Ithaca College President Shirley M. Collado was honored by the American Chamber of Commerce in the Dominican Republic for becoming the first Dominican-American president of a four-year college or university in the U.S. during a special reception on May 8 in Washington, D.C.
Held at the residence of the Dominican Republic’s ambassador to the United States, the reception recognized Dominicans and Dominican Americans who have excelled in the U.S., as well as Americans who have excelled in the Dominican Republic. Former Boston Red Sox baseball player David Ortiz, U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat and tax policy expert Donald Lubick were also honored.
The daughter of Dominican immigrants, Collado was the first member of her family to earn a four-year college degree. She became the first Dominican-American president of a four-year U.S. college when she was inaugurated as president of Ithaca College on November 4, 2017.
“My family and I were deeply moved by this amazing event,” Collado said. “I am both touched and proud to have been recognized, and it was an incredible honor to share this night with Congressman Espaillat, David Ortiz and Donald Lubick.”
The event was part of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Dominican Republic’s “Semana Dominicana,” or Dominican Week, a weeklong celebration of Dominican identity aimed at strengthening economic, commercial, academic, social and cultural ties between the Dominican Republic and the U.S.