About Us

FIU's Next Horizon initiative will raise funds to ensure students can succeed - Miami Herald Op Ed by President Rosenberg, February 1, 2019: 

“From the very beginning, FIU has been here for the people in this community. We were built by people who believed Miami deserved a great world-class university... We are developing solutions for our community and the world in areas including disaster mitigation, forensics, child mental health and preservation of natural resources... Without FIU, there would be tremendous gaps in the talent that leads and runs our community. For me and so many others at FIU, our work is about the wonderful people who surround us and inspire us to do better. Next Horizon is rooted in our history and belief in this institution and in our community. FIU is of this community and for this community of ambitious people with ambitious goals.” 

Building High Impact Partnerships - American Council on Education The Presidency Op Ed by President Rosenberg, Winter 2017:

“Our urban public universities are continuously in search of new approaches to address market and community needs... We have made an intensified commitment to developing a win-win-win partnership logic with local companies and organizations... The partnership (with Ultimate Software) is a triple win. It provides Ultimate Software with a much-needed talent source; helps our students get invaluable experience and ultimately jobs; and – most importantly – is helping develop a new local technology ecosystem encouraging our brightest students to stay here in South Florida... Partnerships and collaboration allow for a shared commitment to the success of our students and the strength of our local economy.”  

Miami-Dade County Prosperity Initiatives Feasibility Study, May 2016:

In partnership with Miami-Dade County and Citi Community Development, FIU Metropolitan Center conducted theProsperity Initiatives Feasibility Study to evaluate the County's current economic structure, performance and the merits of specific wealth-building strategies that address persistent academic disparities.  

The Study’s final conclusion is a call to action to immediately develop an aggressive prosperity development program. The goals of the Prosperity Initiative are to implement programs that assist families, individuals and households facing the most difficult economic circumstances to improve their standard of living and quality of life through 

• Expanding the supplyy (pipeline) of higher wage opportunities, and growing economic diversification that better resists economic cycles; 
• Providing better preparation by increasing the skills education, and capacity of residents to take those jobs; 
• Building wealth through asset ownership opportunities; 
• Providing targeted business development and weaklth building through business ownership for underserved segments of the region's population; 
• Focusing physical investment, and in turn, attracting new investment into historically distressed neighborhoods; and 
• Providing equitable solutions to address housing market imbalances that threaten to erode incomes and wealth building

President Rosenberg's Academic Year 2017-18: A Remembrance, April 27, 2018:

“Times like these remind us of the fragility of life and the responsibility to do good things in an unpredictable world. We are also reminded of the power of ideas and a profound belief in the opportunities FIU provides to our community. I am deeply grateful for the exceptional work of our FIU community: dedicated hard-working faculty who are pioneering change to help us keep up with the fast-moving times; passionate and committed professional staff who are finding new ways to move us forward; family members who go the distance time and again; donors who support our students, research, service partnerships in the community and our mission;  and some of the most determined, ingenious students anywhere who are charting new pathways to success in their careers and as citizens of the world.” - President Rosenberg

President Rosenberg's message to FIU community following Hurricane Irma, September 17, 2017:

“We have learned important lessons personally and as a community about our humanity, our capacity to stretch and help each other, as well as some things we must do going forward to help take care of the most vulnerable among us... The FIU community does not ask for a lighter load but for broader shoulders... We have been impressed by the outpouring of compassion and support for those who have been evacuated. We have also been encouraged by the energy our students and staff directed at helping the less fortunate among us. Throughout this week, they have stepped in numerous times to lift the spirits of the evacuees... I have been touched by the gratitude in our community for what FIU has done in the wake of Irma. In the weeks and months to come, as we rebuild our community, that gratitude will motivate us. We have seen and felt the pain and despair of hundreds of people right here at our FIU and that should remind us that as a beacon of hope and opportunity, we cannot step back – the blessings of our talent and knowledge give us a special responsibility to be a first responder to community needs... As I said to our FIU community before Irma: Staying calm is a superpower. But this entire state has another superpower – and we have seen it in full display – and that is doing good for others and working to brighten the darkest of moments. Let this be something we carry with us today, tomorrow and forever.” - President Rosenberg 

President Rosenberg's 2010 Hit the Ground Running Strategy:

Vision: A leading student-centered public research university that is locally and globally engaged. 

Engage the community: 

• Tie instructional and creative initiatives to local needs and long-term community priorities – especially in the professional schools (e.g. more FIU engagement in failing schools in Miami Dade County; expanded partnerships/common planning in the arts) 
• Improve neighborhood health in partnership with community health care agencies 
• Create a public-private high-tech corridor focused on biomedical, alternative energy and environmental preservation to enhance employment generation and retention

FIU News Article - Students from Puerto Rico find refuge at FIU, begin classes this fall, October 12, 2017:

“During the most challenging and difficult times, FIU does not turn its back on those in need. We care and are committed to helping students like Sarah by offering the tuition waiver and adding to the courses that we offer during the mini-term starting in October.”  - President Rosenberg

Hurricane Season Symposium, December 1, 2017:

“In October, we welcomed students from Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands to our FIU! So far, more than 600 students have applied to our FIU. Many of them will start as visiting students in January! As you can see, our FIU community does not ask for a lighter load but for broader shoulders! Our successful efforts to recover, rebuild and do our part to heal our communityty were possible because of YOUR support. You rolled up your sleeves and asked how you can help. You shared our sense of urgency and motivation to act... I hope that we can all share the lessons with one another, so that we can better respond and recover from future storms, and continue to make a positive impact in our community. Rmember: It truly takes many hands to build a better tomorrow. Thank you for taking responsibility and standing with us!” - President Rosenberg

FIU Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program:

In 2016, FIU Provost Dr. Kenneth Furton created a plan to integrate Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SI&E) Co-Curricular and Curricular activities with the goals of: 

1. Educating, inspiring and activating entire FIU community for innovation and changemaking. 
2. Creating an umbrella-program for all SI&E related activities across university and its partners. 
3. Maintaining sustainable implementation through developing 5 main strategic access cores (Student Recruitment and Services, Curricular and Co-Curricular Activities, Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy and Community Engagement, Leadership, Culture and Awareness) 
4. Engaging entire FIU community in SI&E: students, faculty, alumni, staff, leadership. 
5. Expanding contribution of FIU to Ashoka’s “Everyone a Changemaker” vision. 

Outcomes include: 

• 6 Honors College courses in Social Innovation, Social Entrepreneurship and changemaking 
• 100 workshops and lectures on entrepreneurship, social innovation and changemaking hosted by StartUP
• FIU40FIU students brought together through the FIU FYRST Changemakers living community to create a community dedicated to exploring community service and civic engagement opportunities 

The Office of the Provost is currently working on making a Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Graduation Medallion a reality.