Kevin Orcel
Degree: Bachelor’s public relations, minor in marketing
College/School: School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Kevin Orcel was born in Haiti with glaucoma, and required surgery when he was only eight months old. Unfortunately, the surgery was not effective and Kevin’s vision loss continued to progress. Seeking better medical care for Kevin and new opportunities for their family, Kevin’s parents moved to Miami when he was 10 years old.
At 13, Kevin underwent another operation; however, doctors were not able to help him regain his eyesight. But Kevin didn’t allow the almost total loss of sight prevent him from pursuing excellence.
In high school Kevin was a star athlete. He ran track, was on the varsity wrestling team and played Goal Ball, a sport for the visually impaired that’s played in 150 countries.
Now at FIU, Kevin is continuing on his fast track. Under the mentorship of professors Lynne Farber and Maria Elena Villar, Kevin has remained active through his entire academic career. He was a member of the SJMC Dean’s Student Advisory Council and the Public Relations Student Society of America, participated in an alternative breaks program in Jamaica and served as Creative Director of the SJMC’s student-run agency.
After graduation, Kevin hopes to get his master’s degree in sports management at FIU, and pursue sports marketing, hopefully for the Miami Heat. His dream is to become president of basketball operations at a major NBA team.