Knight Foundation Renews $250,000 Support For Displaced Puerto Rican Students Studying At Miami Dade College 

The gift was announced during I AM MDC Day, which celebrates the College’s founding Sept. 6, 1960 and raises funds for students and programs.

Miami – Miami Dade College (MDC) has been awarded a second gift of $250,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to continue supporting displaced Puerto Rican students after Hurricane Maria. The gift benefits Miami Dade College day of giving and school pride, I AM MDC Day.

Knight Foundation first supported MDC’s hurricane assistance program last year with a $250,000 gift.

These funds helped MDC cover the full cost of tuition and course fees for students displaced by the hurricane, in addition to offering $250 vouchers for every three credits enrolled. To date, the program has helped more than 150 students. 

This year’s renewal gift will help Puerto Rican students continue their coursework without interruption at MDC, while easing the burden on families in recovery. It assists students with tuition, living expenses and other costs associated with emergency relocation after Hurricane Maria.

“The people of Puerto Rico are our neighbors, family and friends,” said Alberto Ibargüen, president of the Miami-based Knight Foundation. “They are part of Miami’s broader ecosystem, both personal and economic, and their success is tied to our own. Helping Puerto Rican students continue their education without interruption is a way of investing in the future of the island and the community.”

“We’re grateful for the continued support from Knight Foundation for Puerto Rican students who are studying at MDC,” added Mark Cole, vice president of advancement and executive director of Miami Dade College Foundation. “In spite of the devastating hurricane and ongoing situation in Puerto Rico, this philanthropic support will ensure these displaced students can continue to make MDC home so they can pursue their dreams.”

Through MDC’s hurricane assistance program, advisors at each of MDC’s eight campuses have also guided students through the enrollment process and offered counseling as needed.

For more information about the hurricane assistance program, visit www.mdc.edu/hurricanehelp/.  

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