Ivon Rodriguez ’00 EMBA’16 is hardly one to be pigeonholed. She’s made a career that blends both her love of business and creative media. It’s no surprise she found her way to Brown — twice.
Rodriguez began her undergraduate career at Brown with concentrations in international relations and Hispanic studies. Her career post-graduation has included everything from director of communications at a television news station to vice president of marketing for HistoryMiami Museum. Then, her path brought her back to Brown where she received her executive masters in business administration (EMBA) degree from the School of Professional Studies. An active volunteer, Rodriguez has kept a strong connection to Brown and currently serves on both the Brown University Latino Alumni Council (BULAC) and the Brown Alumni Association (BAA) Board of Governors.
Why do you do what you do?
I love building and connecting. The work that I do (and have done for many years) has allowed me to work on entrepreneurial projects with passionate individuals. Brown teaches us to be more creative thinkers, and I wanted to make sure that I continued to think outside the box beyond Brown.
Why Brown?
Coming from a high school experience with a strict curriculum structure, I wanted the opportunity to explore electives and my passions through the Open Curriculum. The breadth of options at Brown was exhilarating to me, and I was eager to make new connections between my love of learning and the academic offerings I embarked upon.
How has your Brown EMBA degree had an impact on your career?
Going into my EMBA, I rarely thought about a career change away from media and entertainment. Interacting with peers in the program, learning about their careers through our in-class conversations, and engaging with business through a liberal arts sense made my curiosity flourish. It was during my program that I took a role with a cultural institution, and since then have also worked with higher ed institutions and tech companies. My EMBA and newfound friends opened my eyes to a whole new world of opportunity I knew I wanted to explore.