North Campus Honors College Student Wins Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship
(L-R) North Campus President Dr. Jose A. Vicente, BOT members Robert H. Fernandez, Peter W. Roulhac, Linda Rodriguez, Mikki Canton, Helen Aguirre Ferre, MDC President Dr. Eduardo J. Padron
Related Articles
Miami, May 14, 2010 - Once again, a Miami Dade College (MDC) North Campus Honors College student wins a prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship worth up to $60,000. The Foundation receives hundreds of nominations from colleges across the country. Linda Rodriguez, a political science major, is among only 40 scholarship recipients selected.
“I am overjoyed,” Rodriguez said. “I was grateful just to be nominated. There are no words to describe how I feel.”
Following in the footsteps of last year’s winner and North Campus Honors College graduate, Anahi Cortada, Rodriguez has been accepted to Georgetown and plans to study law. She aspires to one day become a judge.
Rodriguez’s focus and determination drove her to succeed in spite of challenges. At 17, she struck out on her own after her family moved to Ohio. The Miami native said she gave Ohio a chance, but felt out of place and returned home to complete her studies at Barbara Goleman High School, where she graduated magna cum laude.
“My philosophy in life is to never stop reaching past the obstacles and finding the next opportunity to grab hold of,” Rodriguez said.
At MDC, the 20-year-old maintained a 3.94 GPA while working two jobs and renting a room at a friend’s house. She was also the deputy head delegate for the Model United Nations team at the North Campus.
“The Honors College gave me a sense of home that I haven’t had, a place of belonging,” Rodriguez said.
Media-only contacts:
Juan Mendieta, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu, MDC communications director
Tere Estorino, 305-237-3949, testorin@mdc.edu, MDC media relations director
Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu, media specialist
Tarnell Carroll, 305-237-3359, tcarroll@mdc.edu, media specialist
Alejandro Rios, 305-237-7482, arios1@mdc.edu