Community leaders share ideas for FIU’s future

A group of South Florida’s most prominent leaders came to FIU this week to talk about the university’s progress and its future. They brought fundraising and marketing ideas, recommendations for research and alumni outreach. The prevailing theme at the second annual Community Leaders Summit was the need for FIU to better tell its story.

“The best thing that came out of this is we think we have a great product,” said Adolfo Henriques, who was recently named chairman emeritus of the Board of Trustees. “We just need to continue to strengthen the way we communicate that story.”

President Mark B. Rosenberg hosted the Community First Community’s Leaders Summit shortly after his inauguration in 2009. The summits bring together a cross section of educational, professional, civic and healthcare leaders to provide FIU leaders with feedback and guidance.

“Your company, your family, your community’s well being is very much tied up in the future of this university,” Rosenberg said. “Help us make sure we get it right.”

The hosts for this year’s summit were Maria Alonso, Bank of America senior vice president and Miami-Dade/Monroe market manager; Michael Chavies, shareholder of Ackerman Senterfitt; and Jack Lowell, vice president of Flagler Development Group.

“We want to discuss collectively how we can make FIU the best public research university,” Alonso said. “Our community, our businesses improve as our FIU improves.”

Many attendees gave FIU high marks for its successes during the past year. Angel Medina got a round of applause when he praised FIU’s new Pride Days when students, faculty and staff are encouraged to wear FIU gear. Attendees were also impressed to learn that the average GPA of this year’s entering freshmen is 3.7

A number of participants stressed the need to more effectively market the university’s success and faculty.  The university’s vibrant programs in the arts were cited as strengths to be leveraged.

“There was a lot of talk about starting local,” said Alexandra Villoch, who led a breakout session on communications, marketing and athletics. “How do you make this a college town?”

Participants pointed to Miami-Dade College’s successful alumni advertising campaign as a model for FIU.

“Put FIU in everyone’s face,” said Barry Johnson, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. “We have to do something to create a drumbeat.”

In a discussion of alumni relations, the group noted that alumni start as students who must have a positive learning experience if FIU hopes to keep them engaged after graduation.

“The reality is alumni relations begins with faculty and relationships student have with faculty,” said Johnson. “Every student needs to be a potential donor. We need to encourage them to become a shareholder in FIU.”

Leaders spoke of the need for research initiatives that can be commercialized, like the University of Florida’s Gatorade, a research project that launched an industry. They encouraged FIU to pursue research in the areas of sustainable building and health.

A discussion of fundraising produced a number of recommendations, including the creation of more professional certifications and an increase in out-of-state student recruitment.  The group emphasized that the university should also be truly international in its partnerships.

“We need to make sure we move away from thinking this is only about Latin America,” said Angel Medina said. “We are a global city.”

— Deborah O’Neil MA ‘09