Friday, May 20, 2016

Aloha to Miami - University of Miami in Coral Gables


As previously mentioned, I grew up in Coral Gables - a suburb of Miami.  I distinctly remember the school bus ride to Ponce De Leon Junior High School. We drove through fraternity row on the edge of UM's campus.  I recall a lion painted a new color every day - I now know the lion guards the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity (I was a SAE Little Sister at the University of Tampa).


UM has a reputation as a party school, but it still promotes academic excellence. From its website (link),

By the fall of 1926, when the first class of 646 full-time students enrolled at the University of Miami, the land boom had collapsed, and hopes for a speedy recovery were dashed by a major hurricane. In the next 15 years the University barely kept afloat. The collapse in South Florida was a mere prelude to a national economic depression. Such were the beginnings of what has since become one of the nation’s most distinguished private universities.


The University survived primarily due to the vision and persistence of its first president, Dr. Bowman F. Ashe (1926-52). Under his administration, the institution overcame bankruptcy, a reorganization, a world war, and then in the post-war years, experienced tremendous growth and expansion.


No doubt Dr. Bowman would appreciate the Fate Bridge pictured in the above two images. 


A mother duck and 10+ goslings enjoy the water under the bridge.


We were pleasantly surprised to discover the Lowe Art Museum.  From its website (link),

The Lowe's success in fulfilling its mission is confirmed by an extraordinary and ongoing outpouring of support for the museum and its collections. With the gift in 1950 by philanthropists Joe and Emily Lowe, a free-standing museum facility opened to the public in 1952, the first art museum in South Florida. Its 17,500–object collection is one of the most important in the southeast, with strengths in Renaissance and Baroque, American, Ancient and Native American, and Asian art.


We only made a brief visit to the campus ... so much more to explore on another trip! Have you visited a university campus near you? One randomly selected commenter from this week's blog posts wins a book choice from my convention stash. Comments are open through Saturday, May 21, 10 pm in Baltimore. I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 22.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

The father duck on the prowl ... 


7 comments:

  1. Great pictures. While I have never been there, I feel like I have,. Thanks

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  2. I have been to McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario Amy favorite was the University of Guelph because that is where you study to be a vet.

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  3. I remember visiting St. John's University.

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  4. Penn State University - My one daughter went there and my husband was at another campus but spent a few weeks there. Also Edinboro where my other daughter attended.

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  5. I've visited quite a few campuses - Annapolis (toured on a family summer vacation), and those family has gone to: The Citadel, College of Charleston, Drew University, UVA, Oxford, Towson, NC State - and those I've attended: Longwood University and Fairleigh Dickinson University.

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  6. I have to say I absolutely loved going to this place the other night. The people that work there were trying to create an optimal dinner experience while making your choices their priority. I would definitely recommend thisvenue NYC for any kind of fancy event.

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