Summary
Sandra Rodriguez is the Director of Outreach & Engagement at the Honors College of the University of Nevada, Reno. She has 35 years of experience engaging students in civic/service learning and democratic/community engagement through student engagement initiatives at the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, the University of New Mexico, and the University of Nevada, Reno. Her focus is on the strong ties between student engagement, civic literacy, civic agency, equity, and inclusion in creating just, democratic learning communities. She has a PhD. in Education from the University of Nevada, Reno.
As an educator, I am committed to civic and community engagement efforts that support the University's teaching and learning mission by co-creating and applying knowledge/action with students, community partners, and service recipients, fostering a sense of belonging for our students and their families on and off campus.
By exposing our students upon arrival to a campus culture of civic learning and community engagement rooted in justice, we influence habitus, which Bourdieu defines as "the embodiment of cultural capital, the deeply ingrained habits, skills, and dispositions that we possess due to our life experiences." We connect structure and agency in social interaction to produce a conscious action by providing direct civic pathways that articulate expectations and broaden students' lived experiences.
Ensuring that civic pathways are available to students encourages a lifelong commitment to responsible citizenship. Her most recent publications include:
Rodriguez, S. (2019). Contested Issues in Troubled Times: Student Affairs Educators' Brokering Roles In Political Activism. Edited by Marsha & Peter M. Magolda. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Rodriguez, S., Koeckes, A., Lowman, J. (2022). Critical Democracy Literacy Series. Edited by Marianne Magjuka. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
She currently serves as a nationwide Fellow for the ALL IN Democracy Challenge, supporting universities nationwide in implementing best practices for nonpartisan student democratic engagement.