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David Rodriguez, senior clerk in the Office of the Bursar, won a coveted raffle prize and gained some rewarding knowledge when he attended a Professionalism workshop provided by the Professional Development Committee this summer. The committee is dedicated to providing staff with a variety of tools they can employ to provide a more professional outlook and approach when working with students, families, and colleagues.

Rodriguez puts his professionalism skills to use every day, guiding students through the bill payment process. “Making sure that the student doesn’t have any difficulty before starting school is something I take seriously,” he said. “I love helping students. I love seeing them walk away with a smile on their face. Hearing ‘Thank you for your help’ is one of the most rewarding things while doing this job.”

One of the most important things he was reminded of at the training was that students need to be understood, respected and treated as adults. “While a lot of the students we interact with are relatively young,” he said, “they want, and need, to be heard and treated as individuals.”

In addition to his commitment to students, Rodriguez has another position that he holds close to his heart – he serves in the Air National Guard. “I love serving my country,” he said. “I’m proud to serve my country. Along with helping students in the bursar’s office, serving in the Air National Guard is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.” He noted that many of the professionalism skills É«ÀÇÉçÇø promotes are similar to those that are instilled in his work with the Air Guard.

While the workshop emphasized skills he’s putting to use in his day-to-day work, Rodriguez also confessed, “The best part of the training was I just loved interacting with the people that I work with. Sure, we regularly email and call each other, but having some in-person time with my colleagues totally makes it all worthwhile.” 

Rodriguez says that given the opportunity, he will attend a future workshop – and the Professional Development Committee is always adding new programs! Check out the dates for featured trainings, which include business writing, conflict resolution, and communication skills: