FIU Knight Foundation School
FIU’s Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences provides the talent pipeline needed to support South Florida’s unprecedented growth as an international tech hub, offering opportunities for students of all backgrounds to enjoy the financial success of high-tech careers.
For local residents to benefit from South Florida’s tech boom, education is paramount. Miami’s leaders recognize the need to build sustainable programs to support a home-grown pipeline of talented computer scientists and engineers.
The Knight Foundation has played a critical role with key investments in the ecosystem, including a $10 million grant to FIU’s Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences. As the catalyst to solidify FIU as the go-to source for top computer science and engineering talent, the Knight Foundation’s transformational grant specifically targets under-represented groups. Matching funds are needed to build on this success and meet the ambitious goal of doubling computer science graduates from roughly 1,000 students per year to more than 2,000 students per year.
The investment from the Knight Foundation and the matching funds will be used to make significant expansions in FIU’s computer science and engineering programs, including hiring 20 new faculty; establishing a 20,000-square-foot innovative research and teaching space inside of the new 250,000-square-foot multidisciplinary engineering building; and a complete reimagining of the college’s career advising programs to be more student- and industry-centric.
FIU’s College of Engineering and Computing is home to more than 7,500 students, and awards more undergraduate engineering and computing degrees to Hispanics than any other college in the nation. As a top-ten producer of computer science and computer engineering degrees already, the investment from the Knight Foundation and matching donors will continue to build on that success, creating diverse, job-ready talent to fuel South Florida’s tech boom.
Leaders & Partners
Impact
Having the backing of the Knight Foundation is a powerful sign that FIU is on the right track and fully committed to the future of technology. I think it’s clear that the Knight Foundation recognizes the incredible talent and promise of FIU students. And based on my time as a student leader, I know for a fact that we have some of the most diverse, ingenious, and hardworking minds around – students who are just ready to get out there and make a huge impact wherever they go. With the Knight Foundation’s support, the sky is really the limit as to what FIU students can accomplish and what our community can become in the future…..As an alumnus, I’m fully committed to supporting the community we started and helping FIU students for years to come.
Current Metrics
Increase in students in KFSCIS program: 10% for Year 1
Increase in Freshman enrollment: 18% in Year 1
Four-year graduation rate increased from 41% to 64% in Year 1
Impact
Having the backing of the Knight Foundation is a powerful sign that FIU is on the right track and fully committed to the future of technology. I think it’s clear that the Knight Foundation recognizes the incredible talent and promise of FIU students. And based on my time as a student leader, I know for a fact that we have some of the most diverse, ingenious, and hardworking minds around – students who are just ready to get out there and make a huge impact wherever they go. With the Knight Foundation’s support, the sky is really the limit as to what FIU students can accomplish and what our community can become in the future…..As an alumnus, I’m fully committed to supporting the community we started and helping FIU students for years to come.
Current Metrics
Increase in students in KFSCIS program: 10% for Year 1
Increase in Freshman enrollment: 18% in Year 1
Four-year graduation rate increased from 41% to 64% in Year 1
Goals
Demographic
As the nation’s fourth largest public university, FIU is committed to affordable, high-quality teaching, state-of-the-art research, creative activity, and collaborative engagement with our local and global communities.
Funding Goal
To meet the ambitious goals of the program, the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences will need to raise an additional $16 million over the next five years. This funding will be used to hire 20 new tenure-track faculty and provide start-up funding for research, create state-of-the-art teaching and learning faculties in the new multidisciplinary engineering complex, and to implement a reimagined career advising program, focused on students and industry.
Impact Goal
Within the next five years, the Knight Foundation School for Computing and Information Sciences will more than double the number of computer science graduates from 1,000 per year, to 2,000 per year, while increasing related research by more than 160%, serving as a critical partner in Miami’s exponential tech growth.
