Miami Dade College

A big congratulations to MDC Shark Tania Li, named a 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholar! 🎉🇺🇸 This is one of the highest honors a high school student can receive in the United States. This year, just 161 students nationwide were selected from more than 6,700 candidates. The recognition celebrates exceptional academic achievement, leadership, character and service to others. Tania attended our School for Advanced Studies (SAS) at our Wolfson Campus, where she earned her Associate in Arts degree along with her high school diploma. Tania is now at MIT studying an interdisciplinary major in both Chemistry and Biology. But what makes Tania especially remarkable is how she uses her talents to help others. She founded Animal Wishes, a nonprofit that brings art and pet therapy to hospitalized patients, helping them create portraits of their beloved pets while raising funds for animals in local shelters. Her work earned her the 2026 Miami Herald Silver Knight Award in Art. Tania, congratulations on this extraordinary national recognition! We can’t wait to see all that you’ll accomplish next. Once a Shark, always a Shark! 🦈💙

On #NationalFirstRespondersDay, we recognize the firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMTs, paramedics and other emergency personnel who serve and protect our communities every day. 🚒🚓🚑 At MDC, we’re helping prepare the next generation of first responders through our School of Justice, Public Safety and Law Studies and our Emergency Medical Services programs. From training at our Fire and Police Academies to hands-on emergency medical training, our students develop the skills to respond to emergencies, save lives and keep our communities safe. Today, we thank all first responders, including the many MDC alumni serving across South Florida, for the work they do every day. 💙🦈

MDC Fire Academy student Bryan Monzon has been awarded the Zeke Urrutia Endowed Firefighter Scholarship, established in memory of Fire Academy alumnus Zeke Urrutia to carry forward his passion for helping others. Through this scholarship, Zeke’s legacy lives on, supporting aspiring firefighters as they prepare to serve and protect their communities. Congratulations to Bryan, and thank you to the Urrutia family for their generosity and commitment to honoring Zeke’s impact and inspiring the next generation of first responders. 💙

We’re partnering with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office to create new opportunities for graduates of MDC’s School of Justice to continue their education and advance their careers in public safety. Graduates of our Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Class can now apply 27 credits toward MDC’s Bachelor’s in Public Safety Management, giving them a head start on earning their degree while building on their law enforcement training. Thank you to the @MiamiDade_SO and @Sheriff_Rosie Cordero-Stutz for working with us to strengthen educational and career pathways for those who serve and protect our community.

Miami Dade College and the City of Miami Gardens are launching a one-year registered apprenticeship to prepare the next generation of 911 dispatchers. The program combines paid work experience, hands-on training and classroom instruction to strengthen South Florida’s public safety workforce. Thanks to MDC Alumni Hall of Famer @ChiefNoelPratt for her partnership on this initiative, and to @MayorRHarris and MDC alum @RLStephens3_ for their continued leadership and support.

🏆 Our MDC Sharks brought home 1st place in the @FLCollegeSystem Cybersecurity Competition! 🦈 Competing against 16 other teams, our students tested their skills identifying, responding to and mitigating cyber threats. Congratulations to our students and the faculty who helped prepare them! 💙 #CybersecurityMonth

Congratulations to Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart on receiving the @NEDemocracy 2026 Champion of Freedom Democracy Award! 🇺🇸 It was an honor to host this gathering at @mdcollege historic Freedom Tower, a place that has welcomed generations seeking freedom and the promise of democracy in this country.

Campus safety and responsible AI-enabled innovation were central to today’s Board of Trustees meeting. Our team shared progress on implementing HB 757, including the ARMOR Act, to strengthen campus safety planning, threat management and emergency preparedness. We also highlighted our implementation of @EducationFL’s Rule 6A-14.0719, establishing clear guidelines for responsible AI use across the College. Both efforts reflect our commitment to putting state policy into practice thoughtfully, with our students, faculty and staff at the center.

Congratulations to our newest class of Honors College Scholars! 350+ scholars across five MDC campuses were officially welcomed into the Honors College during our annual Induction and Pinning Ceremony. MDC’s nationally-renowned Honors College brings together some of our most talented and driven students, offering rigorous academics, personalized faculty mentorship, research opportunities, study abroad experiences and internships, all while preparing them to transfer to some of the nation’s top universities. Through the generosity of donors to the MDC Foundation, our Honors College students have access to these academic, co-curricular opportunities as well as specialized career and transfer advisement. We can’t wait to see all that our Honors College scholars will accomplish at MDC and beyond!

If you’ve ever met MDC alum, Silvia Rios Fortun, you know she brings an incredible energy and enthusiasm into every room she enters. But behind that energy is a deep commitment to giving back, a relentless work ethic and a belief in the power of helping others. As President of the Guardian Angels Luncheon Committee at @JHF_Jackson Silvia has helped raise more than $44 million for Holtz Children’s Hospital, making a difference in the lives of children and families across our community. She’s also been a longtime supporter of MDC’s @MiamiFilmFest and an active member of our Miami Film Society, helping us connect audiences with world-class films and filmmakers from around the globe. Through her involvement with ArtesMiami, she has also championed opportunities for local filmmakers, including support for the Miami Film Fund, which provides grants to emerging filmmakers with ties to our community. Earlier this year, she was inducted into the MDC Alumni Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to our community. Silvia, we’re proud that you are MDC! 💙

Amar’e Stoudemire, @Amareisreal, made his mark on the basketball court. A six-time NBA All-Star, 2003 Rookie of the Year and newly inducted Basketball Hall of Famer, he played for some of the league’s biggest teams, including our very own @MiamiHEAT. Today, he’s celebrating a very different milestone: graduating from the MDC School of Justice’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy after months of rigorous training. And he’s graduating with special recognition, receiving the Harry “Coach” Everett Award for his contributions to the success of the academy program throughout his training. For Amar’e, this is more than a second career. Becoming a police officer was a childhood dream, inspired in part by family members who served in law enforcement. Now, he will begin a new chapter as a police officer with the Miami Dade Schools Police Department, @mdspd, giving back to our community and serving as a positive influence for the next generation. Congratulations, Amar’e, and to all of graduates from BLE 401! Wishing you continued success as you take on this important responsibility in our community.

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing career fields, and the opportunities are growing right here in Florida. 🔐 As major companies like @blackstone and @citsecurities Securities expand their presence in Miami, the demand for skilled technology professionals continues to grow, creating new career opportunities across South Florida. Employment for information security analysts in Florida is projected to grow by 40% over the next decade, with security analysts in South Florida earning a median annual salary of nearly $90,000. MDC is preparing students to take advantage of these opportunities, and the interest continues to grow. Enrollment in our cybersecurity programs has nearly tripled over the past five years. We are also the first Florida college with both associate and bachelor's cybersecurity degree programs validated by the National Security Agency (NSA). Our students learn from faculty who are experienced industry practitioners, train through real-world cyberattack simulations, and follow a curriculum designed to prepare them for industry certifications and provide opportunities to gain hands-on work experience. This #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth, we're celebrating the students and faculty helping build South Florida's cybersecurity workforce. Learn more: mdc.edu/cybersecurity

As the Miami HEAT gear up for their season opener next week, they made a special stop at the Freedom Tower to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! 🏀🔥 Players and members of the HEAT organization toured this historic Miami landmark alongside José Pañeda (@lavozdelHeat), the team's longtime Spanish-language play-by-play announcer, who shared his family's personal connection to the building. His parents arrived in Miami as Cuban refugees and went on to work at the Freedom Tower, helping other families beginning new lives in this country. Thank you to the Miami HEAT for visiting us, and best of luck this season! 🏀❤️ @kj_showtime0 @hoopculture13 @MyronGardner

Miami Dade College and @marangonischool, one of the world's leading fashion and design schools, have announced a new partnership that creates a seamless bachelor's degree pathway for graduates of Miami Fashion Institute (MFI), MDC's fashion school, while expanding scholarship opportunities to support their continued education. The agreement connects two premier institutions in fashion education, giving students a clear path to advance their studies, gain global industry exposure, and pursue careers in fashion, design, business, and creative entrepreneurship. By creating new transfer opportunities between MFI and Istituto Marangoni Miami, the partnership strengthens Miami's growing fashion ecosystem and helps talented students continue their academic and professional journey without leaving South Florida.

Today, Miami Dade College’s School of Justice welcomed law enforcement leaders from across our community for the Annual Law Enforcement Recognition Ceremony. Fifty officers were honored with the Anthony Damato Legacy Awards in recognition of their service, leadership and dedication to making a difference both on and off the job. 
Through its commitment to educating and preparing the next generation of law enforcement professionals, MDC’s School of Justice plays a vital role in strengthening South Florida’s law enforcement workforce and supporting safer communities. 
Thanks to all law enforcement professionals who work tirelessly to protect and serve our communities!