Mr. Rodriguez’s story did not start locally but in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, a town just 45 minutes from the coastal capital of San Juan.
He attended the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras obtaining a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. He went on to complete his master’s degree at the University of Champaign-Urbana. With the uncertainty of how to apply his education, Rodriguez found himself working in the industry for a couple of years, but “it didn’t feel right,” he admitted. After taking an opportunity to teach a course at Parkland, he has been here ever since- 14 years to be exact. Currently, he is in the midst of a doctoral program in Community College Leadership.
Rodriguez teaches second-semester general chemistry course and chemistry of everyday life. “Both great courses and I enjoy that one is a major’s course, and one is not. It gives me the opportunity to work with different types of students and I’m not limited to interacting with one group of students or the other. I also enjoy being in the science commons, because it allows me to work with students, even those not taking my course.”
His favorite aspect of working at Parkland? Its students. “The eagerness to learn, their unique experiences, and their willingness to give me an opportunity to be their teacher and be part of their lives, is the best part of being a faculty at Parkland.”
*Rodriquez’s classroom philosophy: A classroom is a place for learning, and not lecturing. And learning is about collaboration and working together as a unit. *
An educator that made an impact on his life was Ms. Montes, an organic chemist. “She would sit with us on the floor in the hallway and work with us on problems during office hours,” he recounted. “It was the first time I felt like my instructor cared about my learning and sparked my interest in chemistry and education.”
Another “empowering” academic experience for Rodriguez was taking an undergraduate research experience course, which immersed him in the scientific community, working alongside scientists in a laboratory.
Rodriquez’s advice to prospective educators: “Everyone in the classroom has a unique path. Everyone in your classroom looks up to you, and you have the power to improve their quality of life if you spend some time getting to know them. A small selfless action can have a great impact on someone’s life. And it is never about lowering standards or expectations, it is all about showing support and that you care.”
Outside of the classroom, you may find Rodriguez playing volleyball or cooking, which he says is “like doing chemistry at home”. Currently, he is involved with science and the pride club, though he also served as the assistant volleyball coach for a few years; on October 1st, one of his teams was inducted to the hall of fame.
Apart from the Teaching Excellence Award, Rodriguez emphasized his other accomplishments, such as “being able to find a path to be successful here in the area, after moving from Puerto Rico. The language barrier and the cultural shock were difficult, but I was able to find amazing people in the area that supported me through that process.” Another significant achievement of his “was to build a family which I love dearly and being able to create an atmosphere at home that feels like home. Knowing that every day after work I will be surrounded by the people I love.
Congratulations to Manny Rodriguez!
Riley Parks
Prospectus Reporter