Her Story
About Carla
Carla Rodriguez is an education and community outreach professional with three years of experience in higher education. She currently serves as an Enrollment Counselor at Galen College of Nursing, assisting incoming students with enrollment processes, appointments, and ensuring clinical compliance for their programs. Her prior roles include serving as an Education Coordinator for the City of San Antonio, where she led a writing challenge project focused on personal stories about road safety that received 30 submissions in 2025 and 50 in 2026. She also worked as a student grader for English assignments at the University of Texas at San Antonio, providing feedback to help students improve. Rodriguez holds a degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio as a transfer student from community college and is pursuing a Public Administration Certificate in leadership, expected to finish in spring 2027, along with non-credit courses at West Los Angeles Community College to prepare for a graduate program in environmental science. She attributes her success to seeking opportunities with like-minded groups for continuous learning, networking, and maintaining an open mind. Rodriguez values being fully present with loved ones, prioritizing education, and mental health, and advises women entering higher education to embrace change and adapt.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Carla
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think it's seeking opportunities to join groups of like-minded people to always improve through learning, and then networking. Having an open mind.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
To join networking and career development opportunities, whether through school, volunteer opportunities, or through work. You get so much connections, resources, and you could find jobs just by meeting people and talking to them. Expanding your network is one of the most valuable things.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
For women entering in higher education specifically, to be open to change, because a lot of things have been changing in education lately. In order to be prepared, just to expect change and adapt. Because that is how you are going to be the most prepared and learn the most.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenges include constant changes at Galen College of Nursing, requiring keeping up with rules to remain compliant, and managing workload by being more organized and asking for help. Opportunities include a lot of learning, training as enrollment counselor on handling different situations and students, mentored by team lead and coworkers.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my personal life, to just be present with the ones that you love. Leave work at work. When you come home, you don't want to just give them what's left of you. You want to be fully present. Education is a huge value for me as well as taking care of your mental health.
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