Dean of Student Success and Professor, Michael Goodwin, with graduate Nicole Rodriguez
Nicole Rodriguez, BPS
Commencement Speaker – Class of 2025
Audrey Cohen School for Human Services and Education
Nicole Rodriguez is the embodiment of purpose and the power of transformation. A proud Bronx native and mother of two, Nicole is not only graduating from Metropolitan College of New York with a degree in Human Services—she’s taking the stage as one of this year’s Commencement Speakers for the Audrey Cohen School for Human Services and Education.
A first-generation college graduate and lifelong public servant, Nicole has spent the past 11 years at Phipps Neighborhoods, a nonprofit committed to empowering low-income communities. Currently serving as a Case Manager and Facilitator in the Workforce and Education Department, she supports adult learners as they navigate career transitions, gain job readiness skills, and rediscover their potential. “My job is to meet people where they are and help them move forward—with dignity, with hope, and with real tools,” she says.
Nicole Rodriguez with daughter Leilani, 20 years old, and studying to become a civil engineer. Her son Nicolas, 17 years old, aspires to study computer programming.
That mission is personal. Nicole’s path hasn’t been linear, and like many of the clients she now serves, she once faced barriers that made returning to school seem out of reach. With a daughter already in college and a son preparing to follow, the cost of higher education was daunting. It was a colleague, a fellow MCNY alum, who introduced her to the Welfare to Careers Project. That introduction changed her life.
She enrolled at MCNY in 2022 and never looked back. Drawn to the College’s Purpose-Centered Education model, Nicole immediately saw how her classroom learning could be applied in real time to her work. “MCNY didn’t just teach me theory—it gave me the tools to do better, to serve better, and to lead,” says Nicole.
But it wasn’t easy. While managing her caseload and coursework, Nicole also guided her teenage son through a challenging high school transition. She secured mental health resources, advocated for a better learning environment, and stayed present for her family while completing her degree with academic honors.
Her journey is one of rising again and again. Nicole graduated as the salutatorian of her associate program and was awarded a competitive $10,000 scholarship that helped fuel her return to higher education. Now, as she prepares to graduate with her bachelor’s degree, she steps into a new spotlight as a voice for her class.
Earning her degree from MCNY has been nothing short of life-changing for Nicole Rodriguez. It gave her more than academic credentials—it gave her confidence, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose. At Phipps Neighborhoods, she found that MCNY’s Purpose-Centered Education model aligned perfectly with her day-to-day work in human services, allowing her to immediately apply what she learned in the classroom to uplift others in her community. Her degree deepened her understanding of systemic challenges, sharpened her ability to lead with empathy, and opened doors to opportunities she once thought were out of reach. While balancing work, parenting, and school, she persevered through personal and professional challenges, emerging more empowered than ever. It transformed how she sees herself, not just as a case manager, but as an advocate and a leader. With this degree, Nicole stepped fully into her power, ready to inspire and lead others on their own paths to purpose.
Nicole takes the stage to receive her diploma!
On June 14, Nicole Rodriguez took to the commencement stage for the first time as a graduate and a voice for every student who balanced work, family, and ambition to reach this moment. She speaks for those who came back, who kept going, and who now rise…together.
