Stories of Resilience

Never has our University of Miami community relinquished its spirit of resilience. Like a stream that rushes forward around rocks and roots without losing strength—resilience is the ability to remain malleable through the ever-changing ebbs and flows of life. Our students and faculty and staff members are no different. Their dedication to sustaining and deepening their resilience has allowed our community to thrive, even under challenging and unprecedented circumstances. Explore our stories of resilience.

Vocalizing Change and Challenges

Carlehr Swanson, graduate student in the Frost School of Music

Student uses music to uplift others

Carlehr Swanson, a Frost School of Music master’s degree student and a Miss Florida contestant, doesn’t underestimate the power of music. During the toughest and happiest moments in her life, she has used her talent of singing and playing the piano as a way to express herself and to make others happy. As the creator of Music Is Unity, a program dedicated to using music as an outlet for stress and challenging circumstances in life, she performed virtually for seniors living in nursing homes around the nation to bring joy during the global pandemic.

Vocalizing Change and Challenges

Jay F. W. Pearson, president of the University of Miami, and poet Robert Frost at a commencement ceremony on January 31, 1961

Poetry reminds us of our humanity

Poets and poems walk us through times and terrain where we often hesitate—yet most ache—to go. When the world seems turned upside down and nothing makes sense, many turn to poetry for an anchor, a staff to grasp to steady our feet. With sharp honesty, a good poem reminds us of our own frailty and humanity. “Poetry is such a concise art form, so there’s a way in which it can capture the sentiment, the sensation, the emotional potency of the moment, and the difficulty of the experience in a quick and easy way,” said Jaswinder Bolina, an associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Creative Writing Program.

“Especially in our distracted, highly anxious state, you can read poetry easily and quickly, and find a touch of humanity. That feels uplifting—and it can make you feel seen.” — Jaswinder Bolina, an associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Creative Writing Department

Vocalizing Change and Challenges

UMTV highlights the Black experience and beyond

A group of University of Miami students who took a deep dive through film, photography, and journalism into the history of police brutality and social justice issues Black people face in the United States are documenting and sharing their findings. Jayda Graham and KiAnna Dorsey, executive producers of The Culture, the award-winning UMTV program that highlights the Black experience at and beyond the University of Miami, banded together to lead the charge on a special edition project titled “Black Voices Matter.” The unique project captures voices from across the University, including President Julio Frenk, Black student leaders, and faculty and staff members. “We are pushing the envelope and telling the stories that need to be told,” Graham said.

Leading the way

Isadora Smith, an undergraduate College of Engineering student, conducting research into neurodegenerative disorders

Using technology to repair the brain

Employing her love for scientific inquiry that developed at a young age, Isadora Smith conducted research that could help lead to revolutionary treatments for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders. “I’ve always wanted to be at the forefront of discovery and technology that will help people live longer and make their lives easier,” said Smith, a junior in the College of Engineering and the recent recipient of a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates award. Working in the lab of Sakhrat Khizroev, professor of electrical and computer engineering, Smith is helping to create the first wireless brain-machine interface, using magnetoelectric nanoparticles to stimulate neurons deep in the brain and potentially repair abnormal neural activity responsible for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other nervous system disorders. She is part of a team whose work could not only lead to advancements in precision medicine and neuroimaging but also open a pathway to understanding the computing architecture of the body’s command center, said Khizroev, principal investigator of the National Science Foundation-funded study, Magnetoelectric Nanodevices for Wireless Repair of Neural Circuits Deep in the Brain.

Leading the way

Researcher is developing a 3D genome view

For years, scientists and researchers have attempted to obtain and analyze the entire 3D structure of an organism’s DNA to observe and understand its complex organization and how the genes function and interact. Now Zheng Wang, assistant professor of computer science and bioinformatics researcher, is poised to help scientists see every aspect of the genome in super-resolution 3D. Supported by a $1.82 million Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award from the National Institutes of Health, Zeng will develop complex computational algorithms that will enable views of the 3D genome that are much more detailed than what is possible a microscope. The prestigious award also will help Wang answer scientific questions on how the structure of the genome influences gene regulation and other important biological processes of the cells, as well as the role of the long non-coding RNAs in the formation of genome structures.

“With this award, I hope to answer fundamental and biological questions that can then be used when studying the genome. One of my goals is to help other scientists develop further research so that they can go deeper into the genome and be able to study specific diseases.” — Zheng Wang, computer scientist and bioinformatic researcher

Leading the way

Vikaya Powell, graduate student in the School of Education and Human Development

Breaking barriers in sports

From players and trainers to coaches and reporters, the sports industry has a long history of being dominated by men. But Vikaya Powell, graduate student in the School of Education and Human Development, is out to change that. Powell just started an internship with the Cleveland Browns football team—and she is the first woman to work for their equipment staff since the team was founded in 1946. Powell, who spent the 2020 football season working as a student manager for the Miami Hurricanes equipment staff, shared that her time at the University has encouraged her to advocate for herself and pursue her goals. “I want to be the first female head equipment manager in the NFL,” she said. Her advice to others? “Apply to things you don’t think you’ll get. There are going to be obstacles. Jump over them.”

Building strength through community

Kysha Harriell, senior residential faculty member, (right) and niece at Mahoney Residential College

Residential faculty members remained committed to caring for students

Several University faculty members live on campus in the residential colleges, often with their families, and play an integral role in student life, beyond their teaching duties. Known as residential faculty members, they advocate for and mentor students as they make important decisions during their college careers—like choosing majors, minors, and courses—and plan for their post-college lives. Throughout the pandemic, residential faculty members remained present and pivoted their outreach to accommodate safety concerns. Each of them continued to welcome students into their lives with everything from virtual mental health check-ins to new podcasts to online musical performances. “Students come to college to not only learn in the classroom but also learn from our interactions with others, especially faculty,” said Kysha Harriell, senior residential faculty member at Mahoney Residential College, chair of the residential faculty program, executive director of the Office of Academic Enhancement, and professor in the School of Education and Human Development.

Building strength through community

Rocco Ceo, professor of architecture and co-founder and co-head of the design/build program in the School of Architecture

Architect works, lives among his creations

Rocco Ceo, a professor of architecture and co-founder and co-head of the design/build program in the School of Architecture, has the unique experience of supervising his students as they build structures that often end up on campus. Among the projects, Ceo guided students through the concept and creation of the B.E. & W.R. Miller Build Lab, in which design and build classes are held, and the Billy Goat Coffee Kiosk, a 42-square-foot cedar kiosk that allows students to serve coffee during the day and, when its multileveled panels are shuttered, becomes a lantern at night. His colleagues openly shared that he has never been afraid to get his hands dirty along the way. In addition to his classroom work, Ceo has devoted his time to weaving his love for art and nature into published works, including award-winning books. This year he was acknowledged as one of the American Institutes of Architects 2021 Fellows for his “exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society.”

Building strength through community

Rendering of the Centennial Village on the Coral Gables Campus

Division helps build an iconic University

Despite changes to campus dynamics, the Department of Design and Construction, part of the Division of Facilities Operations and Planning—under the leadership of Vice President Jessica Brumley—worked diligently to manage new and existing projects on the Coral Gables and Marine campuses. From the launch of a new multistory structure to the renovation of existing spaces, the projects continue to support the evolving interdisciplinary needs of students and faculty and staff members. With the introduction of new research and collaboration spaces at the Frost Institution for Chemistry and Molecular Science and the expansion of student housing and campus retail offerings, 2021 was a year of growth for the campus.

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