Although state senator Ernest 'Cap' Graham proposed a state university in Miami as early as 1943, the legislature did not approve the project until 1965. The university's main campus, University Park, was built on the site of the old Tamiami Airport, and opened its doors in 1972. A second campus was opened on Biscayne Bay in north Miami in 1977.
FIU is the largest university in the Miami region, with over 34,000 students and a budget of over $400 million. It offers programs through the doctoral level.
The NOAA National Hurricane Center is located at University Park.
FIU is a member of the NCAA, and the Sun Belt Conference. It fielded its first American football team in 2002.
Famous alumni
External links
http://www.fiu.edu