Spring 2025-Fall 2026
Kislak Center at the University of Miami

The University of Miami was built on ambition—and shaped by the unexpected. Launched with the vision of a “Great Outdoor University,” it opened in the middle of a land boom, only to be hit by a hurricane before its first semester even began. Only the U didn’t stall. It adapted. It found new ground. And it kept going.

“Eye on the U” celebrates 100 years of that forward motion—of turning challenge into opportunity and vision into reality. From makeshift classrooms in Coral Gables to global research hubs, from being known as “Cardboard College” to becoming a hemispheric force in education and innovation, the story of the U is one of transformation. The hurricane, long the University’s symbol, is more than a storm. It’s a metaphor for how we move—unpredictable, full of energy, reshaping the landscape to make space for what’s next. That same force drives the students, faculty, and alumni who have made this place what it is—and what it’s still becoming.

This Centennial exhibition, curated by the University Archives at the University Libraries, invites you to step into that story. To see the ripples that began here and continue to expand. This isn’t just a look back. It’s a look at the momentum that’s carried us for a century—and will keep us moving into the next.

To learn more about the University of Miami, you can start your research with the University Archives’ digital collections and collection finding aids. If you have specific questions or need assistance, please contact University Archivist Nick Iwanicki.