Hispanic Heritage Month Student Spotlight: Yvonne Rodriguez

John Hill — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 13:01:52 +0000

To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is profiling students who receive a League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) scholarship. Meet Yvonne Rodriguez, a junior political science and sociology major and business management minor. Why have you decided to go into political science and sociology? I am interested in going into law, so these majors would greatly aid my endeavors in the future. I hope to become an immigration and family lawyer. I am also hoping to manage my own firm and other business ventures. What made you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I chose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock because of the low cost of attendance and the close proximity to my family. Family is an important part of my life. What organizations and clubs are you involved in on campus? I am the outreach director for Young Democrats, senator at large for Student Government Association, and a mentor for the peer mentor program. I am also in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Art Club as well as LULAC. What do you hope to do after graduation? I plan to go to law school. I have not decided where yet, but I am thinking about UT-Austin School of Law. Why do you think it is important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? It is always important to celebrate one’s culture and be proud of where one comes from. With awareness comes tolerance and acceptance from people of different backgrounds and ethnicities. How did you first hear about LULAC, and which scholarship were you awarded? I heard of LULAC through a friend. I didn’t know ��Vlog��ý Little Rock had an organization specifically for Latino students. My initial impression was that it allowed Latino students to express themselves in light of specific issues the Latino community goes through. I was awarded $1,000 through the LULAC National Scholarship. I was probably selected because I am involved in the Latino community, from volunteering to translating at hospitals, supporting our street vendors, and volunteering at other organizations in Little Rock. My family is low-income too, so the financial need is there. How did your family react to the news that you were selected? They were beyond proud. I have received other scholarships, but the LULAC scholarship had a more significant impact because it uplifted our community. My mom says if one prospers, all of us prosper, and this scholarship represents unity in our community. I am incredibly grateful to LULAC for the scholarship. I will be putting it to good use.

Donaghey Scholar readies for next step in her future

Fri, 10 May 2019 14:07:08 +0000

When Julie O’Hara graduates on May 11, she will leave behind a legacy of success at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. With an acceptance to the University of Pittsburgh in hand, her energy is focused on a future in international politics. O’Hara, a political science major from Little Rock, has been involved in local politics since she was a teenager. “I actually started volunteering with the Democratic Party or Arkansas when I was 14,” O’Hara said. “I worked with various campaigns. Through those interactions, I realized how much I enjoyed getting to talk to the community.” As a high schooler, O’Hara decided to attend ��Vlog��ý Little Rock after hearing about her older sister’s experience as a Donaghey Scholar. “My oldest sister went through the Donaghey program, so I had a really good idea about what I would get out of it,” O’Hara said. “One of my favorite things about it was the Socratic-style classes that let you actually discuss the material rather than have it lectured to you.” O’Hara has had the opportunity to present her research at multiple national conferences. “I attended the Southern Political Science Association’s conference twice, once to present research that I worked on in a methods course and again to present my final project for the Donaghey Scholars Program,” O’Hara said.

Julia O’Hara, who is graduating from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in political science, stands outside the Senate chambers in the Arkansas State Capitol building. Photo by Ben Krain.

Throughout her time as a student, O’Hara has continued to be active in state politics, thanks to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s location in Arkansas’s capital city. “Having grown up in Little Rock, I knew the opportunities for studying politics that I would get here,” O’Hara said. “I had built up connections through volunteering and internships.” When reflecting on her time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, O’Hara points to her interactions with its non-traditional student body as one of the university’s biggest strengths. “We have such a nontraditional student body,” she said. “At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, you get diversity in ideas and experiences.” After finishing her Ph.D. in political science, O’Hara plans to continue her research in international politics at a professional level.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Hispanic Heritage Month Student Spotlight: Yvonne Rodriguez

Donaghey Scholar readies for next step in her future

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock