FIU and MDC together propel student success, strong economy

Two presidents stepped onto a stage in the GC ballroom today to celebrate an enduring and powerful partnership that has seen tens of thousands of students successfully combine studies at Miami-Dade County’s two largest educational institutions and forever impact South Florida.

For more than half a century, Florida International University and Miami Dade College have together served the educational needs of individuals while directly influencing the local economy.

FIU Interim President Jeanette M. Nuñez, long a champion of fostering and keeping within Florida the talent to satisfy industry, spoke of giving students “the skills and knowledge they need to have successful careers, most of which stay right here in our community. Together, we’re preparing the next generation of leaders and professionals that will excel in their careers and will ultimately drive our state’s prosperity.”

MDC President Madeline Pumariega echoed those sentiments. “We are the economic and workforce engines of our community. We know that talent is the currency of economic development, and our institutions are building that currency. The return on investment of our collective impact in our community is unmeasurable.”

The quality of the shared commitment is reflected in the graduates who work in every sector and industry and its wide reach demonstrated in sheer numbers: MDC has conferred more associate degrees than any other college in the United States (nearly 400,000) while FIU stands among the Top 10 largest universities by enrollment (56,000+) in the country.

FIU was initially founded to serve those looking to continue their educations after earning a two-year associate degree. The university opened in 1972 with strictly upper-division courses to provide a flexible, affordable path to completing a four-year bachelor’s degree. Many working and older adults, the majority of whom had attended MDC, took advantage of the opportunity, and FIU welcomed a then-record 5,667 students on day one.

FIU added lower-division courses and accepted its first freshmen in 1981 while also building a robust graduate school. Today, it is ranked among the Top 50 public universities by U.S. News & World Report and nationally recognized among the top 3% of universities in research productivity and funding.

MDC in 2003 began offering a number of four-year degrees in areas such as education, health sciences, computer technology and public safety management.

Already closely aligned, the two institutions formalized the now nationally recognized Connect4Success transfer program in 1998 to help students achieve their goals and boost the local and Florida economies by turning out job-ready professionals prepared to enter fields with high demand.

Since 1996, a total of 138,552 students have transferred from MDC to FIU. (Data for the prior years is currently unavailable.) Last year, the pipeline saw some 3,600 accept admission to the university.

Sydney Jacques was one of them. With an interest in engineering, he was encouraged to enroll at MDC upon earning his high school diploma. FIU’s Connect4Success program guided the first-generation college student through the process of preparing for and eventually matriculating at FIU, where he is currently studying mechanical engineering.

“He answered all my questions,” Jacques recalls of help he received from his dedicated advisor to navigate the process, something that had left him unsure and a bit anxious. “I called him so many times that that he even gave me his personal phone number, which I really appreciated. And towards the end of my time at Miami Dade College, he reviewed my transcript to make sure I was ready to transition.”

Today, on solid footing, Jacques looks forward to landing his dream job as an automotive engineer. “Northwest High School developed my curiosity,” he says. “Miami Dade College built the foundation for me, and FIU grew on that foundation. I can see myself excelling.”