Miami, May 3, 2022 – Miami Dade College (MDC), MDC Board of Trustees Vice Chair Nicole Washington and MDC Foundation Board Chair Al Salas received American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) 2022 Awards of Excellence, which underscore the association’s priorities and bring national visibility to best practices among its member colleges. The awards were announced at the Awards of Excellence Gala on May 2 during the AACC Annual April 30-May 3 in New York City.
MDC was recognized in the Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership category for its collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Since 2018, MDC has built and strengthened its ties with AWS, the world leader in cloud computing, developing innovative cloud curriculum; training MDC faculty; educating and certifying students; and securing student employment. AWS supported development of MDC’s National Science Foundation-funded Cloud Computing Center, which hosts AWS courses for credit/non-credit students, Cloud101 summer camps for high school students, AWS immersion days for professionals, and AWS competitions. More than 200 students have completed cloud courses, with 150 obtaining AWS certifications. View a case study of the work between MDC and AWS here.
Vice Chair Washington, honored for Trustee of the Year, is a national education policy advisor focused on integrating work and education to build a stronger talent pipeline in Florida and improving postsecondary education opportunities for all students. She works with state and local organizations to create a more focused, comprehensive education policy and advocacy environment. She served as the Vice chair for the Education Subcommittee of the 2017-18 Constitution Revision Commission, sponsoring a successful Amendment 7 that recognizes the Florida College System’s mission and governance structure in the state constitution and increases affordability for Florida’s students. View Vice Chair Washington’s complete bio here.
Chairman Salas, a proud MDC alumnus, was awarded the 2022 Outstanding Alumni Award. He began his career in the food industry in his early teens, when he got his first job at a Burger King location. His dedication and passion caught the attention of senior management and he became the youngest area manager for the company at only 18 years old, around the time he enrolled at MDC and served as a math and accounting student tutor. Today he is the largest Hispanic – and one of the most successful – Pizza Hut franchisees in the nation. Throughout his career, Chairman Salas has remained connected to MDC and joined its volunteer Foundation Board nearly a decade ago, eventually becoming vice chair, and today the chairman. View Chairman Salas complete bio here.
About Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College is the most diverse institution in the nation. There are 167 nations and 63 languages represented in its student body. The college’s eight campuses and outreach centers offer more than 300 distinct degree pathways including associate and baccalaureate degrees, career certificates and apprenticeships. Baccalaureate degree offerings include biological sciences, engineering, data analytics, information systems technology, education, public safety, supervision and management, nursing, physician assistant studies, film and others. MDC is the recipient of many top national awards including the Aspen Prize. As Democracy’s College, MDC changes lives through accessible, high quality-teaching and learning experiences. It is the home of the Miami Culinary Institute, the Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex, the Miami Fashion Institute, the Eig-Watson School of Aviation, The Idea Center, the Cybersecurity Center of the Americas, the Cloud Computing Center, the Center for Learning, Innovation and Simulation, the School for Advanced Studies, and the New World School of the Arts, to name a few of its most innovative programs. MDC has been named among the nation’s “Great Colleges to Work For” since the program’s inception. The College embraces its responsibility to serve as an economic, cultural, and civic leader for the advancement of our diverse global community. Its alumni and employees contribute more than $3 billion annually to the local economy, and MDC graduates occupy top leadership positions in every major industry. MDC is renowned for its rich cultural programming. It is the home of the Miami Book Fair, Miami Film Festival, the National Historic Landmark Miami Freedom Tower, the Tower Theater, Dyer Building, Koubek Center Mansion and Gardens, Live Arts Miami at MDC, the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives, the Museum of Art and Design, a sculpture park and a large campus art gallery and theater system. MDC has admitted more than 2.5 million students and counting, since it opened its doors in 1960. Approximately 120,000 students are currently enrolled. For more information, visit www.mdc.edu.