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Miami Dade College Foundation
Founded in 1960 alongside Miami Dade College, the Foundation exists solely to raise and channel private philanthropic support to the college's students and...
Miami Dade College Foundation
Founded in 1960 alongside Miami Dade College, the Foundation exists solely to raise and channel private philanthropic support to the college's students and programs. The Foundation is governed by a board chaired by Jorge Plasencia, co-founder of Republica Havas, with the college's president, Madeline Pumariega, serving as an ex-officio member. The wealth it stewards is not a single-family fortune but aggregated community and corporate donations, making it structurally distinct from private family offices. The Foundation allocates funds across multiple channels: direct student scholarships, emergency financial aid, and program-specific initiatives. Disclosed assets include real estate holdings such as the Freedom Tower at 600 Biscayne Boulevard, limited partnership interests in the American Strategic Value Realty Fund and Highbrook Property Fund III, and positions in Ironwood International Class A and A4 shares. It also manages a Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) Crypto Portfolio — a teaching tool for MDC students funded by TradeStation Group. Geographic focus is heavily concentrated in Florida, particularly Miami-Dade County. Annual deployment exceeds $35 million, serving 18,000-plus students, with $12 million dedicated to program initiatives and emergency aid and an additional $15 million supporting MDC's Signature Scholars. The Foundation's professional staff size is not publicly disclosed, but it maintains relationships with corporate donors such as TradeStation Group and holds a corporate membership with the European American Chamber of Commerce Florida. The Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Foundation is among its associated philanthropic entities. In 2024, the Foundation launched the America 250 Fund, targeting expanded programming and scholarships tied to the national semiquincentennial. The Foundation's structural differentiator is its position as the fundraising arm of the largest public college in the United States by undergraduate enrollment. It is not an investment office — it is a development organization, legally a non-profit 501(c)(3) that hands capital to the institution rather than operating a discretionary investment portfolio. This architecture means that governance and deployment decisions serve a community-college mission, not the preservation of a dynastic fortune.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1960
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Miami
Corporate office
Miami, Florida, United States
Principals
Jorge Plasencia
Chair of the Board
Madeline Pumariega
President of Miami Dade College, Ex-officio Board Member
Frequently asked questions
Who oversees investment decisions at the Miami Dade College Foundation?
Operational and investment governance flows through a board of directors chaired by Jorge Plasencia, with the college president, Madeline Pumariega, serving as an ex-officio member. Day-to-day investment management for discrete assets like the Student Managed Investment Fund is handled programmatically, often in partnership with external platform providers such as TradeStation Group. The Foundation is structured as a fundraising organization rather than an in-house asset manager.
What does the Foundation actually own?
Disclosed holdings include the Freedom Tower at 600 Biscayne Boulevard, limited partnership stakes in the American Strategic Value Realty Fund and Highbrook Property Fund III, and Ironwood International shares. The Foundation also holds a crypto portfolio associated with its Student Managed Investment Fund and participates in the Florida Treasury Investment Pool. It does not publicly report a consolidated AUM figure.
How does the Miami Dade College Foundation differ from a university endowment?
The Foundation is a fundraising and grant-making non-profit that directs donated capital to MDC's operating budget, scholarships, and programs. It does not manage an endowment in the Harvard or Yale sense — there is no disclosed long-term pooled investment fund with a spending rule. Its real estate and LP interests are direct holdings, not part of a diversified perpetual endowment portfolio.
Does the Foundation co-invest alongside other institutions?
Publicly available information does not confirm co-investment practices. The Foundation's known limited partnership positions, such as those in American Strategic Value Realty Fund and Highbrook Property Fund III, suggest it participates through standard LP commitments but details on co-investment rights or direct deal participation are undisclosed.
What is the Student Managed Investment Fund Crypto Portfolio?
It is a teaching vehicle for Miami Dade College students, funded by a donation from TradeStation Group. The portfolio holds digital assets and is managed by students under academic supervision. It operates as an educational program within the college's finance curriculum rather than as a standalone profit-seeking fund.
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