This March, 32 alumni, led by Bill Draughon, associate vice president in Advancement, set off to explore the land down under. The 12-night cruise started in Auckland, New Zealand, and took the visitors through Tauranga, Wellington, Akora/Christchurch and Dunedin in New Zealand before heading to Melbourne, Australia, and wrapping up in Sydney. Though they shared the ship with hundreds of other tourists, the FIU group enjoyed welcome and farewell receptions on the cruise, as well as three exclusive FIU Alumni Association shore excursions.
The group went as part of an FIU Alumni Association travel package. Each year, Draughon organizes trips to a variety of destinations. Many of the trips are headed by an FIU host, such as a professor. The trips are just one way alumni can stay connected to the university, meet other Panthers and benefit the FIU First Generation Scholarship Fund (partial proceeds from travel costs go toward the scholarships).
Need more motivation? Check out these highlights from the trip:
See the 2014 alumni travel schedule at www.fiualumni.com/travel.