HOMECOMING IS IN THE AIR!
By Monsignor Franklyn Casale
It seems like yesterday when a group of Augustinians founded Miami’s Biscayne College. The all-men prep school started preparing graduates for leadership in the Catholic tradition and for the workplace. Decades later, it became co-ed and affiliated itself with the Archdiocese of Miami.
Ever since we officially launched our 50th Anniversary commemorative events in September 2011 with the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit and the dedication of our new Jubilee Tower, students, faculty, alumni, staff and other members of the St. Thomas University community have been anticipating the Grand Homecoming Bash, November 2011. STU vs. Barry Men’s Basketball Game Friday Nov. 4, Fiesta Villanova Saturday Nov. 5– which gathers the STU community outdoors with family and friends – and the 3rd Annual Stone Crab Dinner for St. Thomas University Athletics Sunday evening Nov. 6, are just a few of the exciting events that show our pride to be part of our Catholic institution. November 15 will mark an important milestone in the School of Law’s 2011-2012 Distinguished Speakers Series, with Justice Antolin Scalia, from the Supreme Court of the United States providing the keynote address on “Why a Catholic Law School?”
Simultaneously, South Florida business leaders will gather on campus for Global Entrepreneur Week, November 14-18, an international initiative that introduces entrepreneurship to youth on six continents. St. Thomas University’s School of Business (www.stu.edu/business) has steadily gained a reputation for developing leaders in the business arena for 50 years. The School and the Office of University Advancement strenuously worked to demonstrate the school’s emphasis on entrepreneurship during the University’s 50th anniversary year. The week will kick-off with “From Idea to Start-Up – Beginnings,” a forum through which prominent local business people share their ideas and perceptions about what drives success. Participants included Miguel “Mike” Fernandez (chairman, MBF Healthcare Partners); Cesar Alvarez, Esq. (managing partner, Greenberg, Traurig); Raul Pedraza (president, Magno International); Jorge Mas (chairman, MasTec); Kenneth Rader (co-founder, The Cereal Bowl); and Tiphanie Tucker (president, Women Under Construction).
The Entrepreneur Boot Campfeatures industry experts who advise small and medium-sized businesses on topics including finding capital, creating a business plan, and making the most of government opportunities. Being a student-centered laboratory for life, St. Thomas urged all students to enter the “Student Entrepreneur Competition”, which required them to have a business plan, a physical display, and a power point presentation, with prizes awarded to the winners. Startup Florida, an outgrowth of the Startup America program announced by the White House in January and spearheaded by Maria Hernandez from IBM Corp., is marked for Friday, November 18. Its goal is to spur the creation of new businesses which leverage technology in industries such as healthcare, renewable energy, and sports management. Partners include InternetCoast, Enterprise Development Corporation of South Florida, and IBM Corp. Speakers include Marvin Wheeler (COO of Terremark); Manny Mencia (senior vice president of Enterprise Florida); and Claudia Munce (vice president of IBM’s Venture Capital Group).