STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Dereck Rodriguez

By Aron Agerton in News

February 16, 2012

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Aron Agerton/Eagle Eye

Age:  18

Major:  English, Writing Emph.

Anyone at the MLK presentation in the first week of classes may know the name Dereck Rodriguez from the poem he read.  But poetry is not just a personal hobby.  Dereck also resides as President of Lyrically speaking, the campus spoken word group which holds their meetings every week.

Though Dereck is only 18, he is currently attending as a sophmore.  Due to personal problems going on at his high school, Rodriguez set his mind to his studies and was able to graduate ahead of his peers.

But Lyrically Speaking is not his only commitment here.  Dereck is also part of an organization of clubs to help advance multicultural awareness and help promote diversity on campus.

And if all of these attributes have yet to qualify him for sainthood, let us not forget his free time spent mentoring high school students who are attempting to transition from high school to college, along with volunteering for CAPPA, an organization dedicated to the progressive social and academic advancement of preteens.