Mike Rodriguez, FCRH ’27, a political science major with a minor in Arabic, took an unexpected leap in his student government journey this past September, becoming the vice president of Facilities and Dining. A short-lived stint as a senator for Fordham University’s Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) quickly transitioned into a more substantial role when a vacancy opened in Facilities and Dining.
“I think my leadership qualities come from wanting to improve things,” Rodriguez said. “I want to take charge for the positive.” Not long after he joined the USG, he saw the opportunity to do more for the Fordham community. After witnessing a period of silence when USG’s executive leadership inquired about interest in the role, Rodriguez decided to take action.
He says one of his key strengths is his ability to listen and delegate. “A lot of people are always complaining about something, but not many do anything. I hear the issues of my friends and people around campus, and I realized that I could do something to improve things,” he said. His past leadership experiences in high school, at work as a lifeguard and now at Fordham have all shaped his approach to getting things done efficiently.
Rodriguez has wasted no time making an impact. Though he has only held the position for a little over a month, one of his major priorities has been food safety, an issue that became personal after a troubling incident in the cafeteria early in his tenure. “I was served what looked like raw pork. It didn’t sit right with me, so I started asking questions,” Rodriguez recalled. After consulting with Fordham’s sanitarian and dining liaisons, he was reassured that food safety protocols were being followed. Still, he felt compelled to ensure that students felt the same level of trust he had developed. “The reputation of Fordham dining can be negative, but I wanted students to feel assured that food safety is taken seriously,” he said.
Rodriguez has also tackled practical issues like menu consistency and accessibility at Fordham’s dining locations. “We’ve made sure that menu items at places like the Chomp Truck are actually being sold as advertised,” he said. Looking forward, he aims to address issues surrounding accessibility on campus, including the need for more accessible doors.
Balancing his USG duties with his commitments as a member of Fordham men’s crew team and the Alumni Relations Director for the team has been a challenging task, but one Rodriguez welcomes. “I love being busy,” he said, explaining how he manages his time to maintain academic success and stay involved with extracurricular activities. He credits his time management skills with helping him juggle the various demands on his schedule, noting the importance of sleep and self-care.
Rodriguez is also committed to ensuring that Fordham’s facilities meet the needs of students. While acknowledging that major infrastructural changes are difficult given the age of the buildings, he is determined to address the small but important changes that make a difference in student life.
One of his initiatives is increasing transparency through more frequent, open-style meetings. “We’re doing something new this year — general meetings that are like town halls. We’re inviting the entire student body to participate and share their thoughts,” said Rodriguez. These efforts reflect his broader goal of making the committee’s work more accessible to students and giving them a voice in decisions affecting their day-to-day campus experience.
Though still early in his role, Rodriguez looks forward to continued progress. “I think we’re doing a great job so far,” he said, confident in the changes already implemented and the ones still to come.
