Florida International University

Florida International University, commonly referred to as FIU or Florida International, is a public research university located in Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus at University Park. Florida International University is a Comprehensive Doctoral Research University with high research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation.^[2] Florida International University is also the youngest university to be awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter by the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the country's oldest academic honor society.^[3] FIU is one of 78 universities nationwide to hold both designations.^[4]

The university is comprised of 16 colleges and schools offering over 200 programs of study with more than 280 majors.^[5] Florida International University is also the 5th-largest university in Florida and the 15th-largest university in the United States in terms of enrollment.^[1] For Fall 2007, total enrollment was 38,614 students and 2,974 full-time faculty with more than 150,500 alumni around the world.^[6]

The U.S. News and World Report currently ranks FIU as a fourth tier postsecondary institution in the National Universities category. U.S. News & World Report (2008) also ranks the Landon Undergraduate School of Business 7th in the nation and ranks the Chapman Graduate School of Business 11th amongst business schools in the United States for international business.^[6] BusinessWeek (2006) ranks the College of Business among the top 15% of graduate business schools in the U.S., 1st in South Florida, and in the top 25 among public business schools in the U.S.^[7]

In 2007, the Florida International University College of Law ranked 1st in the state of Florida with a bar passing rate of 94%, and 1st in the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam at 96%.^[8]

As of 2007, more valedictorians from South Florida elect to attend Florida International University than any other university in the country. ^[9] Admission standards have also increased with acceptance rates dropping from 63.2% for Fall 2005 to 44% for Fall 2007, making FIU the second-most selective public university in Florida and the fifth-most selective university in state overall.^[10][11] For Fall 2007, the average incoming freshmen had a SAT score of 1144, a 24 ACT score and a 3.7 high school GPA.^[6][12]

History

Founding: 1943–1969

Meteorologists at work at the National Hurricane Center in 1970. Previously located in Coral Gables, the NHC moved to FIU in 1995.

The story of Florida International University's founding began in 1943, when state Senator Ernest 'Cap' Graham (father of future Florida governor and U.S. senator Bob Graham) presented the state legislature with the initial proposal for the establishment of a public university in South Florida. While his bill did not pass, Graham persisted in presenting his proposal to colleagues, advising them of Miami's need for a state university. He felt the establishment of a public university was necessary to serve the city's growing population.^[13]

In 1964, Senate Bill 711 was introduced by Florida Senator Robert M. Haverfield. It instructed the state Board of Education and the Board of Regents (BOR), to begin planning for the development of a state university in Miami. The bill was signed into law by then-governor W. Haydon Burns in June 1965, marking FIU's official founding.

FIU's founding president Charles "Chuck" Perry was appointed by the Board of Regents in July 1969 after a nationwide search. At 32 years old, the new president was the youngest in the history of the State University System and, at the time, the youngest university president in the country. Perry recruited three co-founders - Butler Waugh, Donald McDowell and Nick Sileo - who came to the abandoned Tamiami Airport in the summer of 1969 and launched the monumental task of creating a new university. Alvah Chapman, former Miami Herald publisher and Knight Ridder chairman, used his civic standing and media power to assist the effort. In the 1980s, Chapman became chair of the FIU Foundation Board of Trustees.^[13]

Opening of the doors: 1969–1975

In September 1972, 5,667 students finally entered the new state university, the largest opening day enrollment at the time. Previously, Miami had been the largest city in the country lacking a public baccalaureate-granting institution. Eighty percent of the student body had just graduated from Dade County Junior College (now Miami-Dade College). A typical student entering FIU was 25 years old and attending school full-time while holding down a full-time job. Forty-three percent were married. Negotiations with the University of Miami and Dade County Junior College led FIU to open as an upper-division only school. It would be 9 years before lower-division classes were added.^[13]

Green Library and Owa Ehan

The first commencement, held in June 1973, took place in the reading room of the ground floor of Primera Casa - the only place large enough on campus for the ceremony. More than 1,500 family members and friends watched FIU's first class of 191 graduates receive their diplomas.^[13]

By late 1975, after seven years at the helm, Charles Perry felt he had accomplished his goal and left the University to become president and publisher of the Sunday newspaper magazine Family Weekly (now USA Weekend), one of the country's largest magazines. When he left, there were more than 10,000 students attending classes and a campus with five major buildings and a sixth being planned.^[13]

Crosby and Wolfe: 1976–1986

FIU's regional campus in North Miami, the Biscayne Bay Campus, opened in 1977.

Harold Crosby, the University's second president and the founding president of the University of West Florida in Pensacola, agreed in 1976 to serve a three-year "interim" term. Under his leadership, FIU's North Miami Campus (which was officially renamed the Bay Vista Campus in 1980, the North Miami Campus in 1987, the North Campus in 1994, and the Biscayne Bay Campus in 2000) - located on the former Interama site on Biscayne Bay - was opened in 1977. State Senator Jack Gordon was instrumental in securing funding for the development of the campus. President Crosby emphasized the university's international character, which prompted the launching of new programs with an international focus and the recruitment of faculty from the Caribbean and Latin America. President Crosby's resignation in January 1979, triggered the search for a "permanent" president.^[14]

Gregory Baker Wolfe, a former United States diplomat and then-president of Portland State University became FIU's third president, from 1979 to 1986. After stepping down as president, Wolfe went on to teach in the university's International Relations department. The student union on the Biscayne Bay Campus is named in his honor.^[14]

FIU today

Paul Cejas School of Architecture Building

In 1986, Modesto Maidique became FIU's fourth president and is the longest-serving university president in the State of Florida.^[15] FIU's student enrollment of 38,614 makes FIU one of the 25 largest universities in the nation.^[4][6][13]

Having begun as a two-year upper division university serving the Miami area, FIU has grown into a traditional university serving students from all over the world. To strengthen this growth, more than $600 million have been invested in construction, with the addition of new residence halls, the on-campus FIU Stadium, recreation center, student center, and Greek Life mansions, as well as the fielding of the Division I-A Golden Panthers football team in 2002.^[16] FIU has also increased its academic prestige with the founding of the Florida International University School of Architecture, Florida International University College of Law and the Florida International University College of Medicine, as well as the acquisition of the historical Wolfsonian-FIU Museum in Miami Beach.^[17][6]

Florida International University also emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and sponsored research funding (grants and contracts) from external sources for the year 2007-2008 totaled $110 million.^[1] FIU is ranked as a Research University in the High Research Activity category of the Carnegie Foundation’s prestigious classification system.^[4][6] FIU's School of Hospitality & Tourism Management collaborated with China's Ministry of Education to work on preparations for the 2008 Summer Olympics. FIU was the only school in the United States invited to do so.^[18][19]

On November 14, 2008, Maidique announced that he would be stepping down and asked FIU's Board of Trustees to begin the search of a new president. He said he would remain president until a new one was found.^[20]

Academics

FIU offers 206 academic programs, 85 baccalaureate programs, 87 master's programs, 3 specialist programs, 30 doctoral programs, and 1 professional program in 23 colleges and schools. In addition, 96% of the faculty have terminal degrees, and 54% currently have tenure at the university with a student/teacher ratio of 21:1.^[6][21]

Colleges and schools

University presidents

Enrollment and admissions

Enrollment for Fall 2007 consists of 38,614 students, 29,695 undergraduates and 8,919 graduate students, including students enrolled in professional programs.^[25] For Fall 2007, women accounted for 56% of student enrollment and minorities made up 68% of total undergraduate enrollment. Fall 2007 enrollment included students from all 50 U.S. states and more than 119 countries.^[26] The most popular College by enrollment is the Florida International University College of Arts and Sciences.^[27]

The incoming freshman class had an average SAT score of 1143.8, a 24 ACT score and a 3.7 high school GPA. The freshmen acceptance rate for the first 2007 semester was 44%, dropping greatly from 63.2% from 2005. 15,868 prospective freshmen applied and 7,098 were accepted. The average freshman in the Honors College had an SAT score of 1236 with the highest SAT at 1540 and an average high school GPA of 3.68.^[28]

University Park accounted for 87% of the student population and 94% of housing students. The Biscayne Bay Campus accounted for about 13% of the student population, mostly of lower division undergraduates and students of the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. Fall 2007, the average age for undergraduates was 23 and 31 for graduate students.^[29][30]

Rankings

Health and Life Sciences Buildings, home of the College of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

In 2000, Florida International University received the highest research university ranking conferred by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.^[31] That same year, FIU became the youngest university to be awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, the country's oldest and most distinguished academic honor society.^[3] FIU is one of only 78 universities nationwide to hold both designations.^[32]

Florida International University is ranked among the top 100 public national universities in the U.S. News & World Report annual guide to "America's Best Colleges." FIU was the youngest institution in that group.^[32] The magazine also reported that FIU students are among the least indebted college students in the nation, and recognized the university as a "best buy" in higher education.

FIU recently ranked among the best values in public higher education in the country, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s 2006 survey, "100 Best Values in Public Colleges." FIU is ranked among the top 100 nationally for in-state students and out-of-state students.

FIU is ranked 3rd in granting bachelor's degrees to minorities and 9th in granting master's degrees to minorities (among the top 100 degree producing colleges and universities), according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education, (June 2006).

College of Business Administration

Primera Casa, one of FIU's first buildings.

The College of Business Administration is among the top seven percent of elite business schools worldwide accredited by the AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" (2008) ranks the undergraduate international business program 15th in the nation and ranks the Chapman Graduate School of Business 11th in the nation.^[33]

Ryder Business Building

América Economía ranks the Chapman Graduate School of Business 22nd in the nation.^[34]

The Financial Times (2008) ranks the Executive MBA in the top 85 MBA programs in the world, and in the top 35 among U.S. Executive MBAs.^[35][36][37] BusinessWeek (2006) ranks the College of Business among the top 15% of graduate business schools in the U.S., and in the top 25 among public business schools.

BusinessWeek ranked the College of Business 80th —in the top 20% among AACSB International-accredited business schools and in the top 5% among the 1,400 undergraduate business programs in the U.S. The College of Business ranked 3rd best among Florida’s public business schools. The Landon Undergraduate School of Business was ranked 8th in the country in the area of "Operations Management."

Hispanic Business (since 1998) and Hispanic Trends (since 2003) have placed the College of Business among the top 25 business schools for Hispanics. In 2008, we were ranked #8.

Fortune Small Business recognized the college as among the best in the United States for entrepreneurship in its listing of “America’s Best Colleges for Entrepreneurs,” (August, 2007), in the “Cross-Disciplinary/Cross Pollination” category.

Hispanic Trends ranks the Executive MBA program 8th in its list of the best Executive MBA programs for Hispanics.

College of Law

Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall, home of the College of Law.

In July 2008, the Florida International University College of Law achieved a 90.6% passing rate, which placed it 2nd among Florida's ten law schools.^[8] In 2006 and 2007, the College of Law was ranked 1st in bar passing rates in Florida and in 2007, the College of Law was also ranked 1st in Florida in the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam at 96%.^[8][38]

Other

The Journal of Criminal Justice ranks the Criminal Justice program 10th in the U.S. (November 2007) ^[39]

The Creative Writing program is ranked among the top ten in the country by "Who Runs American Literature?" in the Dictionary of Literary Biography.

The School of Hospitality & Tourism Management is one of the nation’s top programs. The School of Hospitality Management is recognized by industry leaders as one of the nation's top five hospitality management programs.^[4]

Faculty of the Ph.D. program in social welfare rank 4th in the United States in their scholarly accomplishment, according to Academic Analytics. FIU faculty were the only social work faculty in Florida to rank in the Top 10. (December 2007)^[40]

Campus

Florida International University has two major campuses in Miami, the main campus, University Park and the Biscayne Bay Campus, as well as several minor campuses and research facilities in South Florida, China, and Italy.^[6]

University Park

View of the campus from Turtle Pond.

Deuxieme Maison

The FIU Arboretum houses many rare species of plants and foliage.

The main campus, University Park, encompasses 344 acres (1.4 km²) in the Miami neighborhood of University Park, (from which the area derives its name). Construction on the campus began in 1965 with the complete destruction of Tamiami Airport in 1969. At the time, very little was located around FIU, and the campus was referred to as University Park. As Miami grew west, the area came to be known as University Park after the university's campus name.

University Park houses almost all of the university's colleges and schools as well as all the administrative offices and main university facilities. University Park is also home to the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential House, the home of FIU's president, the Wertheim Performing Arts Center, the Frost Art Museum, the International Hurricane Research Center, and the university's athletic facilities such as FIU Stadium, U.S. Century Bank Arena, and the University Park Stadium.

Until the early-1990s, aerial pictures of the campus clearly revealed the features of the airport that used to occupy the land until 1969. Construction has removed all of these features, and only the University Tower remains as a memory of the university's past.^[41] University Park is a lush, heavily-vegetated campus, with many lakes and nature preserves, as well as an arboretum and has over 90 buildings. Current construction at University Park includes a Nursing and Health Sciences Complex, an International Studies Building, an Alumni Center, and an expansion to FIU Stadium for a seating capacity of 45,000.^[42]

Located five blocks north of University Park, is the 38-acre (145,000 m²) Engineering Center which houses a part of the College of Engineering and Computing and is the home of FIU's Motorola Nanofabrication Research Facility. The Engineering Center is serviced by the Golden Panther Express, FIU's student buses, which run throughout the day on weekdays connecting the two parts of campus.^[43]

Biscayne Bay Campus

The Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami is the University's second largest campus. It was opened in 1977 by Harold Crosby and occupies about 200 acres (809,000 m²), directly on the bay and adjacent to the Oleta River State Park, with which FIU has a research partnership. Access to these resources inspired the creation of a marine biology program on the Biscayne Bay Campus, which has become one of the university's most recognized programs. The Biscayne Bay Campus also houses the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, one of the nation's top programs^[44], the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Aquatic Center, and the Kovens Conference Center. The Golden Panther Express, FIU's student buses, connect the main campus and the Biscayne Bay Campus throughout the day on weekdays.^[45]

Regional campuses

FIU Tianjin Center in Tianjin, China.

Florida International University also has other smaller regional campuses located throughout South Florida in both Miami-Dade County and Broward County, serving the local communities in research, continuing studies, and in culture. In Broward County there are two FIU facilities, the FIU Broward Pines Center in Pembroke Pines, opened to satisfy the demand from Broward County residents. In Miami-Dade County, there are four regional FIU facilities, the Metropolitan Center in Downtown Miami, a part of the Chapman Graduate School of Business, the Wolfsonian-FIU Museum in Miami Beach, the FIU-Florida Memorial research center in Miami Gardens, and a research site in Homestead.

International campuses

Florida International University also has international campuses in Asia and Europe. The Wolfsonian-FIU Museum has a regional facility in Nervi, Italy, the School of Architecture has facilities in Genoa, Italy for FIU's upper-division and graduate Architecture students, and the Florida International University Tianjin Center in Tianjin, China, from which a branch of the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management operates. The Tianjin Center was constructed as a cooperative venture with the local municipal government and was opened in the Summer of 2006.^[19]

Facilities

Student housing

University Park Towers, graduate student and upperclassmen apartments.

Florida International University's student housing facilities are managed by the Office of Housing and Residential Life and are available on both the main campus and the Biscayne Bay Campus. Currently, there are 3,300 beds distributed throughout 10 apartment buildings and 6 residence halls. At University Park these are the University Park Apartments, Panther Hall, the University Park Towers, Everglades Hall, Lakeview Hall North, and Lakeview Hall South. At the Biscayne Bay Campus, housing is available in Bay Vista Hall.^[46][6] Together, approximately 14% of FIU's student population lives on-campus in student housing.

Everglades Hall, upperclassmen apartments.

The Office of Housing and Residential Life also offers optional communities in the residence halls. These communities include the Architecture and Arts Community, for students majoring in Architecture or art-related majors, Honors Place for Honors College students, F.Y.R.S.T. (First Year Residents Succeeding Together) for all freshmen in any major, F.Y.R.S.T. Explore, for undecided freshmen, Leader's in Residence for students interested in civic service and leadership opportunities and the Law Community for College of Law students.^[48]

As the university continues to grow, the demand for housing from out-of-state and local students continues to rise. Thus, there is a main push for on-campus housing. Between 2002 and 2006, three new residence halls were constructed increasing student capacity by 1,250. By Fall 2010, Parkview Housing, a 820-bed housing complex will be built in between Panther Hall and the FIU Nature Preserve and will include a new parking garage east of FIU Stadium as well as shops.^[49] Construction of Parkview Housing, and 3 fraternity mansions are expected to commence within the next few years.^[50]

Plans are also underway for land acquisition of the Miami Fairgrounds for a housing/entertainment mini-city, with 4 to 5 housing towers, a shopping center, and two new parking garages in between FIU Stadium and the Wertheim Performing Arts Center. Currently, this is under the planning stage and is co-related with the current expansions underway at FIU Stadium for 45,000 seats, expected to be finished in stages by Fall 2010.

Libraries

The eight-story Green Library, is Florida International University's main library, the largest building on-campus, and the largest library in the Southeastern United States.^[51] Other libraries at FIU include the Biscayne Bay Campus Library, College of Law Library in Balart Hall, the Pines Center Library, the Wolfsonian-FIU Museum Library, the Engineering Center Library and the future College of Medicine Library. The entire university-wide Library holdings include over 1,973,612 volumes, 40,813 current serials, 3,997,890 microform units, and 159,978 audio visual units.^[52]

International Hurricane Research Center

Green Library, FIU's largest building and the largest library in the Southeastern United States.

The International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) is the nation’s only university-based research facility dedicated to mitigating the damage tropical storms inflict on people, the economy, and the environment. The IHRC is home to four institutes: the Laboratory for Coastal Research; the Laboratory for Social Science Research; the Laboratory for Insurance, Financial & Economic Research; and the Laboratory for Wind Engineering Research, as well as the FIU Wall of Wind. This first-of-its-kind testing system consists of a series of large industrial fans powered by race car engines. It produces a wind field equivalent to a Category Four hurricane.^[53] Not to be confused with the National Hurricane Center (also located at University Park), the IHRC is located on the western side of the campus.

Construction and expansion

Currently, Florida International University is undergoing a great period of growth. With an annual increase in student enrollment, and with the addition of the College of Medicine, the demand for facilities and classroom space has greatly increased.^[54] Future projects and/or buildings under construction include:

• College of Nursing and Health Sciences Building - broke ground in July 2008 and to be finished by 2009^[55]
• FIU Stadium Field House - broke ground in Summer 2008 and to be finished in mid-2009
• Expansion to FIU Stadium - Expansion to capacitate 45,000 fans to be done in two separate phases (Phase I completed in September 2008 and Phase II to be completed by Fall 2011)^[42]
• International Studies Building - to break ground in February 2009 and finish by 2010^[56][57]
• Parking Garage V (east of FIU Stadium)- to be completed by 2010^[58]
• International Hurricane Research Center- to be completed by 2010^[59]
• Graduate Housing- 400-bed residence hall to begin construction in March 2010 and to be finished by mid-2011^[60][61]
• Student Academic Center - to house undergraduate admissions, visitor's center, academic advising and career services expected to begin construction in August 2010 and finish in January 2012^{[62][6][63][64]}
• Graduate Classroom Complex- to be completed by Fall 2011^[65]
• Main Street- finished by 2012

Student life

Greek Life

The Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity mansion on Greek Drive

FIU has over 30 fraternities and sororities divided into four governing councils: the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Panhellenic Council (PC), the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC). The Order of Omega, a Greek honor society, has a chapter at the university since 1991 and represents the academic top 3% of FIU Greeks.^[66]

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) comprises 13 fraternities. The Panhellenic Council (PC) is made up of 7 sororities. The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) comprises 6 historically-black organizations, (3 fraternities and 3 sororities). The Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) consists of 5 cultural organizations for Latinos, Asians, and South Asians, (2 fraternities and 3 sororities).^[67][68][69]

Student Media

Main articles: The Beacon and Radiate FM

The Graham Center, FIU's student union. Over 3.5 million people walk through the Graham Center every year, making it the heart of student life at FIU.^[70]

Lakeview Hall North and South residence halls. 14% of FIU students live in on-campus housing.

Student Media is the umbrella organization for The Beacon, the student-run newspaper; FIUSM.com, the student-run news and media website; and Radiate FM, the student-run radio station. Each organization's directors are selected by the Student Media board on a yearly basis.

The Beacon is the FIU student newspaper since 1965. The Beacon is published thrice weekly in a compact format during the Fall and Spring semesters (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and once a week on Wednesday during the Summer. It is split into five unique sections, News, reporting a mix of university, local and national events, At the Bay for news on the Biscayne Bay Campus, Sports, Opinion and Life! The Beacon is available free campus-wide in the residence halls, the Graham Center and all campus buildings.^[71]

FIUSM.com is the FIU student-run media website since 2008. FIUSM.com publishes content generated by the Student Media team, including text, audio, and video.^[72]

Radiate FM is FIU's student-run radio station since 1984.^[73] It broadcasts on 95.3 MHz at the University Park Campus and on 96.9 MHz at the Biscayne Bay Campus. The signal originates in Homestead on 88.1 MHz and a broadcast translator rebroadcasts Radiate FM's signal to the University Park Campus and later again translated to the Biscayne Bay Campus.^[74]

Arts and culture

Frost Art Museum

FIU has two museums, the Frost Art Museum and the historic Wolfsonian-FIU Museum. The Frost Art Museum is located on campus and was opened in 1977 as The Art Museum at Florida International University as a student gallery. Today, the Frost Art Museum features collections of both Latin American and 20th century American art.^[75] The Wolfsonian-FIU Museum is located in Miami Beach and promotes the collection, preservation and understanding of decorative art and design from the period from 1885 to 1945.^[76][77] FIU also has the country's largest university sculpture collection, named the Martin Z. Margulies Family Collection, with over 80 such sculptures around campus. Many different art structures, statues, paintings and mosaics can be seen throughout campus in gardens, buildings, walkways, and on walls.^[78]

The School of Theatre and Dance produces a wide variety of live student performances, and the School of Music presents an annual fall series of concerts that showcase talent in a variety of genres. The festival features FIU musicians as well as distinguished visiting performers. Many plays, musicals, concerts, operas, and dance shows are produced each year, through the School of Theatre, Dance, & Speech Communication at FIU's Wertheim Performing Arts Center.^[79]

FIU annually hosts the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival on campus through the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. The festival is one of the major culinary events in the nation and an event that showcases the talents of the world's most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities.^[80]

Student organizations

The Walk on Water race held annually by the School of Architecture.

The Student Government Association presides over and funds the over 300 student clubs and organizations and honor societies at the university and has an operating budget of over $10 million.^[81] The Student Government Association is split into three branches, with the Executive, a Legislative Student Senate, and Judicial Body. Due to the unique nature of a multi-campus university, the President of University Park serves as the Student Representative on the University's Board of Trustees, while Biscayne Bay Campus' president serves as a member of the Foundation Board. However, this may change as an on-going debate continues on a possible restructuring of the FIU SGA.^[82]

Recreation Center

The Student Government contains five separate organizations- the Student Programming Council, the Council of Student Organizations, which represents the over 300 student clubs and organizations, the Homecoming Council, Panther Power and Panther Rage, the student spirit groups.^[83] The Panther Power and Panther Rage groups can be seen in all Golden Panthers athletic events along with the Golden Panthers Band, the Golden Dazzlers dance team and the Golden Panthers cheerleaders.^[84] In 2004, thanks to the Student Government Association, MTV's Campus Invasion Tour was held at FIU.

Traditions

Spirit traditions

Florida International University has many traditions from student spirit groups, alumni association events and student spirit events. Panther Rage, one of FIU's largest student spirit groups are seen at all the athletics events painted in blue and gold paint.^[85] FIU also holds many Golden Panther spirit events throughout the year. Some of these include, Panther Camp held in the Summer prior to the Fall term for incoming freshmen, where students spend a weekend in a retreat center learning all the traditional Golden Panther cheers, chants, traditions meeting other incoming students. Started in 2006, Panther Camp has grown quickly in popularity from only 25 participants in 2006 to over 120 participants in 2007. In 2008, Panther Camp expanded to two camps with a combined total of 240 freshman participants.^[86]

Touchdown flag flown during the Shula Bowl, an annual football rivalry game with Florida Atlantic University.

Week of Welcome, usually held the first or second week of the Fall semester holds many spirit events, such as Trail of the Torch. Trail of the Torch is another university tradition that has continued to grow annually, where a pep rally is held in the Housing Quad with music, food, giveaways and dancing. After the pep rally, the torch of knowledge is lit and blue and gold candles are distributed to the crowd for the procession around the campus, trailing the torch from the Housing Quad to the torch in front of the Primera Casa building. Rage Week and Homecoming Week are other major back-to-back spirit weeks held in the Fall semester. They include the Homecoming Parade, Greek Row parties, Homecoming football game, Blue/Gold Party, pep rallies and other Panther Rage events.^[87]

Superstitions and legends

There are many other traditions at FIU that are not spirit-related. The large cube in front of Deuxieme Maison is said to give good luck in exams and tests and thus is spun by hundreds of students every semester. During final exams, a line forms around the cube with people waiting to be able to spin the cube for good luck on their exams. The "Kissing Bridge" tradition in Turtle Pond in between the Ryder Business Building and Green Library. The tradition is that if you kiss someone on the bridge you will stay with them forever. The top floor of Green Library is said to be haunted; people have reported a friendly ghost that wanders the halls minutes before the library closes at night. Another tradition is that if a student steps on the seal engraved in front of the Graham Center, the university's student union, it is said that they will delay their graduation for many years, or never graduate at all, and thus even on crowded days, students go around the seal to avoid stepping on it, as a superstition.^[88]

Athletics

Main article: FIU Golden Panthers

See also: FIU Golden Panthers football

The Golden Panthers football team plays at the on-campus FIU Stadium.

Florida International University has seventeen varsity sports teams, named the Golden Panthers. The Golden Panthers' athletic colors are blue and gold, and compete in the NCAA's Division I as part of the Sun Belt Conference in all sports except for men's soccer (which competes in Conference USA as an affiliate member). Three main sports facilities serve as home venues for Golden Panther athletics. The Golden Panthers football team plays at FIU Stadium ("The Cage"), the men and women's basketball and volleyball teams play at the U.S. Century Bank Arena, and the men's baseball team plays at University Park Stadium. Other athletics venues include the Aquatic Center, Tennis Complex, softball fields, and various other recreational fields.^[90]

Traditional rivals of the FIU Golden Panthers include Florida Atlantic University and the University of Miami. The Golden Panthers football team competes in the annual Shula Bowl, a yearly football game played for the Don Shula Award against in-state rival Florida Atlantic University. Due to this competition in the Shula Bowl, the rivalry between the two schools has grown, with the rivalry extending into the men's baseball and basketball teams as well.^[91]

The Golden Panthers football team plays home games at FIU Stadium nicknamed "The Cage" and are currently coached by Mario Cristobal. In 2005, the Golden Panthers moved to the Sun Belt Conference, making their transition from Division I-FCS to Division I-FBS complete. In their first season in the conference, the Golden Panthers began by winning (5-6).^[92] FIU's athletics department has produced many professional and Olympic athletes, including current players in Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, National Basketball Association, National Football League and the Women's National Basketball Association.

Notable Alumni

Main article: List of Florida International University people

With more than 150,500 alumni around the world, the FIU Golden Panthers constitute one of the fastest-growing university alumni groups in the state of Florida. FIU graduates more than 8,000 students a year and confers more than half of all degrees awarded by universities in Miami.^[93][6]

References

External links

• Official website

Maps

• Official campus map

• Florida International University is at coordinates