In this monthly column, we’re catching up with some of our most memorable teen programs participants who are now busy fulfilling their potential and changing the world!
You may know her as Kenia Rodriguez, Step Up alumna and current DePaul University sophomore.
For now.
Soon, you may call her Attorney Kenia Rodriguez, Dr. Rodriguez, or State Representative Rodriguez.
Yes, Kenia dreams big and dreams frequently.
She traces this back to her childhood and the influence of her father, who had high expectations of Kenia and her younger sister Marilyn. “My dad expected so much from us,” she recalls. “My sister and I grew up competing, always trying to win that approval and reward.” she recalls.
Soon, Kenia and Marilyn were students at North-Grand High School. Marilyn, a freshman, quickly joined Step Up. During a recruitment effort, Step Up offered a prize to the teen who could bring in the most potential members. So Kenia, a sophomore, begrudgingly agreed to attend with Marilyn. “I went in and fell in love with the people and the program,” Kenia says.
One of the first Step Up programs Kenia experienced was the “I Dream To…” Mentor Day. Through this Step Up program and others, Kenia was connected with two mentors – Kristen Burger, then the principal designer and production manager of Crescendo Apparel LLC, and Julie Burgener, a partner at Troutman Sanders LLP at the time. Both women inspired Kenia in a way that has stuck with her over the years. “I already had an idea that I might want to be a lawyer, but Julie has been guiding me since I met her,” Kenia says.
Beyond introducing her to mentors, Step Up offered Kenia two paid summer internships during high school. One was with Hitachi Consulting, the global business and IT consulting company. She also interned for Kirkland & Ellis LLP in the law firm’s human resources department. “I feel like I got an inside scoop on HR because I was able to sift through recruiting and application materials,” Kenia says. “I’m more prepared now when I go on interviews.”
Besides her internship experiences, Kenia also brought her mentorship relationship with Julie to college with her. “When I was first going into DePaul, I thought I had to major in law in order to be a lawyer. I didn’t know I had a choice. Julie recommended that I major in a different but related topic and then make plans to attend law school. So I took her advice and am studying political science and psychology. She also talked to me about law school, different career possibilities, and that where you go to law school matters and helps define your job opportunities.”
Kenia attends DePaul as a Gates Millennium Scholar, having been selected as one of 1,000 talented members of the nation’s Class of 2012. The selection process included submitting eight essays, which Kenia perfected during her Step Up programs. “At Step Up, we had the chance to work with a volunteer who helped us with essay writing and editing,” she remembers. “This helped me prepare my application for the Gates Millennium Scholars program. I also got my required letters of recommendation through Step Up!”
The scholarship, worth nearly $250,000, covers up to 10 years of school, but excludes law and medical school. “So I think I will use my scholarship to get a masters degree in psychology first, before going to law school,” Kenia matter-of-factly explains.
Kenia credits Step Up with teaching her how to network. “I was shy,” she reflects. “I wasn’t very comfortable speaking up. I often think of how far I’ve come since those days. Now, I sometimes serve as a guest speaker at Step Up events and speak in front of my Step Up sisters and women. I would have never been able to do that before. I continue to use these skills every day.”
Case in point: Kenia is a member of DePaul’s mock trial team, competing against other colleges. She is also a member of the Peer Health Exchange, and is trained and certified to teach health class to high school freshmen. In her “spare” time, she is the event planning intern on Illinois State Representative hopeful Will Guzzardi’s campaign. “Working on this campaign is very inspiring,” Kenia says. “He first ran for office when he was 24 years old and lost by 125 votes. I admired how he wanted to try again, and I wanted to be a part of that effort. Now, I’m actually thinking about running someday myself!”
Kenia acknowledges that her many interests keep her busy during her college days. “I want to do a million things,” she says. “I want to try everything! I even talked to my mentor Julie about this. Julie changed her career because of Step Up. She wanted to be a good example for Step Up girls. She realized that she was no longer passionate about being an attorney, so she made a change for herself. This was a good lesson for me to see – try different things until you find what makes you happy.”
Through takeaways like this, Kenia keeps Step Up in her heart each day. “When I go back and speak at Step Up events, women come up and tell me they are proud of me – and I don’t even know them personally. If I can inspire women I’ve never met, women who are five, 10, 15 years older than me, think of how much of a difference I can make for people in my daily life.”
Yes, Kenia dreams big, and we can’t wait to see where her dreams take her.
Interviewed and profiled by Step Up Staff member Alissa Zito
Let Kenia know she has your continued support by leaving her a comment below!
