Dr. Lourdes Oroza

Dr. Lourdes Oroza is the President of Miami Dade College (MDC) Kendall Campus. She is a community leader that has extensive experience in education working in various positions throughout the education field including, but not limited to, secondary education, adult education, educational leadership, and higher education administration. Kendall Campus is the largest of the eight Miami-Dade College campuses. Oroza’s journey has provided her with an impressive understanding of the diverse student population of MDC and has represented a unique perspective on her role as president.

Dr. Oroza’s parents, both immigrants to America, did not attend college, but encouraged her and her sister to gain their degrees. Oroza’s two older cousins and older sister paved a way for Oroza, following in their footsteps to pursue higher education. She completed her undergraduate career at Tulane University, gaining her degree in French with a Teaching Certificate. During her undergrad, Oroza joined an organization called the Community Action Council of Tulane University Students, CACTUS, a student-led community service organization. She was responsible for setting up various trips; and she thoroughly enjoyed helping kids in the New Orleans area. This form of involvement helped her develop leadership skills and assisted her in learning about becoming an administrator. Oroza was also involved as a Student Assistant Clerk for the Student Government Association.

After graduation, Dr. Oroza began her career as a high school French teacher that lasted eleven years. Her passion for foreign languages and education made the position incredibly rewarding. Oroza worked as an Assistant Principal for a short span of time before moving back home to help her parents in Miami, Florida. During her time Miami, Oroza was offered a remarkable opportunity to go back to school and pursue her Master’s degree at the University of Miami. Oroza’s mentor, Rosa Castro Feinberg had written a grant that supported Oroza to obtain her Master’s degree.

The particular grant was designed to help foreign language teachers, who were interested in becoming school administrators, gain their graduate degree. Promoting administrators who were sensitive to the needs of ESOL students continues to be a major initiative. Castro Feinberg provided a large amount of guidance and challenged Oroza to achieve her goals. Dr. Oroza’s most impactful accomplishment was the completion of her Ed.D from Florida International University. This “test of endurance” lasted 8 years, while working full time until her last year when she finished her dissertation.

Dr. Oroza has served Miami Dade College since 1998 through numerous forms. For a short period she worked at Broward College as Provost for Judson A. Samuels South Campus, before returning to the MDC Kendall Campus. For the last two years, Oroza has been the first female president of Kendall Campus. Oroza disclosed that her gender and race has been an advantage giving her a unique perspective in her position, making her invaluable to the college.

Through her career, Dr. Oroza journey did not go without criticism. As a young high level female administrator, she often felt underestimated. This experience motivated her to look for people that supported and respected her. Oroza expressed that though females are different than males, women provide several advantages and benefits to an organization. Traditionally women may tend to be more detail-oriented, which is one of Oroza’s talents. Some of the men in similar positions enjoy the political aspects and do well with public relations, which is not Oroza’s favorite part of the job.

Dr. Lourdes Oroza’s strong passion for education has enriched her ability to be a great leader in higher education. Her career path has served as an inspiration for women. She successfully navigated her way to the upper echelons of higher education administration. As part of her position she is expected to be present at events and on-campus in addition to numerous leadership responsibilities. Dr. Oroza also shared how her feelings of joy in her position has empowered and inspired her to succeed.