Miami International Airport (MIA) is the largest U.S. gateway for Latin America and the Caribbean and one of the leading international passenger and freight airports in the world. Over 80 airlines provide flights to approximately 150 destinations around the globe.
Members of the International Business Honor Society (IBHS), a student organization within the College of Business Administration at Florida International University (FIU), learned firsthand about the current terminal expansion project while visiting the airport on October 14, 2011.
“Corporate visits, a tradition with our organization, provide excellent chances to talk to key people and get additional insight into international business,” said Jorge Lacayo, IBHS president.
The group of 15 students heard how the terminal is expanding to more than seven million square feet through a capital improvement program scheduled for completion in the summer of 2012. They learned specifically how merchants located in the terminal generate an important revenue stream.
“MIA’s deputy director of business retention and development, Miguel A. Southwell, spoke about the airport’s financing operations as well as his career path,” said IBHS vice president Benjamin Weckerle, who arranged the group’s fall 2011 corporate visits. “It was a worthwhile opportunity.”
Visit to Federal Reserve Bank pays dividends in learning.
Since much of the information known at the Federal Reserve Bank is classified, some questions asked by the IBHS members could not be answered during their December 9, 2011 visit to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Miami Branch Office located in Doral, Florida. But the students took the restriction of certain information in their stride.
“Happily, many of our questions were able to be thoroughly answered,” Weckerle said.
Marycela Diaz-Unzalu, public information and education representative, gave the group of ten students a tour and shared the history and importance of the Federal Reserve System, established by Congress in 1913.
“We learned how the Atlanta Fed works with the other regional Reserve Banks to help formulate monetary policy, supervise and regulate banks and bank holding companies, and other key duties,” Lacayo said. “I was very impressed with this visit.”
Additional corporate visits are planned for IBHS members for the spring semester. Constance Bates serves as the group’s advisor.
It was such an honor to be involved in this project. Special thank you to Professor Roomes for tailoring his course to accommodate a greater collective goal. The class was so fortunate to have him green light this project we all cared so much about. So proud of our Panther family and Make-A-Wish volunteer Erin Briede for coming together to help make a huge impact in Lorenzo’s life.