FIU's "Best and Brightest" to parade through University Park

MIAMI (September 12, 2001) - Florida International University draws students from around the world and throughout the United States, and its "best and brightest" come together at the university's Honors College. There they receive the kind of education one might expect from a small, private college-not a major urban research university.

Showcasing its students' diversity and academic achievement, the Honors College will host a unique and colorful afternoon of activity for the entire community.

The inaugural Honors College Convocation will take place on Tuesday, October 2, at FIU's University Park. At 2:00 p.m. students will assemble for the Parade of Nations and States as they take up the flags of the 57 countries and 21 U.S. states from which they hail.

Led by two bagpipers, the students and faculty will march through campus and invite others to join them in a truly international display. One of the bagpipers is a music student, and the other is a marine biology professor from the Biscayne Bay Campus.

At 3:00 p.m. everyone is welcome to attend the second segment of the Convocation in the Graham University Center Ballroom for a showcase of the work of Honors students. Among the exhibits: a computerized presentation illustrating classical design references in tombstones found in Miami cemeteries; a short film that ran as part of Miami Beach's 2001 Gay and Lesbian Film Festival; and a series of professional-quality photos of historic Florida buildings.

These and other project entries are eligible for awards, winners of which will be announced at the Convocation. A reception with steel band musical accompaniment will end the affair.

"The Honors College is a place where imagination runs free," said Stephen Fjellman, Honors College associate dean and professor. "These projects are representative of the energy and creativity that permeate classes in the college."

Courses in the Honors College explore a single theme throughout the academic year. Students meet in lecture-style settings weekly and then break out into smaller classes usually averaging fewer than 20 students. The goal, Fjellman explains, is to reach across disciplines and to stimulate critical thinking.

"The Honors College Convocation will highlight our commitment to attracting and educating exceptional achievers,'" said Ivelaw Griffith, the distinguished political scientist and Caribbean studies scholar who earlier this year became dean of the Honors College. Noting that the event will highlight the university's international theme, he added: "These events will help spread the word that students from around the globe and the nation can meet here to exchange ideas and learn in a tightly knit group with personal attention from excellent faculty across the disciplines. High school upperclassmen and their parents are particularly encouraged to attend."

The Honors College offers undergraduate students the attention and benefits associated with a liberal arts college while at the same time extending access to all the resources of a major state university. It provides a range of unique activities and academic experiences-among them year-long projects, study abroad programs, a national student exchange, and community service opportunities-that help students get the most out of their education. Nearly 700 students with majors ranging from physics to hospitality management are currently enrolled in the Honors College, which serves both of FIU campuses.

The October 2 event will feature music, contests, give-aways, and refreshments, all free to guests. As part of the commitment to attract high quality students, a new $200,000 Honors scholarship endowment campaign will be officially launched at the Convocation. For more on the event visit www.fiu.edu/~honors/convocation.

Media contact: Alexandra Pecharich 305.348.1923 / pecharic@fiu.edu