Welcome to the inaugural online issue of FIU Business Now!

In this and subsequent issues of our magazine, you will see our pride in the accomplishments of our college, our students and our alumni. You'll learn how we have responded, and continue to respond, to the challenges of COVID-19, with everything from vital information for small businesses to donations of protective equipment for healthcare workers. You'll also find valuable information about the latest trends shaping business today, including a look at how economics and debt are affecting home ownership — and how opportunities to rent in the urban core may be shaping a new American dream.

We are coming off a year of notable accomplishments at FIU Business. As you will read in this issue, we attained the highest U.S. News & World Report ranking in the history of the State University System of Florida. We received a number of major gifts from our alumni — gifts that will help us change the lives of our students and put us closer to another record-breaking fundraising year. We also introduced business cybersecurity and business analytics tracks in our Master of Science in Information Systems program as we meet the ever-changing demands of our technology-driven economy. Educating our workforce for new challenges has never been so important — and FIU Business, with nearly two decades of experience in impactful online education, will continue to rise to the challenge, with new online master's programs this fall and additional programs to maximize effective online learning.

Clearly, we are on a path to greatness. But in an era when each and every one of us is challenged, more than ever before, we must unite as a community to help each other. We need you! Our students need mentors, and our Inspiring Futures Mentor Program will enable you to provide important, effective guidance online, allowing you to truly make a difference in an ambitious young person's life. Our students will need your knowledge and experience as a guest speaker — and our Zoom platforms will give you the ability to share your expertise for as little as an hour, without leaving your office.

Finally, we need your financial support. We have seen tremendous job joss among our students, many of whom needed those jobs to pay their tuition and support family expenses. We expanded the Dean's Destination Fund to help students stay in school and graduate. The CARES Act will support only a fraction of their need.

With your engagement and support, we will meet the challenges before us, lift our community, and find new pathways forward in a changed world where academic relevance, excellence, student success and worldwide impact are more important than ever before.

I hope you enjoy the first issue of FIU Business Now! And please stay safe and well.

Joanne Li
Dean, College of Business