Davi, the Programmer Coordinator

Davier (Davi) Rodriguez, is the Program Coordinator for ASU TRIO Downtown-SSS and is responsible for the tutor program, data entry, student engagement, executing workshops, other activities and enhancing resources offered by TRIO. He shared with me that his job is very dynamic and his days at work are not predictable. "The job requires case management skills because [I] have to follow students and see that they are doing well, their needs are met, and that they're meeting their goals or markers," he said. The case management aspect requires a lot of documentation and organization. The programming position also requires a lot of programming skills. Some of these skills are building partnerships with the community and campus departments and marketing skills. Listening is very important in his job when he is advising students and this skill is very neccessary for those wanting to work in higher education or wanting to interact with university students. Davi attended the University of Florida and was involved in many student organizations. He also held many leadership positions and was involved in social justice and multicultural organizations. "[My undergraduate experiences] provided the foundation for [establishing] my mission in life," he said in my interview with him.

After graduating, he worked with an AmeriCorps program called CityYear. At CityYear, he worked with "at-risk" youth and learned more about the educational pipeline. Afterwards, he moved to Arizona and worked with a nonprofit that aided homeless youths. "I learned about grants and the grant process when I worked there," Davi shared. While working at the nonprofit, he decided to obtain his Masters in Higher Education and Masters of Public Administration (MPA) at ASU. When I asked about the challenges facing professionals in higher education he said higher education institutions are realizing that being elite is not sufficient or expected of them. "At ASU, access is really stressed and a big priority for President Crow. Universities are starting to replicate today's society by including more," Davi said. In conclusion, professionals in higher education are starting to interact with different students that are different from the past. "This is good," he says with a smile on his face. "Be informed and learn about many things if you want to be successful in the public sector. Educate yourself about how policy works at every level of government," Davi advises those wishing to pursue a career in public service. I am glad I interviewed Davier Rodriguez and his many experiences demonstrate his commitment to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live a sustainable and good life.