Madeline Pumariega

Wishing our @MDCollege women's soccer and volleyball teams the very best as they compete in districts this weekend! You've put in the work, grown as teammates, and represent our college with heart and pride every time you step on the field and the court. Thank you to Coaches Ramiro Vengoechea and Coach Origenes “Kiko” Benoit, and their staff, for the leadership, dedication, and belief that have prepared these student-athletes for this moment. Play hard, play together, and have fun. Your MDC family is behind you!

Congratulations to Tania Li of our School for Advanced Studies at Wolfson Campus on being named among the 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars announced by the U.S. Department of Education! This prestigious honor recognizes outstanding students from across the nation. Tania, your hard work, brilliance and dedication to excellence make our entire @MDCPS and @MDCollege family proud!

Every great career starts with a teacher who believed in you. Our @MDCollege School of Education welcomed students from 14 @MDCPS high schools to TeachTok at the Padrón Campus, helping them imagine leading classrooms of their own. Excellence in teaching begins with high expectations, strong preparation and a belief in every student’s potential. Through early college and career pathways, we are helping aspiring educators get a head start on that journey. When we prepare exceptional teachers, we expand what’s possible for every student. Thank you to our School of Education team and Dean Dr. Carmen S. Concepción, Lupe Ferran Diaz, Ph.D., and partner schools for inspiring the next generation of teachers.

In celebration of National First Responders Day, we gathered at @MDCollege’s School of Justice with students in our Fire and Police Academy to honor those who answer the call when our communities need them most. We thank our first responders for their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to protecting others. We were also honored to share the Zeke Urrutia Firefighter Scholarship, supporting aspiring firefighters and emergency responders who carry the passion for service that defined Zeke’s life. Congratulations to Bryan Monzon for being elected to receive the scholarship in Zeke’s honor. A proud MDC Fire Academy graduate and dedicated paramedic, Zeke believed saving lives was the most honorable calling. He was pursuing his dream of becoming a firefighter when his life was tragically taken by a wrong-way impaired driver in January 2025. Through this scholarship, his legacy lives on in those who follow his calling. To Zeke’s family: thank you for turning profound loss into opportunity for others. His commitment to saving lives will continue through the students you help prepare.

It was an honor to welcome Miami-Dade's constitutional officers to @MDCollege for the first Latin Business Network Impact Summit. Thank you to Supervisor of Elections @alinagarcia, Property Appraiser @Tomas_Regalado, and Tax Collector @darielfernandez for sharing how their offices have strengthened services and deepened connections with our community over the past two years. Grateful to @YsabelBorden and the Latin Business Networks for bringing together leaders from government, business, and our community for this important conversation. Humbled to be named one of the Latin Business Network's Top 50 Hispanics. This recognition belongs to our entire MDC family: the faculty, staff, and students who prove every day that education opens doors to opportunity. Congratulations to my fellow honorees, and thank you for all you do for Miami-Dade.

Miami’s future is being built by the leaders we celebrated @beaconcouncil Proud to serve on the Host Committee and present the Technology Award to Fision by @Hotwire Communications, helping power our region’s digital future. At @MDCollege, we are preparing the talent that turns that investment into opportunity. With partners like @Captainirving recognized tonight for Aviation. Special congratulations to @FPL, recipient of the Corporate Catalyst Award, Sheldon Anderson for the Founders Award and Helen and Jacob Shaham, founders and owners of The Palace Group, on receiving the Jay Malina Leadership Award. Your leadership and commitment to our community make Miami stronger. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and thank you to @rodrickmiller , Paula Hopkins and the Beacon Council team for championing the businesses, talent and partnerships moving Miami forward

Proud to join Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz to announce a new pathway for officers completing the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Class to apply 27 college credits toward a degree at @MDCollege @SchoolofJustice This partnership recognizes the knowledge and skills officers gain through their training, helping them accelerate their education and advance their careers while serving our community. Thank you, @votefor_rosie Sheriff Cordero-Stutz, for your leadership and commitment to investing in the men and women who protect us. Together, we are building pathways from the academy to a college degree and a stronger future. Congratulations to SLE Class 31

Super intelligence. Superhighways to success. A $4 million investment awarded through @USDOE and ECMC Foundation is fueling the next chapter at @MDCollege: MDC ONE, our AI-driven intelligence platform designed to turn data into action, personalize the journey, and accelerate achievement. The future of student success is personal. And we are building it.

Congratulations to the Latin Builders Association @LBA for bringing together the leaders who are building Miami’s future, and to all the award winners, including @Lemartec and @TerraGroup! Special congratulations to Pedro Martin on his Lifetime Award, celebrating his vision, leadership and lasting contributions to our community. Great to be in Doral with Mayor @ChristiFraga at Trump National Doral for this celebration of leadership and impact. Proud of @MDCollege for receiving the Education Award! As our industry partners build Miami, MDC builds the talent that makes it possible. Through our Construction Trades Institute, we are preparing skilled professionals, from welders to electricians, for careers that strengthen our community. Together, we are building Miami and opening doors to opportunity.

Twenty years of telling Miami’s story beautifully. Congratulations to @RepublicaHavas and co-founders @JorgePlasencia and @LuisCasamayor on your 20th anniversary! A fitting celebration at the Freedom Tower’s Knight Skylight Gallery, where República’s story is featured among those who have shaped Miami. Your team’s design of the Tower’s new logo makes that connection even more meaningful. @jorgeplasencia , thank you for your enduring friendship to @MDCollege. As MDC Foundation Chair, you open doors for thousands of students. Through the nursing scholarship in your mother’s name, her legacy lives on in those answering the call to care for others. Luis, thank you for the creative vision that has made República a force in Miami and beyond. Here’s to 20 years of creativity, culture and impact, and many more.

Cybersecurity is national security. It is economic security. And it starts with a workforce ready to defend our future. As governments and businesses worldwide race to secure systems against newly exposed cyber vulnerabilities, the need to prepare skilled defenders continues to be a priority. At @MDCollege, our students are proving they can rise to that challenge. Congratulations to our Sharks for winning FIRST PLACE in @FLDOE’s Fourth Annual Florida College System Cybersecurity Competition, leading a field of 17 teams through simulations that tested their ability to detect threats, defend networks and respond under pressure. MDC is designated by the National Security Agency as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, with both our associate and bachelor’s cybersecurity programs validated by the NSA. That distinction reflects the rigor behind the talent we prepare. Proud of our students and the faculty who challenge them to excel. They are preparing for careers that protect our communities, strengthen our economy and defend our nation.

On what would have been Celia Cruz’s 101st birthday, we celebrate a new park in her honor, coming to the heart of Little Havana in front of @MDCollege’s Padrón Campus. Thank you to District 4 Commissioner @rosadoformiami for your leadership in advancing this tribute, alongside District 3 @commescalona and @CityofMiami Mayor Eileen Higgins, honoring Celia’s legacy and investing in our community. Celia carried Cuban music and culture around the world. Her voice became a symbol of freedom, resilience, and pride for generations of Cuban exiles. At MDC, we proudly preserve that legacy. Last year, our Museum of Art and Design partnered with the Celia Cruz Foundation on “Celia Cruz: Work,” celebrating her artistry and ties to Miami’s Cuban community and our historic Freedom Tower.

At Democracy’s College, advancing freedom and democracy is central to our mission. We were proud to join @NEDemocracy at @MDCollege's Freedom Tower as it presented the 2026 Champion of Freedom Democracy Award to Congressman @MarioDB. NED’s commitment to supporting those who defend liberty worldwide makes this partnership especially meaningful. As our nation marks its 250th anniversary, the Freedom Tower connects the experiences of those who fled oppression with our responsibility to educate the next generation about democracy. Through our @IFAmericas, we carry that commitment forward, preparing leaders to strengthen democratic institutions across our hemisphere. We were honored to be joined by @OGutierrezCuba, @AlvaroUribeVel, Senator Mel Martinez, and so many community leaders. Thank you, Eddy Acevedo, for making this day possible. Congratulations, Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart, on this well-deserved recognition. We celebrate your steadfast leadership alongside the enduring legacy of your late brother, Lincoln Díaz-Balart, and the commitment of @RosLehtinen and @SecRubio. Their work reflects a powerful conviction: freedom must be defended, and those fighting for it must never stand alone.

At @MDCollege, our apprenticeship programs connect paid, hands-on experience with education, advancing @FLDOE’s goal of 70,000 apprentices by 2030 and building the skilled workforce our community needs. Thank you to Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt for her commitment to preparing the next generation to serve, and to Mayor Rodney Harris and Vice Mayor Robert Stephens III for their leadership and continued support. Thank you also to Dr. Alexia Rolle for championing MDC’s apprenticeship partnerships and turning opportunity into meaningful career pathways for our students. Together, we are helping students earn, learn and build careers that strengthen our community.

Thank you for your friendship and leadership! Great to be with you and your team to share lessons on leadership. Turf, tradition nor trust should never get in the way of value-driven leadership. Our shared commitment to children and families must always guide the work. Thank you my friend for your leadership and impact to our community!

Proud to welcome the young men of @5000RoleModels to @MDCollege for the North Regional Tie-Tying Ceremony, a tradition that connects generations through mentorship, brotherhood, and a shared commitment to excellence. Through the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, Congresswoman @RepWilson has built a legacy of mentorship and opportunity that continues to shape generations of young men. Thank you, Congresswoman, for your leadership and steadfast support, and for presenting a check for more than $800,000 to MDC, advancing our mission to open doors and provide opportunities for our students. Investing in young people’s safety and success was also at the heart of the evening, with U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones presenting more than $1 million for the Youth Empowerment and Safety Initiative at @MDCPS. To the young men we celebrated: the talent is yours. The future is yours to shape. At MDC, a community is ready to help you achieve your ambitions.

Great piece, @saif305! America’s next chapter needs Miami’s ambition, ingenuity and talent. That starts with investing in people and their ideas. @MDCollege is proud to continue to lead by creating partnerships like the one with @CarnegieMellon alongside @FIU and @univmiami. Together we are making the ecosystem for the next 250!

Proud of our @MDCollege Volleyball Lady Sharks! 💙