Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón
Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón is President Emeritus of Miami Dade College. His 25-year tenure as President elevated the school into a national model for innovation in higher education, including as an incubator for some of Miami’s leading cultural institutions including the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archive; Miami Book Fair; Miami Film Festival; Live Arts Miami (formerly Cultura del Lobo); and the Museum of Art and Design. During his career, he has appointed to posts of national prominence by six American presidents. A few of his honors include being elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. In 2016, Dr. Padrón was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. Internationally, Dr. Padrón’s accomplishments have been recognized by numerous nations and organizations including the Republic of France, (Commandeur in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques); the Republic of Argentina, (Order of San Martin); Spain’s King Juan Carlos II, (Order of Queen Isabella); Spain’s Prince and Princess of Asturias, Felipe and Letizia (Juan Ponce de Leon 500th Anniversary award); Morocco's King Mohammed VI, (Honorary Consul in Florida of the Kingdom of Morocco), and the Amicus Poloniae from the Republic of Poland. He has served on several national commissions including Aspen Institute, Council on Foreign Relations, Knight Foundation, Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Governors Association, American Bar Association, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; the White House Commission on Educational Excellence; Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute; The College Board; and the White House/Congressional Commission of the National Museum of the American Latino. The recipient of numerous honorary doctorates and prestigious awards, Dr. Padron is a prolific writer with several publications and articles to his credit.