Miami, Oct. 17, 2016 – Miami Dade College (MDC) President Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón has been selected to receive the 2016 Alvah H. Chapman Jr. Award of Excellence, presented by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. This prestigious recognition honors those who have made significant contributions and set standards for the development of Miami’s central business core’s economy, culture, promotion, education, beautification, and preservation. Dr. Padrón will be honored at a Trustee Luncheon at Jungle Island, Wednesday, Nov. 2.
“I’m honored to be the recipient of such a special award, especially from an organization that contributes daily to our community,” said Dr. Padrón. “The award is really a salute to the faculty, staff and students at MDC who continually strive for excellence. The recognition also carries the name of a man who was a pillar in our community for so many years. I am truly humbled.”
Previously, President Padrón received the Sand in My Shoes and Henry Flagler awards from the Chamber.
An economist by training, President Padrón earned his Ph.D. from the University of Florida. In 2009, Time magazine included him among the “10 Best College Presidents” in the United States. In 2010, Florida Trend placed him on the cover of the inaugural “Floridian of the Year” issue. In 2011, The Washington Post recognized him as one of the eight most influential college presidents in the country. In addition, the Carnegie Corporation of New York granted him its prestigious Centennial Academic Leadership Award. He is also the first college president to receive the National Citizen Service Award from Voices for National Service. In addition, he has been named an Ascend Fellow by the Aspen Institute and he is the recipient of the Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence, the highest honor in U.S. higher education. He was recently honored with the 2015 Diverse Champions Award from Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine, among many other distinctions.
During his more than four decade career at MDC, President Padrón has been selected to serve on posts of national prominence by six American Presidents. His energetic leadership also extends to many of the nation’s leading organizations. He is former chair of the Board of Directors of the American Council on Education and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. President Padrón currently chairs the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.
President Padrón’s transformational accomplishments at Miami Dade College have been regularly acknowledged by the national media, including The New York Times, NBC Nightly News, Time magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN and The Chronicle of Higher Education, to name a few. He has received some of the most prestigious awards in and out of academia and more than 15 honorary doctorates from leading universities such as Rollins, Princeton and Brown. He is also the recipient of highest honors from the governments of foreign nations, including France, which named him Commandeur in the Ordre des Palms Académiques; Argentina, which awarded him the Order of San Martin; and Spain whose King Juan Carlos II bestowed upon him the Order of Queen Isabella and King Felipe VI awarded him the prestigious Juan Ponce de León Award.
About the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business in South Florida, representing more than 400,000 employees of member companies. To carry out its mission, the Chamber involves the private sector in community leadership. For more than a century, the Chamber has been widely recognized and respected for its extraordinary record of economic development and community improvement. The Greater Miami Chamber is a proactive chamber, regularly getting engaged in issues important to its member companies and individuals. Its program of work is organized in seven areas: Disruption, Governmental Affairs, Industry Growth, International Business, Leadership Programs, Marketing, Membership & Strategic Revenue Growth, and Urban/Community Growth. The Chamber is nationally recognized as one of the Top 10 Executive Speaking Forums in America.