Daniel Rodrigues
Bristol Community College
Daniel Rodrigues is currently a student at Bristol Community College in the midst of completing his Associate's Degree in Business Administration. Daniel began his career at Bristol in the Fall of 2015 and quickly immersed himself in the campus community with the same enthusiasm, sense of pride, and investment that he has put into his community outside of the college for many years. In his short time at the College, Daniel has become Vice President of the Student Senate, Chair of the Giving Tree Campaign, A member of the Domestic Violence Awareness Club, and a campus Student Ambassador.
Daniel is an ambitious young man who aspires to do good in his community while doing well personally and professionally; successfully managing his coursework, a job and extensive community involvement. A passionate advocate for youth and the arts, Daniel has spent countless hours volunteering to sustain the theater program at his former high school as well as local theater troupes throughout Rhode Island. His service to the local Community Theater earned him a President's Volunteer Service Award from the Corporation for National and Community Service in 2016.
Personal Statement
Being involved with my community and begin able to give back to it are core values for me. During my Senior year of High School I began directing theater productions as the theatrical director was stepping down and it looked as though the program would just simply disappear. Reflecting on the warmth and sense of belonging I found in the program during my high school tenure, I felt both a draw and an obligation to help ensure that others could follow their passions and enjoy that same sense of belonging. I spent each summer building the program until it was restored, and I continue to dedicate my own time to directing and set designing for multiple theatrical troupes in Rhode Island, including the Portsmouth Community Theater where I volunteered between 10 and 15 hours per week last summer and continue volunteering today. What's more, many of the youth I've worked with have expressed new direction in life, as the sense of belonging they've felt and the memories they've created are unlike any other and have inspired them to dream bigger. I cannot begin to express the feeling I have knowing that something I did impacted others so positively.
