In honor of Higher Education Day, celebrate FIU’s earning its latest Carnegie recognition — and meet recent alumni who are already skyrocketing in their jobs and making a difference.
Alumnus Christopher Tapanes BBA ’22 is a territory manager at pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly. He began a job at the organization as soon as he graduated from FIU. Within three years, Tapanes earned a promotion and a Rookie of the Year award in his region. Most recently, he was selected to join several highly competitive leadership development programs within Eli Lilly.
But before all that, Tapanes was a student with a dream. He came to FIU, like many Panthers, ready to focus on his studies and kickstart a brilliant career.
A proud Cuban American, Tapanes was born and raised in Miami. When it came time to apply for college, he set his heart on FIU. He was so confident that the university was the place for him that he only applied to FIU. “It was the best decision I made,” Tapanes said.
The university felt like home — a prestigious home that boasts a business school with top-ranked programs.
Christopher Tapanes pictured with fellow Sales Society members while they were students (top and bottom, left); Tapanes with leadership at Eli Lilly after earning his 2023 Rookie of the Year Award for the Gulf Coast Area from the organization (top right).
He quickly became involved in the Sales Society student organization and eventually served as its president. He participated in a number of sales competitions (such as elevator pitches, sales pitches, sales role plays and team selling competitions) within FIU and across regional locations, winning various first place finishes.
Thanks to one of the society’s events, Tapanes met three successful alumni — Oscar Grau, Eddie Hondal and Adrianne Fumarola — all of whom work at Eli Lilly.
The meeting changed the trajectory of his life.
“When we spoke about my skills and aspirations, they all encouraged me to apply for an internship [at Eli Lilly],” Tapanes said. “I can vividly remember all three of them telling me that they were confident that I had what it takes to be successful at Lilly. Honestly, it was at that moment that I felt most supported by FIU. If it were not for that conversation and my time at FIU’s Sales Society I would not be where I am today.”
After successfully completing an internship at the company (and even before graduating), Tapanes’ supervisor offered him a full-time job in Miami.
Student Success + Research = ROI
Tapanes’ story is much like those of the thousands of students who have come before him at FIU. As Miami’s preeminent state research university, FIU has recruited top students, especially those from greater Miami, and empowered them to jump head-first into successful careers.
FIU places equal emphasis on research excellence and student success. Students participate in high-level scholarly activities; graduate with little to no debt; land great jobs or go on to pursue advanced degrees; and join a lifelong network of supportive Panthers ready to pull each other forward.
FIU was recently recognized as one of a select group of institutions for both advancing science and prioritizing student success in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Classification is considered the nation’s leading framework for categorizing higher education institutions.
“FIU is one of only 21 universities across the United States that have earned both the R1 – Very High Research designation and the Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation. We have successfully demonstrated that it is possible to be a very high research university and simultaneously create an environment that supports the success of all students and opens doors to career opportunities,” said President Jeanette M. Nuñez.
The Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation measures two things: how well an institution provides access to higher education for students in its community and alumni salaries compared to the salaries of peers in respective fields. Among the factors used to measure access is the percentage of Pell Grant recipients. At FIU, 50.5% percent of the student undergraduate population received a Pell grant.
“This new classification reaffirms our dedication to excellence and impact,” said Provost, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Elizabeth M. Béjar. “We are committed to impactful research and to equipping our graduates as leaders in their fields.”
Check out this clip from our most recent commencement, showcasing just a few of the grads and the organizations where they'll be heading to work at next.
Student research: At the helm of innovation
FIU is recognized around the globe for its research in areas such as environmental resilience and hurricane mitigation. The university had $306 million in research expenditures for the 2023-2024 fiscal year and is currently ranked No. 28 among public universities for producing U.S. Utility Patents. Panther scholars, scientists and faculty are leading groundbreaking scientific and creative activities across the country. Just within the last few years, faculty members have earned top national awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Humanities Medal, a Dan David Prize and National Science Foundation Early CAREER awards.
Undergraduate and graduate students work shoulder-to-shoulder with these faculty members in the lab and the field. These students co-author papers, participate in studies and gain important experiences that pave the way for their own careers.