Eduardo J Padrón

An American by choice, Eduardo Padrón arrived in the United States as a refugee at the age of 15. He served as President of Miami Dade College (MDC) from 1995-2019 and is credited with elevating MDC into a position of national prominence among the best and most recognized United States colleges and universities.

An economist by training, Dr. Padrón earned his Ph.D. from the University of Florida. In 2009, TIME magazine included him on the list of “The 10 Best College Presidents.” In 2010, Florida Trend magazine placed him on the cover of its inaugural “Floridian of the Year” issue. In 2011, The Washington Post named him one of the eight most influential college presidents in the United States and he was awarded the prestigious 2011 Carnegie Corporation Centennial Academic Leadership Award. In 2012, he received the Citizen Service Award from Voices for National Service, the coveted TIAA-CREF Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence, and the Aspen Institute Ascend Fellowship. In 2015, he was inducted into the United States News & World Report STEM Hall of Fame. Dr. Padrón’s energetic leadership extends to many of the nation’s leading organizations. He is the former Chair of the board of directors of the American Council on Education (ACE) and the board of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. He also served on the American Academy of Arts & Sciences’ Commission on the Humanities & Social Sciences.