Psychology Alumna Gives Back to UCF Transfer Students
Diana Rodriguez ‘18 currently serves as the Academic Support Coordinator at UCF Connect. As a former transfer student from Miami Dade College in 2016, Rodgriguez understands the needs of transfer students. She graduated from UCF with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2018. The College of Sciences Marketing team sat down with Rodriguez to learn more about her time at UCF as both a student and staff member.
How did the Psychology program at UCF influence your career and shape you into who you are today?
The psychology program at UCF was definitely my safe haven. I even joke with people who pass by the Psychology building with me by saying that I used to live there. There was a lot of support and resources available to guide you. I got involved in the Psychological Society during my 2nd semester and eventually became the president. I wanted to pay it forward and help students who may have felt overwhelmed (I know I sure was).
How are you applying what you learned in your Psychology studies to your career?
A big part of what I do is analyze patterns and behaviors and find new approaches to tackling issues. Things as simple as verbiage can make a significant difference. Words have power, and it is imperative to look at how we use them to prime our target demographic. Collaboration is the key to our success, and I have been fortunate enough to work with various departments, including UCF’s HR Learning & Organizational Effectiveness team, and even other institutions, such as our six state college partners.
What advice do you have for Psychology students?
My advice is not to be afraid of making connections. What helped me survive my academic career was teaming up with peers to study together, joining clubs, visiting advisors in the Psychology building and networking with anyone and everyone in the field. Teamwork truly makes the dream work. I also volunteered with NAMIGO – National Alliance on Mental Illness in Greater Orlando as part of my Service Learning course, and that really opened a lot of doors for me to create meaningful collaborations. Take advantage of any and every opportunity and resource you have available to you.