Liz Rodriguez

Biography

Liz joined the CAASS team in October 2021. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, and her Master of Social Work degree at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). During her time as a student employee at UTEP, Liz used her experience as a first-generation college student to assist freshman students in navigating the often-intimidating higher education system. While pursuing her MSW, Liz completed internships with La Clinica De Familia in Las Cruces and the El Paso Independent School District where she worked with children K-12 in accessing mental health services. Upon completing graduate school, Liz relocated to Indiana to work with criminal justice researchers through Florida State University. Speaking with incarcerated individuals and their families opened her eyes to the many injustices they face as survivors of carceral systems in the United States. Liz decided to return to the Southwest border region during the COVID-19 pandemic to be with her family and she is incredibly excited to resume working with university students.

Book an Appointment ►

Why did you become an academic advisor?

I was a first-generation college student from an immigrant family, and I didn't know the ins and outs of college. I was afraid to ask questions for fear of judgement, and didn't even know what questions to ask or who to even ask them to. I felt like I was 'floating' and wished someone would ask me what I was doing or what I envisioned for my future. As I advanced in my degrees, I learned more about higher education and I felt like I needed to share my knowledge with others. Now, in my role as an academic advisor, I try to educate my students about the possibilities they can explore here at NMSU, and try to get them thinking and planning for what's next. At the very least, I want my students to feel like they have someone rooting for them.

Why/how did you decide what you wanted to major in in college?

I majored in Psychology because I thought it was the best degree to fulfill my desire to help others and be around people. At the time, I didn't realize I would most likely need to pursue graduate school to achieve my goals. While I am glad I have this background along my MSW, I now know there are so many other capacities in which we can help others!

Did you face any challenges while in college?

One of my biggest challenges was my constant comparison to my peers because I began to feel insecure about how 'slow' I was going and felt pressure to be busy at all times. This was not sustainable for me as I didn't have healthy eating or sleeping habits and began losing some of my hair. I spoke with my mentor and she reminded me that college is not about achieving a lifetime of accolades in four years, but it is meant to gain experience and enjoy learning at your own pace!