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
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Gates Completion by Design Grant Taps MDC
I am very pleased to announce that Miami Dade College has been named by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as one of only four grantees nationwide to receive the multi-year Completion by Design grant, a groundbreaking effort to design and implement a model pathway to college completion. MDC is the only single institution selected in the nation, joining just three additional college systems.
This is a very significant opportunity for the College. The conceptual foundations of the Completion by Design project are aligned with MDC’s long-standing efforts toward student success. Our commitment to evidence and data to support decision-making, program development and the identification of critical points in students’ progression, as well as our history of support and completion initiatives provide us a strong foundation.
Completion by Design consists of three phases: 1) Planning (12 months); 2) Implementation and demonstration (24-30 months); and 3) Scaling and adoption (24 months). MDC has been funded in the amount of $494,675 for Phase 1.
Many of our faculty and staff worked very hard to develop MDC’s proposal, particularly Dr. Pam Menke, who led a great team. However, many more will have the chance to contribute and fulfill this wonderful opportunity to support student success.
Thank you.
Eduardo