Miami Dade College President Honored for His
Dedication and Commitment to Diversity in Higher Education
Feb. 12,
2008
The American
Council on Education (ACE) today presented Eduardo J. Padrón,
president of Miami Dade College, with the 2008 Reginald A. Wilson
Diversity Leadership Award for his extraordinary contributions to the
higher education enterprise.
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| Eduardo J. Padrón (center) with outgoing ACE Board Chair
Ricardo R. Fernández and Mildred Garcia, president of California
State University, Dominguez Hills. |
The award, named
after Reginald Wilson, senior scholar emeritus at ACE and former
director of ACE's Office of Minority Concerns, was presented during
ACE's 90th Annual Meeting, which concluded today in San
Diego.
A native of
Cuba, Padrón began his studies at Miami Dade College and went on to
earn his doctorate in economics from the University of Florida. Now he
leads one of the nation's largest institutions of higher education with
eight campuses and more than 160,000 students. While at Miami Dade,
Padrón has engineered a culture of success that has produced
impressive results in student access, retention, graduation and overall
achievement.
“We are
pleased to recognize the hard work and dedication Dr. Padrón has
demonstrated throughout his years of service as a higher education
leader,” stated Diana I. Córdova, director of ACE's Center
for Advancement of Racial and Ethnic Equity. “He joins a long list
of notable award winners who have shown an unfailing commitment to
advancing diversity in higher education, and we commend him for a
lifetime of achievement in this critical arena.”
“I am
extremely honored by this very special award named after a stalwart man.
I accept it on behalf of all my colleagues and students at Miami Dade
College who are champions of racial equity,” said
Padrón.
Padrón has
served as Miami Dade College president since October 1995. He is
nationally respected for his advocacy for underserved populations in
higher education, innovative teaching and learning strategies, and focus
on support for student success.
His work at
Miami Dade College has been hailed as a model of innovation in higher
education. In 1993, President Bill Clinton recognized him as one of
America's foremost educators. More recently, President George W. Bush
appointed him to the National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board.
During his career, he has been selected to serve in posts of national
prominence by four American presidents.
In addition to
receiving the Wilson Diversity Leadership Award, Padrón was named
to the ACE Board of Directors yesterday for a term ending in February
2011.
“This
appointment allows me to join the nation's top leaders in higher
education with the aim of improving opportunities for college students
in America,” added Padrón. “ACE is one of the oldest
and most respected organizations in higher education and I look forward
to ensuring that Miami Dade College and institutions like it have
a unified voice in the national educational arena.”
| ace american council on education |
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