Eduardo Padron
President Emeritus
Conexión con Miami
Padrón transformed Miami Dade College into a hub of innovation, incubating key cultural institutions like the Miami Book Fair, Miami Film Festival, and Museum of Art and Design at MDC Wolfson Campus. His efforts elevated MDC's national stature while addressing challenges faced by Latino and immigrant students in South Florida, making it the most diverse college in the U.S. He bolstered Miami's arts and culture scene, earning the MISO Golden Baton Award for contributions to South Florida's cultural landscape.
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Eduardo José Padrón arrived in Miami from Cuba as a 15-year-old refugee in 1961, graduated from Miami Senior High School, and attended Miami Dade College before earning a B.A. in Economics from Florida Atlantic University and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. He joined Miami Dade College as faculty and rose to become its president in 1995, serving for 25 years until retirement in 2020. Under his leadership, MDC became America's largest and most diverse higher education institution with over 165,000 students, earning national acclaim including Time naming him one of the top ten college presidents in 2009. His career includes appointments by six U.S. presidents to national commissions and numerous international honors. Now President Emeritus, he continues influencing education, arts, and policy through board roles.