Yen Rodriguez, leadership coordinator in the Center for Student Leadership, delivered a heartfelt and powerful presentation to KSU’s first-year students at the First-Year Convocation, held Aug. 24.

 

Drawing from his challenging experiences as an inner-city child, Rodriguez shared his journey from the streets of New York and Miami to the halls of Kennesaw State University. Evident in his speech was his dedication to social activism, community service, and the importance of embracing your college experiences. Rodriguez told students, "That particularly sweet smell of nostalgia is perhaps undetectable to people who merely attended college but to those who embraced their college years, it is unmistakably identifiable. It is the fragrance of holistic fulfillment."

 

Rodriguez received his B.A. in English and his M.A. in American Studies, both at Kennesaw State University. As a graduate student, he served as President of KSU’s Graduate Student Association and as President of the University’s chapter of NAACP, during which he organized and led a group of 55 students and faculty on a trip to Washington D.C. for the 2013 presidential inauguration.

 

A recipient of the annual R.O.H. Presidential award for diversity and inclusion, Rodriguez was recognized for his service in striving for social justice throughout Kennesaw State University and beyond.