Investing in Excellence		A Fond Farewell
Championing a Cure for Paralysis		Alumni Artistry Brings High Note to Lowe Museum
L.A. Network Helps Students and Graduates Reach for the Stars		University Honors Donors, Celebrates Record Year of Giving

Scholarship Support Is Key Investing in Excellence t's an all-too-familiar lesson for students aspiring to a college education: Tuition continues to rise, creating the need for greater financial assistance. The result? Many students must postpone their education or take out huge loans to attend college. According to Paul Orehovec (A.B. '70, M.Ed. '72), vice provost and dean of enrollments at the University of Miami, more than 75 percent of the Uni-versity's students require some type of financial assistance. And while federal assistance-primarily in the form of loans-has increased, students are concerned about borrowing increasing sums for tuition. Support of scholarships has never been more critical. Not only do scholarships help deserving students, they enable the University of Miami to compete with the nation's foremost universities in attracting the most qualified students. In turn, the quality of the student body is an important measure of the institution's excellence. In addition to helping students and the University, many donors create scholarships, based on their experience as students. For example, Edward Arnold, a former student in the College of Engineering and now an adjunct faculty member, created an endowed scholarship fund there. "Because I struggled so hard for my education, I wanted the opportunity to help a student," he explains. "I would have really appreciated this kind of help when I was a student. I understand the value of a good education, and I'm fortunate I could make a difference in the life of a student." Likewise, Jane Mary Zwerner, a three-time alumna from the Department of Philosophy, endowed a scholarship at the College of Arts and Sciences for graduate students of philosophy. "I established this fund to show my gratitude to the University and specifically to the professors of the Department of Philosophy," she says. For endowed scholarships, gifts of $50,000 or more are used to permanently fund the scholarships. The original donation, or principal, is invested, and only income from the gift is awarded to a student. Other important means of support include named scholarships (gifts of $10,000 or more that honor or memorialize an individual, family, or institution) and contributions to the general scholarship fund (gifts of $1,000 to $9,999 to the fund, from which awards are made to students on the basis of academic achievement, financial need, or both). By any name, scholarships are crucial to the University's growing reputation as a leading intellectual center. From the students' perspective, scholarships inspire them to perform at their best. Consider Natasha Alfonso, an award-winning student architect. Alfonso's scholarship not only made her education possible, it allowed her to help the community. She created a playground and recreation area for Jackson Memorial Hospital's Pediatric Dialysis Center-designed for children with renal failure. "It is a great inspiration to see the School of Architecture alumni give back to the students who follow in their footsteps," Alfonso says. "These individuals are our role models." For more information about supporting scholarships at the University, contact the Annual Giving Program, 305-284-2872.

A Fond Farewell eginning this fall, I will be receiving Miami magazine, not as a vice president at the University, but as an alumnus. As of May 1, I will be moving to Brookline, Massachusetts, to assume the presidency of Newbury College, after more than seven years in Miami as vice president for university advancement. During the past seven years, there have been many noteworthy challenges and accomplishments. I recall vividly how the University community pulled together with Greater Miami in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew and how we gathered together to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the University of Miami. Among the greatest accomplishments that we have enjoyed together has been the growth and expansion of our institutional advancement efforts-alumni, development, and public relations. Today, more alumni than ever before are actively involved in the University of Miami: as donors, as volunteers, and as mentors. Nearly half the Board of Trustees of the University hold degrees from the University and nearly one-fourth of all alumni are supporting the annual fund, both significant increases from a decade ago. In development, the University is raising more money than ever before in support of teaching, research, students, and community service. The University of Miami is ranked 21st among private universities in philanthropic support and, by far, is the youngest university on the list. Our costs to raise a dollar are among the lowest in higher education. One of the great joys of my tenure has been the creation of Miami magazine in its present, award-winning format. The magazine is the one University-wide medium that communicates all the good news at the University to alumni, parents, community leaders, and friends. It has been recognized as the best college and university magazine in the Southeast and one of the top in the nation. It has been a privilege to have been associated with its birth, growth, and maturity. I will miss the excitement and challenges of South Florida and the University. The opportunities given me at Miami were certainly factors in my being invited to become one of the 3,000 college presidents in the country, a select and important group. Newbury, with its enrollment of nearly 5,000 full- and part-time students, includes traditional college-age students and adult learners from nearly two dozen states and 40 countries. Located just outside Boston, I hope to draw on the intellectual vitality of the region and, with the help there too, of outstanding faculty and staff, to enhance the quality and visibility of my new home. Thank you again to the many alumni, friends, and colleagues who have brightened my seven years in Miami. Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D. '97 Vice President, University Advancement

Championing a Cure for Paralysis ick and Marc Buoniconti, ambassadors for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the School of Medicine, are the latest champions to be featured on Wheaties cereal boxes. As a show of support for The Miami Project, cereal maker General Mills, Inc., released a special edition Wheaties box depicting the father-and-son team. Nick Buoniconti is a former star player for the Miami Dolphins football team, and Marc Buoniconti (A.B. '94) played on the Citadel's college football team until his paralyzing injury during a game in 1985. Since then, the Buonicontis have championed a cure for paralysis by focusing national attention on The Miami Project's work and by establishing The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, which raises money exclusively for the project. The special edition Wheaties box was unveiled in September by General Mills chairman and CEO Steve Sanger at the 12th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner, held at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. The event grossed $1.4 million for The Miami Project. "Many great athletes have been featured on boxes of Wheaties, but none have shown the same extraordinary spirit, the same commitment to win despite adversity, as Nick and Marc," Sanger said. Acknowledging the honor, Marc Buoniconti said, "This is one of my proudest moments. My photograph on a Wheaties box is representative of all people with spinal cord injuries. Without a doubt, the day is coming when a cure will be discovered. We are grateful that General Mills is helping us reach that goal."

Alumni Artistry Brings High Note to Lowe Museum agnificent sights and sounds from alumni combined for an artful conclusion to this year's Homecoming festivities. Alumni enjoyed a jazz brunch reception on November 16 at the Lowe Art Museum, followed by a concert at Maurice Gusman Concert Hall featuring the University's Jazz Vocal Ensemble I and guest alumna performer Dawnn Lewis (B.M. '82). The star of both stage and screen, Lewis was also a special guest at the jazz brunch reception, which included performances by student and faculty jazz musicians and singers from the School of Music. Sharing "star billing" at the reception was the Lowe's exhibition Four African-American Artists: The Freedom Place Collection. The exhibition featured artwork by Benny Andrews, Romare Bearden, Robert Freeman, and Richard Yarde from the collection of Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch and alumnus Stu Bloch (A.B. '64). "We started collecting African-American artists about 25 years ago," says Stu Bloch. "The entire idea came from my Harvard Law School classmate and dear friend, Fred Brown. His wife, Connie Brown, and her partner, Jane Shapiro, had started a small art gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts-the 17 Wendell Street Gallery. The collection reflects what Connie and Jane had suggested over these many years-and so it is really their collection as much as ours." Lewis also was this year's Distinguished Alumni Lecturer. The University of Miami's first voice and musical theatre major, Lewis has enjoyed many starring roles in films and Broadway theatre. Her career extends to music performance and composition, where she has garnered Grammy and BMI Awards. Her work for community causes and young people has also won her acclaim, and she lives by the motto, "Be a participant, make a difference, be a director of your future."

L.A. Network Helps Students and Graduates Reach for the Stars ach year, Associate Professor Paul Lazarus takes a group of students from the School of Communication's motion picture program on a trip to Los Angeles-not to get a glimpse of the Hollywood Hills, but to mingle with alumni working in the film and television industries there. For the majority of students the event is a chance of a lifetime, a unique opportunity to meet with alumni working in the areas of film production, direction, editing, screenwriting, and acting. More importantly, however, this field trip-which takes place every year during spring break-gives students the opportunity to ask alumni questions about the film and television industries while also getting an inside look at what goes on behind the scenes. Occasionally, these networking events have even helped a few lucky students land their first job. "It builds the school-tie network, and it works out in such a way that they learn the ropes and often get jobs out of it," says Lazarus, who is also the director of the film program. In fact, Lazarus has been taking students to the City of Angels for nearly 11 years now. On average, about 80 people participate each year, 14 of whom are students, the rest alumni. Robin Wheatley, director of the University's national alumni programs, who also coordinates similar alumni-specific events in the Los Angeles area each June, attests to the growing popularity and success of the networking trip. "He (Lazarus) has students connect with alumni who are in the business, and our alumni love to spend time with them," says Wheatley. "It is a wonderful opportunity, and the alumni really appreciate it since they are often looking out for bright kids who want to learn the business. This is a nice icebreaker." Most alumni contacted for the event, such as Neil Felder, a film editor with Law and Order, look forward to meeting students and answering their questions. However, Felder also makes sure to offer these eager, often times starry-eyed students some constructive yet realistic advice. "They definitely have a lot of questions, but I don't try and paint a rosy picture. Many of them think that they are going to come out here and turn the industry on its ear, and that's not the reality of the business," Felder emphasizes. "I try to show them some realism, and also some tips on how to get started in the business, and hopefully put them in a proper mind-set." Barry Waldman (B.A. '85), associate producer and production manager for the new Touchstone Pictures movie Armageddon says that he also strives to offer students realistic advice. "This is a business of relationships, not necessarily a business of resumes," he explains. "So what I tell students to do when they come out to California is to make a list of everybody they've ever known, such as friends of friends who are in the business, and to start calling that list every few weeks to see when they can get their foot in the door." With a little persistence and luck, and a lot of cold calling, recent graduates can land jobs, says Waldman. For example, Waldman recently hired a graduate whom he met at a student-alumni networking event to work on the movie Armageddon. He has also hired other University of Miami alumni in the past, but only because they were persistent about calling and finding out about employment leads, he says. Alumnus Michael Robin (B.A. '85), an executive producer with the ABC show C-16, plans to get involved in future networking events, especially the ones involving students, because he feels he can help point them in the right direction. "There are a lot of ways to get started in this city, many of which are not necessarily taught in a classroom," says Robin. "I can provide a lot of that information, and that is certainly valuable."

University Honors Donors, Celebrates Record Year of Giving he University of Miami celebrated the most successful fund-raising year in its 71-year history and inducted 125 new members into its leading donor societies during a special ceremony on November 18. Hosted by Leonard Miller, chairman of the University of Miami Board of Trustees, and his wife, Sue, the event honored the newest members of the George E. Merrick, Bowman Foster Ashe, and Ibis Societies. Founded in 1985 by the Board of Trustees, the Merrick, Ashe, and Ibis Societies recognize donors who have achieved lifetime giving levels exceeding $1 million, $500,000, and $250,000, respectively, to the University of Miami. More than 30,000 alumni and other donors contributed a total of $78.3 million to support the schools, colleges, and academic programs at the University of Miami during the 1996-97 fiscal year. "This level of giving is extraordinary for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that $78.3 million is a staggering amount of money to raise in one year," says Roy J. Nirschel (Ph.D. '97) vice president for university advancement. "Attaining this level of commitments further entrenches the University of Miami among the top 25 private university fund-raising programs in the country."

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