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Eduardo J. Padrón

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Alma mater
  
University of Florida

Name
  
Eduardo Padron

Profession
  
Educator

Role
  
Educator

Eduardo J. Padron wwwnaccecomresourceresmgrimagespadronheads
Born
  
June 26, 1944 (age 79) Santiago, Cuba (
1944-06-26
)

Education
  
Miami Dade College, University of Florida

Dr. Eduardo José Padrón, Miami Dade College - WISE Madrid Eminent Voices


Eduardo José Padrón (born June 26, 1944) is the president of Miami Dade College (MDC). An economist by training, Padrón earned his Ph.D. from the University of Florida. After serving as a faculty member at MDC, he became the school's president in 1995. Time named him one of the ten best college presidents in 2009, and he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

Contents

Eduardo J. Padrón President About MDC Miami Dade College

Early life

Eduardo J. Padrón MDC College Forum Volume 17 Number 1

Born in Cuba, Padrón was a teenager when he came to the United States as part of Operation Pedro Pan. The initiative allowed Cuban parents to send their children to the U.S. alone. Padrón did not speak good English when he arrived, and he struggled in a school system that did not yet include bilingual education programs.

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After graduating from Miami Senior High School, Padrón attended MDC and earned an undergraduate economics degree from Florida Atlantic University. He attended graduate school at the University of Florida, completing master's and doctoral degrees in economics.

Miami Dade College career

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When Padrón finished his education, he was about to take a job at DuPont, but he was still connected to his old professors at MDC, and they asked him to apply for a faculty position at the school. Since 1995, he has served as the president of MDC. The school enrolls and graduates more black and Hispanic students than any college in the nation.

Eduardo J. Padrón Miami Dade College Foundation

In 2006, Padrón retired from MDC. He collected $893,286 in lump sum benefits and started receiving retirement pay of $14,631 a month. One month later, Padrón returned to his position at the college and was receiving his annual salary again. This practice, which has been undertaken by a number of Florida public officials, has been criticized by local media sources as "double dipping". Padrón's spokesperson said that college trustees asked Padrón to come back after he had announced his retirement. The spokesperson said that the practice is legal.

Eduardo J. Padrón Latino Civil Rights Leaders Eduardo J Padrn Pa39lante Latino

MDC is one of 14 Florida community colleges that can grant bachelor's degrees. Padrón says that the school's curricula focus on degree programs that will directly prepare graduates for the workforce.

Civic leadership

Padrón is chair of the board of directors of the Council on Foreign Relations. He was appointed honorary consul to Morocco in 2016. He chairs the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.

Awards

Padrón's individual honors and awards include: 2012 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellowship; the Carnegie Corporation Centennial Academic Leadership Award; and the 2011 TIAA-CREF Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence.

Eduardo J. Padrón Community College President39s Spotlight Eduardo J Padrn Sept

He is a guest columnist for Hispanic Magazine and the Miami Herald. He has been featured as a prominent Hispanic figure in People magazine, Hispanic Magazine and PODER. In 2009, Time included him on the list of “The 10 Best College Presidents.” In 2010, Florida Trend magazine named him “Floridian of the Year.” In 2011, The Washington Post named him one of the eight most influential college presidents in the U.S.

In November 2016, Padrón was announced as one of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Personal life

Padrón is divorced. He has a son and two grandchildren.

References

Eduardo J. Padrón Wikipedia