Karina Rodriguez

Karina Rodriguez

Name: Karina Rodriguez                 
Age: 21
Major: Pre-Nursing
Hometown: Guanajuato, Mexico 

Why UTRGV?
I chose UTRGV because it has a great nursing program in the field I want to pursue. UTRGV also has great professors, accessible tuition and is very close to home. 

What made you decide on your current major?
I want to be a nurse so I can give a hand to someone in pain, a word to someone lonely, and my attention to anyone who needs it. I feel as a nurse, I will generally have more opportunities to work directly with patients than a doctor. I am also minoring in Spanish and philosophy. My mother questioned if I would like studying philosophy but I enjoy it. Philosophy is a subject that makes you think about topics you normally avoid.

What are your plans after graduation?
I want to start working in a hospital and start paying my loans. I also want to travel and give back to my parents as much as I can. Eventually I will probably return to school to earn a graduate degree. 

What are you involved in on and off campus?
I work at the UTRGV Student Involvement Office, where I have met a lot of great student leaders on campus. It is encouraging to see how many students are striving to make positive changes in the world.  I am a member of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. through which I have participated in many different community service projects and events on campus, such as organizing fundraisers for St. Jude Hospital and presenting workshops to empower women. 

What is your biggest accomplishment to date?
To have not given up on becoming a nurse. Trying to balance everything in my life, plus the challenges life itself gives you have not been easy, but my goal has always remained the same. 

What advice do you have for future students?
Never stop believing in yourself. It’s okay to be scared and to feel lost, you will find your way.