Leon Family Donates $5 Million To Miami Dade College Nursing School

In the past 50 years, more than 19,000 nurses have earned their degrees from Miami Dade College, making MDC the largest local provider of nursing education.

Still, a severe nursing shortage persists in South Florida and around the nation. Thanks to a $5 million donation to MDC’s nursing school announced Tuesday, MDC administrators are confident they’ll be part of the solution for the next half-century as well.

The source of the donation: Leon Medical Centers, a Miami-based chain of health clinics that caters to seniors. Company founder Benjamin Leon Jr. said he’s employed plenty of MDC-educated nurses over the years, and he’s come away impressed.

“We know firsthand that they produce top-notch nurses,” Leon said, adding that the company has a philosophical commitment to “medical excellence.”