Born in Cuba, Padrón was fifteen years old when he arrived in the United States as a refugee. Upon arrival, Padrón did not speak English and struggled in a school system that did not yet include bilingual education programs. After graduating from Miami Senior High School, Padrón attended Miami Dade College and then earned an undergraduate economics degree from Florida Atlantic University. He attended graduate school at the University of Florida, completing master's and doctoral degrees in economics.
Miami Dade College career
When Padrón finished his education, he was about to accept a job offer at DuPont, but he was still connected to his old professors at MDC. They then asked him to apply for a faculty position at the school. Since 1995, he has served as the president of Miami Dade College. The school enrolls and graduates more black and Hispanic students than any other institute of higher education in the nation. In 2006, Padrón retired from MDC. He collected $893,286 in lump sum benefits and started receiving retirement pay of $14,631 a month. One month later, Padrón returned to his position at the college and was receiving his annual salary again. This practice, which has been undertaken by a number of Florida public officials, has been criticized by local media sources as "double dipping". Padrón's spokesperson said that college trustees asked Padrón to come back after he had announced his retirement. The spokesperson said that the practice is legal. MDC is one of 14 Florida community colleges that can grant bachelor's degrees. Padrón says that the school's curricula focus on degree programs that will directly prepare graduates for the workforce.
Padrón's individual honors and awards include: 2012 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellowship; the Carnegie Corporation Centennial Academic Leadership Award; and the 2011 TIAA-CREF Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence. He is a guest columnist for Hispanic Magazine and the Miami Herald. He has been featured as a prominent Hispanic figure in People magazine, Hispanic Magazine and PODER. In 2009, Time included him on the list of “The 10 Best College Presidents.” In 2010, Florida Trend magazine named him “Floridian of the Year.” In 2011, The Washington Post named him one of the eight most influential college presidents in the U.S. In November 2016, Padrón was announced as one of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After he stepped down from his position of school president, the Interamerican Campus was renamed to the Eduardo J. Padron Campus.
Personal life
Padrón is divorced. He has a son and two grandchildren.
