50@50: Gregory Wolfe remembers Ella Fitzgerald’s visit to BBC


To celebrate the university’s 50th anniversary, FIU News will share 50 moments in FIU’s history as part of our “50@50″ series. We continue this weekly series with President Emeritus Gregory B. Wolfe, who shares how FIU extended an invitation to Ella Fitzgerald to visit Biscayne Bay Campus.

By Joel Delgado ’12 MS ’17 

With Wolfe Day festivities coming up on March 31, we honor former FIU President Gregory B. Wolfe with one of the most memorable moments of his tenure.

On Oct. 28, 1983, renowned jazz artist Ella Fitzgerald visited Biscayne Bay Campus to sing at Culture Fest. As she began her set, a typical Miami rain started to fall and threatened to dampen her performance. Thanks to some quick thinking and quick feet, Wolfe jumped on stage with an umbrella in hand to keep Fitzgerald dry.