MIAMI DADE COLLEGE A HISTORIC INVESTITURE FOR A ONE-OF-A-KIND LEADER f orum December 2021 • Volume 25 • Number 4 College leadership procession Pumariega with her daughter, Alyssa Faculty, staff, students, leaders and distinguished guests celebrate Pumariega at the Adrienne Arsht Center Student Aleen Almesmar and mace bearer Professor Michael Walton Wolfson Campus SGA President Isabella Cunningham Pumariega wearing MDC’s Chains of the Office and Presidential Medallion ife doesn’t often come full circle in an extraordinary manner as it did for Madeline Pumariega as she was invested as Miami Dade College’s fifth and first female presi-dent. It was as if every step she’s taken in life led her directly to where she stood cen-ter stage – a grateful leader surrounded by a team of supporters, just as she was decades ago on the basketball court as a student-athlete at MDC’s Kendall Campus. In the latest instance, a new chapter began for MDC, one where the story’s remarkable heroine trium-phantly returns home to raise her community up alongside her. The momentous investiture, an academic ceremony symbolizing the pursuit of knowl-edge in higher education and a transference of power, was held at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts Ziff Ballet Opera House, where the impact of Pumariega’s impressive career could be felt through the messages of admiration from many distin-guished colleagues, stakeholders and leaders. “Madam president’s humility generates a love for this institution, for our students, which is real, devoted and ardent,” said Michael Bileca, chair of MDC’s District Board of Trustees. “It is never about her, but about this institution, our students flourishing and reaching new heights.” Participants in the processional, ranging from MDC’s faculty and staff to delegates from other colleges and universities, represented their institutions with traditional, colorful regalia. Presenters included inaugural poet Richard Blanco ; MDC’s Wolfson Campus Student Government Association President Isabella Cunningham; Florida College System Chancellor Kathy Hebda ; Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava ; and U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson . “We walk arm in arm with you, madam president, on the mission of higher education, scholarship, truth and Miami Dade College,” said Mark Richard, former president and found-er of the teachers’ union, United Faculty of MDC. The investiture was marked by generous donations to the College of $25 million, $1.5 million and $1 million from MTX Group , the Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Foundation , and the Miami Downtown Development Authority , respectively. Continued on page 12 L Pumariega greets well-wishers District Board of Trustees Chair Michael Bileca and Pumariega Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava presents a proclamation to Pumariega
College Forum Volume 25 • Number 4: Page 1
