President Rosenberg engages local neighborhoods in community get-togethers

By Sissi Aguila

As part of his “hit the ground-running” initiative, FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg kicked off a series of community get-togethers Aug 24 in Hialeah.

Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina hosted an intimate gathering at his home, giving city officials, key members of the community and Rosenberg the opportunity to discuss instructional and creative partnerships to help meet local needs and long-term community priorities. More than 4,000 FIU students are Hialeah residents.

Local doctors, principals and business owners spoke one-on-one with the major decision-maker at FIU. To start, Rosenberg asked the group what they thought of the university’s programs. The president listened and then explained his vision for the institution in the next decade.

One goal is to have FIU students who are majoring in education work closely with failing schools in Miami-Dade County. Another goal is to expand the university’s partnerships in the arts. Another includes fulfilling the goal of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine by improving neighborhood health and working with community healthcare agencies.

At his installation ceremony four days later, Rosenberg re-emphasized the importance of connecting with FIU’s neighbors and fulfilling this initiative.

“Collaboration is what our world needs – that is what our community demands. In the process, we will become the go-to transformational institution in South Florida,” he said. “Our community can’t wait.”

“We identified communities that were reflective of the economic, ethnic and racial diversity of South Florida,” said State Rep. Anitere Flores, director of community and civic partnerships at FIU, of the gatherings scheduled through December.

“The response has been excellent,” she added. “Those who we’ve met with thus far are genuinely excited and thinking of ways to strength their community’s relationship with FIU.”

During the Hialeah meeting, George Brackett, director of Hialeah’s information technology, began planning a drive to encourage Miami-Dade County employees who are FIU alumni to join the Alumni Association.