While earning his Ph.D. in organizational development, Robert Rodriguez had few Latino role models. He wants to change that for Latino students of the future, serving as an example for how to open doors through higher education. “It was very challenging and difficult,” says Rodriguez. “But once I had my Ph.D, I had choices. I could go into academia, consult, or return to corporate America.”
He decided to enter academia to be the role model he never had. He taught in the MBA program at DePaul University in Chicago, then landed a job at Capella University in Minneapolis as faculty chair of the School of Business. Another online school, Kaplan University, recently named Rodriguez assistant dean of its Graduate School of Management.
Texas-born Rodriguez moved with his family of migrant workers to St. Paul when he was four years old. His early experiences inspired Rodriguez to volunteer his time and talents to such professional development organizations as the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), and Menttium, where he provides mentoring services.
Rodriguez brought his skills in the field of human resources at Target, 3M, and Amoco, to his own consulting firm, Astira Group, which specializes in talent management, human resource strategy, diversity, and corporate culture. An accomplished writer, Rodriguez is working on his first book, “Latino Talent: Effective Strategies to Recruit, Retain, and Develop Hispanic Professionals.” He also enjoys spending time with his wife and their two young sons.
