FIYou: Daniela Ottati Reperger

By Joel Delgado ’12 MS ’17 

Name: Daniela Ottati Reperger

Hometown: Montevideo, Uruguay

Job Title/Department: Professor, Communication Arts

Campus: MMC

In a nutshell: I teach Intercultural Communication, Advanced Business Communication, Business and Professional Communication and Public Speaking for the Communication Arts Department – and I am a proud FIU alumna.

Number of years at FIU: 10

What do you enjoy most about your job?: I love teaching, and to be able to do it at FIU has been a dream come true. I enjoy working with students and allowing them to discover how fascinating learning is.

What do you think students and your fellow faculty/staff should know about your department?: The Communication Arts Department offers numerous courses that allow students to improve their communication skills. It has a very successful study abroad program to Europe, and houses the Communication Arts Studio, where students can practice and polish their presentations and speeches.

Where is your favorite spot on campus? Why?: I always like to pass by the Kissing Bridge as I did so many times as a student on my way to the College of Education building (ZEB).

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about FIU?: That it offers endless opportunities for students to hold leadership positions, participate in study abroad, conduct research and make their college experience truly memorable. As a student, I was very involved both at BBC and MMC and that brought me closer to FIU.

How is FIU “Worlds Ahead”?: In the 10 years that I have been at this institution it has grown tremendously. I am constantly marveled at all the accomplishments of our faculty and students. FIU has it all and always goes beyond the expectations!

Family snapshot: My parents, Susana and Jorge, are both professors (Spanish Language and History, respectively) and I have two brothers. The oldest, Jorge, is a sports anchor at beIN SPORTS and the youngest, Fernando, is a graphic artist at FIU’s Office of Campus Life at BBC and the advisor of the Comics Club, for which I was a founding board member. Therefore education, sports and art are always among the topics of conversation in our family.

Word that best describes you: It would be… dynamic!

First paying job: It was at a learning center in Aventura. I initially wanted to tutor students, but I was too young to do so. Since I still wanted to work at an education-related environment, I became their administrative assistant.

Favorite TV show: At the moment I have three – The Flash, Esperanza mía (in Spanish) and Una grande famiglia (in Italian).

What is playing on your iPod?: I am always listening to latin pop/urban hits as well as contemporary Italian songs.

Your proudest accomplishment: Earning all four of my degrees from my loved FIU (B.S., Ed.S. and Ph.D. in education, and a M.S. in communication) and being recognized as a Worlds Ahead graduate at commencement by President Mark B. Rosenberg.

What do you do when you are not working at FIU?: I play sports, exercise, watch soccer and basketball games, go to advance movie screenings and find ways of doing fun activities with my family and friends that range from going to a drive-through safari in West Palm Beach to attending comic-cons. So many people want to come to South Florida and I do not take living here for granted; I try to break away from the routine and experience it as if I were a tourist.