Every donor counts
Every donor to the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management contributes to the fulfillment of our students, the richness of our community programs, and the advancements we make as an institution.
The Chaplin Family
The Chaplin family has been proud supporters and ambassadors of FIU's Hospitality School since before its naming in 2012. Their transformative gift - which named the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management - helps the school continue to provide cutting-edge management education for students who intend to pursue careers in the hospitality and tourism industries and has helped place FIU at the forefront of hospitality education. Their support has contributed to the school’s growth and development as one of the nation’s best hospitality and tourism management schools.
Joseph "Pepe" Badia - Badia Spices Inc.
The advanced food production laboratory was given a new name thanks to a $500,000 gift from Badia Spices, Inc. Renamed the Badia Spices Food Production Laboratory, the space provides state-of-the-art instructional technology in over 2,200 square feet of space. Students receive hands-on learning in food production and innovation with access to a specialized area where they can develop, test, and taste new product ideas and solutions for the industry.
Both Badia and his company established two scholarship funds at the university in 2004 and 2006, which have generated at least 10 scholarships annually.
Carnival Foundation
The Chaplin School received $400,000 from Carnival Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Carnival Corporation, to provide full scholarships to five qualifying students on an annual basis. The FIU Chaplin School’s ties with Carnival Foundation stretch back to 2008 when the company pledged a gift toward the existing Carnival Student Center that opened in 2011 at the Biscayne Bay Campus. The center serves as a hub where students meet to study and develop business relationships and where the school hosts industry roundtables, employer visits, recruitment activities, and job readiness training, among other activities.
The Bacardi Center of Excellence
Dedicated to creating a new and unique educational program tailored for the spirits industry, Bacardi USA donated a $5 million gift to the Chaplin School. The gift will create the Bacardi Center of Excellence, which will position the top-ranked school as a leader in beverage management education and partner with one of the world’s most historic and well-known spirits companies.
The Bacardi Center of Excellence provides student scholarship opportunities, promotes community events, and provides pathways to entrepreneurship. The Bacardi Beverage Innovation Fund was used to establish a beverage curriculum and create collaboration opportunities between Bacardi USA and FIU faculty. The Bacardi Scholarship Endowment offers students financial assistance and establishes professorships.
The gift also expands programming at FIU’s CasaCuba. CasaCuba seeks to provide a dynamic home for the discussion and study of Cuban affairs - history, policy, and business - and the celebration of Cuban culture.
How to give
Show your support for the Chaplin School with a gift today.
For more information on ways to give, please contact:
Shivani Joshi, Executive Director Development, Partnerships & Philanthropy