Miami, Nov. 1, 2021 – Miami Dade College (MDC) will officially welcome its fifth and first female president, Madeline Pumariega, at an investiture ceremony on Friday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami. The ceremony will be followed by a reception on the plaza. The working media is welcome.
President Pumariega began her role as president in January 2021 and hit the ground running. Over the past year, she has worked tirelessly to establish MDC as the preeminent institution to train Miami’s future tech workforce and fuel the talent needs of a global economy. She immediately took steps to close the enrollment gap, and prioritized a culture of care to ensure students, staff and the community have access to critical resources during the pandemic. She has also championed programs and initiatives to help women and minority students rise up, obtain a college degree and the necessary skills to thrive in today’s competitive job market.
Her love for academics and service excellence began as a student at MDC and during her 20 years of service at the College in positions of ascending responsibility, culminating in her role as Wolfson Campus president. Prior to being named MDC’s fifth president, she was appointed the first female and Hispanic chancellor of the Florida College System (FCS). In that role, she designed and implemented strategies to keep college accessible and affordable for Floridians, especially for those entering high-demand job fields. During her tenure, several of the FCS’s 28 colleges –– which serve 800,000 students –– rose in the rankings of U.S. News & World Report as well as by other national measures. Florida was also named No. 1 in higher education by U.S. News. In 2019, she became the executive vice president and provost of Tallahassee Community College. View President Pumariega’s complete bio here.
Many important colleagues, leaders and stakeholders will participate in the investiture ceremony, some delivering greetings and remarks on the stage during the special program and in various videos to be aired at the ceremony.
WHAT: MDC President Madeline Pumariega Investiture Ceremony
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m.
Reception on the plaza immediately after
WHERE: Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Ziff Ballet Opera House
1300 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, Fl. 33132