Angelina Rodriguez

CHCI Public Policy Fellow
Hometown: Elsa, Texas
School: The University of Texas at San Antonio
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Politics & Law
Placement: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions

Angelina Rodriguez (she/her/ella) is a native of the culturally rich border region of South Texas recognized as the Rio Grande Valley. A proud product of the Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District, she was raised by a single parent in a predominantly Hispanic, rural, and low-income area. Her personal experiences shaped her view on the importance of public policy that is representative of underserved communities’ struggles. As a result, she is passionate about advancing opportunities for upward socioeconomic mobility for individuals within these groups, especially Latinos.

Angelina earned a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Law with minors in Global Affairs and Legal Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Throughout her undergraduate career, she engaged in student-oriented advocacy through various on-campus leadership roles, including her capacities as a student government representative and Resident Assistant. Her contributions to the “Low-to-No-Cost Textbooks” and “Weekly Wellness” initiatives, measures aimed at addressing economic disparities and holistic health concerns among the university’s student population, were adopted and endured past her graduation from the institution.

Beyond academia, Angelina has established expertise across legal, education, nonprofit, and government sectors. Through her work as a remedial education tutor, legal administrative assistant, government affairs intern, and legislative intern in both nonprofit and congressional offices, she has developed a strong interdisciplinary foundation that has reinforced her commitment to public service and legislative policymaking. Most recently, Angelina was selected as the sole recipient of the Council for Opportunity in Education’s Thomas R. Wolanin Congressional Internship, a national award that provides one TRIO alumnus annually with the opportunity to intern in a congressional office while advocating for the longevity and expansion of TRIO programs.

With the guidance of CHCI and its partnering organizations, Angelina looks forward to drawing on her background to support initiatives–both educational and beyond–that uplift first- generation, low-income, and Latino communities.