By Vanessa Orr
As a dental hygiene student at Miami Dade College (MDC), Alwyn Leiba was always thinking of improvements that would benefit students in his role as Student Government Association president. As the president of the Miami Dade College Medical Campus, he’s continuing in his pursuit to enhance student success at his alma mater.
After graduating with an associate in dental hygiene from MDC and a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from St. Petersburg College, Dr. Leiba went on to earn a doctorate in higher education leadership from Northcentral University and an MBA with a concentration in healthcare management from American Intercontinental University. The first African American president of both the Florida Dental Hygienists’ Association and the South Florida Dental Hygienists’ Association, and the chair of the Association of Florida Colleges Healthcare Education Commission, he believes strongly in helping students in their efforts to pursue a healthcare education.
At MDC, Dr. Leiba has served in numerous roles including associate professor, chair and most recently, Dean of the School of Health Sciences. In June 2024, he was named president of the MDC Medical Campus.
“I believe this campus is a diamond in the rough,” he says of MDC, located in the heart of the Miami Health District. Home to the School of Nursing and the School of Health Sciences, the medical campus offers more than 31 educational options, including Physician Assistant, RN and RN to BSN programs as well as associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs and training certificates.
According to Dr. Leiba, his goal is to enhance the student experience—not just in the classroom, but by providing a full holistic experience and constant support.
“I was once a student and I know the struggle,” he explained. “When I come to work, I take off my administrative hat and think about the student experience. What would I have liked as a student, and how would I know what resources are available?
“If a student is not doing well, we’re here to support them in whatever they need,” he added. “If that means tutoring because they are not succeeding in a certain subject, or helping them with tuition support and assistance because they are going through financial difficulties, we want to do that. We want to work alongside them in their educational journey from day one.”
This holistic approach can include everything from the security team walking new students unfamiliar with the campus to class when they are lost to faculty providing online tutoring. Students facing financial difficulties can take advantage of Single Stop, a program that includes a food pantry, bus passes, books and more.
“Life happens, and in some cases, it affects a student’s ability to concentrate or study. But when you provide the help they need, greatness can happen,” said Dr. Leiba. “When all the pieces come together—when they can move beyond a rough financial situation or academic issue—it ultimately becomes a win-win situation.”
He added that because medicine is a “brand new language” for many students, everyone is required to take an Introduction to Healthcare class, no matter what avenue of healthcare they are pursuing.
“This gatekeeper class teaches students the basic things they need to know to dive into a career,” said Dr. Leiba. “It helps students figure out if they’re in the right place or whether a different pathway would be more appropriate. People think about nurses and doctors when you say healthcare, but there are so many other avenues and different health professions.”
Dr. Leiba’s approach also includes providing support to community partners by working with hospitals in South Florida to determine how the college can help them, and what they need from a future workforce.
“We want to know how we can support their healthcare systems and support Miami-Dade County,” Dr. Leiba explained, noting that it’s important to keep abreast of new trends, like artificial intelligence, when educating medical providers. “Our goal is to continue developing these partnerships so that we can support our students as well as our community.”
