Jorge G. Rodriguez

UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business

“Humble, spontaneous, risk taker, love to push boundaries, inquisitive, resilient, student, purpose/mission driven, family oriented, equity/social justice champion.”

Hometown: Berkeley, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself: Love to cook and restore my 1965 Mustang

Undergraduate School and Major: UC Riverside: BA Public Policy

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: City and County of San Francisco Office of Cannabis

Berkeley Haas is founded on four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. Which principle resonates most with you and why?  I feel all the leadership principles speak to me and align with values I was raised by. Beyond Yourself resonates the most as I reflect on my MBA journey. Some say it takes a village, and I feel it may have taken two or three with me. I am extremely thankful and blessed for my family and community that has supported me every step of the way. I would not be here if it wasn’t for my mentors, counselors, friends, and every single individual who believed in my potential when I was unable to see it within myself. I am forever indebted for the exposure, lessons, guidance, and inspiration I have been privileged enough to receive from all those who made my dream a reality. This win is because of them, and I understand the responsibility to pay it forward to those coming behind me. It takes a team to accomplish great things. I am so excited to embark on this journey for the growth, challenge, and experience that will shape who I am and allow me to work with communities at home and across the nation to create positive social change where an individual’s success is not predetermined by a residential zip code.

What excites you about earning your MBA in the Bay Area? As a young child born and raised in Berkeley, California, UC Berkeley was and continues to be an institution I always wanted to be a part of. It’s what I always dreamed of, and now I’m here. Having worked and lived in various regions across the country, coming back home was always bittersweet. The love, culture, and inspiration I get from being home I know I won’t find anywhere else, and it saddens me to see how many low-income families and communities of color have been forcefully pushed out by rising housing costs and discriminatory inequitable policies. Being part of an institution like Berkeley, so deeply rooted in my home community, will provide me an opportunity to learn innovative approaches in addressing root causes of poverty. This will allow those most affected to hold space where they were raised to continue the culture and identity that makes the Bay Area so unique, celebrating community with each other.

What was the key part of Berkeley Haas’ MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I love how deeply ingrained social impact is embedded into the culture and curriculum at Haas. It is my dream MBA program because of the focus on social and collective good above personal ego. As a mission-driven individual, prioritizing purpose over ego has been central to my professional ethos. What drove me to be a part of this community is the alignment of my values with Haas’ and how those values are embedded into the Haas curriculum and learning opportunities in professional settings. As someone raised in the Bay Area, the birth of the Black Panther Party and various social justice movements, terms like social impact, racial equity, and collective power, aren’t just taglines for me; they are a part of who I am, at my core. Having similar ideals that are not only preached but also practiced at this elite institution excites me to know that soon I will experience how these ideals and values can begin to transform business in a way that is holistic, inclusive, and ethical in its approach to improving social conditions.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Berkeley Haas? The Berkeley Board Fellows participation, Social Impact Club, and First Generation/LatinX Business Club excite me the most. I am also drawn to courses such as Strategy and Leadership for Social Impact, Applied Impact Evaluation, and Social Impact Metrics. These community-oriented opportunities will allow me to stay rooted with issues on the ground while leveraging resources at Haas to create and inspire the next generation of leaders. I am also looking forward to learning how business is leveraging resources to create innovative solutions for underserved communities in ways that are both financially sound and socially impactful. In particular, I am eager to explore how the financial sector’s potential can leverage resources and capital for social good to secure long-term financial commitments and provide economic mobility for poor communities.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Having been accepted to my dream school with a full ride and then some! Huge shout-out to the entire team at Haas for allowing me to be a part of this community. And a huge shout-out to the village it took to get me here; I never in my life imagined a kid growing up collecting cans and cardboard to recycle with my grandparents would end up here. I did not lose sight of who I am and the values I was raised with and continued to speak up for those left out of the decision-making tables. All the while, I stayed true to my morals, principles, and did not compromise my integrity. These continue to be my biggest accomplishments.

I am mentoring the next generation knowing I am playing a small role in exposing them to a new world of opportunities and being an example of what can be achieved if you believe in yourself, work hard, stay centered and grounded in community, and support one another. This continues to inspire me and make me proud. Knowing my ceiling is their floor makes me super excited to see where they take the bit of wisdom, experience, and advice I can impart on them to hopefully inspire their own change within, and the impact they’ll have on their own communities and beyond.

At this point, what do you hope to do after graduation? I am pursuing a career at the intersection of finance, social impact investment, and policy. My goal is to work in impact investing for a financial institution such as the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group. I plan to Implement innovative solutions to housing, education, youth development, and small business lending through private investment in low-income communities across the nation. I would love to impact my home community in the Bay Area and create social change that is community centered and allows for self-determination through leveraging public and private partnerships. I am also excited for the opportunities I will be exposed to – which I don’t know of yet – that will create new possibilities of learning. I look forward to building genuine relationships with my peers at Haas and learning from their experience as well, expanding my perspective and approach to social change from sectors I have yet to explore.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Berkeley Haas’ MBA program? Be resourceful and build genuine, authentic relationships with individuals from all walks of life. Push yourself to get out of your comfort zone and join programs like MLT, Consortium, Thrive, and Forte. The exposure, guidance, and community support are extremely helpful and inspiring, helping you persevere through the application process knowing you have people to lean on during stressful times. Work hard, prioritize your dream and future, and most importantly, be you and take care of yourself throughout the process. It’s a lot—the testing, essays, developing your personal brand and story. Showcase your authentic self, and trust that you’ll end up where you’re meant to be.

Specifically for Berkeley Haas, as I feel they emphasize and value authenticity and introspection, emphasize your “why” for the work you do and impact you want to have. Strengthen this story, connect the dots, and make it make sense as to why an MBA is your next step. Show how it will prepare and equip you to excel in your career and the influence it will have on the future impact you want to make. Get involved, talk to people, and show up to events on campus as much as possible (it’s costly but worth it). Understand that you have what it takes and continue to lean on the community that has gotten you this far and will continue to take you where you’re headed.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE BERKELEY HAAS MBA CLASS OF 2026