FIU College of Law recognized for giving back

(Left to right) Gloria Barker, Senior Assoicate Dean Michelle Mason, Enbar Cohen and Herb Barker.

FIU College of Law was presented with the Statute of Liberty Centennial serigraph signed by its artist, Melanie Taylor Kent, as part of the Aventura Marketing Council’s Second Annual Art from the Heart program, which recognizes non-profit organizations and institutions who give back to the community.

FIU College of Law received the artwork, donated by Barker Animation Fine Art & Sculptures, in honor of its Math & Civics Summer Academy – a program spearheaded by Senior Associate Dean Michelle Mason.

Now in its third year, the program, which partners FIU’s Colleges of Law and Education, along with the Algebra Project (AP), and the Young People’s Project (YPP), was designed and implemented as the only Math & Civics summer academy in the nation. During the last three summers, students in third through fifth grade, who attend Liberty City elementary schools, spent their days at the College of Law where YPP students and former Miami AP cohort graduates, who presently are college students at various institutions, focused on teaching mathematics, and College of Law interns who focused on teaching civics.

“The College of Law is delighted to receive this beautiful artwork as a reminder of the importance and value of work we do with our summer academy students,” said Mason. “We hope to add more students next year!”

The Math & Civics Summer Academy program was nominated by Aventura Commissioner Enbar Cohen, who is currently a first year law student at FIU College of Law.