On April 25, 2009, members of the FIU Business Team put on their walking shoes and raised $3,672.00 for the March for Babies, a March of Dimes event. Faculty, staff, some students, a few alumni and several kids made up the 32-person team. Joyce J. Elam, executive dean, and her husband, Paul Vidmar, were among the 10,000 participants who gathered in Crandon Park in Key Biscayne for the four-mile walk.
“Some of our co-workers who weren’t able to join us made donations, which helped us raise such an impressive amount, said Monique Catoggio (EMBA ’03), director of advancement and alumni relations, who organized the effort, with support from three student assistants in the department of advancement, alumni and corporate relations: Melissa Izquierdo and Yanyn Sanluis, who designed the team shirt, and Tony Valdes (BBA ’09) who helped with logistics.
Many of Miami’s major institutions-and partners and supporters of the college, such as Bank of America and Baptist Health-had teams. Jennifer Lopez, honorary chairperson of the 2009 March of Dimes March for Babies, was on hand to open the event.
This year’s walks took place on both April 25th and 26th in more than 900 communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Catoggio said that plans are already taking shape for an expanded involvement by the business school next year.
“We didn’t really promote the event beyond the college this year, but next year, we plan to open it to all alumni,” she said. “Through our Alumni Circle, I’ve been able to determine that our alumni enjoy giving to others, to something bigger, and this event and organization definitely provide that opportunity.”
