Rod Salazar: The Student Behind Irazu
Rod Salazar is an Elon student with a very nontraditional Elon experience. As Rod works towards his Bachelor’s degree, he also owns and operates Irazu Coffee. He balances his demanding schoolwork with cheer and fatherhood. I sat down with Rod to learn a bit more about him.
Here are some quick facts:
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Rod is pre-med and working towards his bachelors in Exercise Science with a minor in neuroscience.
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Rod is “35 years young” and intends to graduate with his degree in 2020
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He was born in Costa Rica but raised around North Carolina.
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Before starting Irazu, he was a funeral director.
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Irazu was born in 2005 in Burlington. Elon’s Irazu sprung up in 2009.
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Rod’s son, Ander, is 3 years old and he is absolutely adorable
Rod says that balancing school, the business and his family can be a lot of work. Though, his son is a priority, so after taking care of his needs first, Rod is able to address his schoolwork. Time management plays a big part in the balancing act. Rod says that he must be diligent in how he spends his time.his responsibilities are very different from those of his peers. Being both married and a father, the dynamic is completely different. Rod’s priorities are no longer about himself.
Most importantly, I asked Rod what his favorite Irazu coffee is. In the summer, he prefers to drink cold brew and in the summer a nice black drip is his go-to.