Sometimes God’s plans for us change the entire trajectory of our careers, and for Monica Rodriguez, MAEd ’19, her plan to work as a school counselor led her to working in Hollywood with the world’s biggest brands and A-list talent. Rodriguez earned her MA in Education with an emphasis in educational counseling at Azusa Pacific University. When her time working as a counselor was disrupted by the pandemic, Rodriguez found herself falling back on networking skills she learned at APU and using those to further her career goals.
Rodriguez’s APU experience was defined by the close relationships and mentorship she cultivated with her professors. During her time of personal challenges while completing her MA, Michelle Cox, PhD, stepped up as a mentor in her life. “Dr. Cox showed me inner strengths I had that I didn’t even know about myself,” Rodriguez said. “She has continued to be my mentor since I graduated and has positively impacted my life.” Rodriguez credits her counseling skills to field mentor and professor Meng Hin Mark Lim, whom she studied under during her counseling hours as well as Heather Maguire, who mentored Rodriguez's counseling fieldwork and psychology classes.
Something Rodriguez learned from her professors was to always be curious and strive
to become a lifelong learner. She earned an MS in Leadership while working her way
through several industries starting as an intern at Facebook and moving to corporate,
studio, startup, major brands, and finally into the film industry.
Rodriguez credits her confidence in the workplace to APU. She said that the university’s community and Christian values helped her to become a leader and guided her on her path with confidence. This has also helped her continue to hold onto her strong values of integrity, grace, and professionalism in her career.
Rodriguez works with top film executives in the industry and finds ways to bring everyone together so that projects run smoothly. She also serves on the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. “APU taught me to serve with integrity and faith, so I joined the Hollywood Chamber to be a servant leader,” Rodriguez said. “I find value in community building, and my work allows me to continually learn, network, and serve my community.”
APU taught Rodriguez the importance of being a servant leader and leading with faith. “I know that I belong in the room with other successful leaders, and APU equipped me with that confidence,” she said. “I want to carry on that legacy of being a servant leader by serving underrepresented communities and being a mentor.” Rodriguez works with many nonprofits, primarily serving the Latino community. As a first generation college student and single mother, Rodriguez faced many challenges and lacked a support system until coming to APU. “I love giving my time to nonprofits because I wanted someone to be there for me when I was struggling, so I want to be there for others,” she said. “APU taught me to be a servant leader, so I continually uphold those values in everything I do.”