The new year brings new opportunities for MDC to engage students and the community at large with exciting programs and events. Here’s a quick sample of the many great things coming up:
MDC kicks off 2018, with the January edition of the Mike Fernandez Global Business Leadership Series, on January 18. The event features Eduardo Coello, Group Executive of Visa Inc. for the Latin America and Caribbean region. This series, launched in 2017, features renowned executives who share their experiences in the workplace and provides students and professionals with first-hand knowledge of business practices and leadership.
The Better Food Movement Conference returns to MDC Feb. 21 with a premier launch event for Food Week 2018. Renowned educators, master chefs, food innovators and industry executives will guide and inspire young leaders to create healthy cuisine and sustainable food solutions globally.
Also in February, MDC will once again host the Startup Nation Conference at Wolfson Campus. This year’s event, organized by MDC’s The Idea Center and StarTAU Tel Aviv University Entrepreneurship Center with the support of Global Jewish Network and the Knight Foundation, brings together MDC students, local innovators, Israeli entrepreneurs and support networks to highlight emerging innovations and trends in the high-tech industry.
In March, the FLYiFest will return to MDC with the support of the Florida League of Young Immigrants. This outdoor festival, which will take place at the Wolfson Campus Breezeway, aims to ease the transition of new immigrants into the community and forge a foundation for success.
This spring, the internationally-renowned MDC’s Miami Film Festival celebrates its 35th edition March 9-18. New for 2018 is the Knight Made in MIA Award, sponsored by long-time festival partner the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The category awards a cash prize to any film that features a substantial portion of its content in South Florida.
The World Happiness Summit returns to MDC in March, as we host the inaugural session and bring together some of the world’s leading experts in the science of happiness, well-being, the economic impact of happiness, public policy, human development and sustainability.
On April 3, we proudly recognize the best, brightest and most successful alumni during the 2018 MDC Alumni Hall of Fame. This event also serves as a fundraiser for Miami Dade College student scholarships made available through the MDC Foundation.
For the innovators among us, Maker Faire will once again be held at Wolfson Campus April 7-8 with a weekend line-up of activities and exhibits -from drones and self-driving vehicles to Lego exhibits and an arts and crafts bazaar.
Also in April, MDC is proud to be a presenting sponsor of the World Strategic Forum, taking place April 16-17 at the Biltmore Hotel. Now in its 8th edition, the World Strategic Forum addresses the major challenges of the new world economic order and fosters a better understanding of opportunities and challenges for the Americas in the global market.
The highly anticipated Kislak Gallery at the Freedom Tower will open in May, with the exhibit “Culture and Change in the Early Americas.” The gallery features a portion of the internationally recognized Jay I. Kislak Foundation collection, which will be permanently housed at the Freedom Tower.
This year, our eight campuses will celebrate I AM MDC Day on Sept. 6, a wonderful way to honor MDC’s beginnings by encouraging our alumni and South Florida community to support our scholarship fund.
In the fall, MDC will host the 35th Miami Book Fair , an eight-day literary party that features readings and discussions with hundreds of noted authors from the United States and around the world.
There are many other events scheduled at each of our campuses, but these provide a snapshot into the great depth of initiatives at MDC this year.