FIU Names Former Head of U.S. Southern Command As Senior Fellow

MIAMI, FL –  After a nearly four-decade long career in the military, retired U.S. Navy Adm. Craig S. Faller will join FIU’s Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs as a senior fellow. He will lecture on national security and leadership, as well as mentor students through the university’s intelligence fellowship and global affairs programs.

As commander of U.S. Southern Command, Faller, 60, oversaw U.S. military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean from November 2018 until he stepped down in October 2021. At FIU, Faller will work closely with the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy, as well as the Center for Leadership.

“Admiral Faller has always highlighted the importance of engaging leaders in the Western hemisphere in strategic partnerships and maintaining peace,’’ said John F. Stack Jr., founding dean of the Green School. “He has also been a tremendous partner to FIU and the Green School and we are so pleased to have that partnership continue in this new role.”

Before joining Southcom, Faller served as senior military assistant to the secretary of defense and held numerous high-level positions at U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command. He served as a commanding officer in the Persian Gulf War, as well as operations New Dawn in Iraq and Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

At FIU, Faller has regularly headlined major events on national security issues including the Hemispheric Security Conference in May 2021, where his roundtable conversation with university leaders drew thousands of online viewers.

“Admiral Faller brings tremendous national security and leadership expertise that will undoubtedly educate and inspire our students while enhancing the quality of FIU’s national security-focused research and programming,’’ said Brian Fonseca, director of the Gordon Institute, which has had a robust academic partnership with Southcom since 2007.

A 1983 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a native of Fryburg, Pennsylvania, Faller earned a bachelor’s degree in systems engineering and a master’s in national security affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School.  

“I am honored to join the FIU team,’’ Faller said. “FIU is a world-class organization. As commander of U.S. Southern Command, I saw firsthand the great work FIU does educating students, partnering with the Miami community and building security in our Western Hemisphere neighborhood.”

Senior fellows at the Green School devote their residence at FIU to research, teaching and creation of new engagement opportunities for students. Previous fellows include former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Kimberly Green of the Green Family Foundation and European historian Peter Reill.

About the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs:
Launched in 2008, the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs at FIU educates the leaders and changemakers of tomorrow through innovative teaching and research that advances global understanding, contributes to policy solutions and promotes international dialogue. One of the leading schools of its kind in the world, the Green School enrolls more than 5,000 students and employs 360 faculty. It offers 38 interdisciplinary degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, as well as more than 50 undergraduate and graduate certificate programs. The Green School encompasses eight signature departments: Criminology and Criminal Justice, Economics, Global and Sociocultural Studies, History, Modern Languages, Politics and International Relations, Public Policy and Administration and Religious Studies.Home to 16 of the university’s most prominent international centers, institutes and programs, the Green School is a member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA). The completion of SIPA Phase II, a new 80,000 square foot building under construction next to the existing SIPA building, will pull most of the Green School’s departments and centers under one roof, giving students and faculty more opportunities to connect and collaborate.

About FIU:
Florida International University is a Top 50 public university that drives real talent and innovation in Miami and globally. Very high research (R1) activity and high social mobility come together at FIU to uplift and accelerate learner success in a global city by focusing in the areas of environment, health, innovation, and justice. Today, FIU has two campuses and multiple centers. FIU serves a diverse student body of more than 58,000 and 270,000 Panther alumni. U.S. News and World Report places dozens of FIU programs among the best in the nation, including international business at No. 2. Washington Monthly Magazine ranks FIU among the top 20 public universities contributing to the public good.