Kendall Campus Revamps Its Look To Improve Student Engagement
Kendall Campus is undergoing a renaissance.
For the past year, Miami Dade College’s second-oldest campus has undergone a “campus revitalization project” to improve student engagement.
“This project was aimed to improve the campus pedestrian experience, provide for a safe and inviting student experience, and engage the community to return to our Kendall Campus,” said Cristina Mateo, the senior director of administration at the campus.
Among the most notable changes: renovations to the Learning Commons, Finn’s Bistro, baseball field and The Makers Lab.
The concrete canopies that protect students from rain and connect each of the different buildings on campus are being reconstructed, concrete surfaces such as floors that had collected guck were pressure cleaned and parking lots and campus roads were repaved.
By May 10, the tennis courts will be completely rebuilt and be available for racquetball and pickleball games.
The soccer field was recently expanded to accommodate four separate pitches. They are being utilized by six different soccer clubs from Mondays to Saturdays.
Outdoor furniture such as hammocks and tables with rocking chair-style seating were installed near Fred Shaw Plaza to entice students to stick around after classes.
“It’s a pretty cool addition to the campus,” said Benjamin Vargas, a mechanical engineering student.
The Campus has also made a concerted effort to make its social media content more relatable to students by being more casual and creative. Recent videos have showcased the College’s sports teams, campus events and provided information about well-known alumni. On March 9, the Campus inaugurated its TikTok account.
According to Russell Kaufman, the chief information officer at Kendall Campus, their Facebook and Instagram pages have seen a 112 percent and 18 percent increase respectively in engagement since January of 2022.
To create a sense of community, Kendall Campus President Anthony Cruz created the slogan Keeping Up With Kendall to spotlight the positive changes taking place on campus.
Three thousand light blue cotton T-shirts with the slogan emblazoned on them were made to distribute to faculty, students and staff. Anyone interested in receiving a shirt can contact Interim Student Life Director Jenny Gomez at jgomez13@mdc.edu or (305) 237-2321.
The catchy slogan will also be the title of a new initiative set to begin in May that will feature Cruz interviewing students, faculty, staff and community leaders.
Episodes will be available on the campus’ social media accounts.
“We want to create better things for our students and for the population,” Cruz said. “I’d like to see us more engaged.”
