an important rite of passage

Florida — and over a quarter are FIU alumni. This strong

for new students — is a formal welcome into the medical

connection to the local community matters. Statistics show that

community and a powerful reminder of the responsibilities and

many physicians remain in the communities where they train,

ethics of the profession. Lab coats were not the only emblems

which means this year’s incoming class has the potential to

of the profession that students wore that week. Thanks to the

significantly impact Florida’s physician shortage. FIU Medicine’s

generosity of Leon Medical Centers, each received a brand-

recent alliances with Baptist Health South Florida and Nicklaus

new stethoscope.

Children’s Hospital will expand the number of FIU-affiliated

Over the years, Leon Medical Centers’ stethoscopes have become a cherished tradition at the Herbert Wertheim College of

residencies and fellowships available to these students, helping attract physicians more likely to stay in South Florida.

Medicine. Starting with the college’s first class of medical students

The journey from White Coat Ceremony to graduation is

in 2009, Leon Medical Centers has given new stethoscopes to

challenging for medical students. In Spring 2025, 137 medical

each incoming class. This academic year marks the 17th class to

students graduated, the largest FIU MD class ever. Nearly half

receive stethoscopes, valued at approximately $450,000 since

of the class is putting their stethoscopes to use at residencies

2009. These stethoscopes are especially meaningful for many FIU

in Florida, and 31% of those stethoscopes will stay right here

students, as they symbolize patient care and connection.

where they started, caring for South Florida.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY Leon Medical Centers Chairman and Founder Benjamín León Jr. has given back to the community through institutions that serve it, including FIU. One of FIU’s Transformational Donors, León has made generous investments in the university, including a $10 million gift establishing and endowing the Benjamin Leon Jr. Family Center for Geriatric Research and Education and the Leon Medical Centers Eminent Scholars Chair in Geriatrics at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. An additional $10 million gift named CasaCuba’s future home at the Benjamín León Jr. Building.

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

FIU FOUNDATION Pictured: Robert ANNUAL and Kathryn REPORT Potter 33

INVESTING IN A RESILIENT FUTURE

SUSTAINABILITY IN MOTION

Philanthropy protects the health of ecosystems above and below water.

THE MICCOSUKEE TRIBE OF INDIANS OF FLORIDA CONNECTS FIU RESEARCHERS WITH BIG CYPRESS TO MONITOR WATER QUALITY Combining Indigenous knowledge with science to drive results

T

he Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida

associate, the project will evaluate the level of

has been a longtime and steadfast partner

phosphorus in inflowing water. Phosphorus is

of FIU. The partnership began over 30 years

a vital nutrient, but excess amounts can lead

ago, with the Miccosukee Tribe supporting

to ecosystem changes that negatively impact

FIU Athletics and environmental research and

species and ecosystem functions.

monitoring, among other areas.

Miccosukee Tribe, FIU, and most importantly,

Miccosukee Tribe is located primarily in

the greater Everglades environment,” Dr. Gaiser

southernmost Florida. FIU and the Miccosukee

said. This project establishes artificial flow-ways

Tribe are a natural fit to maintain the health

in natural marshes to experimentally manipulate

of the Everglades and Big Cypress National

the amount of phosphorus flowing into the

Preserve. FIU’s Institute of Environment, a

marsh. The FIU scientists will measure chemical

global leader in studying and managing the

and biological responses over three years to

health of ecosystems above and below water, contributes to FIU’s recognition as a University of Distinction in Environmental Resilience. Our South Florida location means we are all directly dependent on and affected by the land we live on and the water surrounding us.

FIU and the Miccosukee Tribe have recently joined forces to protect ecosystem health at Big Cypress, thanks to a $600,000 gift funding a research project called “Establishing a Protective Phosphorus Target for the Western Everglades

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“This historic gift marks a major victory for the

A distinct and unique tribal nation, the

evaluate how various phosphorus levels impact the local ecosystem. Thanks to the generosity of the Miccosukee Tribe’s philanthropic support, this important research is able to happen.

“This is a prime example of how combining Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge — the beliefs about the relationships between living beings and their environment — with science can achieve truly transformative results for environmental conservation,” Dr. Solomon said.

Restoration Project Region of Big Cypress

By combining FIU’s scientific expertise with

National Preserve.” Led by FIU’s Dr. Evelyn

the Miccosukee Tribe’s knowledge, FIU will be

Gaiser, George M. Barley Jr. Endowed Chair in

more strongly positioned to determine water

Everglades Research and distinguished university

management practices that benefit Big Cypress,

professor, and Dr. Kelsey Solomon, a postdoctoral

the Everglades, and the entire region.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

Dr. Kelsey Solomon (third from right in back row), Dr. Evelyn Gaiser (third from left), and team set up artificial flow-ways in Big Cypress to monitor water phosphorus levels.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

35

COLLABORATIVE GIVING

POWERED BY PARTNERSHIPS

Philanthropic partnerships have a ripple effect, inspiring new investments in the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media’s mission and doubling the impact of Florida’s LINE program aimed at stemming the nursing shortage.

36

MALKA EQUITIES JOINS IN STRENGTHENING CAPLIN EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM AND MEDIA EDUCATION Strengthening a free press to empower the next generation of journalists

I

n November 2022, FIU Transformational

The Malka Principle funds will also support Caplin

Donors Gita and Lee Caplin committed

School student scholarships; state-of-the-art

generous funding to FIU’s College of

immersive and emerging technologies; faculty

Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA)

salaries (full-time and part-time); student travel

in support of journalism and media studies.

to attend relevant journalism and media events,

The resulting Lee Caplin School of Journalism

conferences, and workshops; and study abroad,

& Media is grounded in the First Amendment

among others.

and the desire to develop critical thinkers and communicators, and it has since drawn positive

“While the Caplin School and Malka Equities

attention, including from other donors.

pursue distinct missions, we are united by a shared

With the desire to support the school,

elevate lives, empower communities, and uphold

Malka Equities generously contributed

human dignity. The creation of the Malka Principle

$3 million to form the Malka Principle: A

fund is a bold and timely affirmation of that belief.

Dean’s Discretionary Fund. For use by the

This visionary gift directly supports the Caplin Way

dean of CARTA, the funding supports what

and provides the flexibility needed to invest in

is known at the school as the “Caplin Way,”

emerging technologies, immersive experiences,

referring to its student-centered, hands-on

and real-world opportunities for our students,”

approach to journalism and media education.

added Dean Schriner.

“Malka Equities’ investment in FIU further

With Malka Equities’ commitment to strengthening

positions the Caplin School as a national leader,

a free press and enhancing journalism education,

preparing ethical, forward-thinking journalists

the Caplin School is poised to deliver an enriched

and media professionals who are ready to

and dynamic student experience — empowering

meet the moment and shape the future of our

the next generation to shape media that serves the

democracy,” said CARTA Dean Brian Schriner.

public good.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

belief in the transformative power of education to

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

37

2025 MARKS THREE YEARS OF DONOR SUPPORT AND STATE LINE FUNDING, BUILDING FLORIDA’S NURSING PIPELINE

A

s Florida’s healthcare facilities grapple with staffing

Students selected for FIU’s LINE scholarship and student support

shortages, a successful collaborative model being

program receive $20,000 each for tuition and fees, often graduate

deployed at Florida International University — and across

debt-free, and are guaranteed at least two years of employment

all state universities in Florida with nursing programs — is

upon graduation and certification. As an example, in the fiscal year

demonstrating how public-private partnerships can transform

2024-2025, Riviera Health Resort funded a $20,000 BSN student

nursing education, strengthen the healthcare workforce, and

scholarship matched 1:1 by the state, which covered the cost of an

better serve our communities.

additional scholarship. The first scholar has already committed to

Thanks to the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE)

working at Riviera after graduation to care for patients in rehabilitation.

program created by the Florida Legislature, investments made

Jackson Health System has invested $400,000 in student support

by hospital partners in nursing schools to fund faculty support,

for Accelerated Option BSN students (fiscal year 2022-2023), while

scholarships, student support, and equipment are matched by

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has committed a total of $308,000 in

the state. Since 2022, FIU’s Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing

financial support for BSN students and faculty over the past two

& Health Sciences has secured more than $8.8 million, including

fiscal years.

$4.2 million in state matches. FIU’s generous healthcare partners include Baptist Health South Florida, HCA Healthcare, Memorial Healthcare System, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Jackson Health System, and Riviera Health Resort.

TURNING NURSES INTO EDUCATORS Since nursing faculty are also in short supply, our partners are committed to collaborating with FIU Nursing to strengthen the faculty

LINE Funding By the Numbers (2022-2025)

$4,624,600

Total LINE Fund Partner Support

$4,196,575

Total State Matching Funds Received

$8,821,175

TOTAL IMPACT

pipeline. In 2022, HCA Healthcare donated $1.5 million, matched by the state, to fund faculty positions, preceptor recruitment, scholarships, and student recruitment.

“Florida’s nurse educators are the backbone of teaching in our nursing schools and hospitals, and they are key to increasing registered nurses in our communities,” said Dr. Sharon Dixon Gentry, AVP for education and strategic partnerships at HCA Healthcare. “With this partnership, we’re following through on our commitment to build and maintain a much-needed pipeline of the most qualified nurse

STRENGTHENING NURSING CAREER PATHWAYS Thanks to the LINE program, since 2022, a total of 197

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educators, which will ultimately reduce the nursing faculty and nursing workforce shortage.”

scholarships and student support awards have been made,

Since the LINE program started, Memorial Healthcare System

with partner support and state match totaling $5.1 million. These

has given a total of $396,600, matched by the state, to support

partnerships do more than fund education — they promote

undergraduate nursing faculty and the Joe DiMaggio Children’s

increased student recruitment, retention, and academic success,

Hospital Pediatric Nursing Professorship. This faculty support

and create pathways to employment for Bachelor of Science in

enhanced Memorial’s additional commitment of $500,000 for LINE

Nursing (BSN) graduates.

undergraduate nursing student support over the past three years.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

Bachelor of Science in Nursing students at FIU Nursing.

“The Florida Legislature’s LINE Program has been tremendous for the college, strengthening our alliances with hospital partners and generating more than $8.8 million, including state matches, for our nursing students and faculty. This statewide program is an effective solution for Florida’s nursing pipeline challenges.”

— Dr. Jorge Valdes, Dean, Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences

“Together with FIU, we’re dedicated to making impactful

Since 2022, Baptist Health has also invested $1.05 million,

strides to help address the regional shortage of registered

matched by the state, in LINE undergraduate nursing student

nurses,” said Kathleen Vazquez, manager of RN prelicensure

support, helping to meet their current and future registered

transition to practice at Memorial Healthcare System.

nurse workforce needs.

“We’re proud to be a forward-looking healthcare system that supports the development of Florida’s future nursing

“Our partnership with FIU promises to transform nursing

professionals and strengthens the communities we serve.”

education in South Florida,” said Dr. Jean Putnam, system chief

Baptist Health is also committed to building the pipeline of

the next generation of registered nurses are already making a

nursing educators and nurses. In fiscal year 2023-2024, they gave $250,000 to support the Baptist Health Graduate

nurse executive at Baptist Health. “Our efforts to help train difference. It’s exciting to see.”

Acute Care Nursing Professorship, which covers salary

For all involved, the ROI is clear. For healthcare partners, this

and benefits for a dedicated faculty member to develop

program provides a steady pipeline of well-prepared nurses

and lead a new Acute Care Nursing Track. In 2024-2025,

who are familiar with their systems and culture. For students, it

Baptist Health committed $196,565, matched by the state, to

offers top-notch, affordable education and secure employment.

establish the Baptist Health Undergraduate Nursing Faculty

For the state, it addresses a critical workforce shortage. And for

Support Fund.

patients, it means more nurses with excellent skills.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

39

IMPACT UPDATES

MIAMI’S ANCHOR INSTITUTION AT WORK

A VISION IN MOTION: Q&A WITH PRESIDENT JEANETTE M. NUÑEZ

W

ith bold vision and deep Panther roots, President Jeanette M. Nuñez is leading FIU into a new era. As the first alumna to serve as president and

a proud FIU parent, she brings personal passion and strong leadership to the role. Since stepping into the presidency, she has championed student success, research innovation, and community engagement. In this Q&A, President Nuñez shares her priorities and vision for what’s next.

Q: What does student success mean to you?

Student success is deeply personal to me, not only as a double Panther but also as a parent of two FIU alumni. I’m from Miami, and I know firsthand the power of FIU to change lives. FIU’s No. 1 ranking in economic mobility is more than a data point — it reflects our mission. We are focused on academic excellence, scholarships, career readiness, and a culture where every student thrives. It is why The Wall Street Journal ranked us the No. 1 university in Florida for the second consecutive year. The Florida Board of Governors designated FIU a preeminent university because of its outstanding performance in student success and research, outperforming other state universities for three consecutive years. We’re going to keep raising the bar.

Q: What areas of research are most exciting to you right now?

FIU research is bold and purpose driven. I’m especially proud of the groundbreaking pediatric precision medicine work led by Dr. Diana Azzam from the Robert Stempel School of Public Health & Social Work in collaboration with oncologist Dr. Maggie Fader, from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. We are making incredible strides in a variety of other areas, including Alzheimer’s research, and we are leading global marine

40

undersea research lab. Our researchers are tackling complex challenges, and I’m committed to expanding that impact by investing in talent, forging alliances in technology and innovation, and making FIU a Top 30 university by 2030.

Q: How is FIU strengthening its role in the community and with industry?

Our expanded collaborations with Baptist Health South Florida and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital are connecting our students to clinical experiences, attracting world-renowned doctors to Miami, catalyzing collaborative research, and raising the standard of care in the community. We are building a new clinical facility at FIU that we’ll operate in conjunction with Baptist Health. This is an opportunity to improve care and train future doctors and allied health professionals right on campus.

Q: How can the Panther family support your vision?

One of my goals is to recruit and retain talented faculty. We recently announced Supporting Outstanding Academic Results — a fundraising initiative we are calling the SOAR Initiative.

My vision for SOAR is to turn it into a nimble instrument to accelerate faculty and student research, fund bold ideas and interdisciplinary collaborations, and strengthen FIU’s position as a preeminent R1 institution.

science through the Medina Aquarius Program

I invite the Panther community to learn more and

and Aquarius Reef Base, the world’s only

support the SOAR Initiative.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

A CAMPUS ON THE MOVE:

SEE WHAT’S TAKING SHAPE AT FIU BREAKTHROUGH ENGINEERING, SCIENCE, AND MEDICINE AT INNOVATION 1 The first building of FIU’s Innovation Complex — known as Innovation 1 — is just beginning to engage the community. A hub for multidisciplinary research and real-world problem-solving in AI, cybersecurity, robotics, automation, resilient infrastructure, AI-driven health, next-generation electronics, advanced manufacturing and materials, cardiovascular health, and basic science, Innovation 1 aims to drive Miami Tech growth and lifesaving discovery and innovation.

This new six-story building will house College of Engineering & Computing faculty from the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences and the departments of Biomedical Engineering and Multidisciplinary Engineering and Computing Education, Systems, and Management. The sixth

Innovation 1

floor is home to the new, interdisciplinary FIU-Florida Heart Research Foundation Center for Innovation in Cardiovascular

neurological disorders, and cardiovascular diseases,” said Naomi

Health, bringing together researchers in biomedical engineering,

Nixon, associate dean for development at the Herbert Wertheim

medicine, public health, and science. A story about the center is

College of Medicine. To learn more, email Nixon at nnixon@fiu.edu.

featured on page 28 of this report.

Innovation 1 also has dedicated spaces for startup formation,

The fifth floor is dedicated to the Herbert Wertheim College

entrepreneurial programming, and tech talent skill-building,

of Medicine and its basic science research labs. Researchers

reinforcing FIU’s commitment to preparing leaders who will

will develop new treatments and cures in collaboration with

create the companies and technologies of tomorrow. And it’s

Baptist Health South Florida’s institutes focused on oncology,

all thanks to you! This new building represents an investment of

neurology, cardiovascular health, and orthopedics, and Nicklaus

$38.9 million in state appropriations combined with university

Children’s Health System’s pediatric physician scientists — driving

and philanthropic commitments, including from FIU College of

innovation from bench to bedside and back. The college is in

Engineering & Computing alumnus Adrian Gonzalez ’17, MSEM

the initial stages of building out these critical labs, and several

’25, President of A&P Air Conditioning Corp., and Chevron USA,

partnership and recognition opportunities are available. “We have

Inc. We continue to raise support for this exciting, future-forward

several highly visible naming opportunities for donors interested

capital project. To learn more about innovation taking place at

in moving the needle on research that will develop tomorrow’s

Innovation 1, email Assistant Vice President for Development

lifesaving treatments and cures for adults and children with cancer,

Stephanie Cox at stcox@fiu.edu.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

41

The Trish and Dan Bell Chapel in Fall 2025

THE SOUND AND SHAPE OF THE TRISH AND DAN BELL CHAPEL The Trish and Dan Bell Chapel will soon connect with the

and transform lives,” said Ken Hall, senior vice president for

surrounding community through the carillon installation in its

advancement and CEO of the FIU Foundation.

bell tower. This milestone moment was set in motion in 2024, when Transformational Donors Trish and Dan Bell embedded a miniature bell in the chapel’s foundation as the concrete was poured. Exterior construction of the Trish and Dan Bell Chapel is underway, with the interior buildout projected to start early in 2026. We can’t wait to see this special place come to life!

You can watch construction from the live webcam or the road, but only an aerial view will reveal the chapel’s true form — a fish, an important symbol in various faiths. Overall, the design is intended to blend serenely with the natural surroundings to provide a welcoming respite for all.

“The Bell Chapel is transforming the landscape of the FIU MMC Campus with its dynamic and artistic design. When completed, it will provide a beautifully thoughtful venue for the greater FIU community and beyond to practice and discover faith,

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

To date, $18.5 million has been raised towards the Trish and Dan Bell Chapel capital project, with a targeted goal of $7.4 million remaining. “The Bell Chapel has such a meaningful mission and is an exceptional funding opportunity. Prominent, principal-level naming opportunities are still available,” said Lark Bennett, senior director of principal donor strategy and engagement at the FIU Foundation. The Department of Religious Studies at the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs and multifaith organizations at FIU are also exploring opportunities for the community to support programming in anticipation of the chapel’s opening in Fall 2026. For more information, contact Lark Bennett at larbenne@fiu.edu.

LEARN MORE

about the Bell Chapel

Rendering of the main entrance to CasaCuba at the Benjamín León Jr. Building

CASACUBA, WHERE THE CUBAN AMERICAN STORY LIVES CasaCuba, FIU’s Cuban and Cuban American academic and

the CasaCuba building; NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas,

cultural center, is preparing to break ground in 2026.

the event emcee; and GRAMMY Award-winning musician Emilio

On January 28, 2025, José Martí’s birthday, CasaCuba at the Benjamín León Jr. Building publicly unveiled its architectural renderings at a site inauguration event. Over 400 attendees experienced the excitement of a future CasaCuba.

Notable guests included Benjamín León Jr., founder of Leon Medical Centers, whose transformational $10 million gift named

Estefan. CasaCuba Board of Advisors Chair Mario Murgado shared inspiring remarks and invited guests to join him in supporting CasaCuba.

Since the event, CasaCuba has received 125 new gifts, a 100% increase in giving, hastening CasaCuba’s grand opening, which is expected in 2027.

LEARN MORE

about the event and view the architectural renderings

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

43

FAMILY LEGACY, PANTHER IMPACT

GRATITUDE & RECOGNITION

Legacies forged through investments in FIU beget new ones, as a maternal sacrifice inspires support for future generations, family giving catalyzes new partnerships, and distinguished alumni torchbearers light the way for others.

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

PHILANTHROPIST HARVEY GEDEON EXPANDS SCHOLARSHIP LEGACY CREATED IN HONOR OF HIS MOTHER

I

n 2025, philanthropist Harvey Gedeon and his family directed $1 million to boost the Rosita Gedeon Endowed Scholarship.

Established in 2019 in memory of his late mother, Rosita Gedeon, the endowed scholarship provides financial support to

The Green family (left to right): Ambassador Steven J. Green, Dr. Kimberly Green, and Dorothea Green

students, with a preference for those with financial need who are pursuing STEM, economics, or finance majors and who are interested in the needs of the Haitian population or in advancing opportunities for women and girls in Haitian communities.

With this expanded funding, the endowed fund will have an even greater impact on future generations of students, all in Rosita’s honor.

This legacy gift pays tribute to the sacrifices Gedeon’s mother made so that he could receive an education, as well as the values she instilled in her son. Born in Haiti, Rosita did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education. However, she worked hard to ensure her son received the best education possible with the limited resources she had.

Rosita Gedeon (left) and her son, FIU donor Harvey Gedeon

Now settled in retirement, his focus has turned to philanthropy, with a desire to give back by expanding opportunities for those who need it most. With the help of his family, Gedeon handpicked FIU as the university to carry out his mother’s

It was thanks to her sacrifice that at the age of 18, Gedeon

legacy, confident in FIU’s ability to grant opportunities to

left Haiti to attend college in New York City. As he earned his

students who were once just like him.

undergraduate and graduate degrees, he took on two full-time jobs to make ends meet.

“FIU is the ideal place to give back,” Gedeon said, “because of its national reputation, service to all communities in South

“My mother was my inspiration and mentor. I watched her

Florida, and talented students who are seeking to achieve

struggle to provide for her family as a single mother. She

academic and professional success.”

believed in us and encouraged us to be successful in life,” Gedeon told FIU News.

This devotion to success paid off, as Gedeon eventually went on to become a chemist at major cosmetic companies, including

“I am truly living the American dream, which is why I feel it is important to give

Revlon and Estée Lauder. Over the course of his career, he was

back to the community and empower

the co-inventor of 20 patents and climbed his way to the top of

future generations.”

the corporate ladder. By the time he retired in 2013, he was the

— Harvey Gedeon

executive vice president of The Estée Lauder Companies.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

45

The Green family (left to right): Ambassador Steven J. Green, Dr. Kimberly Green, and Dorothea Green

GREEN FAMILY FOUNDATION GIFT

CONTINUES A LONG FAMILY TRADITION: 35 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIONAL GIVING TO FIU

F

IU Transformational Donors Ambassador Steven J. Green,

Global Ties Miami fosters international goodwill, cooperation, and

former U.S. ambassador to Singapore; his wife, Dorothea

citizen diplomacy to encourage a peaceful and prosperous world,

Green; and their daughter, Dr. Kimberly Green, Green Family

a goal that perfectly aligns with the Green School and its many

Foundation president, have been a major part of the FIU

centers, institutes, and academic offerings that promise to form

community for nearly four decades, literally helping to build much

globally engaged graduates.

of it from the ground up. The Green Family Foundation’s support of FIU to date exceeds $35 million.

“The Green Family Foundation is committed to our community

Most recently, in 2025, the Green family gave to their namesake

have empowered students and partners to better serve locally

school, the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs (the Green School), to catalyze high-impact collaborations and partnerships. The Green School Partnership Fund provides $200,000 to enhance the Green School’s efforts to collaborate with organizations engaged in international affairs, cultural and academic exchanges, diplomacy initiatives, and related areas. The majority of the gift will enable the launch of a pilot program with

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and those who serve it. Through our investments in FIU, we and globally, ensuring a fairer and more equitable world for all.

The Green Family Foundation aims to facilitate access to quality healthcare, education, and a path forward to participation in the decisions that shape our future,” expressed Dr. Kimberly Green.

The Green School Partnership Fund will invite the kind of innovative collaborations that have made the Green

Global Ties Miami, a Miami-based not-for-profit organization that

School a major player in higher education’s involvement in

often collaborates with the Green School in various international

international and public affairs, including receiving recognition

exchange engagements. This partnership will establish the Green

as a full member of the Association of Professional Schools of

Family Fellowship in Diplomacy, which will support a year-long paid

International Affairs, the only one in Florida and one of only 25

opportunity for three exceptional graduates from the Green School

such schools in the U.S. The Green School has boasted a Top 10

who will gain real-world experience in public diplomacy, networking,

Model UN team for the past 12 years and welcomes students from

mentorship and training, and career-defining experiences.

113 countries.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

The Green Family Foundation is helping ensure that their university-wide initiatives and programs are expanding and generating significant impact. In grateful recognition of their 35 years of commitment, amounting, coincidentally, to nearly $35 million, we present a timeline of their visionary and transformational giving:

GREEN FAMILY FOUNDATION 1990

Made first FIU gifts to support The Art Museum at FIU and continued to do so for years

1997

1995-1998

Ambassador Green served as an FIU Foundation Board Member.

2015

Committed a monumental gift to support several initiatives important to the Greens and FIU. In recognition of this transformational support, the university named the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs in honor of Ambassador Green; also included were the Kimberly Green Scholarship and Dorothea Green Lecture Series Endowment.

A significant portion of the 2015 gift also enabled the realization of the “Green School II” building, a modern, multi-use facility adjacent to the first Green School building.

The above investment enabled the naming of the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC), a cornerstone of the Green School that has promoted the study of Latin America and the Caribbean since 1979.

2019-2023

Dr. Green and Ambassador Green served on the FIU Foundation Next Horizon Campaign Steering Committee.

2024

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Green School II building was held in November 2024, officially opening the Green School Complex and making the Green School the largest school of public affairs in the world, based on number of faculty and students.

OVER THE YEARS

2001-2008

Dorothea Green served as an FIU Foundation Board Member.

Established the Dorothea and Steven Green Endowment to fund the construction of The Art Museum at FIU (later named the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum), including the Dorothea Green Emerging Artists Program and the Dorothea and Steven Green Critics’ Lecture Series Formed an endowment to give FIU its towering eightstory library, named the Steven and Dorothea Green Library in their honor

2009

Endowed Green Family Foundation Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (HELP) to send healthcare out into our most vulnerable communities while giving medical, nursing, and law students experience not otherwise obtainable in the classroom.

To date, the program has deployed approximately 3,800 medical, nursing, social work, physician assistant, and law students to provide 17,800 visits to 2,870 households, making 40,450 primary care visits, and conducting 7,000 mammograms.

2018-PRESENT

Dr. Green appointed to the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. She continues to serve today.

2020

With a $100,000 gift, the Greens spearheaded the Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP Food Insecurity initiative to deliver safe and secure medical services, supplies, and food staples to home-bound clients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2025

A $200,000 gift formed the Green School Partnership Fund to enhance the Green School’s collaborative partnerships.

The Greens have committed $1 million to pilot an expansion of NeighborhoodHELP from a purely mobile service to a future brick-and-mortar clinic with the potential to serve nearly 12 times more patients than the mobile service alone.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

47

Honoring our most accomplished alumni

FIVE EXEMPLARY PANTHERS HONORED AT THE 19TH TORCH AWARDS O n May 17, 2025, the Torch Awards reception returned

One of FIU’s first Panthers, Clifford Morrison was a member

to FIU to honor five alumni who exemplify FIU’s values

of FIU’s original graduating class. Morrison’s leadership as

of truth, freedom, respect, responsibility, and excellence.

a registered nurse and patient advocate reshaped public

Collectively, this year’s honorees embody alumni excellence

health and earned him international recognition as a pioneer

through leadership, achievement, and service. From

in and advocate for compassionate care. “FIU gave me the

transforming patient care to stewarding philanthropic investment

wherewithal to move forward and accomplish a lot of different

and redefining excellence in international hospitality, their

things; I only wish the best for this university,” said Morrison.

accomplishments span industries and continents.

A true pioneer in healthcare, his advocacy revolutionized

Presented with the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award — the highest honor bestowed upon alumni — were

_____________________________________________

JUAN MARTINEZ ’90, MACC ’93

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CLIFFORD MORRISON ’74, MS ’76

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BERTIKA QUINTERO, MS ’98

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MEI SARNA, MA ’21 _____________________________________________ RAKESH SARNA, MA ’21

_____________________________________________ Juan Martinez is the vice president, CFO, and treasurer of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and oversees a multibillion-dollar investment portfolio with national significance.

The Knight Foundation is one of FIU’s Transformational Donors.

“It’s hard to imagine investing in anything as impactful as FIU,” expressed Martinez during the awards ceremony. Martinez is a member of the Knight Foundation’s executive team, shaping and implementing their strategy. Martinez also launched a grant financial review program to evaluate the financial and business operations of major programmatic investments. He was instrumental in developing the Knight Enterprise Fund, which invested in over 50 early-stage digital media companies

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patient care during the AIDS crisis. During his tenure at San Francisco General Hospital, he established the world’s first Special Care Unit dedicated to patients with HIV/AIDS. Morrison brought innovative clinical practices to the forefront, developing policies and educating multidisciplinary teams in compassionate care.

Bertika Quintero is the vice president of corporate strategic accounts for Lilly Value & Access at Eli Lilly and Company and leads a vital global health organization. With more than 20 years’ experience in the global and U.S. healthcare industry, her strategic vision has consistently delivered exceptional business outcomes, including the successful launch of multiple brands and innovations in personalized diabetes management.

Throughout her distinguished career at Eli Lilly, she has been a passionate champion of talent development and an advocate for inclusive leadership, driving equity and growth across the organization. At the ceremony, Quintero said, “I want those kids I hope to inspire to dream bigger than they can possibly imagine. FIU is where those dreams become boundless.” A true champion for education, she demonstrates her belief in future generations by supporting scholarships at FIU and her undergraduate alma mater, Florida A&M University.

aligned with the foundation’s mission. Overall, his role advances

A Panther couple with combined decades of hospitality

the Knight Foundation’s work to support informed and engaged

leadership, Mei and Rakesh Sarna are seasoned global

communities through investments in journalism, communities,

hospitality leaders who have brought service excellence to

arts, learning, and impact.

the world at brands such as Hyatt Hotels Corporation; Indian

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

Left to right: Kenneth C. Hall, SVP, University Advancement, and CEO, FIU Foundation; Juan Martinez ’90, MAcc ’93; Clifford Morrison ’74, MS ’76; President Jeanette Nuñez ’94, MPA ’98; Bertika Quintero, MS ’98; Mei Sarna, MA ’21; Rakesh Sarna, MA ’21; and FIU Chief Alumni Officer Sara M. DuCuennois

Hotels Company Limited, parent company of Taj Hotels; and

driven students who are committed to making an impact in their

Four Seasons Hotels Limited. Rakesh said, “We have not

communities and beyond.

contributed to FIU as much as FIU has contributed to us. It encourages us to do more and look within ourselves to see what else we can do to help our FIU family.”

Also speaking at the ceremony were FIU President Jeanette M. Nuñez, a double alumna, and Senior Vice President of Advancement at FIU and Chief Executive Officer of the FIU

Earning master’s degrees together at FIU, the Sarnas have

Foundation Kenneth Hall.

created scholarships supporting students in the U.S. and India —

Together, these honorees exemplify the enduring spirit of FIU,

reflecting their deep commitment to education and philanthropy.

“We have seen with our own eyes how education can lift not

one that is rooted in community, uplifted by service, and driven by purpose. Their stories remind us that Panther Pride extends far

just individuals out of poverty, but the entire family, the entire

beyond the campus, living on in the impact our alumni make every

community; that’s really rewarding,” said Mei Sarna. Through

day. In honoring them, we celebrate the shared commitment of

their generosity, they aim to create pathways for talented,

FIU Alumni to lead, give back, and build a better world.

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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LOOKING AHEAD Dear Friends, It has been an energizing and pivotal year at FIU. With the appointment of President Jeanette M. Nuñez, the first alumna to lead our university, we have entered a new era of purpose and momentum. Her leadership brings renewed focus to our strategic vision, including our bold aspiration to become a Top 30 public university by 2030.

Over the past year, the FIU Foundation has made meaningful progress. We raised $66.7 million in new gift commitments while collecting $36.6 million in cash receipts. These contributions fueled student scholarships, groundbreaking research, and vital academic programs. From naming new initiatives to supporting our student-athletes and global engagement efforts, your generosity continues to shape our impact and improve the FIU experience for our valued students.

I am especially grateful to our Board Chair, Adalio Sanchez, and the rest of the FIU Foundation Board of Directors for their steadfast support and strategic guidance throughout the year. We also deeply appreciate the FIU Board of Trustees for their continued support. Collectively, their leadership has helped us remain focused on long-term growth, sharpen our fundraising strategies, and build Foundation competencies, while strengthening our alignment with university goals.

As we look to the future, our work is guided by FIU’s unwavering commitment to innovation, student success, and impact.

From our new multidisciplinary Innovation Complex to our expanded academic health partnerships with Baptist Health South Florida and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, our university is creating the infrastructure and alliances that will define the next generation of learning and discovery. We remain deeply invested in advancing environmental resilience, supporting world-class research, and expanding scholarship opportunities to ensure every Panther has the resources to thrive. We are profoundly thankful to our donors and FIU alumni whose belief in our mission empowers this momentum and ensures a brighter future for all.

As we build on this foundation, we invite every member of our Panther family to join us. Your belief in FIU fuels transformation — and we are just getting started.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Kenneth C. Hall Senior Vice President of University Advancement Chief Executive Officer of the FIU Foundation

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FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

FIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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THANK YOU FOR HELPING US BUILD A STRONGER FUTURE, TOGETHER.

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