Over $668,000 in scholarship donations were raised at the 2016 Miami Dade College Alumni Hall of Fame Awards Gala, contributions that will make a difference in the lives of many MDC students who need extra help to fulfill their academic goals.
At the event, held April 26th at the Hilton Miami Downtown, 23 alumni were honored for their professional accomplishments and contributions to their community. They join a group of distinguished inductees in the Hall of Fame, which recognizes outstanding alumni in various professions for their accomplishments in their fields. Each year, the gala serves to honor the inductees, but also to raise dollars for the Alumni Scholarship Fund, a prime source of support for MDC students.
In his address to the more than 700 alumni and guests in attendance, MDC President Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón said the inductees “make their alma mater proud.”
“We are so proud to be able to recognize these alumni, who not only represent the best of their professions, but they also have demonstrated an unrelenting dedication to our community,” Dr. Padrón said. The scholarship funds, Dr. Padrón added, are an essential part of creating opportunities for a new generation of MDC students.
“As you know at Miami Dade, we say opportunity changes everything. And with your support today, you are going to make possible for many deserving students an opportunity for an education, something that is so crucial in the new innovation economy,” he said.
Mark Cole, Vice President of Advancement and Executive Director of the Miami Dade College Foundation, said the scholarship funds raised at the annual Hall of Fame gala “represent a lifeline to MDC students.”
“Dreams are realized, and lives and careers are begun at Miami Dade College thanks to the essential scholarship funds raised at the annual Hall of Fame Awards,” Cole added.
Past honorees include actor Andy Garcia and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz. Find out who was honored at the 2016 Hall of Fame gala in this Miami Herald article.