Young alumnus of NIU Business ~ Eduardo Rodriguez

At age 16, Eduardo Rodriguez, of Elgin, watched as his parents (who came to America from Mexico 30 years ago) lost their home. He vowed then to attend college so he could better provide for his family and himself.

To help pay for that education, he enlisted in the Army National Guard, which not only provided college benefits but also appealed to his sense of patriotism. The experience also taught him about discipline and leadership. When he transferred to NIU, he put those skills to work as president of the Association of Information Technology Professionals where he increased membership tenfold and helped create professional development events which drew up to 100 students.

He had similar energy for his studies. He served on a team that provided consulting services to Caterpillar; worked an internship; and participated in an international business seminar that took him to England and France. He graduated with a degree in Operations Management and Information Systems and a minor in business analytics and expects to earn a graduate degree in accountancy from NIU in December 2020. He hopes his NIU education will help him rise to the rank of captain within the National Guard and one day allow him to lead his own business and to care for his family.

Reposted from the NIU newsroom: “Student stories highlight excellence of 2019 graduating class”

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