Artifacts

This is my Mount class of 2016. Mount has really meant a lot to me during my first year and this has continued on through my second year. Mount gave me a family when I first came to college and it made me feel at home even though home is 300 miles away. I have not felt out of place since I joined Mount and it has really helped me adjust to college. This year in Mount we are doing a year of service and with this I have made connections with children I would never have interacted with otherwise. I love the work that I am doing at my site and everyone there is very welcoming. I really feel like I am making a difference being at this site. Mount has really helped me feel like I am making a difference in the community.

This February I participated in Buckeyethon. It was an amazing experience to get to meet all of the kids we were helping and to hear their stories. It was inspiring to meet kids who had gone through so much and they were all younger than me. I am proud to have been a part of this night and to have helped raise $1.5 million For The Kids!

Year in Review

This year has really been about discovering who I am as a person and how that will affect my future. I have changed career paths realizing that I want more of a social life along with a career and not have to be tied down to a job all the time. My scholars program has also shown me what a large impact I could have on people’s lives and the way that makes me feel is unbelievable. I have helped numerous people in just this past year and I don’t plan on stopping. I have taken on new leadership roles both in my scholars program and with my job. Overall, this year has prepared me for what’s to come during my college career. I know that I will face many obstacles but I am not going to let that change my goals.

G.O.A.L.S.

This year I am in a service learning class and recently we have been discussing privilege and how different identities effect everyone in a different way. This has made me more aware of the privileges that I might have. I now understand that some people might not be aware of their privilege because if you have it, you don’t tend to think about it. I also now know that not all privilege is bad and you have to use it to help the people that do not have it. I am currently working as a research assistant. This project is helping patients with diabetes get language access so they are able to get adequate care. I am working on a health sciences major. I hope to one day be a pediatric oncologist. I know this job will be tough and a person must be in the right mental state to be successful in this field. I am working my hardest to get to this point because it has always been my dream to help people in the ways I was helped. Being a research assistant means that no one is holding my hand along the way. I have to go to the meetings just as everyone else does and make sure I am paying attention and then come back and do what needs to be done. I have to figure projects out myself and where there could be some improvement. I am volunteering at the boys and girls club here in Columbus for my year of service project through Mount Leadership Society. These students are mostly living in poverty and do not have the same opportunities I have. It brings me joy to go in there and be able to talk to a child and get to know them and even help them with their homework when I know they are struggling. It feels good knowing that by attending the boys and girls club, I am helping provide resources they might not have otherwise.

 

Career

Deja Rodriguez

80 W 11th Ave Sa

Columbus, OH 43210

(312) 823-5565

Rodriguez.760@osu.edu

Career Focus

  • Detail-oriented student with ability to learn concepts quickly

Skills summary

  • Proficient in : Microsoft Works/Word/ Office/Excel/PowerPoint/ Photoshop
  • 2 years’ experience as a life guard
  • Extremely Organized
  • Cooperative team member
  • Strong verbal communication
  • Attention to detail

Employment

Life Guard/ front desk attendant/counselor                                                    2014-2016

Berwyn Park District, Berwyn, IL

  • Summer Life Guard
  • Work front desk
  • Entertain children during farmers market
  • Care for children
  • Plan daily activities (crafts, sports, swimming, fieldtrips, etc.)

            Student/ Research Assistant for Department of Spanish and Portuguese         Present

            Hagerty Hall, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

  • Answer phone calls
  • Make copies
  • Maintain office cleanliness
  • Assist professors in any task necessary
  • Coordinate Meetings
  • Research current topics
  • Interview Patients
  • Update social media platform
  • Contact community members about informational sessions

Summer Conference Housing Office Assistant                                           Summer 2017

The Office of Student Life, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

  • Work front desk in all residence halls
  • Share knowledge of Columbus area
  • Assist guests in filing service requests
  • Assisting with any questions or concerns
  • Maintain safety and cleanliness of building

 

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Boys and Girls Club of Columbus                                                    August 2017-Present

  • Create and facilitate educational activities
  • Tutor in various subjects
  • Interact with children from 5-13 years old

Mount Leadership Society                                                               Autumn 2016-Present

  • Volunteer with various community organizations
  • Assist with various service events

Education

Kenwood Academy High School     Chicago, IL

            Dates Attended: 2010- 2016

Expected Graduation Date: June 2016

Awards and Honors: 4 yrs Honor Roll,

   Course Load:  AP Spanish, AP Calculus, Dual credit-Biology, English and Math

Clubs/Sports:  National Honor Society Vice President, Student Council Secretary

The Ohio State University                Columbus, OH

            Dates Attended: 2016-Present

Expected Graduation Date: May 2020

Course Load: Health Sciences Major, Pre-med track

Clubs/Sports: Mount Leadership Society

REFERENCEs

Available Upon Request

 

Through these experiences I have learned how to hold conversations with people and how to keep things running smoothly when I am in charge of my own space. I have also learned how to lead a team of people and work with people on a project who I would not normally associate with. I have gained leadership and career experiences through these positions.

Artifacts

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This ribbon is for lung cancer. When I was a child I was diagnosed with a rare type of lung cancer. This made me decide I wanted a career in medicine and I want to help people the way my doctors helped me. I heard that Ohio State had one of the best cancer research programs in the country so I knew I needed to attend OSU.

About Me

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Hello! My name is Deja Rodriguez and I am from Chicago, IL.  I am currently a first year at THE Ohio State University. I am in Mount Leadership Society Scholars. I am a Medical Laboratory Science Major on a pre-med track. I am a very determined person and won’t let any obstacle keep me from curing cancer. I am aware that I have high hopes but I no one will discourage me from doing what I have always wanted.