For Matilde Rodriguez, making a difference “is not a ‘once in a while’ type thing." "It’s something you do every day, every time you encounter someone else,” she says. Through her life experiences and being an University Center Ambassador, Matilde has learned the power of a simple gesture: a warm welcome, a bright smile, a quick ‘Hi!’ or ‘How are you?’

No matter what the activity, Matilde employs kindness, compassion, and respect to move people in positive directions. She has used these interpersonal skills on behalf of numerous volunteer organizations and programs, ranging from Volunteer Dearborn and Alternative Spring Break to Bring Your Child to Work Day and the Campus Video Network, where she served as project manager, advertising manager, and associate producer.

A graduate of the Blueprints Leadership Program and the Multicultural Immersion Program, Matilde is also a stellar student. As a freshman, she received the Chancellor’s Scholarship, a full ride academic scholarship awarded to freshmen who have a GPA of 4.0 or higher at the time of admission.