Grace Christian Graduate Returns Home to Support Community

Recent graduate Emily Rodriguez is experiencing a moment when life comes full circle. As a child growing up in Indiana, she was blessed to attend a school that provided additional support for students of diverse backgrounds. Instruction in English when coming from a predominantly Spanish speaking home can come with unique challenges, and this was the circumstance for Emily. Aides in the classroom helped her overcome these difficulties and achieve success. The important role these educators played in the life of Rodriguez served as a strong foundation and is fueling a passion to do the same for others.

After high school, Rodriguez sought to study Music at a Christian college. This interest brought her to the campus of Grace Christian University where she spent two years in the Music, Worship, and Technology program. Midway through her studies, she felt led to missions and outreach and transitioned to Global Communication, the program in which she earned her degree. Rodriguez took advantage of various student opportunities, in addition to her academic studies, and was a well-known and respected figure. Her role as a Resident Advisor to female students showed her strength as a leader, and in her final year she accepted a position as a Community Life Intern to serve her community in a larger capacity. Loving others is something she does well, and with a gentle heart and bold spirit, she is entering a different type of classroom this fall.

After completing her degree, she entertained a few choices for relocation. Her heart called her back home and an internet search led to an employment application at her childhood school. Within hours she was invited to interview and shortly thereafter learned her mission field would be her hometown. The offer to come back to where her education began as a child was a surprise, though she knows it is exactly what God designed for her at this stage of life. "I want these kids to feel empowered and to increase their knowledge. Regardless of the language they speak or how they are viewed by others, they are capable. I am one of the few who got to go to college, who had a chance to study anything higher than a high school diploma" Rodriguez shared. She hopes these children see in her the possibility of reaching for goals beyond what they have ever seen. As a first-generation college student, her perseverance and success is important because it allows her to help support her mom who sacrificed so much for her. "She overcame so much for me to have the opportunities I do, and now I want to be able to be there for her."

Grace Christian University is excited to announce a new Online Bilingual Associate of Arts in Social Science degree that is currently enrolling students.