The Heckscher Foundation for Children is providing the inaugural support to Miami Dade College (“MDC”) for the planning and launch of the MDC Collegiate Academy (the “Academy”), a healthcare-focused charter high school slated to open in August 2027. Serving students in grades 9–12 across specialized pathways in healthcare technology, emergency services, and nursing, the Academy will graduate students with a Florida high school diploma alongside college credits and industry-recognized credentials. The grant funds the foundational work required to get there: submitting the charter application to the Florida Charter Institute, hiring a founding School Director, building out healthcare pathway curriculum, and formalizing employer and clinical partnerships.
Consistent with our workforce model, the grant terms require MDC to secure written agreements with named healthcare employers committing to mentorship and clinical exposure, and, critically, to guarantee employment or priority hiring for graduates who meet objective, pre-defined competency criteria. Jackson Health System is named as a key clinical partner. The Academy addresses a dual problem – South Florida’s healthcare workforce shortage and the absence of direct secondary-to-career pathways for underserved youth – and does so with a credible institutional partner capable of sustaining it.
Miami Dade College Foundation | Catalytic Giving | Focus Areas