Mirage in Miami
Notes from a very short Campus Visit: University of Miami 9/26/24
Hidden away behind some non-descript streets in the urban Miami neighborhood of Coral Gables, is the strikingly beautiful campus of the University of Miami. It’s a tropical oasis with canals running through it and enough modern architecture and outdoor sculpture to keep you gawking. I visited the home of the Hurricanes as an actual hurricane blew through South Florida on its way to the Gulf, but this didn’t seem to bother the scores of students crisscrossing the quads as palm trees swayed and the skies grew grey overhead. They were too busy talking about meeting friends, what happened in their classes and rushing to the dorms for dinner .
“Clubbing. Unless you like to party, it’s going to be hard to find friends.”
That was one young man’s answer to my question, “how’s the social scene here?” He was a finance major hanging out in the Chabad Jewish Student Lounge. But two other folks I met, a senior athlete and a freshman studying business and entrepreneurship, seemed pretty upbeat about college life, and the social aspects therein. Now the freshman, she’s only been on campus for two months, but she seemed very upbeat. “I love my professors, the classes are small”, Even for freshmen? “Yes, this is a private college so the classes tend to be smaller.” Since she planned to start a baking and pastry business in Europe after graduation, I asked how the food was. “Well. It isn’t the best, but there are lots of options outside the dining hall that are better.” She raved about some Bulgogi (Korean dish) she had just had, and spoke well of her dorm, just steps from her last class.
To me, it speaks well of the school that a girl like this who had happened upon her life’s passion when she started baking and giving things out to teachers in High School, would choose U of M, and that U of M would find her.
Back in the Chabad lounge, Julie, a Computer Science Junior said, “I’m kosher, and there is a kosher restaurant on Campus” Was the young man likewise restricted, as a fellow Jew? “No, I eat everything, especially Panda Express.” I asked what it was like to be Jewish on Campus, especially during this last year of sit-ins, occupations and protests. “It’s amazing, right after October 7th the president put out a pro-Israel statement, there has been absolutely no issues, even if people walk around with IDF hoodies on.”
I grabbed an issue of The Hurricane, the school newspaper, the cover story was, “Class of 2028 Black enrollment drops to 5%, a 4% decrease from the class of 2027- student leaders express concern…”
I was especially interested to see th “U”, as my grandfather Max Winer, attended during its inaugural year in 1926. Go Canes!
