A little cafecito with your collaboration


Research by well-regarded MIT management professor Thomas Allarn tells us that creating “collaboration and collision spaces enables communication for inspiration.”

In other words, providing opportunities for encounters between people in different fields and organizations can spark collaborations that otherwise would never come to be.

Here is where Toasty the Tostada comes in.

A new initiative being led by the FIU Office of Engagement seeks to do exactly that through a newly formed “collision opportunity” called Tostada Tuesdays. The initiative seeks to spark new collaborations and partnerships with the community over a cafecito and tostada.

“Communication for inspiration stimulates creativity, an important precursor for innovation and, eventually, partnership building,” said Vice President for Engagement Saif Y. Ishoof. “Tostada Tuesdays is the opportunity for members of the community to come meet wonderful talent, learn about our groundbreaking research and get connected to FIU. For FIU, it is an important opportunity for us to make an impact on our community.”

The inaugural Tostada Tuesdays was held Oct. 3 and welcomed more than 60 members of the FIU community and potential external partners who were looking to learn about new collaboration opportunities.

We asked Toasty fans — including students, faculty, staff and external guests — what Tuesdays meant to them.

#TostadaConnections means…

 

“Breaking bread and building community regardless of one’s background, ethnicity or where they come from and welcoming all who come to Florida International University.” – Val Butler, FIU Community Relations

 

“Connecting with awesome people that have the mission and vision to change our community.” – Giselle Latorre, StartUP FIU (right), seen here with FIU Office of Engagement’s Alexina Alonso.

 

“A great opportunity to network with people and share how FIU is working hard to bring people together.” – Sana, FIU student

 

“Being more involved and connected with the community around me. Sitting down having coffee and tostada and learning about what surrounds me in Miami.” – Stephanie Espinosa, FIU student

 

“We deeply believe in the power of community and the power of partnerships.” – President Mark B. Rosenberg

 

“An opportunity to meet new like-minded folk in the community.” –Alex Dominguez, regional director, AT&T