Gender
Female
Ethnicity
Hispanic/Latino
Hobbies and interests
Engineering
Speech and Debate
Politics and Political Science
Advocacy And Activism
Acting And Theater
Finance
Birdwatching
Global Health
STEM
3D Modeling
Crocheting
Art History
History
Biomedical Sciences
Coding And Computer Science
Baking
Fashion
Reading
Reading
Academic
Business
Classics
Economics
Health
Historical
Humanities
How-To
Leadership
Law
Politics
Psychology
Science
Social Issues
Sociology
True Story
I read books multiple times per week
LOW INCOME STUDENT
Yes
FIRST GENERATION STUDENT
Yes
Michelle Rodriguez
5,285
Bold Points1x
FinalistMichelle Rodriguez
5,285
Bold Points1x
FinalistBio
Hey y’all! I am a freshman at Houston Community College with plans on transferring to a 4-year college to major in Biomedical Engineering and Public Health. I’ve always been fascinated with all of the mighty microbes that coexist in our world and how to help those in lower-income minority communities obtain better access to doctors and medications.
Many perceive me as being bubbly, enthusiastic, and imaginative. I am resourceful and very determined with my goals! I enjoy trying out new things all the time, whether it be new foods, going to new places, or learning new languages. I just love exploring. “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all” (Helen Keller).
I’m currently on the scholarship hunt to save up for when I transfer to a state college. I am a first-generation Mexican American and the first in my family to go to college, so any support for my tuition and books helps tremendously.
Here at HCC, I maintain a 3.7+ GPA on the Dean’s list for Fall 2021. I’ve been inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), and was accepted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (the most prestigious Honor Societies on campus). I am also a part of the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation program, which enables under-represented minorities like me to explore science research at nearby schools such as Rice University and NASA.
In my free time, I love crocheting Pinterest projects, designing cool gizmos on Autocad to send to my school’s 3D printer, reading English literature, and recreational fencing.
Education
Houston Community College
Associate's degree programMajors:
- Engineering, Other
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
Minors:
- Political Science and Government
GPA:
3.9
Cypress Springs H S
High SchoolMajors:
- Biology, General
GPA:
3.3
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
- History and Political Science
- Public Health
Career
Dream career field:
Biotechnology
Dream career goals:
Lab Director
Graphic Design and Social Media Intern
Fiveable2019 – 2019Student Internship
NASA2022 – 2022Biomedical researcher
Rice University2022 – Present2 yearsStudent
HCCSPresent
Sports
Dancing
2013 – 20141 year
Awards
- Church Ballet and Jazz
Fencing
Club2021 – Present3 years
Research
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
NASA — Student Intern NCAS2022 – PresentBiological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
Rice University — Summer Student Researcher2022 – PresentEngineering Science
Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation — Student2021 – Present
Arts
Church Ballet and Jazz
DanceWinter Concert2013 – 2015Self-taught
Graphic Art2017 – PresentMiddle School
Painting2014 – 2016
Public services
Volunteering
Simply Neuroscience — Social Media and Graphic Design2019 – 2021Public Service (Politics)
March for Our Lives Houston — Student Volunteer2020 – PresentAdvocacy
Houston Youth Climate Strike — Graphic Design2020 – PresentAdvocacy
United Nations — Student2022 – PresentVolunteering
NSLS — Student Volunteer2021 – PresentVolunteering
Lone Star Community college — Library Assistant2018 – 2021
Future Interests
Advocacy
Politics
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
Robert F. Lawson Fund for Careers that Care
I'm a first-generation Hispanic college student and an undergraduate freshman at Houston Community College. I am an active participant in many of the student organizations such as debate, Phi Theta Kappa, National Society of Student Leaders (NSLS), the Rotary club, anthropology, and philosophy to be more well-rounded in advocacy, cultures, and volunteering. I am also a student participant in my college’s LSAMP program which stands for, Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation, which helps high-achieving low-income students make their debut into research at local universities and institutions such as Rice. During this summer, I will be participating in the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) program, which will take me one step further into learning more about the current science being developed to achieve sustainability and space exploration.
In highschool, I was a part of my school’s MIT inventeam club and held the position of president for two years until I graduated in 2021. Before COVID, we were developing an invention proposal for a $10,000 dollar grant to create a drug dispensing device to fight the opioid epidemic in lower-income communities through the United States. Although our school didn’t earn the grant that year, another school who proposed a similar idea did and we are all so proud of them. Our club gained over twice as many members as it did in the beginning of 2019 and raised enough money to make and design our own club t-shirts using the machines at school.
I was also a part of my city area’s March for Our Lives organization, which advocated for gun control after the Parkland shootings back in 2018. I was a participant of the organization during the pandemic and helped draft and send a letter concerning a local ordinance to our local senators during the George Floyd protests. It was also election season. I helped translate over 25 different documents, messages, website pages and pamphlets in Spanish to better inform the Hispanic community of Houston. The combined efforts of the MFOL Texas organizations and hundreds of other advocacy youth-groups in high schools, colleges, and universities across the state almost turned Texas blue in the primaries that year by a 5.6% margin.
I'm passionate about using technology to help bridge the poverty gap in underdeveloped nations with engineering and advocacy. I always wanted to be an inventor. My favorite inventor and electrical engineer is Nikola Tesla, and yes, I know it’s pretty cliché. He's a true underdog icon but that’s not why I admire him. It's not because he's trendy with hot-shot billionaires and his exceptional ability to do calculus in his head doesn't resonate with me (or most people).
He pioneered different forms of renewable energy and tried to improve the electrical infrastructure that we still use to this day. His ultimate dream was to create a clean, infinite supply of energy that was safe and free for everyone and was strongly opposed to coal power stations which emitted large amounts of greenhouse gasses and pollution.
Everytime I turn on the lights at home and turn on the radio from my phone, I am reminded that this man helped pioneer the very technologies we use to this day. Everytime I watch snippets of the UN world conferences online, I remember the achievements of hundreds of dedicated men and women that made it possible to create a more sustainable world. The same people who, much like Tesla, were exceptionally dedicated to the leap of mankind, their craft as engineers, advocates, and scientists, and their love for humanity and innovation, is what I truly desire to achieve as an aspiring engineer.
Cruz Events Community Impact Scholarship
Being a first generation college student and first generation American means being a pioneer of the "road of opportunities" for the rest of my family and those that follow. Both of my parents came from Mexico and immigrated to the US, looking for the opportunity to progress and achieve any dream, no matter what socioeconomic class or background. Their deep faith on the American Dream shaped my high ambitions from a young age.
In my case, it meant borrowing years old AP and SAT/ACT study guides from the public library over the summers to try and learn as much as I could before having to return them while taking care of my younger sibling, helping out with chores, and my mother's small business. It meant downloading a look-a-like Ti calculator app on my phone to complete my math homework and having to skip fun trips to the mall, parties, and fast-food outings with friends and the fam. It meant having to file the yearly terror, aka the FAFSA on your own and having to meticulously check every single little box, praying that your application doesn't get lost in the mail or sent back due to an error. It also meant gawking at college tuition prices and having to translate the whole college application process with your parents over your shoulders at the dinner table.
Being first gen meant searching for mentors everywhere and anywhere. Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Tiktok, attempting to trace the origin of the school's urban legend of that one kid that got admitted to 20 colleges three years ago, yup anyone who we can look up to and can guide us. Some are lucky to have college prep programs in their schools that are aimed to help low-income students get into college, but for the vast majority of us, not so much. The internet is a vast place full of resources, but it can be overwhelming to sift through all of that while dealing with mountains of homework, test prep, and extracurriculars.
At some point in the college application process, (first gen or not), we all stumble upon the chic, effortlessly-preppy, east-coast college blogger gals on Youtube who would mention their takes on the college application process over their jug of iced coffee in their dorms. They would effortlessly gloss over their very accomplished resumes and poetic essays while tapping their nails on their laptops. They would mention doing cancer research at 14 was it was no biggie, while volunteering at the White House and funding an organization at 17. As much as we all admire their accomplishments and wish them all the best, there is a massive disconnect for most first-gen and low-income students.
Most first-gen students have no idea those opportunities exist until junior or senior year of high school, once college applications start. Even I didn't know such opportunities were available back then and they sure would have been good to know. This disconnect on the type of opportunities available to us is huge and was definitely something I noticed while applying to college. I hope to utilize my experience with the college application process to help those who are struggling to obtain scholarships, mentorship, attention from an overworked school counselor, and strong teacher letters or recommendation by being relatable to the masses. There were time that I
also struggled with keeping up with the process, and what most internet college blogs fail to capture is the actual mental load that the college application process has on student and that it's not all jugs of iced coffee, Harvard, and glamour.
Bold Growth Mindset Scholarship
Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said, "Patience is bitter but the fruit is sweet". Well, it's a good thing I like fruit. Patience is important to me because it allows me to achieve my goals despite the setbacks. This is how I keep a growth mindset. When I first applied to college for the class of 2025 last year, I could not afford my safety schools unless I took out costly loans. As much as I wanted to go to the University of Houston, my parents could not afford to send me. Of course I was a bit disappointed but I applied to my local community college and decided to make the best of it. I needed to push through and transfer with scholarships in two years. I have to pave the way for my younger sibling and cousins. Progress baby!
There were many times during the fall and spring semester that have tested my resilience and patience. Due to COVID, most students could not get in-person classes and it was difficult to get in touch with the professor. The subject I struggled the most was with calculus. Being the first in my family to go to college and not having anyone to hold my hand with the subject, I had teach myself these topics in order to pass the class. I haven't felt this mentally beaten since my 4th year of French class.
Patience and dedication to my studies and my future is what kept me going. The future I want to provide for my parents when they retire, the opportunity of a better life for myself and my little brother. I hope that when I look back at all the difficult times, it would have been worth it.
Bold Patience Matters Scholarship
Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said, "Patience is bitter but the fruit is sweet". Well, it's a good thing I like fruit. Patience is important to me because it allows me to achieve my goals despite the setbacks. When I first applied to college for the class of 2025 last year, I could not afford my safety schools unless I took out costly loans. As much as I wanted to go to the University of Houston, my parents could not afford to send me. Of course I was a bit disappointed but I applied to my local community college and decided to make the best of it. I needed to push through and transfer with scholarships in two years. I have to pave the way for my younger sibling and cousins. Progress baby!
There were many times during the fall and spring semester that have tested my resilience and patience. Due to COVID, most students could not get in-person classes and it was difficult to get in touch with the professor. The subject I struggled the most was with calculus. Being the first in my family to go to college and not having anyone to hold my hand with the subject, I had teach myself these topics in order to pass the class. I haven't felt this mentally beaten since my 4th year of French class.
Patience and dedication to my studies and my future is what kept me going. The future I want to provide for my parents when they retire, the opportunity of a better life for myself and my little brother. I hope that when I look back at all the difficult times, it would have been worth it.