Business View Magazine - May 2024

WE ARE HONORED TO SERVE AS OUTCOME CATALYSTS AT DEMOCRACY ’S COL L EGE MDC MOD E R N I Z I NG S T U D E N T E X P E R I E N C E S D E V E L O P I NG E N T R E P R E N E U R I A L L E A D E R S F O S T E R I NG D E S I GN T H I N K I NG E NA B L I NG E N R O L L M E N T G R OW T H C E L E B R A T I NG B R E A K T H R OUGH OU T C OM E S GU I D I NG T E C HNO L OGY T R AN S F O RMA T I ON READ THE STORY “So far, every student that has graduated from the program is working at Tesla nationally,” raves Delgado. These partnerships also act as a bridge between students and Miami-Dade County’s business ecosystem. Through MDC’s Idea Center, we are focused on partnering with industry leaders, bringing them in to share their entrepreneurial journey with our students and business leaders across our community. Our fire-side chats have included leaders like Marcelo Claure, Rony Abovitz, and Jessica Alba among other thought leaders. The idea center specifically enables some key partnerships as well. The college’s small business work is typically supported by external funders, says Gonzalez.TD Bank,Verizon,andWells Fargo contribute on the private side, while local government entities, spearheaded by Miami Dade county commissioner Eileen Higgins, fund other small-business endeavors. “We’re really a microcosm,” says Gonzalez. “The college brings together the individual philanthropy, the corporate entities, and the public entities under one table, one roof, to be able to then provide programming for our students and all of the customers who we serve.” GROWING THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY In 2024 and beyond, President Pumariega remains steadfast in her mission to remain a leader in reimagining student experiences through academic excellence and innovation. She envisions a continued optimization of the student experience at Miami Dade College, where every individual’s journey is personalized. “We’re going to need more students to enter college in a knowledge economy,” says Pumariega.“This idea that we don’t have to continue to skill up really is not true.” Miami Dade College will always emphasize academic excellence and innovative partnerships to secure the community’s future, but there’s also a sense of pride in the local talent the college creates. Nine out of 10 students remain in Miami Dade County after graduating, Pumariega says, and that’s important 58 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 05