Miami Dade College opened it doors in 1960 and grew into the largest community college in the state – and eventually the largest college in the nation. With 91 percent of College graduates remaining in the region, the College is a vital part of the South Florida community. It is truly the community’s college and relies on the support of alumni and community partners to ensure its continued success.

The MDC Foundation has formed a new leadership giving society to respond to growing needs of the College. The 1960 Society represents donors that give at a minimum leadership level of $1,000 annually. It will be chaired by Margarita Delgado of MRD Consulting, and Miguel and Nelly G. Farra of Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra LLP. These three dynamic alumni will lead the charge of securing contributions from alumni and friends that directly affect students and programs.

Generous supporters have the opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of students. Recent alumna Anna Ivelisse Martín-Cabrera shows how.

A gifted child who could read and write at 3, and a high school honors student who received a full scholarship to the University of Miami, Martín-Cabrera was well on her way to a successful future. At 19, after a few bad choices and lack of focus and appreciation for her education, Martín-Cabrera dropped out of college. She became pregnant and homeless, living in her car. For several years, she was lost. Four children and two failed relationships later, she finally realized her calling to be an educator.

With the support of a new husband, the love of her children and a new-found drive to succeed, Martín-Cabrera enrolled at MDC.

The College gave her the opportunity to change everything that had gone awry in her life. She earned a degree in exceptional student education. Today, she is a talented teacher with plans of obtaining a master’s and doctorate.

By becoming a member of the 1960 Society, you have the power to provide opportunities to individuals like Martín-Cabrera. In order for Miami Dade College to fulfill its commitment to maintaining an open-access policy and provide an excellent education, it must rely on the generosity and involvement of its alumni and the greater community.

With ambitious plans for the future, it has never been a better time to invest in your community’s college – Miami Dade College.

Philanthropic contributions for the 1960 Society will be deposited into the MDC Fund that is administered by the MDC Foundation. The MDC Fund awards mini-grants to Miami Dade College campuses and centers that directly support students, providing technology, study abroad trips, scholarships and program development. To learn more about the 1960 Society or to become a member, please contact Nairobi Abrams, director of annual giving and alumni relations, at 305-237-3240.