“I feel very proud to see how our institution manages once again to achieve a massive graduation and continue to energize its teaching mission, while incorporating new teaching methods and academic programs that align with the needs of the market,” said Madeline Pumariega. , president of the MDC.
“This represents the achievement of changing lives through education. It is worth noting that the generation is an example of the cultural and global diversity of the region, with graduates coming from 118 nations and speaking 23 different languages. These students represent a wide range of professions, from entrepreneurs to nurses, engineers and educators, all with the strong goal of positively impacting their communities. On the other hand, the MDC is expanding technology and artificial intelligence programs,” added Soraya Galán, public relations director of the institution.
DIARIO LAS AMERICAS spoke with Sean Matías, who is graduating with a perfect GPA of 4.0 in Mechanical Engineering. Matías, son of a Puerto Rican father and a Cuban mother, is working on the design and construction of what could become the first roller coaster installed on a university campus in the United States. “I want to use physics as a concept so that others can learn it this way. I’m working very hard. I love roller coasters and through them academic concepts are derived, we can combine those things.”
Matías is the founder of the Theme Park Engineering and Design Club, a student organization dedicated to exploring the complexities of roller coaster design.
The ceremonies were held at three different times: at 8:30 am (North, Hialeah and West Campuses), 1:30 pm (Wolfson, Medical and Homestead Campuses) and at 6:30 pm (Kendall and Padrón Campuses). Graduates cover a wide range of professional fields, including entrepreneurs, nurses, engineers, teachers, scientists, physician assistants, biologists, computer programmers, psychologists, among others. Miami Dade College offers more than 300 associate degree, bachelor’s and professional certificate programs.
Here are some of this year’s honor graduates:
HIALEAH CAMPUS
First-generation college student Ronaldo Sevilla García, 21, is on the path to a career in technology, specifically artificial intelligence (AI). He is a member of PTK and SGA, in addition to being a civic ambassador for the Institute for Civic Participation and Democracy (iCED), among other student organizations. His exceptional academic performance landed him on the dean’s list each semester and earned him prestigious grants, including Rebooting Through EmTech (REP), Helios Education Foundation First-Generation Scholar, Padrón Medal Scholar, FPL Tech Scholarship, and opportunities to participate in renowned events. technology companies like eMerge Americas. García plans to continue his academic career in AI.
HOMESTEAD CAMPUS
Maya Álvarez, 18, who despite fighting Crohn’s disease, is graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication, with a 4.0 GPA, an ambassador in addition to the Honors College and a volunteer for organizations such as Special Olympics and the Center Neva King Cooper Educational for young people with severe intellectual disabilities.
Helen Tarrau Benavides, 20 years old, is passionate about the environment. Since high school, she has volunteered on several projects, including Biscayne Bay water quality research. She majored in environmental science at MDC, where she joined PTK, became president of the Homestead Gardening and Innovation Club, and established the Girls Who Code Club on her campus. She was also a member of TRIO Student Support Services, which helps students achieve their academic and personal goals through one-on-one counseling, and is a civic leadership member working with This is the Dog! a local non-profit organization that organizes animal rescues and pet adoptions. Benavides is a semi-finalist for the prestigious 2024 Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship. She plans to pursue a PhD in entomology and become a research professor studying the relationships between plants and pollinators in urban areas.
KENDALL CAMPUS
Emily Escobar, a 19-year-old biology student, came to MDC to make an impact. The daughter of Cuban immigrants will become the first in her family to earn a college degree and one of the most successful students in the class of 2024. She participated in the Global Citizenship Alliance Academic Seminar, which took her to Salzburg, Austria and wants to become a public health pioneer in minority access to oral care.
MEDICAL CAMPUS
Giglia Almeida Mayer, 42, came to MDC for the first time to receive intensive English courses. She had already earned several degrees in her native Brazil, including a Bachelor of Physiotherapy and a postgraduate degree in acupuncture. She then discovered MDC’s acclaimed physical therapy program and decided to enroll because she has always been passionate about providing comfort, empathy, and healing to those in need. At MDC she became an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association and volunteers for Shake-A-Leg Miami. She was recognized with the PTA Outstanding Student Award. Mayer wants to continue growing in her profession and possibly specialize in women’s health or geriatrics.
Christel Paradowski’s Christel Paradowski’s journey through college reflects a story of perseverance. Despite facing the challenges of young motherhood, the 35-year-old Diagnostic Medical Sonography student embarked on her academic pursuit, with the support of her husband, Sebastián Álvarez, also a student in our Artificial Intelligence (AI) program. . Christel was tested even more by the pandemic and its upheavals, as well as by the birth of a second child. She is also an ambassador for MDC Student Parents, a program designed for students who are also parents.
NORTH CAMPUS
Sean Matías, Mechanical Engineering, graduates with a 4.0 GPA. The young man is developing the future construction of what will probably be the first roller coaster installed on a university campus in the US. He is president and founder of the Theme Park Engineering and Design Club, a student organization that explores the intricacies of roller coasters.
CAMPUS REGISTRATION
Upon moving to Miami from Venezuela in 2020, 20-year-old Fabiana Casique experienced many challenges, including isolation and depression. She didn’t speak the language and schools were closed or online-only, so she decided to enroll in GED classes during the day and study English every night. She was eventually able to attend school and earned a high school diploma with honors before being accepted into The Honors College at MDC’s Padrón Campus, where she studied journalism and mass communications.
She also joined PTK, was a peer mentoring program leader, and co-founded PTK ARISE. She plans to transfer to the University of Southern California to pursue a bachelor’s degree in public relations with a concentration in marketing. Her ultimate goal is to specialize in reputation management and crisis communications and work in the White House.
Amanda Marrero Mayon, 20, was born with Syndactyly, a condition that fused the fingers of her right hand. However, she was never limited, thanks to the strong encouragement and support of her family. At MDC, the chemistry student found a supportive ecosystem that valued empathy, determination, and collaboration. She was part of a team that won first place in the prestigious IREX Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge. She also participated in the Global Citizenship Alliance Academic Seminar in Salzburg, Austria, and the Breast and Heart Women’s Initiative, among many events. She is the recipient of the 2024 Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholarship and the 2023 PTK Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship. She plans to investigate the molecular mechanisms of cortical circuits that confer vulnerability to age-related diseases and disorders.
WEST CAMPUS
Romina Micaela Santoro Behn-Eschenburg. She attended MDC’s acclaimed dual enrollment program. The 19-year-old, who has been home-schooled since 2016, chose MDC because of the welcoming atmosphere of West Campus. Behn-Eschenburg was born in Mexico and grew up in a multicultural home of Mexican-Swiss and Argentine-Italian parents. At MDC she participated in extracurricular activities and service-learning projects, something she had never done before. She was a Changemaker with nearly 250 hours of dedicated service, a member of PTK and president of the Psi Beta National Psychology Honor Society, as well as the Psychology Club and Literature Club, and tutored Ukrainian students in English. She will continue her academic path at Florida International University, where she hopes to become a literature professor and writer.
WOLFSON CAMPUS
Arquímedes Rivero, 19, born and raised in Miami, an economics student, has a great interest in diplomacy, leadership and service. He is passionate about using his life to defend human rights at home and abroad. During his dynamic tenure at MDC, he served as president of the SGA and engaged in nonpartisan voter education and engagement work through the Civic Influencer program. He accumulated more than 300 hours of community service, earning him the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Rivero received the Hites Transfer Scholarship, PTK’s largest and most prestigious scholarship. He is also a semifinalist for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship and was elected MDC’s 2024-25 Newman Civic Fellow, the highest honor for leadership in student engagement. He aspires to become a diplomat and lawyer focused on international development.
Biology student Fabián González Rugama, 19, comes from a distinguished family of medical, legal and engineering professionals in his native Nicaragua. Rugama attributes his success to MDC’s Honors College, which equipped him with the tools necessary to navigate the complexities of college life and provided him with opportunities for personal and professional growth. At MDC, he was an active member of several organizations, including PTK, the Pre-Health Club, and STEM Legacy and STEM Research Institute, where he participated in lipid extraction research for biofuels. His goal is to become a doctor and dedicate his career to research projects that benefit society, inspired and following in the footsteps of his family.
