Jorge Rodriguez - SCC’s Student Life & Leadership Program Advisor – Serves Students Near and Far

Scottsdale, AZ (Feb 17, 2009) – A year before graduating from SCC with his associate’s degree in 2000, Jorge Rodriguez applied for the Gates Millennium Scholarship (GMS).  Funded initially by a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the scholarship was established that same year to provide educational opportunities to outstanding minority students.

Out of 100,000 applications received that first year, 1,000 students were selected for scholarships – Rodriguez was one of them. 

“Jorge’s application was impressive,” said Dr. Virginia Stahl, Vice-President of Student Affairs at Scottsdale Community College and one of Rodriguez’s advisors.  “It was indicative of his talents and organization that made his application competitive on a national level.”

Rodriguez took his scholarship and transferred to ASU where he graduated in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree.  The scholarship funded his years at ASU—covering his tuition, books and even living expenses.

“Because of the scholarship, I was able to devote more time to studying and getting good grades,” said Rodriguez, the first in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree.  

Rodriguez, who describes himself as a “people person,” brought his skills back to SCC after graduating, to work with students – lots of students.  In 2003, he became a full-time program advisor for SCC’s Student Life & Leadership office. 

Stahl explains that Rodriguez was very involved with student leadership when he was a student, which made him a natural fit with his current position.  

A couple years after Rodriguez graduated from ASU, he learned that the Gates Millennium Scholarship committee changed the criteria.  Initially open to all academic institutions including community colleges, scholarships are now only open to high school seniors. 

Rodriguez feels fortunate that he was able to benefit from the scholarship during a time when community colleges were able to participate, and he plans to advocate for the reinstatement of community colleges in his new role as an official member of the GMS selection committee. 

Rodriguez, who now holds a master’s degree, was selected last month by the Foundation to be a reader for the selection committee and a mentor to students who have been selected for the Gates scholarships. 

As a reader, Rodriguez will attend annual conferences hosted by Bill Gates, Sr. where he and fellow readers will select the next wave of applicants from among thousands that are submitted.  This year he and his colleagues are scheduled to meet in San Francisco February 23 – 27. 

In addition to his involvement in the Gates program, Rodriguez was also recently selected to serve as a faculty scholar for the 2009 Phi Theta Kappa Scholar Conference.  In this new role, he will travel to the University of Richmond in June where 450 members and advisors will participate in lectures, seminars, and presentations based on the study topic:  The Paradox of Affluence: Choices, Challenges, and Consequences.

Rodriguez is often seen around campus setting up student events, organizing student clubs, teaching classes, advising student leadership groups, and coordinating community service projects – all involving students and often benefiting the community.  With Rodriguez at the helm of these projects, SCC’s students learn through example the importance of community service.

“Jorge lives the ‘give back’ philosophy,” said Stahl.

His enthusiasm for student success is seen in the many activities he performs on and off campus.  He teaches Emerging Leaders and Honors Forum classes, coordinates 20 community service projects each year including College to the Community and Make a Difference Day, and plans New Student Orientation and New Parent Orientation, Excellence Under the Stars, and Commencement. 

Rodriguez serves as an advisor to SCC’s Student Leadership Forum and the campus chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.  He serves as the SCC representative to the district-wide Student Public Policy Forum, and will be a facilitator at the LeaderShape Institute this May.  He is a member of the Diversity, ICEED, Veteran’s Day, and Sustainability committees, creates the student planner each year, and supervises student workers.

This is why, when we see Jorge Rodriguez around campus, he is moving – and talking – fast.

When he is not serving students on campus or in the local community, Rodriguez is tending to his long-time commitment to the Casa Hogar orphanage in Guadalajara, Mexico.  Casa Hogar has been around since 1965, and provides shelter, meals, activities, comfort, clothes, spiritual services, medical care, and education to children whose parents have abandoned them. 

Throughout the year, Rodriguez and members of SCC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter raise money for the orphanage, and each summer Rodriguez makes the trek to Guadalajara to deliver the check.

The college has helped and visited Casa Hogar for almost ten years; Rodriguez has gone for four.

Rodriguez first learned about Casa Hogar when he was a student and member of Phi Theta Kappa, and made his first visit as a student in 1999.  In his role as advisor, he and his students usually go as a group where they also study at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, Jalisco, and visit important historical and cultural sites.  This past year, he went by himself.

According to Stahl, Casa Hogar has come to know Rodriguez because of his annual visits.

“Jorge is the ‘go-to’ guy for his co-workers and his family,” said Stahl.  “He just amazes me.”

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Scottsdale Community College offers over 1,500 academic and non-credit classes each semester. Located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the campus is known for its serene atmosphere and beautiful plant and wildlife. With nearly 12,000 students, Scottsdale Community College is proud to offer high-quality, affordable programs in small class settings. From Motion Picture/Television Production and Culinary Arts to Nursing and American Indian Studies, students have a wide variety of programs from which to earn credits for university transfer, launch their careers, train for new ones, or pursue a special interest. The SCC Business Institute offers customized programs to meet the needs of local business. Scottsdale Community College is one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges.

To learn about the many academic programs at Scottsdale Community College, call us at (480) 423-6000 or visit our website at www.scottsdalecc.edu.

Media contact:
Denise Kronsteiner
(480) 423-6567
denise.kronsteiner@sccmail.maricopa.edu

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