Metzin Aketzali Rodríguez Cardoso Oral History Interview

Metzin Aketzali Rodríguez Cardoso (she/her/hers) was a senior at Oregon State University at the time of the interview. Rodríguez was born in Estado de México near Mexico City, and lived in Mexico for most of her childhood. At the age of 14, she moved to Coos Bay, Oregon, with her family. As a junior, Rodríguez was elected Vice President of the Association of Students of Oregon State University (ASOSU) for the year 2020-2021. She made history in the process, as she became part of the university’s first all-female-of-color presidency and vice-presidency team alongside ASOSU President Isabel Nuñez Pérez.

In her interview, Rodríguez discusses her struggles with imposter syndrome as an engineering student, and the importance of representation for people of color in STEM. She goes on to share how she found support and community in the College of Agricultural Sciences, and the importance that this plays, regardless of your major. Rodríguez also talks about her experiences in a variety of organizations across campus. She addresses her involvement with two organizations – Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANNRS), and the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) – which helped her learn professionalism and career development. She also discusses her time working as a tour guide for the OSU Office of Admissions.

Rodríguez likewise shares some of the goals and aspirations that led her to run for office, including her desire to pave the way for more people of color to make a difference at Oregon State University and beyond. She also reflects on how an ASOSU investigation into her leadership affected her, and the implications of the investigation for the future of OSU.