Elia Rodriguez

Throughout my academic career at UW-Milwaukee, I feel as though my shell has been pried open and reformed countless times. Being catapulted into my sophomore year by additional credits was both overwhelming and exciting.

The MKE Scholars program was my foot in the door when it came to networking and ensuring that graduating a year early did not become catastrophic. Being pushed to fulfill any sort of professional development was my motivation to eventually join the Honors College Newsletter. Encouragement from professors such as Benjamin Schneider saw my potential peeking through my efforts and supported me along the way. Another chance to network and refine my interviewing skills was but another chance to refine myself professionally. With the newsletter I have been able to celebrate others in my community whilst developing my ability to have effective communication. As a result, I was able to secure an internship through UWM’s Panther Foundation for Success with West Bend Mutual Insurance for the summer.

Graduating a year early means I am that much closer to being thrust into the work field, and these experiences have prepared me for that.