The saying, “like mother, like daughter” takes new heights for Maya and Michele’ Rodriguez of St. Louis, who both graduate with their master’s degrees from Lindenwood University on Friday, May 10. They will also get to walk across the stage together.
Daughter Maya’s degree is in Criminal Justice, with a 3.83 GPA, and mother Michele’s degree is in Human Resource Management with a 4.0 GPA.
Michele’, who works for the State of Missouri in mental health, wants to grow professionally within an organization in human resources. She said human resource management is a growing profession that provides several career opportunities.
“I am most interested in Diversity and Inclusion, and Employee Retention and Development,” Michele’ Rodriguez said. “The work force is changing rapidly; therefore, organizations must consider the needs of their internal and external stakeholders in addition to creating a culture of commitment and loyalty. I want to help employees feel valued and employers recognize that their greatest asset is their employees.”
Maya Rodriguez is looking for opportunities to combine her criminal justice education with her experience in mental health.
“I chose criminal justice because I always have been fascinated with what makes offenders commit the crimes that they do, whether it is a psychological aspect or trauma-based,” Maya said. “I also believe the field is one that will always be needed.”
And while they share the support and encouragement of family, friends and each other, each of the Rodriguez women had impactful instructors at the university who helped them succeed as students.
“Latrell Hayes and Brian Washington had the greatest influence on me as a student because they genuinely cared about my success, provided feedback and guidance that gave me increased confidence and trust in my abilities,” Michele’ Rodriguez said.
For Maya Rodriguez, it was Lois Whitley.
“She would always take the time to explain something or allow discussions after class, which assisted me in my classwork,” she said of Whitley. “She was also one of the most supportive professors I had, especially when I discovered that I had to have surgery to remove a tumor in my brain and the effects of the tumor were severe headaches that prevented me from participating in class.”
The mother-daughter duo also graduated together from Lindenwood with bachelor’s degrees in December 2017. Maya’s bachelor’s degree is in Criminal Justice (magna cum laude) and Michele’s degree is in Health Management (summa cum laude). Why have they been pursuing higher education together? It made the journey easier for both of them.
“Most endeavors are easier when you have someone by your side who understands the importance of what you are trying to accomplish,” Michele’ said. “Maya is a single parent, and it was important for us to be able to schedule our evening classes so that Mila (Maya’s daughter-my granddaughter) would be cared for.”
When Maya had classes, Michele’ was home with Mila and vice versa. They also practiced presentations with one another and brainstormed ideas for their many research papers.
“The support and the encouragement of each other helped us push through when things appeared to be overwhelming,” Maya said.
The pursuit of education extends further through the family line. Michele’s grandmother, Malissa Mitchell, and her parents, Alfred and Marilyn Alston, have associate degrees.
“I am the first of my siblings to obtain a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree,” Michele’ Rodriguez said. “Currently, my youngest daughter, Marlena Rodriguez, is active duty in the U.S. Navy and is completing her bachelor’s degree at University of Maryland University College. And, finally, I have a niece, Marissa Robinson, attending Logan University pursuing her Doctorate of Chiropractic degree.”
Michele’ Rodriguez is a veteran herself.
“I was an electrician in the U.S. Navy, then a successful beauty salon owner in Virginia Beach, Virginia for many years, but I always wanted to get a college degree,” she said. “The cost of tuition and loans was a huge factor in putting off my education. Even now, the loans and cost are still a factor, but I can honestly say that I was true to myself, believed in myself and invested in myself.”
