FIU community proves resilient in the face of adversity


From the editor

As I write this, the hurricane season of 2017 is winding down—and what a season it was. From Texas to Florida to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, Mother Nature let us know decisively just who is in charge on planet Earth (hint: it isn’t us). Story assignments had already been made for the Fall issue of FIU Magazine, but after Hurricane Irma barreled through the Sunshine State, we put those stories on hold. We decided to write instead about the myriad ways our FIU family was impacted by the storm. From preparing a major public research university for a hurricane (and getting it ready to reopen after the storm passed through), to helping members of the community who had nowhere to turn as the storm raced toward us, to the research carried out by our scientists, to the helping hands lent by our students, faculty, staff and alumni after the storm, we have much to be proud about as a community. We are capable. We are resilient. We are #FIUstrong.

There were some special moments after the storm that reminded me that challenging circumstances often bring out the best in us. The morning that the Green Library reopened to students, in part to give them a cool spot where they could access Wi-Fi, President Mark B. Rosenberg was there to welcome them back. Every one mentioned how special it was to be greeted by our president. Then there was the day I learned that students of East Carolina University were sending our university $4,723—money they had collected to “assist students in need.” Incredible. You will learn of other good deeds elsewhere in the pages of this issue.

As we head into the holiday season, let’s all remember how fortunate we are to be surrounded by so much support, and let’s all try and pay it forward in 2018.

Always Blue and Gold,

Karen Cochrane

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