USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Biographical Sketch

Sonia Rodriguez has over twenty years of experience in the areas of recruitment, admissions, fellowships and program management at the University of Southern California. She currently serves as the Senior Administrator for the Department of American Studies and Ethnicity. Prior to that, Ms. Rodriguez served 13 years as the Director of Fellowships and Minority Affairs for the Graduate School, where she was responsible for the coordination of USC's All-University Predoctoral Diversity Fellowship and the financial management of over $4 million dollars in student aid funds. She often advises students and groups on fellowships and other types of student aid and volunteers her time to participate in a variety of efforts to help underrepresented students, like the California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education. This California native found her seven-year tenure as mentor through the Fulfillment Fund among her most rewarding experiences. Sonia served as the 75th President of the California Junior Chamber (Jaycees), where she has been a member for over eighteen years. Sonia was a HOPE Leadership Institute Graduate in 2001 and received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts and Sciences at the University of Southern California in 1990. In her spare time, Sonia enjoys dancing salsa and is an avid Trojan Football Fan.