Happy Birthday, MDC! 66 years ago, Miami looked very different. Miami Dade College did too.
Much has changed over the decades. Our city has grown. Education has evolved. New technologies have transformed how we teach and learn.
Through it all, MDC has remained a steady part of this community. We have grown alongside Miami while staying true to what has always mattered most: creating opportunity, opening doors and transforming lives through education.
Today, we celebrate 66 years of Miami Dade College and the generations of students, faculty, staff and alumni who have shaped our story.
Give Today, Fuel Tomorrow
The Miami Dade College Foundation helps make higher education possible for thousands of students each year by turning donor generosity into scholarships, faculty excellence, student support services, academic programs, arts and culture, athletics and campus-based initiatives that expand opportunity across the College.
Each year, more than $27 million in scholarships supports students through programs such as the Honors College, American Dream Scholarship, Presidential Scholars and Rising Scholars. MDC also invests in faculty excellence through its endowed chair program, which fosters teaching, innovation and academic leadership in the classroom and beyond.
One of the Foundation’s most visible fundraising moments is I AM MDC Day, a monthlong celebration recognizing MDC’s Sept. 6 birthday. The initiative invites alumni, employees, students, community partners and friends to invest in the College’s future. This year, I AM MDC Day has raised more than $1 million so far through about 2,000 unique gifts — a significant increase over last year’s individual giving and a reflection of the broad support behind MDC’s mission. Supporters can still participate in this year’s campaign.
“I Am MDC Day is a celebration of our College’s legacy and a call to invest in its future,” said MDC President Madeline Pumariega. “Every gift, no matter the size, helps us continue to ensure that more students can achieve their dreams.”
Turning Gifts Into Opportunity
The MDC Foundation relies on the generosity of the community to help the College continue serving as Democracy’s College — a place where opportunity remains within reach for students from every background. Over the last six decades, MDC has served more than 2.5 million people, helping generations of students earn degrees, credentials and new pathways to opportunity.
“MDC’s impact has always been powered by those who believe in its mission,” said Jorge A. Plasencia, chair of the Miami Dade College Foundation Board of Directors. “The opportunities we create for students would not be possible without the generosity of our donors and the broader community. I encourage everyone who believes in the power of education, including our more than two million alumni, to make a gift of any size and help keep the promise of MDC within reach for the next generation.”
For many students, the donations also help address the immediate needs that can affect whether a student remains enrolled, from bus passes and emergency aid to food pantry access and career closet resources.
That same investment extends to faculty and academic programs, with gifts helping recognize teaching excellence and strengthen initiatives across disciplines, including The Idea Center, the School of Education and other collegewide programs.
“MDC is a place where the elusive American Dream really does come true,” said Darrell Arnold, “We have students who come here, and because of the scholarships and because of the faculty trainings that are supported by the donors, they’re able to get the experience and the knowledge they need to transfer to the best colleges in the country.
Donor generosity also enriches MDC’s role as a cultural anchor for the community, supporting arts and culture programs that bring students, artists and audiences together across the College. From the Miami Book Fair to the Miami Film Festival to exhibitions, performances, public programs and campus-based cultural initiatives, those gifts help expand access to creative experiences that reflect and serve Miami’s diverse community.
Partners in Success
Fundraising remains essential to sustaining that work and doesn’t stop after I Am MDC Day. As the monthlong effort continues, this year’s emphasis is on inspiring as many individual gifts as possible while also engaging the business community and partners who believe in investing in students.
Donor support also reached campuses in targeted ways. At Kendall Campus, the South Miami Senior High School Alumni Association announced an endowed scholarship after Ambassador Kevin Cabrera, a South Miami Senior High alumnus and MDC Hall of Famer. Homestead received a $75,000 donation for aviation-related efforts. At North Campus, EdFed presented a $10,000 check, while the Venezuelan American Chamber Foundation contributed $10,000 at West Campus.
Together, those gifts underscore the broad reach of I Am MDC Day, which brings the MDC community together to honor the College’s past and generate support for its future. From campus festivities to the signature celebration at the Miami Marlins game, the monthlong effort highlights the pride, generosity and shared purpose that continue to move MDC forward — and invites supporters to keep giving throughout the campaign.
Said Lydia Nelson, an Honors College student studying music: “To me, I AM MDC Day means being part of a community that creates opportunities for students like me where people believe in you, root for you and open doors you may not have imagined for yourself.”
Video courtesy of the Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Archives.