By Adriana Betancourt
Marco A. Rodriguez’s career has been shaped by service, resilience and a deep commitment to helping others grow. As a first-generation college graduate, U.S. Navy veteran and accomplished leader in sales, fintech and executive leadership, Rodriguez has built a career rooted in discipline, adaptability and lifelong learning.
Q: As a first-generation professional, what challenges did you face navigating college and your career?
A: As a first-generation professional, the biggest challenge wasn’t intelligence or work ethic, it was learning the unwritten rules. I didn’t grow up with step-by-step instructions for college or corporate careers, so I had to figure out everything from how to advocate for myself to how to build relationships and understand how decisions get made behind the scenes.
My path was different. I didn’t go straight to college, I started in the U.S. Navy, attending FAA Air Traffic Control training in Tennessee. That experience built discipline, accountability and the ability to perform under pressure. When I later transitioned into college, I was stepping into a completely different environment without a clear playbook.
Because of that, I became very intentional about my growth. I went on to earn my MBA degree through NIU’s One-Year MBA Chicago format in 2020 and continued investing in myself through executive education. Along the way, I had to learn a lot through experience. In college and early in my career, I didn’t always know which opportunities mattered most or how to position myself. There was also real pressure to succeed, not just for myself, but for my family. Failure didn’t feel like an option, which can be motivating, but also heavy.
As I progressed in my career, the challenge shifted to confidence and translation. I had to learn how to take my background and communicate it in a way that resonated in corporate environments. Early on, I believed results alone would speak for themselves, so I worked harder than necessary. Over time, I realized that visibility, communication and relationships matter just as much as performance.
Those challenges ultimately became strengths. Being first-generation taught me resilience, adaptability, and the ability to walk into unfamiliar environments and figure things out quickly. It also shaped how I lead today. I’m intentional about mentoring others, opening doors and helping create clarity where there isn’t a clear path. If I can shorten that learning curve for someone else, that’s something I take seriously.
Q: Did you have any mentors at NIU that played a role in your development?
A: Because I completed my MBA through NIU’s One-Year Chicago MBA format, my experience was a bit different from a traditional on-campus student. I didn’t have the same day-to-day exposure to faculty or peers. That said, mentorship still showed up in meaningful ways, just not always in formal structures. I learned from professors who were deeply connected to industry and pushed me to think beyond theory and apply concepts to real-world leadership and business challenges. I also gained a lot from peers who were working professionals, bringing perspectives from finance, operations, technology and public service. Those conversations often had as much impact as what was taught in the classroom.
What that taught me is that mentorship doesn’t always come in the form of a formal advisor. Sometimes it’s a professor challenging your thinking, a peer sharing real experience or a leader you observe along the way.
That perspective has shaped how I lead today. I’m intentional about being accessible, mentoring others and helping create clarity for people navigating nontraditional paths, because I understand what it’s like to build that path yourself.
Q: Looking back, how did your time at NIU help prepare you for your career in sales, fintech and leadership?
A: I came to NIU with several years of professional experience, which made the MBA especially valuable because it allowed me to step back and look at what I was doing through a more strategic lens.
Up to that point, I was executing at a high level, but NIU helped me understand the “why” behind it. It connected the dots between execution and strategy. Courses in finance, operations and organizational leadership sharpened how I think about risk, structure deals and evaluate long-term value, which are critical in sales and fintech. It pushed me to move beyond instinct and experience and start grounding decisions in data, process and a broader business perspective.
That shift has stayed with me. Whether I’m leading teams, managing large enterprise portfolios, or working with financial institutions and technology partners, I approach challenges more holistically. I’m not just thinking about the deal, I’m thinking about the business impact, the client’s strategy and how to create long-term value. That’s really where NIU had the biggest impact. It helped me evolve from being a strong executor to a more strategic leader.
Q: What advice would you give to current NIU students or recent graduates who are navigating uncertainties in their careers?
A: Uncertainty is normal, even if it doesn’t feel that way when you’re in it. Most careers don’t follow a straight line, and that’s not a weakness. That’s where the growth happens. My advice is to focus less on having a perfect plan and more on building skills, relationships and a reputation for how you show up.
Networking is a big part of that, but not in the transactional sense. It’s about building real relationships. Ask thoughtful questions, stay curious and follow up. Reach out to alumni, classmates, professors and professionals whose paths you respect. Those conversations will often open doors you didn’t even know existed. Be intentional about learning beyond the classroom and be opportunistic in the right way. Say yes to opportunities that stretch you, even if they don’t fit neatly into your plan. That’s how you build confidence and discover new paths.
For anyone I mentor, I always ask one thing in return: When you’re in a position to do so, turn around and help someone else. That mindset builds real leadership and a career that’s about more than just personal success. And finally, be patient with yourself. Progress isn’t always obvious in the moment. Stay disciplined, stay curious and keep moving forward. Clarity tends to catch up over time.
Q: What does giving back to NIU and mentoring students mean to you today?
A: Giving back to NIU and mentoring students is personal for me. As a first-generation professional with a nontraditional path, I know what it feels like to navigate college and a career without a clear roadmap. NIU played an important role in shaping how I think about leadership and business, and giving back is a way to honor that.
Mentoring, for me, is about making the path a little clearer for someone else. A lot of students are talented and driven, they just don’t always know how to translate that into opportunity. Sometimes it’s career guidance, sometimes it’s building confidence and sometimes it’s helping someone recognize that their background is actually a strength.
It also keeps me grounded. Being connected to NIU reminds me that leadership comes with responsibility. I’ve been fortunate to learn through experience, and I see it as my role to share that, open doors where I can and support others as they find their way. At the end of the day, it’s about paying it forward. If the people I mentor go on to do the same for someone else, that’s where the real impact is.
Q: Can you share more about your involvement with NIU after graduation and the roles you currently serve in?
A: Today, I stay connected to NIU in a few meaningful ways, primarily through mentoring and supporting students as they navigate early career decisions. I spend time working one-on-one with students, helping them think through career paths, preparing for interviews, refining how they present their experience and building confidence as they transition into the professional world.
I also serve as the College of Business Chair for NIU’s Hispanic Alumni Mentorship Program (HAMP). From an alumni perspective, I help guide the program, but the real energy comes from the Hispanic Business Student Association executive board. They’re an impressive group of student leaders who do a great job organizing, building engagement and creating opportunities for alumni like myself to connect and share real-world insights from careers in sales, fintech and leadership.
Outside of NIU, I serve on the board of directors for Make-A-Wish Illinois and as co-chair for the Chicago Neighborhood Council. Those experiences continue to shape how I think about leadership, service and impact. They reinforce my belief that leadership extends beyond the workplace and that giving back, whether through mentoring, service or advocacy, is a responsibility.
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