Miami Dade College President, Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón, accepts invitation to join the ABA Presidential Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities
Miami, August 10, 2010 - Miami Dade College (MDC) President, Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón, has long served as a proponent for the rights of minorities and the underserved in the United States. His relentless drive for equality is what fueled Dr. Padrón to accept the invitation to join the Presidential Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities from the incoming president of the American Bar Association (ABA), Stephen “Steve” N. Zack. Dr. Padrón will join the 15-member national Commission alongside renowned lawyers and judges, educators, and professional and community leaders in steering the initiative. In fact, MDC alumni Cesar Alvarez and Emilio Estefan will serve as chair and honorary chair, respectively. Zack is a Miami attorney and partner with Boies, Schiller & Flexner.
Tasked with determining the primary legal issues facing the Hispanic Americans, the Commission will be hosting a series of regional hearings where local representatives and community leaders can come together and voice their thoughts. Once the research has been gathered, the commission members will synthesize a report which will then be used to provide recommendations for Congressional and administrative policymakers. Topics expected to be included in these hearings include the current immigration system, voting rights, access to courts, and the effects of the 2010 census, along with many others.
Throughout Dr. Padrón’s career in higher education, he has served on a multitude of national boards and commissions, including those to which he was appointed by five U.S. Presidents. Currently, his energetic leadership extends to many of the nation’s leading organizations. He serves on the Commission on the National Museum of the American Latino; the Association of American Colleges & Universities (immediate past chair); American Council on Education (chair elect); Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; Business/Higher Education Forum; League for Innovation in the Community College (past chair); RC 2020; the Collins Center for Public Policy; the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; the International Association of University Presidents; and others.
Media-only contacts:
Juan Mendieta, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu, MDC communications director
Tere Estorino, 305-237-3949, testorin@mdc.edu, MDC media relations director
Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu, media specialist
Tarnell Carroll, 305-237-3359, tcarroll@mdc.edu, media specialist