It is FIU’s 50th anniversary. Many were in attendance at the Washington, D.C. bureau to celebrate all that FIU has achieved in the last five decades.
The university officially opened its doors on Sept. 14, 1972 with a mission to serve the diverse population of South Florida and a greater number of students. The public university has not only kept that promise but is also continuing to raise the bar by receiving numerous awards each year, highlighting the steady progress in student success.
“We went from being the highest opening day enrollment when we opened 50 years ago this week,” said Eric Feldman, associate director of student success and academic programs. “And now we are the fastest-rising university… and a variety of rankings that also capture social mobility.”
Earlier this week U.S. News and World Report ranked FIU as one of the fastest-rising public universities in the last decade, now making it number 72 in the nation.
Patrick Gossett was one of the students in FIU’s first graduating class in 1975, and is impressed by the school’s growth since his time there.
“When I was there it was a senior college, only the top 2 years, now it’s a 4 year university,” he said. “What impacted me today is the international aspect of FIU. It’s incredible to see the breadth of what students are at FIU and the reach that it has throughout the world.”
Google’s diversity, equity, and inclusion learning strategist Lemar White also shared the positive impact being an FIU alumni has brought him.
“Google took a chance on me and by extension they took a chance on FIU, and I’ve been there 8 years, so I think that speaks volumes to the education that I got,” White said.
With 50 years down, the university says it is focused on making the next 50 years even better by increasing academic support and opportunities for students.
