Last updated The intersection between the Graham University Center and the Green Library, considered the heart of campus.
The history of Florida International University, the first public institution of higher education in Miami and largest university in South Florida, began in 1965, with the introduction of a bill for the planning of the city's first state university. Florida International University was established in 1969 when it was established as a space-grant university by the Florida Legislature. Florida International is one of the youngest but the second largest university in the State University System of Florida. Florida International's opening in 1972, was the largest opening enrollment in U.S. collegiate history with 5,667 students enrolled.[1]
In 1943, state senator Ernest 'Cap' Graham (father of future Florida governor and U.S. senator Bob Graham) presented the state legislature with the initial proposal for the establishment of a public university in Miami-Dade County.[2] While his bill did not pass, Graham persisted in presenting his proposal to colleagues, advising them of the county's need for a state university. He felt the establishment of a public university was necessary to serve the city's growing population.[3]
In 1964, Senate Bill 711 was introduced by Florida senator Robert M. Haverfield.[4] It instructed the state Board of Education and the Board of Regents (BOR) to begin planning for the development of the state university. The bill was signed into law by then-governor W. Haydon Burns in June 1965.[2]
FIU's founding president Charles "Chuck" Perry was appointed by the Board of Regents in July 1969, at which time the institution was named Florida International University.[5] At 32 years old, the new president was the youngest in the history of the State University System[6] and, at the time, the youngest university president in the country. Perry recruited three co-founders, Butler Waugh, Donald McDowell and Nick Sileo. Alvah Chapman, Jr., former Miami Herald publisher and Knight Ridder chairman, used his civic standing and media power to assist the effort. In the 1980s, Chapman became chair of the FIU Foundation Board of Trustees.[3]
The founders located the campus on the site of the original Tamiami Airport (not related to the later Kendall-Tamiami Airport) on the Tamiami Trail (U.S. Route 41) between Southwest 107th and 117th Avenues, just east of where the West Dade Expressway (now the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike) was being planned.[5] The abandoned airport's air traffic control tower became FIU's first building, with Perry's office on the first floor.[7][8] It originally had no telephones, no drinking water, and no furniture. Perry decided that the tower should never be destroyed, and it remains on campus, where it is now known variously as the "Veterans Office," "Ivory Tower," the "Tower Building," or the "Public Safety Tower," and is the former location of the FIU Police Department.
Groundbreaking for the Tamiami campus was held in January 1971. U Thant received FIU's first honorary degree.[9]
Miami-Dade County's public university
The Graham Center, FIU's student union. Over 3.5 million people walk through the Graham Center every year, making it the heart of student life at FIU.
In September 1972, 5,667 students entered the new state university, the largest opening day enrollment at the time. Eighty percent of the student body had just graduated from Dade County Junior College (now Miami-Dade College). A typical student entering FIU was 25 years old and attending school full-time while holding down a full-time job. Forty-three percent were married. Negotiations with the University of Miami and Dade County Junior College led FIU to open as an upper-division only school; Perry's vision foresaw a "no gimmicks" institution with no student housing.[11] It would be nine years before lower-division classes were added.[3]
The first commencement, held in June 1973, took place in the reading room of the ground floor of Primera Casa – the only place large enough on campus for the ceremony. More than 1,500 family members and friends watched FIU's first class of 191 graduates receive their diplomas.[3]
By late 1975, after seven years at the helm, Charles Perry felt he had accomplished his goal and left the university to become president and publisher of the Sunday newspaper magazine Family Weekly (later USA Weekend), one of the country's largest magazines. When he left, there were more than 10,000 students attending classes and a campus with five major buildings and a sixth being planned.[3]
Crosby and Wolfe: 1976–1986
Chemistry & Physics building
Harold Crosby, the university's second president and the founding president of the University of West Florida in Pensacola, agreed in 1976 to serve a three-year "interim" term. Under his leadership, FIU's North Miami Campus (which was officially renamed the Bay Vista Campus in 1980, the North Miami Campus in 1987,[citation needed] the North Campus in 1994, and the Biscayne Bay Campus in 2000)—located on the former Interama site on Biscayne Bay—was opened in 1977. State senator Jack Gordon was instrumental in securing funding for the development of the campus. President Crosby emphasized the university's international character, prompting the launching of new programs with an international focus and the recruitment of faculty from the Caribbean and Latin America. President Crosby's resignation in January 1979 triggered the search for a "permanent" president.[12]
Gregory Baker Wolfe, a former United States diplomat and then-president of Portland State University, became FIU's third president, serving from 1979 to 1986. During his tenure, the institution continued to grow; it became a four-year institution, though Wolfe was criticized for not hiring enough minorities and for leading a weak private fundraising effort.[13] After stepping down as president, Wolfe taught in the university's international relations department. The student union on the Biscayne Bay Campus is named in his honor.[12]
Modesto A. Maidique assumed the presidency at FIU in 1986, becoming the fourth in the university's history and the first Hispanic leader of any of Florida's state universities.[14] Maidique graduated with a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), before joining the private sector. He held academic appointments from MIT, Harvard and Stanford Universities, and has been named to several US presidential boards and committees.[15]
Under his leadership, FIU heralded in an era of unprecedented growth and prestige, with all facets of the university undergoing major transformations. Physically, the university tripled in size and its enrollment grew to nearly 40,000. During his 23 years as president, the school established the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, the FIU College of Law, the FIU School of Architecture, and the Robert Stempel School of Public Health. Also during his tenure, the endowment grew from less than $2 million to over $100 million.[16]
During Maidique's tenure, the university added 22 new doctoral programs. Research expenditures grew from about $6 million to nearly $110 million as defined by the National Science Foundation.[17] In 2000, FIU attained the highest ranking in the Carnegie Foundation classification system, that of "Doctoral/Research University-Extensive."[18] FIU's faculty has engaged in research and holds far-reaching expertise in reducing morbidity and mortality from cancer, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, diabetes and other diseases, and change the approaches to the delivery of health care by medical, public health, nursing and other healthcare professionals, hurricane mitigation, climate change, nano-technologies, forensic sciences, and the development of biomedical devices.
The arts also flourished while Maidique was at the helm, with the university acquiring The Wolfsonian-FIU Museum on Miami Beach and building the Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum on its main campus. In athletics, FIU made inroads in becoming a powerhouse athletic university during Maidique's time as president; he unilaterally changed the mascot from the Sunblazers to the Golden Panthers early in his tenure,[19] and he championed the eventual establishment of an NCAA football program. Finally, the school earned membership into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest honor society.[20]
Maidique was the second longest-serving research university president in the nation.[17] Now President Emeritus, he currently serves as the Alvah H. Chapman, Jr., Eminent Scholar Chair in Leadership, and Professor of Management at FIU.
On November 14, 2008, Maidique announced that he would be stepping down and asked FIU's board of trustees to begin the search of a new president. He said he would remain president until a new one was found.[21] On April 25, 2009, Mark B. Rosenberg was selected to become FIU's fifth president. He signed a five-year contract with the board of trustees.[22] On August 29, 2009, Rosenberg became FIU's fifth president.[23]
The Wertheim Conservatory houses many rare species of plants and foliage.
Having started as a two-year upper division university, FIU has grown into a much larger traditional university and serves international students. More than $600 million has been invested in campus construction, with the addition of new residence halls, the FIU Stadium, recreation center, student center, and Greek life mansions, as well as the fielding of the Division I-A Golden Panthers football team in 2002.[24]
In December 2013, it was announced Royal Caribbean was building a $20 million 130,000 sq. ft. training facility for its performers at the school.[30] The facility opened in March 2015.[31] The complex serves architecture, art, and hospitality students and includes lighting, set design, marketing, and other internship and training opportunities.[30][32]
Rosenberg suddenly resigned from the university effective January 21, 2022, citing deteriorating health conditions of his wife. Just a week later it was revealed that he stepped down because he had made aggressive advances to a younger female employee, "causing discomfort," and creating a hostile work environment.[35] Rosenberg is currently a professor of political science and international relations at the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs at FIU.[36]
On March 15, 2018, a newly constructed pedestrian bridge collapsed outside the university, resulting in six fatalities.[37] On May 6, 2020, the Florida Department of Transportation announced plans to design and rebuild the bridge, with guidance from the National Transportation Safety Board and collaboration with FIU. The design stage is scheduled to begin in 2021 and last for two years, with a further two years estimated to construct the bridge.[38]
Jessell Presidency
Rosenberg was succeeded by Kenneth A. Jessell as president, previously FIU's chief financial officer and senior vice president for finance and administration.[39] Jessell was selected as FIU's sixth president on October 17, 2022, by FIU's board of trustees and was and was confirmed by the Florida Board of Governors on November 9, 2022.[40][41]
University Park is a neighborhood and former census-designated place (CDP) located in an unincorporated area of western Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It was merged into Westchester CDP for the 2020 U.S. Census. In 2010, the population was 26,995. It encompasses the Modesto A. Maidique Campus of Florida International University and the Fair Expo Center, and was the former name of the former's campus.
Westchester is a census-designated place (CDP) and neighborhood in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. Prior to the 2020 U.S. Census, the neighboring University Park CDP was merged into Westchester CDP, effectively doubling its geography and population. Per the 2020 census, the population was 56,384.
Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in the neighborhood of University Park in the Westchester CDP of unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1965 by the Florida Legislature, the school opened its doors to students in 1972. FIU has grown to become the third-largest university in Florida and the eighth-largest public university in the United States by enrollment. FIU is a constituent part of the State University System of Florida.
Miami Executive Airport, formerly known until 2014 as Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, is a public airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, 13 miles (21 km) southwest of Downtown Miami. It is operated by the Miami-Dade Aviation Department.
The Tamiami Trail is the southernmost 284 miles (457 km) of U.S. Highway 41 (US 41) from State Road 60 (SR 60) in Tampa to US 1 in Miami. A portion of the road also has the hidden designation of State Road 90 (SR 90).
The Miami metropolitan area, also known as South Florida, SoFlo, SoFla, the Gold Coast, the Tri-County Area, or Greater Miami, and officially known as the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, is a coastal metropolitan area in southeastern Florida. It is the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the United States, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States, and the largest metropolitan area in Florida. With a population of 6.14 million, its population exceeds 31 of the nation's 50 states as of 2022. It comprises the three most populated counties in the state, Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County, which rank as the first, second, and third-most populous counties in the state, respectively. Miami-Dade County, with 2,716,940 people in 2019, is the seventh-most populous county in the United States.
The Florida International University College of Law is the law school of Florida International University, located in Miami, Florida in the United States. The law school is accredited by the American Bar Association, and is the only public law school in South Florida. FIU College of Law is the third highest ranked law school in the state of Florida and is ranked in the top 60 in the nation. The College of Law has also achieved the highest July bar exam passage in the state of Florida consecutively for the last seven years (2015–2022).
Modesto Alex "Mitch" Maidique was the fourth president of Florida International University (FIU), a public university in the United States, whose main campus is named after him. Appointed in 1986, Maidique was the longest-serving university president in Florida and the second longest-serving research university president in the United States. On November 14, 2008, Maidique presented his resignation to the FIU Board of trustees. On April 25, 2009, Mark B. Rosenberg was chosen to succeed Maidique and assumed office on August 3, 2009.
State Road 985, locally known as West 107th Avenue, FIU Avenue, and Avenue of the Americas, is a 7.604-mile (12.237 km) long north–south street in western Miami-Dade County, Florida, serving the communities of Kendall, University Park, Sweetwater, Fontainebleau, and Doral.
WRGP is the student-run radio station of Florida International University in Miami, Florida, United States. WRGP broadcasts on 88.1 MHz from a transmitter site in rural Miami-Dade County at 17107 SW 248 Street and from rebroadcasters on the two largest FIU campuses: W237CP (95.3 MHz) at the main Modesto A. Maidique Campus, where the station's studios are located in the Graham Center, and W245BF (96.9 MHz) on the Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami.
The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine is the medical school of Florida International University, located in Modesto A. Maidique Campus in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. The College of Medicine is one of the university's 26 schools and colleges. Degrees and programs offered at the College of Medicine include a Doctor of Medicine (MD), a Master in Physician Assistant, a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, and a Graduate Certificate in Molecular and Biomedical Sciences.
The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum is an art museum located in the Modesto A. Maidique campus of Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida. Founded in 1977 as 'The Art Museum at Florida International University', it was renamed 'The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum' in 2003.
Mark B. Rosenberg is a professor and former university administrator who served as the president of Florida International University from August 2009 until January 2022 and former Chancellor of the State University System of Florida. He is member of the Council on Foreign Relations think tank and has testified before the United States Congress numerous times. He also served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Rosenberg earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with Omicron Delta Kappa honors in 1971 from Miami University in Ohio. He earned his Master of Arts in political science in 1971 and a Ph.D. in political science with a graduate certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies in 1976 from the University of Pittsburgh.
Tamiami Park is a public urban park in metropolitan Miami, just south of the Modesto Maidique campus of Florida International University.
David Michael Harper is an American architect, business leader and sustainable energy advocate. He is the Chief Design Officer, Practice Leader and Director for SNC-Lavalin Atkins. Engineering News Record (ENR) has ranked SNC-Lavalin Group as the 19th largest Design and CM-PM firm in the United States with 2022 Revenue of $1.5 Billion. Previously before assuming his current role he was the Global Higher Education Practice Leader and the Managing Director for HKS, Inc.
The Florida International University Alumni Association is an alumni organization for former students of Florida International University. It is governed by a 32-volunteer-member board of directors and currently has over 20,000 dues-paying members made up of alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of FIU.
FIU Football Stadium is a college football and soccer stadium on the campus of Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida. It is the home stadium of the FIU Panthers football team and the Miami FC soccer team from the USL Championship. The stadium opened in 1995 and has a seating capacity of 20,000.
Miccosukee Indian School is a K-12 tribal school in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, with a Miami postal address. It is affiliated with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). It is located along the Tamiami Trail.
Kenneth Arthur Jessell is an American educator, university administrator, professor and the sixth and current president of Florida International University. He succeeded Mark B. Rosenberg as the interim president in January 2022, following Rosenberg's resignation and allegations of sexual harassment. He agreed to a three-year contract and an annual base salary of $650,000 and a performance-based bonus of $175,000, with his total compensation package coming out to $996,081, and was approved by the FIU Board of Trustees on October 17, 2022, and he was confirmed as president by the Florida Board of Governors on November 9, 2022.
↑ "New Bills In Florida Legislature". The Tampa Tribune. Tampa, Florida. May 1, 1965. p.9-A. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
1 2 "Dr. Perry, 32, Gets New University Post". Fort Lauderdale News. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press. July 11, 1969. p.1A. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
↑ Roberts, Jack (April 17, 1970). "FIU head dreams practical dreams". The Miami News. Miami, Florida. p.5-A. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
↑ Shah, Nirvi; Samuels, Robert (November 15, 2008). "Goals reached, Maidique to step down". The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. p.1A, 21A. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
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