When I reflect on the words “Annual Giving,” I think about the support that can be generated to help students, faculty and the university community. This support enables FIU to further its mission to provide excellence in undergraduate education, enhance research and doctoral production and create distinction in international education.

Our team here at the Office of Annual Giving strives to advance this mission and engage alumni, parents and friends by providing personalized information about the university’s academic programs through mail, phone and email.

I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all those who have given their time and support to the Annual Fund this year. In light of the current state of our economy, we feel that this is a testament to the loyalty of our alumni, friends and parents as you continue to support FIU. At the Annual Fund we believe that it is not how much you give but that you give. We appreciate the dedicated support of our donors. And are working hard to earn the support of more alumni every year.

Hello from the Panther Phone Program!

The Panther Phone Program (P3) is just one of the many ways that we reach out to our alumni, parents and friends of the University. P3 gives students a flexible, on-campus job that is fun, enhances their resumes, and most importantly, helps support FIU. Student Fundraiser positions help students reach out to someone like you in the FIU community and start "giving back." Student fundraisers call FIU alumni, parents, and friends every evening Sunday – Thursday to help educate them about the FIU Annual Fund and its benefit to the University. We make these calls for several reasons. We strive to ensure that your information is up to date, and we like to keep in touch with our alumni and find out what they are currently doing. As our University continues to grow, this is of the utmost importance. I hope that you were able to update your information this year, but if you are not sure that your information is current please review the information that we have for you on the Update page and make any necessary changes if needed.

In this precarious time of budget cuts, it is imperative for the P3 to reach out to the FIU community in order to support the University’s programs and scholarship opportunities. Furthermore, our students benefit tremendously from the feedback that our alumni provide. Many times callers have changed majors and career paths, or formulated new ideas from feedback from our alumni base. So I would like to thank each and every one of you who have taken time to speak with our student fundraisers this year.

Please take this opportunity to meet one of our
student callers now.

For many of us, a college education is a given… the next step in a series of milestones that presumably must be met. But for others, going to college is a privilege; although they may have the desire to pursue a higher education, they may not necessarily have the resources. One such person is Joaklin Raphael.

Every time Joaklin and his mother drove past the entrance of the Biscayne Bay Campus, she would remind him of her dream for him to attend FIU. With the help of financial aid, Joaklin began attending FIU in the spring of 2005. On his very first day at FIU, Joaklin’s mother passed away after her long battle with AIDS. With no close relatives and no place to live, Joaklin faced the difficult decision of putting FIU on hold.

After just one semester, Joaklin returned to FIU determined to continue even though he still did not have a place to live or a viable source of income. During the re-enrollment process he met Dr. Glenda Belote , the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at that time, who offered him a job at the Undergraduate Advising office. There, Joaklin met many people who inspired him in so many ways, from small acts of kindness to actions that would change his life. The first time that Joaklin ever celebrated his birthday was at the Undergraduate Advising office, when his friends and colleagues surprised him with a small party. He recalls being surprised, confused, happy and thankful, all at the same time. After hearing about Joaklin’s living situation, Dr William Beesting, the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies, was able to obtain funding from University Advancement so that Joaklin could live on campus. Joaklin no longer worried about his living situation and could now focus on what was important, graduating.

In the summer of 2008, with only two more classes until graduation, Joaklin’s financial aid was depleted. He was forced to withdraw from classes for the fall semester, give up his housing and leave his job at the advising office. His friends and colleagues at the advising office, however, remained steadfast to this young man’s cause. Together University Advancement, Student Affairs, Undergraduate Advising and several individual donors secured gifts ranging from $30 to $1,000 and Joaklin was able to return to FIU for the Spring 2009 semester.

In May, Joaklin graduated from FIU’s College of Arts and Sciences with a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. Joaklin is currently working at FIU; however, in the future he hopes to work for the local or state government and aspires to go on to law school. For Joaklin it was a long and curvy road to graduation, but he was determined to get there. Not only did he want to fulfill his mother’s dream, but he also strongly believed that a college education would open doors for him that might otherwise be closed.

Without the support of the FIU community, earning a college degree would have been almost impossible for Joaklin. Every gift donated - small or large - ensured that Joaklin was one step closer to graduation. By giving back to FIU, you too can help students like Joaklin, for whom a college education is a privilege and not a given. Please remember, every gift counts.