Edwin I. Hernández Inaugurated as President of Adventist University of Health Sciences
22 January 2018 | Orlando, Florida-based Adventist University of Health Sciences (ADU) inaugurated Edwin I. Hernández as the second president in the institution’s history on January 11th.
Previously, Hernández had served as provost of the institution for two years. He was tapped to take over the top job as ADU’s founding president, David E. Greenlaw, retired last July after 25 years of service. Hernández formally succeeded Greenlaw on August 1 last year.
Before coming to ADU, Hernández had served as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Antillean Adventist University in Puerto Rico. He had also served as Program Officer for The Pew Charitable Trusts and founding Director of the Center for the Study of Latino Religion at the University of Notre Dame. He is seen as a major advocate of Christian education.
PR Newswire reported that Hernández has taken the lead on a number of research studies and urban philanthropic endeavors in the Latino community. Following the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, he lowered ADU’s barriers to entry in order to accommodate displaced citizens that had come to the Central Florida area. He also raised funds for those affected by the devastation.
On his inauguration day, the new president introduced a scholarship for freshman undergraduates. He presented the Presidential Scholars Award at a gala dinner after the inauguration ceremony. The scholarship which is renewable for up to four years, rewards exceptional leadership potential.
ADU is an Adventist educational institution focused on training health professionals. It is associated with Florida Hospital and its parent organisation, Adventist Health System. ADU offers undergraduate and graduate programs including Biomedical Sciences, Nursing (BSN), Nurse Anesthesia, Occupational Therapy, Healthcare Administration, Physician Assistant, and Physical Therapy.
