Name: Valeria Rodriguez
Year: Senior
Hometown: Winter Park, Florida (born in Puerto Rico)
Major: Interdisciplinary Social Science – specializing in Social Entrepreneurship
Courtesy: Valeria Rodriguez
Her Campus (HC): You’re the director for Social Entrepreneurs and Innovators at Florida State. How did you get started?
Valeria Rodriguez (VR): Basically, I founded the club over the summer. It’s a brand new club. We’re probably three weeks old, maybe two. I’m a social entrepreneurship student and the program just got started in January. They’re starting to build the curriculum, and there are only three courses available as of now that are specifically geared towards social entrepreneurship. I was noticing that there was a big chunk of people who were really interested. The program has a lot of resources, but I think that people don’t really know that there are so many resources here. When I started, I really wanted to have a start-up, but I didn’t feel confident. I’m not a business major and a lot of social entrepreneurship involves a lot of business tactics. I really wanted a partner, but I had no way of really connecting with anybody or places to go to connect with them. So we started this organization. What we really want to do is to serve as a hub for anybody interested in social entrepreneurship. To give them a platform to speak on, use that as a foundation for the program and widen awareness of social entrepreneurship on campus. Not a lot of people know what that means or what that entails.
HC: Do you guys have any events coming up?
VR: We’re trying to develop workshops, and we’re trying to bring in speakers. We’re having an event on October 7. It’s called “Meet-up to Start-up” — it’s almost like a friend-dating event. We’ll have a little bowl of issues in the middle of the table and you’ll have a minute to talk. The other person will have a minute to talk based on what’s on the piece of paper you pull out of the fishbowl. You’ll try to see if you have any interests in common, because a lot of people are looking for partners.
Courtesy: Valeria Rodriguez
HC: How would you define a social entrepreneur/innovator?
VR: You hear the word “change-maker” a lot, and you hear the word “catalyst”. So when I think of a social entrepreneur, I think of someone who is innovating in their field. It really is inspiring that you don’t even really have to know a lot about what you’re going into, as long as you’re passionate about it, really see a problem, understand the problems within it and don’t get discouraged by all the obstacles in the way. That resistance, I think, is something that makes a social entrepreneur. It’s that ongoing strive for that solution you want. Because solving social issues is not easy. If so, we’d have no problems in the world! It’s that kind of thinking and dynamic that you need in order to find solutions despite the obstacles and really be that catalyst in your field.
HC: Are you involved in anything else at FSU?
VR: Yes. I’m also the Vice President of the League of Women Voters at FSU and we’re the first campus chapter. So that’s cool!
HC: How has all of this shaped your FSU experience?
VR: I transferred from Tallahassee Community College and I served as Vice President of the SGA board at TCC. Trying to get people involved was so difficult. And understandably so. It’s community college. A lot of people aren’t just going to school. They’re going to work, and all these things. So going back on campus is really not their priority. So going from that to going to a place where there’s so much energy to be here and incentives, it’s completely different. I feel like my university experience has developed so much more since I came here. Especially since the university has so many resources to tap into.
HC: Do you have a method of time management?
VR: Yes, I’ve been practicing. I’ve come to understand that I can’t do everything myself. That was the first realization. After many failed attempts, just knowing that I’m just one person and my set of skills is fine, but I don’t have all the skills. Being able to acknowledge that and go and delegate tasks from that point of view is a lot better than thinking that you can do it all by yourself, stressing yourself and just burning out. It’s just not productive.
Courtesy: Valeria Rodriguez
HC: Do you have plans for after graduation?
VR: Yeah! I really want to go to USF. They have a Masters of Arts in the College of Global Sustainability. Grad school is really a new idea so I don’t know what’s going to happen.
HC: Do you have a favorite memory from FSU thus far?
VR: Probably my first FSU football game. I don’t really identify with football that much, but it’s a whole experience. I don’t want to sound cliché choosing my first football game, but it’s being a part of something that’s bigger that you and being overwhelmed by it — that’s kind of cool.
HC: I know people are getting really serious about their choices for the upcoming presidential election. My question is, will you be supporting Kanye West in 2020?
VR: Will I be supporting Kanye West in 2020? Oh man. I’m going to get so much backlash for this. I’m not sure I take it seriously, but who knows. I see a lot of my Facebook friends saying yes to it and I’m a little concerned. I’ll say this: as a key role within the League of Women Voters, I am in no position to support candidates, only policies. That’s all I’ll say.