FIU currently has more than 34,000 students, 1,100 full-time faculty and 95,000 alumni, making it the largest public university in South Florida.
FIU has been ranked among the top 100 public national universities by the U.S. News & World Report annual guide to “America’s Best Colleges.”
The magazine also ranked the University as a “Best Buy” in higher education.

The University
Florida International University--Miami’s public research university--is one of America’s most dynamic institutions of higher learning. In the 30 years since accepting its first class, FIU has achieved benchmarks of excellence that have taken other universities more than a century to reach.

The University offers more than 190 baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degree programs in 19 colleges and schools. Last fall, the FIU College of Law opened its doors to its inaugural class, becoming the only public law school in South Florida. FIU is among the nation’s 30 largest colleges and universities and is America’s top university in production of Hispanic bachelor’s and master’s degree recipients.

U.S. News & World Report has ranked FIU among the top 100 public national universities in its annual survey of “America’s Best Colleges.” FIU has also been recognized as one of the top 10 commuter universities in the nation by Money magazine. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine ranked FIU as the country’s 18th best value in public higher education.

The University is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most distinguished academic honor society. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and is ranked by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a Doctoral/Research University-Extensive, the highest ranking in the Foundation’s classification system. Sponsored research funding from external sources was more than $60 million in 2001-02. Over the past decade, research funding has increased more than 400 percent.

The Students
FIU has 34,000 students from throughout the United States and more than 150 countries. The student body is a microcosm of the diverse Miami community, with nearly 70 percent of student enrollment from minority groups: 51 percent Hispanic, 14 percent black and 3.5 percent Asian. Approximately 10 percent of enrollment comprises international students.

The Faculty
The University has a nationally renowned faculty recognized for outstanding teaching and cutting-edge research. Seventy-seven percent of the 1,100 full-time faculty have terminal degrees. The student-to-faculty ratio is 17 to one.

The Alumni
Since opening its doors, the University has conferred more than 100,000 degrees to some 95,000 graduates. The Office of Alumni Relations sponsors alumni programs, including professional advancement, fund-raising activities and social events, and communicates with alumni through the FIU Magazine, a monthly electronic newsletter and special mailings. A volunteer board of alumni leaders leads membership in the FIU Alumni Association.

The Campuses
The University has two campuses--University Park in western Miami-Dade County and the Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC) in northeast Miami-Dade--and two educational sites that serve nearby Broward County, including a new facility at the Academic Village in Pembroke Pines.

FIU-University Park was FIU’s first campus and administration headquarters and continues to serve as the main campus today. It occupies 342 acres of lush, tropically landscaped grounds. Apartment-style and traditional residence halls, the Golden Panther Arena, FIU Stadium and other athletic facilities, the state-of-the-art, eight-story Greene Library and an environmental preserve contribute to a collegiate atmosphere that is distinctly Miami.

The 40-acre Center for Engineering and Applied Science, a major research facility, is located eight blocks north of University Park. FIU-Biscayne Bay encompasses nearly 200 acres, including a natural mangrove preserve. The scenic, waterfront campus offers apartment-style housing, a library, and aquatic center home of the Golden Panthers women’s swimming and diving team, the Roz and Cal Kovens Conference Center (a state-of-the-art conference facility that can accommodate up to 500 persons) and gorgeous bay views.

The Administration
In its 30 years, FIU has been led by four university presidents, beginning with Charles Perry, who set in motion the growth and development of FIU and for whom the University Park administration building is named. Modesto A. Maidique is not only FIU’s current president, but also the longest serving of any current president of a public university in Florida with a tenure now in its 16th year. Under his leadership, the university’s enrollment has more than doubled, its graduate programs have expanded dramatically, schools or colleges of Law, Architecture and Music have been added and the football program has been launched. A 13-member Board of Trustees, whose members are appointed by the governor of Florida, governs FIU. Led by chairman Armando M. Codina, trustees set policy and oversee efficient and effective administration of the institution.

The Research
FIU’s research programs have drawn increasing local, state and national recognition over the past several years, the most significant of which is the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s most comprehensive ranking of “Doctoral/Research University-Extensive,” conferred in 2000. Of the University’s $60 million in research contracts and grants, two-thirds comes from federal grants, with the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation funding the most awards. Federal grants are considered the most competitive funding source and a key measure of the maturity of any university research program.

The Mascot
When FIU opened its doors in 1972, the Sunblazer was its mascot. The Sunblazers represented FIU for 14 years, but in 1987, President Maidique promoted a campaign to replace the Sunblazer with the Golden Panthers, a mascot that better represented FIU and its ties to Florida’s natural environment, and the university adopted new school colors--blue and gold. In the summer of 2001, the FIU Golden Panther got a makeover, and the result was a “meaner, leaner” predator ready for a fight. FIU administration and students felt that the University’s maturing athletic program--especially with the start of football--deserved a more intimidating mascot!

The Band of the Sun
The Band of the Sun is the newest member of the FIU School of Music. The inaugural marching band for the university comprises more than 100 members. Under the direction of Marching Band Director Greg Martin, this group of musicians encompassed the international flavor of South Florida.

The Golden Dazzlers
The Golden Dazzlers are the dance team at FIU. In existence since 1989, the team now consists of 20 performers. Over the course of its history, the group has won the National Cheerleaders Association Dance National Championship and racked up third- and eighth-place finishes in other years. The Golden Dazzlers currently perform at all home basketball and football games, as well as school pep rallies and special events.

The Cheerleaders
In 1998, FIU’s cheerleaders received national recognition when they won the National Cheerleaders Association Grand National Championship Award. The FIU Golden Panther cheerleading squad was the first team from Florida to win the national crown. The squad is made up of 27 members who perform at all football and men and women’s basketball home games.

The Student Groups
FIU Student Government Association--FIU University Park and Biscayne Bay campuses each has a student government association, which works closely with one another and manages a $6.5 million budget with funds allocated to each campus. Both campuses’ SGA work to improve the quality of the academic, social and professional lives of FIU students.

Volunteer Action Center--FIU Volunteer Action Center (VAC), is a student-run organization, designed to provide diverse opportunities for students to serve the South Florida community through volunteerism, service learning and advocacy. Founded in 1993, the VAC has empowered more than 2,500 FIU students to give more than 30,000 hours of service to South Florida non-profit agencies. The VAC provides services to faculty and acts as a resource to enable professors to incorporate service learning or community service components into their courses. In the spring of 2002, students from the VAC spent their spring break volunteering at the site of the World Trade Center--a project that was prominently featured on the CBS newsmagazine, 48 Hours.

  
Greek Organizations--Social Greek-letter organizations are a relatively recent phenomenon at FIU. The first chapter, Phi Beta Sigma, was established in the early 1980s. It was also the first Black Greek chapter and led to the founding of a National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) at FIU. Phi Sigma Sigma, in 1984, was the first women’s sorority. The Panhellenic Council (PC) soon followed to govern the women’s groups. There are now 20 social fraternities and sororities at FIU governed by NPHC, PC and Interfraternity Council. Recruitment activities for the chapters occur throughout the academic year. Activities that all groups participate in include community service, social events and educational programs. Fraternities and sororities are committed to the overall development of their members, encompassing academic, athletic and personal enhancement.

The Golden Panther Club
The Golden Panther Club (GPC) is the team behind the teams. The GPC is the official student-athlete support organization at FIU.

FIU Panther Pride Points
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has ranked FIU as a Doctoral/Research University-Extensive, the highest ranking in its classification system.

FIU has a chapter of Phi Betta Kappa, the oldest and most distinguished collegiate honorary society. FIU is the youngest university in the country with a chapter. There are 262 nationally and five in Florida.

The Academy of Management Journal reported that FIU's Management Information Systems faculty was ranked 11th best in the nation in terms of research productivity.

The FIU Creative Writing Program is ranked among the top 10 creative writing programs in the country by "Who Runs American Literature?" in the Dictionary of Literary Biography.
The FIU Tropical Biology Program embraces one of the largest concentrations of tropical biologists in the United States.

The FIU Latin American and Caribbean Center, recognized as one of the finest programs of its type in the world, is designated as a Title VI National Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Education.

The FIU School of Hospitality Management is recognized by industry leaders as one of the nation's top five hospitality management programs.

The FIU International Hurricane Center is the nation's only university-based research facility dedicated to mitigating the damage tropical storms inflict on people, the economy and the environment.

The 2000 National CPA Examination Report noted that FIU graduate students rank first in the nation in passing the CPA exam on the first try and are consistently (last 5 years) in the top 5 in their exam scores.

The FIU Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology, established in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is the nation's largest university site for nuclear decontamination research.