My name is Jenny Rodriguez and I am currently an undergraduate student at American University in Washington D.C. I am majoring in Political Science in the School of Public Affairs and minoring in Education Studies. Coming from Orange, NJ, local politics has become a passion of me, specifically in the area of public education. Having the first-experience of seeing how politics affect every single person in an urban city, I look to seek change for the entire nation. I learned that the impact of one person or one piece of legislation can ripple its effect from Orange, NJ to Washington, DC. When it comes to our education system in the U.S, there are many reforms that are needed to improve the quality of education for our urban students, specifically. This is what drives my passions to study in our nation’s capitol.

Through my various leadership positions throughout high school, I have learned that my ability to assess a situation and come up with solutions is a strength that I look to implement during my time in D.C. As a youth leader and Religious Education teacher, I realized the importance of having a mentor where I was able to become one for younger children in my neighborhood. I developed a love for tutoring where I tutored at a local elementary school as well as in my high school. However, I desired to help more children, specifically those who struggle with the English language. This has helped me to develop my own tutoring sessions where I tutored students from K-6 from my home. I continued my work as a D.C Reads employee during my freshman year of college.

In 2018, I was awarded the National Honor Society’s National Scholarship Award which made history. I became the first minority and Latina student from a public school to earn this prestigious award. I take this desire to be a trailblazer with me as I embark on my journey as a student at American. I was also awarded the title of a Hispanic Scholarship Fund scholar. In 2019, I was named a Scholarship America Dream Award Recipient which allowed me to participate in the Dreams to Success Award ceremony and various interviews, which can be found on my media page. As a student at American, I am able to exercise my leadership skills in my everyday life.  I am a leader in the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program where I am focusing on Education. My goals for the future are simple: to succeed at everything I set my mind to and to find happiness in my life. I would like to fulfill my goals as a policymaker on Capitol Hill and the skills I have developed so far, and will develop in the future, are what will accomplish my goals.