The newsletter of the Honors College has gone through several transformations during its existence. This latest version, our second electronic edition, embodies the highlights of this past academic year in the College. The students in the Honors College at FIU represent the best and the brightest that this institution has to offer. Their efforts and achievements are only touched upon here in what has been another very productive year. Our convocation event, participation in student conferences, and lecture series, with its accompanying occasional paper series, are only some of the accomplishments of the Honors College. In this time of renewal and growth for the College, we at With Honors hope that you are inspired to support the College on whatever level you can by attending our events, recognizing the work of our students and faculty, and contributing to our scholarship fund. As a community, FIU has many facets that make it as dynamic and forward thinking as it is. The Honors College aspires to continue to be an integral part of this and we hope that you will support us in our efforts. John Kneski,
Editor
Nota Bene ~ College Facts and Figures for the 2002/2003 Academic Year New
Faculty Fellows ~ 2003-2004* Felice Lifshitz
, Ph.D. (Columbia University) Joyce Peterson,
Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin-Madison) *For
more biographical information on these and other Honors College Fellows,
 
 The Student Technology Center at UPC. In attendance at the dedication ceremony were, from left to right, Provost Mark Rosenberg, Honors Advisory Council Member and CAPS Program Director Tallulah Brown, Vice President / CIO John McGowan, Dean Ivelaw Griffith, and Assistant Dean John Kneski. New Honors College Student Facilities at UPC and BBC Under the leadreship of Dean Ivelaw Griffith, within two years the Honors College has both gained new dedicated space on the Biscayne Bay Campus and doubled in size the facilities at the University Park Campus. Construction of the new Honors Offices & Student Center was completed in March of this year, and the Student Center opened for business shortly thereafter. The project, which took roughly a year from concept to completion, was based upon a schematic design by Assistant Dean John Kneski, who also teaches in the School of Architecture. The design of the new facilities for the College is in keeping with the College's philosophy in the way it dedicates a large portion of the space to student research functions. The dedication ceremony took place in Deuxieme Maison on March 12th; Provost Mark Rosenberg was in attendance in addition to the entire administration of the Honors College, faculty, students, and members of the FIU Community. The new Honors College space
at FIU's Biscayne Bay Campus, on the second floor of the Academic One
Building, has also been configured to include a Student Information
Technology Center, which will be opened in fall 2003.
National and State Honors Council Student Conferences NCHC Conference in Utah ~ November 2002 ~ FIU Honors College students and faculty were among the 1200 honors students, faculty, and administrators who made presentations at last year's National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) Conference, held in Salt Lake City, Utah. The FIU delegation was comprised of Dean Ivelaw Griffith, Arianne Britt, Yvette Hernandez, Beth May, Einat Urbach, and Professors Bill Beesting, Meri-Jane Rochelson, Peter Machonis, and Devon Graham. "How Tall is Polyphemus?" was the title of a presentation by sophomores Arianna Britt, a Broadcast Journalism major, and Yvette Hernandez, an Accounting major. The project grew out of an analysis of Homer's Odyssey during their first year Honors seminar, led by Dr. Bill Beesting. Doing individual and collective research, they used textual evidence from numerous translations, archeological clues, mathematical ratios, and pictorial evidence to probe their central question. Beth May, a Miami native and senior majoring in Management, presented a paper on Victorian fairy painting and Pre-Raphaelite art, two kinds of painting that she herself has liked for many years, but which have gone in and out of critical fashion. She discussed how these forms developed within Victorian culture, and illustrated her talk with examples of both kinds of paintings by several artists. Einat Urbach, a senior from Eilat, Israel majoring in Management Information Systems, was inspired by the figure skating controversies in last year's Winter Olympics to study the history of figure skating and the development of the system of performing and judging. She examined figure skating as an area where sport and art intersect, and analyzed elements of both in competition. She, too, illustrated her talk with still images and computer videos. Professor Meri-Jane Rochelson introduced these two seniors, whom she has been mentoring. FIU Honors faculty also made presentations. Professors Peter Machonis and Devon Graham, who team teach an Honors Seminar on the Florida Everglades, led a book discussion on the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. This 1937 classic by Zora Neale Hurston tells the story of Janie, a black woman living in Florida who finds true happiness with her third husband working on the muck in the heart of the Everglades. That is until a hurricane hits! After briefly explaining why and where they discuss the book in their Seminar, Machonis and Graham discussed other creative ways to approach the book with other honors faculty and students at the session. Participants were amazed that the FIU students discuss the work in the heart of the Everglades: in the middle of a cypress dome on seats (logs) created by Hurricane Andrew. Dean Ivelaw Griffith made a presentation on honors pedagogy in a panel of Honors deans and directors as part of the NCHC "Developing in Honors" module. While in Salt Lake City students and faculty took the opportunity to extend their knowledge about the history, architecture, culture, environment, and culture of the city and the state by participating in tours and holding discussions with participants from Utah and elsewhere. Planning is underway for the 2003 NCHC conference, to be held in Chicago, Illinois in Fall 2003. FIU Honors College is sponsoring student and faculty participation in that meeting as well.  Left: Honors College students at the conference; Caroline Poizat, Andrea Martini, Maria Goyen, Moshe Nelson and friend. FCHC Conference in Orlando ~ February 2003 Four FIU Honors College students presented a panel on "Transgressive Art" at the annual meeting of the Florida Collegiate Honors Council in February. Moshe Nelson, an International Relations major, discussed the various categories, purposes, and social implications of graffiti; his talk featured examples of what many consider an art form, gathered in visits to various sites around Miami, at which he interviewed a number of local graffiti artists. Caroline Poizat, Andrea Martini, and Maria Goyen reported on recent artistic controversies. Caroline, an international student from France majoring in Marketing, joined with Andrea, a Broadcast Journalism major, to discuss the uproar that resulted when a New York gallery owner displayed a painting of a nude in a small New Jersey community. Maria, a Psychology major, discussed the debate surrounding "Tumbling Woman," a statue meant to commemorate those who were killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks. These projects originated in the third year Honors College course, "Aesthetics, Values, and Authority," taught by Prof. Meri-Jane Rochelson at the Biscayne Bay Campus. Dr. Rochelson and Associate Dean Stephen Fjellman accompanied the students to the Orlando conference, where Associate Dean Fjellman was elected to the Executive Committee of the FCHC. In addition to the presentations
at the conference, two FIU Honors College students were recognized for
their writing skills. Jessica DiGirolamo received third place
out of the entire state in the Junior/Senior Documented Research or
Critical Thinking category of the FCHC 2002-2003 Writing Contest for
her composition titled Who put the Cavalier in Kavalier & Clay? A
Moral Riddle from Yesterday for Today. In the Freshman Through Senior
Creative Poetry Writing category of the same contest, Honors College
student Robin Orlandi received an Honorable mention for her composition
titled New Jersey Transit Bus, Route 556. back
to top
Honors Excellence Lecture Series & Reflections Series
One of the major offerings of the College to the institution and community at large has been its Honors Excellence lecture series. The Fall Honors Excellence Lecture featured the Honorable Roberto Pineiro, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge. His talk, titled "Judgment and Justice in America", was held on Tuesday, October 22nd in the Wertheim Performing Arts Center at FIU's University Park Campus. Drawing from
his own career, Judge Pineiro regaled his audience with analysis of
the political aspects of becoming elected, and reelected, to the Miami-Dade
Circuit Court. He argued that judges are elected to the bench based
on the political criteria of electability rather than that of jurisprudential
excellence. While seeming democratic, judicial elections are open
to the caricature-based decision making of an uninformed voting public.
Since it takes a while to learn the job, he suggested, perhaps judges
ought to be elected for life rather than be voted out of office for
reasons that have nothing to do with their judicial acumen.
The Spring Honors Excellence Lecture featured Professor Jay Black, Ph.D., Professor of Mass Communications and the Poynter-Jamison Chair in Media Ethics and Press Policy University of South Florida. The lecture, titled "Ethics in Modern Mass Communications," was held on Thursday April 3rd at the Mary Ann Wolfe Theater on FIU's Biscayne Bay Campus. A lively reception followed. Prof. Black
is founding coeditor of the Journal of Mass Media Ethics and published
and consults widely on issues of journalism ethics, professionalism,
moral development, codes of ethics, etc. He was first author of the
Society of Professional Journalist's new handbook, Doing Ethics
in Journalism, which went through four printings in 1993 and has
been updated for publication by Allyn & Bacon. His textbook, Introduction
to Mass Communications, came out in its fourth edition in January
1995; each of the earlier editions has been adopted by some 250 universities.
Dr. Black holds a Ph.D. in journalism and sociology from the University
of Missouri, an MA in journalism and English from Ohio University,
and a BA in English from Miami (Ohio) University. He has worked as
a reporter and copy editor on four newspapers in Ohio and Missouri,
and has been a journalism professor in Ohio, Missouri, Utah, Alabama,
and Australia.
Convocation Reflects Academic Excellence and Diversity The
Florida International University Honors College prides itself on
offering the best of two worlds: the intimacy of a small liberal
arts college combined with the resources of a major state university
to the best and brightest undergraduate students. This unique community
of student and faculty scholars displayed its academic excellence
and rich diversity at the second Honors College Convocation on Monday,
Sept. 30, 2002 at FIU's University Park Campus. The
event began at 2 p.m. with the Parade of Nations and States, led
by FIU's new marching band, The Band of the Sun. Students, faculty and friends of the College participated in
the festive parade, which featured flags from the 57 nations and
27 US states that represented the students' and facultys' places
of origin. The parade through the University Park
Campus started at the Charles Perry Building and ended at the Graham
Center Ballroom, site of the Convocation Ceremony that started at
3 p.m. The
Convocation program, which reflected the theme Celebrating Excellence, included the induction of new faculty fellows into the Honors College
and the presentation of awards to winners of a student competition.
Winning entries, in the categories of poetry, prose, essays, science
and technology, art and multimedia, were displayed at a reception
following the event. The
winners for the 2002 Honors College Convocation competition were
as follows:
The following
faculty received the Inaugural Outstanding Honors Faculty Fellow
Award:
Juan
Lopez, Honors College Information Technology Officer. Luis Sanchez, Director of the English Language Institute.
Student
Achievement Honors College Students
Shine at Annual Model United Nations Conference
When Johanna Rodriguez attended FIU's commencement ceremony in late April to collect her bachelor's degree, the high-achieving chemistry major and Honors College student did so knowing that she will soon attend Yale University on a full graduate fellowship to pursue a Ph.D. What Rodriguez, who came to the United States from the Dominican Republic at age four, did not know, amidst all the pomp and finery, is why so much fuss is being made of her. Surprised by the many honors and recognition she has recently received, the 22-year-old downplays her accomplishments by responding as one might expect of the focused scientist she is: I just thought I was doing what I was supposed to do. Aside from maintaining a 3.89 grade point average, Rodriguez, who enrolled at FIU on a full science scholarship, distinguished herself as a research assistant to Assistant Prof. Konstantinos Kavallieratos. She helped him run experiments to synthesize receptors for anion binding or, in lay terms, designed to make new chemical compounds that, ultimately, a drug company might use in developing new products. Rodriguez performed so well that Kavallieratos took the highly unusual step of suggesting that Rodriguez, herself only an undergraduate, hire another student to take over the project under her supervision. This item originally appeared as an FIU Media Release .
Students
of Prof. John Kneski's 2002/03 Aesthetics, Values, and
Authority in The Mediterranean course presented
an exhibition
of abstract art work on April 15th at The Faculty Club in the
Graham Center. The works, which were created by the students during
the spring semester, were abstract representations of students'
individual interests in various themes presented in the year long
course. Themes explored and expressed through the works were as
diverse as the artistic techniques used: Bacchus, Antonio
Vivaldi, Matisse in Morocco, The Waters of Capri,
and Arcangelo Corelli's Christmas Concerto Pastorale, to
mention a few. Samples of traditional foods from many of the Mediterranean
countries were served as part of the presentation. Participating
were: Alina Negomireanu, Stephanie Sosa, Andrea
Goldman, Barbara Marrero, Raquel Batista, Danielle
Gallo, Fannelly Seeharack, Joel
Gandara, Jose R. Morillo, Melissa Leonard,
Roberto Perez, Sara Santelli, Tessie Bollar,
and Yoyi Oria.
Honors College Student
Travels to Peru Through Project Amazonas
Honors College Sophomore Takes Internship in Washington Jaclyn Santos,
a sophomore in the Honors College, and a double major in Economics
and Fine Arts, is currently on an internship through Capital Semester,
a program offered by The Fund for American Studies in conjunction
with Georgetown University. It is located in Washington DC, and
provides students with the opportunity to to work with the government
and take 12 credits at Georgetown University. The classes are determined
by the program, and taught by various political leaders. Students
meet prominent figures in the field and attend briefings, debates
and relevant events as part of the internship. This competitive
program is for students with a strong interest in public policy.
Jaclyn was informed
of the program by an email sent by the Honors College to the student
body in November. The internship begins the end of August and continues
throughout the fall semester. Only 15 students nationwide were chosen
for this program. The following students
received awards during the ceremony: Academic
Excellence Awards William
J. Keppler Outstanding Citizenship Award
Phi Beta
Kappa, the nation's oldest and most prestigious undergraduate honors
organization, was founded on December 5, 1776, at the College of
William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was the first society
to have a Greek letter name, and in its initial period at William
and Mary it introduced the essential characteristics of such societies
- an oath of secrecy (discarded in 1831), a badge, mottoes in Latin
and Greek, a code of laws, and an elaborate form of initiation.
The following Honors College students were inducted into the Phi
Beta Kappa honors society in the 2002-2003 academic year:
Dean Ivelaw Griffith ~ Dean Griffith had a productive year in the area of publishing and research. Here are some of the works: Book Chapters:
Invited Lectures & Speeches:
Associate Dean Stephen Fjellman was elected to the Executive Board of the Florida Collegiate Honors Council during the annual FCHC Conference in Orlando in February of 2003. Professor Krishnaswamy
Jayachandran was given tenure and promoted to Associate Professor
in the 2002-2003 cycle. Professor Devon Graham was featured in an article titled "Traveling Well" in Condé Nast Traveler magazine in the July 2003 issue. The article discussed Prof. Graham's role in a project that uses revenue from tourism to fund conservation in Iquitos, Peru. Prof. Graham is one of the instructors in The Honors College Everglades course. The follwing Honors College faculty received awards at the annual FIU Faculty Convocation and Awards Cermony in October:
Alumni Achievement
Honors
College Alumni Notes
Ginger
Gossman Judith
Rasoletti
Adrienne
Wasserman
Monique
Hartley
Betsy
Gomez
Armando
Sanchez
FIU Honors College Announces a Student Design Competition The Honors College at
FIU requests submissions for the design of a new medallion for the
College. The Honors College medallion is worn by Honors College
faculty at University ceremonies and by Honors College students
when they graduate from FIU. It is a symbol of pride in excellence
and the design should reflect that symbolically. The new design
is to be cast for ceremonial use in the future. All full time
students who are currently enrolled at Florida International University
are eligible to participate. Students must fill out an entry
form that is available in the Honors College office in DM 233 at
the University Park Campus and in AC1-318A at the Biscayne Bay Campus.
Honors College Study Abroad Programs Going Strong This summer The Honors College again offered its two perennial study abroad opportunities for its students in Spain and Italy. These programs were originally designed to fulfill the six-credit senior year requirement for graduation through The Honors College, but may be substituted for other portions of the curriculum with permission of the Dean. The Honors College Study Abroad Programs offer students the opportunity to experience immersion in another culture while pursuing a rigorous academic program integrated with the honors curriculum. The two separate four week programs consist of enrolling in two full summer session Honors College courses, the first half of which includes the study abroad component. These programs took place in the month of May with a group of participants registered for both the Spain and Italy programs. Participating faculty in the two European programs were Associate Dean Fjellman, Prof. Manuel Carvajal, Assistant Dean Kneski, Coordinator Sharon Placide, and Prof. Fernando Gonzalez-Reigosa. The Honors College also offered again this year its Caribbean Summer Study Abroad Program. In this course students experienced the physical environments of Jamaica and learned how the interactive role of the geologic, or environmental setting of the region, played a significant role in their history; as well as the blend of European, African, Asian and Taino cultures. Instructions were designed to give a broad overview of the general geologic setting as well as special attention given to issues of multiculturalism; the relationship between the diverse geographic and geologic factors on natural resources, and present history. Florentin Maurrasse, Professor of Earth Sciences, directs this program. The Fall of 2003 will
be the second session for the Semester at The University of Alcala
de Henares Madrid, Spain Program. Students are able to take, in
English, transdisciplinary courses that will acquaint them with
different aspects of Spanish culture. They also are expected to
take one language course suited to their skills. Classroom instruction
is complemented with a wide variety of site visits. The instructors
will be Dr. Fernando Gonzalez-Reigosa from FIU and faculty
members from the University of Alcala de Henares. Students have
the option of living in the dorms at the University of Alcala de
Henares or staying with a local family. Participants travel together
to and from Spain, as well as to the various sites within the country.
Plans to further expand the study abroad opportunities in the Honors
College are under way. 
Gamma Epsilon Phi ~ The Honors College SocietyNew E-board Elected ~ The following students were elected to the Gamma Epsilon Phi E-board for next year: President - Joann Chea, Vice President - Danny Greene, Treasurer - Stacy Patterson, Secretary - Alina Negomireanu, Honors Representative - Nicole Stratten, Honors Representative - Victoria Ramos, Webmaster - Erin Dominguez, and Member Activities Coordinator - Xiomara Uran. Congratulations to them all on behalf of the entire Honors College Community. Dance Marathon
Excellence ~
For the first time in its history, Gamma Epsilon Phi participated
in FIU's Dance Marathon and managed to receive the award for being
the Most Outstanding Greek Organization at DM 2003; this award signifies
continued growth and increasing recognition on campus. The event would
not have been possible without the dedicated support of the canning
teams, the registered moralers and - of course - the people who stood
on their feet for 25 hours.
Phi Theta Kappa is an international Honor Society for two-year institutions that provides many opportunities worldwide for leadership training, internships and scholarship awards. Students who were members of a Phi Theta Kappa chapter anywhere in the world, are automatically members of this Association. The "Mentor by Major Program" enables incoming PTK transfer students to email questions to student mentors in their field of study at FIU; the aim of this program is to assist new students in answering unresolved questions they might have. The current President and
Vice President are Angela Llanos and Michelle Kellher,
respectively. New elections will be held on August 28th through the
30th. For active membership and the resulting benefits, the Association
needs to hear from you. Interested students should contact Angela Llanos
at angela.llanos@ptk.org. or visit the PTK website. |
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Letter from the Editor 
Fall 2002 Excellence Lecture
Honors College Reflections Series
Spring 2003 Excellence Lecture
GPA and Research Earn Honors College Grad a Full Ride to
Yale
Mediterranean Color Abstract Art Exhibition
2002-2003
Phi Beta Kappa Inductees
Faculty Achievement
FIU Honors College Graduate Ana Maria Lagasca Stars in Film on
PBS
Honors College Alumnus in CBS's Lucy
Carl Hiassen Visits Honors Everglades Course
Phi Theta Kappa Alumni Association