Memorial Scholarship

Ivan was born in Havana, Cuba, to a family of 11 children. Following in his father’s footsteps, Ivan joined the “Gabinete Nacional de Identificación” in 1946, where he learned the science of fingerprinting. This would become his life’s work. After arriving in the United States on August 6, 1966, Ivan took on work in different industries and trades until he was able to apply for, and receive an offer from the City of Miami Police in 1974 to be a Latent Print Examiner. In 1980, Ivan was invited to train with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in Quantico, VA, where he learned the newest technology in biometrics and digitization of fingerprints. This learning he brought back to the City of Miami Police, where he led efforts within the Latent Prints department to digitize it’s existing inventory and enter into the national database.

Ivan graduated from Miami Dade College and then pursued his Bachelor Degree in Criminal Science at Florida International University, graduating at the age of 54 in 1983. The family has established this scholarship in his memory to support students studying Criminal Justice, where he dedicated his life's work.