Manuel Rodriguez serves as the Director of Early College Outreach & Campus Visits at Central Washington University, where he leads efforts focused on college access, student engagement, and higher education outreach for middle and high school students and their families. Through his work, Manuel helps create meaningful opportunities for prospective students to step onto a college campus, experience university life firsthand, and begin to envision themselves pursuing higher education in the future. In his current role, he also co-leads first-generation student initiatives at the university, helping create programs, support systems, and opportunities that empower first-generation students to successfully navigate and thrive in higher education.
Manuel earned a bachelor’s degree in Law & Justice and Foreign Languages (Spanish) from Central Washington University and a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Heritage University. With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, Manuel’s work has spanned federally funded programs and grants, student development and leadership, community engagement, and educational access initiatives. Throughout his career, he has remained committed to supporting students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds while helping them recognize and pursue opportunities in higher education.
As a first-generation college student himself, Manuel is deeply passionate about mentoring students and families through the college-going process. He believes that while this work can be challenging, it is both necessary and incredibly rewarding, and remains dedicated to creating pathways that increase access, belonging, and student success in higher education.
Manuel Rodriguez
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