Members of the Tuck community reflect on their goals, accomplishments, inspirations, and passions in honor of Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month.
DEI means giving people of all walks of life, backgrounds, and resources a shot, especially if economic and discriminatory reasons prevented that from happening historically. I see it happening in three parts: first, making them aware of the opportunities that exist—because you can’t aim at an unknown—second, equipping them with resources so they can succeed, and third, giving them that chance to step up and show what they’re made of. Unless you do all three, DEI is just lip service.
Climate change and how society and businesses adapt to it is top of mind as a defining issue in the next couple of decades. Right now, some companies are in denial mode; they’re thinking purely short term to maintain the immediate business strategy and meet earnings expectations. So far, naming and shaming hasn’t been enough, all the while we approach a point where everyone, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, will be irrevocably harmed.
We need to implement measures for firms to internalize the cost that has previously been passed onto society as negative byproducts of economic activity so they can’t be ignored. I’m looking closely at carbon pricing and costing methods to see if a standard emerges to help track and sharply decrease carbon output.
A good leader is in service of others and empowers them to succeed, all while conveying a vision of a better path for all to follow. This means that a leader builds reciprocal relationships, does not take credit for others’ success, and spends more time ensuring those around understand the short- and long-term objectives and their value for the organization. Leaders should be impressive, but they shouldn’t be intimidating.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Jeffrey worked at YouTube for three years prior to Tuck, managing music partnerships and content deals in Latin America. Before that, he worked in the legal team at Google for four years structuring content exclusivity partnerships deals in the gaming and music verticals.
Jeffrey holds a B.A. in Political Communication from George Washington University. At Tuck, Jeffrey is a Tuck Admissions Associate, Tuck liaison for the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, director of the Tuck Social Venture Fund, and a fellow at both the Center for Digital Strategies and the Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital.
I spent most of my life being deathly afraid of public speaking. Nothing beats this fear like 10 years of being an educator.
I spent years not knowing what I wanted professionally and feeling inadequate because of it. Looking back, I could have spent less time worrying about what I hadn’t achieved and wondering more about what I wanted to experience.
I define success as being able to live a life of choice and creating spaces where others can do the same.
I believe that the defining issues of the next 20 years will be how climate, tech, and DEI affect the business world. All research and objective data show what our path should be, however, the rate of change is lacking. Those who are able to adapt in the present will be the most successful in the future.
My greatest professional realization has been taking the time to understand my locus of control and not worrying about what’s outside of it.
A New Yorker who relocated to Cambridge, and currently resides in Hanover, my passion for leadership development and intensely curious disposition brought me to Tuck. For the past 10 years, I have been working in and around K-8 education. Whether in the classroom or supporting it, I have been so privileged to learn from great colleagues and leaders.
My family and I moved to the United States from the Dominican Republic when I was 12, forever changing the trajectory of my life. As the son of a single mother of three, I took it upon myself to use education as a gateway to a better life.
While in high school, I relied on a college-prep program, La Vida Scholars, to help me understand the complicated process of attending college. This program allowed me to be the first person in my family to pursue a higher education degree.
Ever since I’ve been blessed with many personal and professional opportunities that have defined the course of my life up to this point and have created the value system I will carry with me post-Tuck.
From an early age, I understood that in order to achieve anything in life, you have to create a support system, even if you don’t have a built-in one, and be as curious as possible to learn from others as you navigate uncharted waters. As a first-generation student, I relied heavily on mentors and sponsors who believed in me and opened doors otherwise I would have never been able to open.
Success means paying forward that mentorship and helping those who need a hand.
I love the Freakonomics podcast. One of my favorite episodes (50 mins) is titled “What Exactly is College For?” which explores how colleges/universities operate like firms, trying to differentiate their products to win market share and prestige points. It ultimately answers what is good and really bad about this model—highly recommended!
Adrian Rodriguez is a first-generation, Dominican-American. Before business school, he spent seven years working across both large and small tech companies, such as Google and Criteo. Throughout that time, he worked in the AdTech space, specifically in partnerships helping publishers with their monetization strategies.
Before starting his career in tech, Adrian got his bachelor’s degree in political science at Bowdoin College in Maine. Throughout his career and first year in business school, Adrian has developed a keen interest in enterprise products and is excited to continue a career in the tech industry post-Tuck. When he is not studying or working, Adrian can be found dancing salsa, learning how to ski, or binge-watching documentaries.
Many Voices, One Tuck (MVOT) celebrates the stories of our vibrant and diverse community. What’s your story? Email DEI at Tuck if you’d like to contribute to the MVOT project.
Note: MVOT is open to members of the Tuck community, including students, alumni, faculty, staff, TEE and Tuck Bridge participants, and MHCDS graduates.
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