Miami Dade College Thursday May 12 2011

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Eduardo J Padron PhD President Miami Dade College

An American by choice Eduardo Padr6n arrived in the United States as a refugee at the age of 15 Since 1995 he has served as President of Miami Dade College (MDC) the largest institution of higher education in America with more than 170000 students An economist by training Dr Padr6n earned his PhD 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 named him Floridian of the Year Padr6ns energetic leadership extends to many of the nations leading organizations He is the immediate past chair of the board of the Association of American Colleges and

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Universities (AACampU) and is chair of the board of directors of the American Council on Education (ACE)

President Padron is widely recognized as one of the top educational leaders in the world and is often invited to participate in educational policy forums in the United States and abroad In 1993 President Bill Clinton recognized him as one of Americas foremost educators President George W Bush nominated him to the National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board More recently he represented the US at UNESCOs World Conference on Higher Education at the invitation of of the Obama administration and President Obama appointed him Chairman of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans During his career he has been selected to serve on posts of national prominence by five American presidents

Internationally President Padrons accomplishments have been recognized by numerous nations and organizations including the Republic of France which named him Cammandeur in the Ordre des Palms Academiques the Republic of Argentina which awarded him the Order of San Martin and Spains King Juan Carlos II who bestowed upon him the Order aQueen Isabella

Padrons pace-setting work at Miami Dade College has been hailed as a model of innovation in higher education He is credited with engineering a culture of success that has produced impressive results in student access retention graduation and overall achievement MDC enrolls and graduates more minorities than any other institution in the United States including the largest numbers of Hispanics and African-Americans He is nationally respected for his advocacy on behalf of underserved populations in higher education and his in-depth research report A Deficit of Understanding highlights the funding crisis that threatens access for low-income and minority students Dr Padron has also championed innovative teaching and learning strategies and developed support initiatives to ensure student success He was a member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACampU) Greater Expectations national panel that reshyexamined baccalaureate education in the US and the Woodrow Wilson Foundations Commission on the High School Senior Year

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President Padr6ns transformational accomplishments at Miami Dade College have been acknowledged by the national media including The New York Times NBC Nightly News TIME magazine Wall Street Journal CNN and The Chronicle ofHigher Education

He currently also serves on the boards of the BusinesslHigher Education Forum League for Innovation in the Community College (past Chair) RC 2020 the Collins Center for Public Policy College Board Advocacy and Policy Center 2010 White House Fellows Selection Panel (Chair) the International Association of University Presidents the Federal Reserve Board of Atlanta Miami Branch and the Council on Foreign Relations Dr Padr6n also serves as chairman of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanic An1ericans In past years he has held leadership positions on the boards of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Hispanic Association of Colleges amp Universities (Chair) the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts the White House Commission on Educational Excellence Campus Compact Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute The College Board and others Most recently he has been appointed to the White HouseCongressional Commission of the National Museun1 of the American Latino

In Florida Padr6n has served on several gubernatorial commissions and has lent his talents to numerous organizations including the Florida Humanities Council the Florida Council of Presidents (Chair) the Council of 100 Dade -Miami Criminal Justice Council (Chair) Miami Parking Authority (Chair) the Hispanic American League Against Discrin1ination (Chair) NAACP (Vice-President) and Greater Miami United (Co-Chair)

Under Dr Padr6ns leadership Miami Dade College has received national recognition for its longstanding involvement with its urban community its catalytic effect for social and economic change and the marked difference the College has n1ade in student access and success through pace-setting initiatives The most recent recognitions include 2008 Exemplary Award for Improving General Education Association for General and Liberal Studies (AGLS) 2008 Chancellors Best Practice Award for Academic Affairs Florida Department of Education 2007 Savior of the Community New England Board of Higher Education 2008 Green Cleaning Grand Prize Green Cleaning Network 2008 Fourth Best

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College for Digital Transformation National Center for Digital Education and 2008 President George W Bushs Higher Education Honor Roll for service to the community

Padron is the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates and prestigious awards The recent list includes the 2008 Charles Kennedy Equity Award Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) 2008 Reginald Wilson Diversity Leadership Award American Council on Education 2008 Innovator of the Year League for Innovation in the Community College Chair Academy for Leadership Developments 2005 Paul A Elsner Award for International Excellence Hispanic Magazines 2004 Hispanic Achievement Award in Education and the Association of Community College Trustees 2002 Chief Executive of the Year award He is a prolific writer with countless publications to his credit and serves on the editorial boards of The Presidency University Business and Campus Technology In addition he is a guest columnist for Hispanic Magazine and The Miami Herald

He has been featured in People magazine as one of the worlds most influential Hispanics in Hispanic magazines list of most powerful Latinos and in PODER magazines report on Movers and Shakers

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Rollins Welcomes 2011 Commencement Speaker Eduardo Padr Page 1 of 4

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Rollins Welcomes 2011 Commencement Speaker Eduardo Padron April 29 2011

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Rollins College welcomes Eduardo Padron as its 2011 College ofArts amp Sciences commencement speaker

Padron anived in the United States as a refugee at the age of 15 Since 1995 he has served as President of Miami Dade College (MDC) the largest institution of higher education in America with more than 170000 students An economist by training Padron earned his PhD 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 named him

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Rollins Welcomes 2011 Commencement Speaker Eduardo Padr Page 2 of 4

Floridian of the Year He is the immediate past chair of the board of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACampU) and is chair of the board of directors of the American Council on Education (ACE)

Padrons pace-setting work at Miami Dade College has been hailed as a model of innovation in higher education He is credited with engineering a culture of success that has produced impressive results in student access retention graduation and overall achievement MDC enrolls and graduates more minorities than any other institution in the United States including the largest numbers of Hispanics and African-Americans He is nationally respected for his advocacy on behalf of underserved populations in higher education and his in-depth research report A Deficit ofUnderstanding highlights the funding crisis that threatens access for low-income and minority students Padron has also championed innovative teaching and learning strategies and developed support initiatives to ensure student success

Under Padrons leadership Miami Dade College has received national recognition for its longstanding involvement with its urban community its catalytic effect for social and economic change and the marked difference the College has made in student access and success through pace-setting initiatives The most recent recognitions include 2008 Exemplary Award for Improving General Education Association for General and Liberal Studies (AGLS) 2008 Chancellors Best Practice Award for Academic Affairs Florida Department of Education 2007 Savior of the Community New England Board of Higher Education 2008 Green Cleaning Grand Prize Green Cleaning Network 2008 Fourth Best College for Digital Transformation the Center for Digital Education and 2008 President George W Bushs Higher Education Honor Roll for service to the community

Padron is the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates and prestigious

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Rollins Welcomes 2011 Commencement Speaker Eduardo Padr Page 3 of 4

awards The recent list includes the 2008 Charles Kennedy Equity Award Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) 2008 Reginald Wilson Diversity Leadership Award American Council on Education 2008 Innovator of the Year League for Innovation in the Community College Chair Academy for Leadership Developments 2005 Paul A Elsner Award for International Excellence Hispanic magazines 2004 Hispanic Achievement Award in Education and the Association of Community College Trustees 2002 Chief Executive of the Year award He is a prolific writer with countless publications to his credit and serves on the editorial boards of The Presidency University Business and Campus Technology In addition he is a guest columnist for Hispanic magazine and The Miami Herald

He has been featured in People magazine as one of the worlds most influential Hispanics in Hispanic magazines list of most powerful Latinos and in PODER magazines report on Movers and Shakers

The College ofArts amp Sciences commencement ceremony will take place on Sunday May 8 at 10 am in the Warden Arena at the Alfond Sports Center

Learn more about the Crummer Graduate School of Business and Hamilton Holt School comn1encement ceremonies

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Eduardo Padrons Commencement Speech I Rollins R -Net Page 1 of6

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Eduardo Padrons Commencement Speech May 11 2011

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Photo by David Woods

On Sunday May 8 Eduardo Padron president of Miami Dade College was the commencement speaker for the College of Arts amp Sciences 2011 Commencement Ceremony Below is the speech he delivered (Watch the video of commencement)

Conlmencement Speech

President Duncan members of the Rollins Board of Trustees faculty staff friends and family members and most importantly the Class of 20 11 the graduates of Rollins College

I am very honored that you have invited me to speak with you on what is a very significant day in your lives My entire working life has been spent in the field of higher education and for me there is no more important or

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cherished day than commencement It is the culmination of your hard work and determination as well as a very special day for the faculty and staff who have ushered you along your journey

And it is a day of fulfillment for many who dreamed of this moment long before you ever opened a book Take a look around you and youll see the people who paved your way Its a day to treasure your heritage and understand how hope and love is passed on from one generation to another So to all the generations and all who tilled the soil to this mile marker I say congratulations job well done dream fulfilled

But this is a very unique graduation event because for the first time in Rollins history the Fox is in the house And I know on Fox Day you get a break from classes and lectures so in the spirit of the Fox I pron1ise that my lecture will be appropriately brief

Just last weekend I had the chance to listen to President Obama address another group of graduates and he told then1 to carry the dream forward The energy of others dreams for you is giving way to the formation of your own dreams and that of course is the way it should be Make no mistake this is your time

And make no mistake your moment happens to coincide with a very fascinating and demanding time on the other side of college life The world is suddenly flat and hot to quote the author Thomas Freidman and a single key stroke can change the course of history They know this in China and Egypt and Libya and so many other places in a world that seems to fit inside a cellphone

And you know this You are riding atop a great swelling mountain of information and new knowledge Suffice to say we have never known change at this velocity a kind of global vertigo in which careers and entire industries emerge and disappear in no time and economies large and small become vulnerable

So it stands to reason that unlike your parents and grandparents who often worked at the same job for a lifetime you are likely to change positions and even career paths n1any times in your working life Last week the President

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acknowledged that this is no easy time to be marching forth into the world of work when everything seems so unsettled

And so today I want to remind you of a few simple things things that I think deep down you have always known But our tendency - all of us - is to forget the simple things Our default is toward complexity and explanations when the best and deepest things in life will never be explained

First dont believe too strongly in this degree youre about to receive I know this sounds like the wrong message for today but really it isnt I know and you should know that completing your degree is a wonderful achievement Youve earned it and you have made a lot of people very proud ofyou And it will surely be a resource to you in this brave new world of work But-- in the end its just letters after your name and a line on your resume Dont be fooled into thinking thats who you are

So who are you ifnot your credentials To answer that you need to understand that the world youre about to enter wants to answer the question for you It has meaning and value already laid out for you All you need to do is watch a few television commercials to know the truth of this Im sure many ofyou are familiar with The Most Interesting Man in the World He is not I dont even like his taste in beer But he is one of those powerful images who wants to sell you on whats important

But something much more important much more real has just happened for you Somewhere in the past four years there was a moment when something clicked In that moment college was no longer about the degree down the road or the grade on the exam In that magic moment it was about the power and thrill of learning Thats when you change thats when you discover a little more of who you really are Thats an identity - as a learner - that you can keep for the rest ofyour life

And thats the key It doesnt matter how daunting and unstable things appear the only mistake you can make is to stop learning If you lose your humility you lose your way Your shield is your commitment to continue learning no matter what it takes

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Because learning is a conduit not only to what the world can show you but much more importantly to yourself Do you know that you are the greatest one-of-a-kind phenomena to ever set foot on mother earth There is no one like you never has been and never will be Think about that Each ofyou is a singular act of creation a masterpiece never before never again

But you are about to encounter a world that is predicated on judgn1ent and comparison All well and good for you will need to think critically in this world to be successful And in this world you will win some and you will lose some But in your worst moments - and your best ones - you will still be this unique work of art Its imperative that you remember that It wont always be easy but your closest ally will be the learner inside you Its there that youll realize the strength of your passion your perception your understanding your trust your kindness your courage your love

Each one ofyou knows this and Id like to recognize just a couple ofyour classmates who have made this understanding come alive Katie Powell knows this because her passion to support underserved populations has led to over 100 campus-comn1unity projects Her internship with PICa United Florida led her to lobby in Tallahassee for the rights of countless lowshyincome residents across the state Katie I join those people in saluting your paSSIOn

Ariane Rosen is the co-founder ofRollins Model United Nations and served an internship at the US Embassy in Beijing She will study Mandarin in China this summer and then pursue a masters degree in international relations at the University of Cambridge Ariane you are one of the stars in a constellation of more than 400 bright lights today

Together all of you represent tomorrows greatest minds in medicine technology social progress and so much more But it is never enough to be merely adept You see its not the experts who change the world its the lovers who do that the ones who are passionate about what they do those one-of-a-kind people who found that part of themselves that truly makes all the difference

Which brings me to one final point For all ofyour uniqueness there is also a commonality that too few people in the world today want to acknowledge

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We have crafted a much too partisan-and too often poisonousshyenvironn1ent in this country and around the world And one of the great qualities of those who embrace learning is that they listen well Today not a lot of people are listening save to the sound of their own voice In a world with astounding communication capacity we have become experts in separating ourselves

But you can change the conversation You have already done it Your social networks have connected you one to the next and made the super powers of this partisan world take note You have made them listen

So keep listening and keep learning Dont be an easy partisan Dont be a soft touch for the labels of separation Never take the beauty and wonder of this life for granted Never give up Never ever stop learning

Thank you for inviting me to your special day and thank you for listening

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Obama stop deportations of DREAM students - CNNcom Page 1 of2

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Obama stop deportations of DREAM students (CNN) -- We want actions not words

For nearly two decades Ive called the United States of America my home I emigrated from Ecuador with my family grew up in Miami and attended public schools where I was a high-achieving student who eventually made it to college I am also an undocumented immigrant

It was at Miami Dade College - the same institution of higher leaming that President Barack Obama mentioned several times in his EI Paso Texas speech on immigration -- that I gave a commencement speech to my class back in 2006 I could have been sitting next to him during the commencement (he was the speaker there last month) if I had graduated a few years later At Miami Dade I was active not only as student government president at one of its eight campuses but also as the Student Body Association president of the entire community college system in Florida

I would have never been able to achieve positions of leadership were it not for the brave decision my parents made one day to come to the United States It was an incredibly hard decision for them as it is for anyone to leave family language and everything they know to take a chance at the American dream

President Obama was correct to say the issue of immigration often elicits strong emotions Its hard to understand why a family would risk so much to obtain so little And while its important to practice compassion too often the rhetoric becomes hateful as we have witnessed with the recent SB1070 law in Arizona and its copycats in other states Sometimes it prowkes vio lence

In the middle of this divisiveness there can be hope But only when politicians who talk about the broken immigration system and their attempts to reform it follow their words with actions

Last year was a year of incomplete actions When the DREAM Act was finally brought to debate in Congress it fell five votes short of the 60 needed to end a Republican filibuster The act would allow people brought into the United States as children to eam legal status by attending college or serving in the military

On Tuesday President Obama blamed Republicans for inaction on immigration reform yet there were five Democrats who could have saved the DREAM Act and didnt Both Republican and Democratic senators are at fault for this failure

We are a nation of immigrants a nation that dreams a nation that elects one person out of the many the president to guide Congress toward the changes he promised

We live in a democracy that has three branches of government I learned that early on in my civics class Although Congress holds the power to write laws the executive branch also has power President Obama has the executive power to stop deportations

When he spoke about democracy I remembered the past leaders who upheld those very principles and used their administrative power to grant people relief

Before 1990 attorneys general had the authority to temporarily suspend the deportations of people of particular countries More recently President Bush used his discretionary powers to defer the deportation of undocumented immigrant spouses of mil itary sold iers Both were reasonable actions that did not threaten our democracy

Today its a real threat to our democracy when police officials start acting like immigration officers pushing 11 million people who already live in the shadows into greater fear They are already too frightened to call the authorities when problems arise To use our resources to deport talented youth and separate mothers and fathers from their citizen children is simply un-American

Given the harsh pOlitical climate immigration reform and the DREAM Act will be difficult to discuss but we are ready to organize again

We know President Obama supports immigration reform We know he supports the DREAM Act Thats not in question We need him to use his executive power to stop deportations of youths eligible for the DREAM Act keeping families together until Congress is able to put its differences aside and acknowledge that we are part of the future of our great country

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