Alumni fishing tournament awards 16 scholarships, raises $16,000 for 2012


More than 180 FIU alumni, students, staff, family and friends – as well as an estimated thousand-pound, 12-foot mako shark – made the 9th Annual FIU Scholarship Fishing Tournament the most exciting one yet, with 16 FIU students receiving $13,000 in scholarships at the event. The annual tournament, presented by TotalBank, is one of the FIU Alumni Association‘s most fun traditions.

Twenty-seven boats went out early the morning of June 18 looking for dolphin, but what Team Ocean Bank found was something else: a once-in-a-lifetime catch that took the seven-man group more than four hours to reel onto its boat.

“I don’t have to watch Jaws anymore. I lived it,” team member Oscar Fernandez told WSVN.

FIU Alumni Association President Jack González ’97; Michael Aquino; Jessica Martinez; Alumni Association Vice President Gonzalo Acevedo ’91, MBA ’10; Wen-Ju Chien; Natalie Diaz; Stephanie Cruz; FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg; Fabiana Ferrer; Amanda Almirall; Jesse Peinado; Alumni Association Associate Executive Director Duane Wiles; Eric Feldman ’10; Ferran Coleman; and Roary. Not pictured: Carlos Hidalgo, Mais Kayyali, Miroslava Koleva, Melissa Pierro, Alessa Torres and Candice Veilleux. Photo: Stacey Ambrosio.

Meanwhile, back at Monty’s Miami Beach, the fun got started as usual once the boats came back to the marina. Everyone celebrated a day’s worth of good fun for a good cause. The crowd enjoyed barbecue chicken, ribs and cornbread, drinks and music by a live band and from a DJ, and participated in a raffle for prizes and FIU gear.

The highlight of the day’s program was the check presentation to 15 students selected for Legacy ($1,000) and Panther Pride ($750) scholarships. An additional $4,000 was included in the check and will be dispersed through FIU’s First Generation Scholarship Fund in the next academic year.

“I’m very happy I got this scholarship,” said Panther Pride Scholarship recipient Eric Feldman ’10, who is pursuing a master’s in higher education administration. “It will help me out a lot.”

This year marked the first time a CREW Real Estate Scholarship was presented at the tournament. The $750 scholarship goes to a commercial real estate major. For more information about these scholarships, click here.

The annual event has raised more than $65,000 for scholarships since its inception. In 2012, $16,000 will be awarded to deserving Panthers. That amount includes the 2011 winnings teams No Tan Lines and FIU Advancement donated back to the university.

This year’s FIU Scholarship Fishing Tournament winners were:

Most Aggregate Dolphin Weight: Team Beach Club Productions ($2,500 prize and an original art piece donated by local artist Jorge Martinez)

Largest Dolphin: Team Beach Club Productions ($1,000 and plaque)

Ladies Catch Largest Dolphin: Team No Tan Lines ($500)

Largest Fun Fish: Team FIU Advancement ($250)

Junior Catch Largest Dolphin: Team Gibraltar Private ($100 gift certificate to Dave & Busters)

2nd Place Most Aggregate Dolphin Weight: Team Gibraltar Private ($500)

2nd Place Largest Dolphin: Team Ekman & Co. ($250)

2nd Place Junior: Team Hitex ($50 gift certificate to Dave & Busters)