A ceremony was held earlier today at Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management to mark the start of construction of the new Carnival Student Center, which is being funded by Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines and its parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc.

Located at the university’s Biscayne Bay campus, the 2,600-square-foot space will be completely renovated and repurposed to create a formal and informal gathering for students. Carnival’s gift also included endowment for scholarships, which will also increase once matched by the state.

Pictured here at the groundbreaking ceremony (from left): Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO; Joan Remington, Interim Dean, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management; Mark Rosenberg, president of Florida International University; Jim Berra, Carnival’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer; and Linda Coll, director of the Carnival Foundation, which coordinates the company’s corporate giving efforts.

Scheduled to open at the end of this year, the Carnival Student Center will be used as a place for students to gather and meet, as well as work in one of several fully equipped conference rooms.