Eduardo J. Padrón
President
Office of the President
300 N.E. Second Avenue
Miami, Florida 33132-2297
305-237-3316
epadron@mdc.edu
Message From the President
Monday, March 09, 2009
Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Jill Biden visit MDC
This past Friday was a special day for Miami Dade College. The College hosted the nation’s new Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of the Vice President and community college professor of English. From both, we heard of a new world of possibility for community colleges and our students (see coverage of the event in The Miami Herald ).
“It is no coincidence that we’re here at Miami Dade College,” said Secretary Duncan. As his first visit to a college or university, he called MDC the “best of the best, an example for the rest of the country.”
He went on to say that ''community colleges will play a big role in getting America back on its feet again, and they will no longer be undervalued and underutilized.'' The Secretary also spoke of the stimulus bill as providing a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to supply much-needed support to education.
Dr. Biden also offered the assembled students a great deal of encouragement, speaking of her love for teaching during a 15-year career as a professor of English. She continues today to teach at Northern Virginia Community College.
In these difficult economic times, Secretary Duncan and Dr. Biden offered a genuine ray of hope. Their appreciation for what we do at MDC was heartening, to say the least. I want all of you to know that what you are doing in support of students is not going unnoticed.
Thank you.
Eduardo