Florida International University will open the doors this week to FIU in Washington, D.C., (FIU in DC). The FIU initiative is a research-driven solutions center aimed at expanding national partnerships and creating greater opportunities in the nation’s capital for students, faculty, and the South Florida community.
The FIU in DC dedication will include a series of events that will showcase FIU’s expertise and research on national and global issues. One such highlight will be a presentation on poll results related to Hispanics and the 2016 presidential election on Wednesday, June 8 at 6:30 p.m.
“With Washington, D.C. as a significant source of change and action it is critical that FIU deepen its presence in DC to advance FIU’s federal initiatives, create new win-win partnerships, connect students to great jobs, and expand research funding,” said FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg. “A more engaged presence in our nation’s capital is critical to forging new federal, corporate and international partnerships while providing unique learning and research opportunities for our students.”
FIU in DC is made possible by the generous gift of several sponsors and donors, including Maria Elena Toraño, a trailblazer in corporate America, federal government service, and the small business sector who has made a multi-year commitment to FIU’s vision in Washington, with special emphasis on women’s leadership. On Wednesday, June 8 at 2 p.m. she will lead a discussion on “Lessons in Leadership: What Washington Taught Me.”
“Through my partnership with FIU I am keeping my commitment to be a part of the development of the next generation of leaders among our youth,” Toraño said. “I commend President Rosenberg and FIU for providing a national forum for the university to share its multiple accomplishments.”
Blocks from Union Station and Capitol Hill, FIU in DC., 440 1st Street NW, is designed to be a research-focused, engaged solutions center – and a home away from home – for alumni, students and staff to convene and collaborate. Complete with state-of-the-art teaching and conferencing technologies, the 3,500-square-foot space includes a welcome center, multipurpose space, a board room, classroom, and four co-working spaces. The Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs and other colleges and schools will soon offer short-term courses there to current students and alumni. The space will be available for FIU partners from Miami to engage in Washington, D.C. as well.
“FIU and Miami are two brands that are inextricably linked and known worldwide,” said William D. Talbert III, President and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to partnering with FIU to showcase the energy and vibrancy of Miami to stakeholders in Washington, D.C.”
FIU’s Governmental Relations department has had a strong presence in Washington, D.C. for more than 15 years. More than 100 students visit each year for internships and conferences, and hundreds more faculty also visit for federal agency visits and conferences. FIU in DC is expected to help leverage the university’s preeminent research faculty to convene critical national dialogues. FIU recently moved into the top tier of research universities, in the latest edition of the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
An estimated 2,463 FIU alumni live in the D.C. metro area and among them more than 1,900 work in the federal government, research, education, media and communications, and program and project management.
FIU’s alumni network has always served a critical role in providing mentorship opportunities and jobs in Washington. This year, 32 employment referrals have been made, six employment offers accepted, and 56 students have found internships in D.C. Each year, 70 to 80 students intern in D.C. Increasing student internships and employment will be a strong focus for FIU in D.C.
Other launch week events include:
- Monday, June 6 at 3:30 PM — Connecting the Dots: A Multifaceted Approach to Enhancing Resilience in Coastal Ecosystems and Communities
- Tuesday, June 7 at 10:30 AM — Equity and Equality of the Sexes in Communication: Are Women Getting There?
- Tuesday, June 7 at 3:30 PM — The Dark Side of the Web: Cyber Threats in the 21st Century
- Tuesday, June 7 at 6:30 PM — Celebrating those who “Turned the Impossible into the Inevitable”
- Thursday, June 9 at 9:30 AM — Opening ceremony
For webcasts or for more information, please visit washingtondc.fiu.edu/launch.
