HomeMy WebLinkAboutVolunteerism a full-time jobVolunteerism. afull-time job
Rodriguez devoted
to helping others
By THOMAS TASCHINGER
Staff Writer
If Pete Rodriguez had a dollar for every hour of
volunteer work he devoted to helping people in
Bryan-College Station, he might be a rich man.
But he'd have no time to spend his money.
Rodriguez, the operations manager for the
chemistry department at Texas A&M University.
has served with so many civic and charitable
organizations he can't remember them all.
"Let's see if I can find a list of them here,"
Rodriguez said modestly as he rummaged through
his small, -cluttered office in the university's
Chemistry Building. "Some are too insignificant to
mention."
The list includes the Bryan Bee's Recreational
Club, which he helped establish as the forerunner of
the Boy's Club of Brazos County. He now helps
that club.
Rodriguez also is a member of the Bryan Plann-
ing Commission and the Bryan Community
Development Citizen's Committee. Previously, he
served on the Bryan Parks and Recreation Advisory
Board, the Bryan Ways and Means Committee and
the Bryan Referral Council.
Rodriguez also has worked for the Friends of the
Boy Scouts of America, the March of Dimes, the
United Fund, the Brazos County Juvenile Court,
the Mental Health Advisory Board and the now-
defunct YMCA Board of Directors.
He is active in the Amigos of Bryan, a group
dedicated to aiding Spanish-speaking firefighters
who study at the university's firemen training
school.
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"Because of my experience," Rodriguez said. "I
think I can still contribute to this community. I like
to follow through with organizations. I remember
way back how things were and I want to change
them.
"I don't believe in handing out anything - that's
the worst thing you can do to someone. I do think
some people need help getting started, but they
shouldn't get too dependent on outside aid."
For his lifelong efforts to help others, Rodriguez
has received such prestigious honors as the staff
award for distinguished achievement from A&M's
Association of Former Students, the national
Medal of Honor from the Daughters of the
American Revolution and the Bronze Key and
Medallion from the Boy's Club.
His determination to help others is reflective of
his own life.
His parents were not wealthy and Rodriguez
never was able to go to college. In 1933, he worked
as a bellhop at the old Aggieland Inn for $30 a
month and meals. But over the next seven years, he
was promoted to desk clerk and accountant.
"Dr. Charles Hedges used to eat there,"
Rodriguez said of the former chairman of A&M's
chemistry and chemical engineering department.
"He said he'd hire me if I could learn something
about chemistry."
Rodriguez took up Hedges' offer and started as a
laboratory stores and procurement officer with the
university in 1940. After that, he said, "one thing
led to another."
Three years ago he was appointed operations
manager, a position in which he is responsible for
purchasing the department's equipment and sup-
plies and managing a staff of 55 assistants.
He and his wife, Frances, have raised two sons
who have established careers - one as a high school
teacher in Katy and the other as dean of engineering
sciences at Kilgore College.
Although Rodriguez believes in helping people
regardless of race or background, he always has
been especially concerned about hispanics.
"Mexican-Americans need to get involved in the
American way of doing things," he said. "If you
don't want to be a follower all your life, you should
prove that you're worthy of recognition and work
hard to participate.
"We have a silent majority of Mexican-
Americans who, if something bad came up, would
crush it like an insect, but otherwise they don't get
involved and are satisfied with the status quo.
"Some have low self-esteem and think they have
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they hear a resounding speech, they could spend the
rest of their life defending a belief instilled when
they were young. I think you should be independent
and use your head instead of letting someone use it
for you."
Rodriguez said he learned to use his own abilities
during his childhood.
"Once, when I was young and times were hard,"
he said, "I wanted to quit school and work to help
my family. My dad wouldn't permit it. He said the
greatest weapon against discrimination is educa-
tion. He said if I had that, I'd make it in life.
"I've never forgotten that. I tell kids that even if
they finish school, they should keep reading and
form their own opinions. If you follow that ap-
proach, you're using the best way to get ahead."