Sofia Rodriguez

2021 Newman Family Scholarship Recipient

My name is Sofia Rodriguez and I will be a senior this upcoming Fall 2021. I am originally from the Twin Cities area and graduated from Wayzata High School in 2018. I am majoring in Political Science and International Studies with a focus on global security, as well as pursuing a certificate in Gender and Women’s Studies.

My experience staying with a host family in the capital of Colombia is one that has stuck with me and colored my decision to choose International Studies as my major. Through this opportunity, I learned how wonderful it is to get to know a place different from home and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about my host family’s way of life and culture. On this trip, my school group and I also volunteered at the local

community center. We spent the day with the kids of the community, painting the center, playing futbol, and getting to know one another. It was a special experience that reminded me of the importance of cultural exchange.

More broadly, I’ve always had an interest in international affairs which led me to sign up for the introductory International Studies course with Professor Katie Jensen. The class was fascinating and from that day forward I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in International Studies.

This summer I am interning for The Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, a regional U.S. Department of Defense Institute. As an intern, I am taking a course that gives an introduction to security issues in the Indo-Pacific region. I will also be working on projects with the faculty members which will be an extraordinary chance to learn from the Center’s talented and knowledgeable professors. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to look more in-depth at topics like environmental security, climate change, humanitarian assistance, and conflict resolution.

After graduation, I hope to work in a government or non-profit position and use this time to explore what Master’s degree I would like to pursue. At the moment, I am considering a Master’s in International Policy, Law, or Political Science. After not being able to study abroad due to the pandemic, I would love to obtain my Master’s in an international program.

I want to thank Molly Donnellan for informing me of this opportunity, Professor Katie Jensen for cultivating my knowledge in the International Studies field, and the Newman family for this incredible opportunity.