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Joanna Rodriguez
UT-Pan American
Joanna Rodriguez
Raymondville, TX
Freshman, Speech Pathology/Business Administration Major, at UT Pan American
Financial Sources
Job: Cashier, Academy Sports and Outdoors & Work-study program, Office of Financial Aid
Financial Aid & Scholarships: Federal Pell Grant, TEXAS Grant (Toward Excellence, Access and Success Program), TPEG (Texas Public Education Grant)
Joanna's Story
As a student worker in The University of Texas-Pan American financial aid office, Joanna Rodriguez – the first in her family to go to college – has made it her mission to help other students learn the financial aid process.
“I think that I can relate to the students more because I know what they are going through,” Rodriguez said.
She said learning the deadlines and becoming familiar with the types of financial aid available is crucial for students who need assistance paying for their education. Since she began working at UTPA’s financial aid office, Rodriguez said she has helped numerous students, including her brother and his friends, navigate their way through the complex system.
“I definitely like helping the students and helping them find solutions to their problems,” she said.
And no other student knows the system better given her first-hand experience in applying for aid. Because of the help she received from her high school counselor and UTPA financial aid advisers, Rodriguez said she was able to qualify for assistance that paid 100 percent of her tuition and fees, plus books.
Even with the aid, Rodriguez, who is taking 15 hours, said it is difficult to pay for the extras such as rent, food and other necessities needed to survive the college experience, but she is managing. Besides her work-study job, she also works as a cashier, which helps with living expenses. At times, her parents contribute what they can to make sure their daughter stays focused on earning her degree.
“My parents always tell me that I am setting a good example for my siblings, and in the end it is all going to be worth it,” she said.
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