A new face has arrived at City College’s Dual Enrollment Department, one any student might have seen in the last two months in the Student Services Building.

Adam Rodriguez is the latest hire as supervisor in the Dual Enrollment Department. He’s a former admissions counselor at UCSB and has had four years of experience doing outreach within the Santa Barbara area while also helping high school students with their college plans.

“I didn’t really have high hopes because I wasn’t supervising at the time,” Rodriguez said. “ I kinda took a leap of faith and said, ‘Hey, I’m still really interested in working with students in whatever capacity it may be.’”

Rodriguez said he’s still learning the job, but his main goal going forward is to improve high school students’ awareness and understanding of the dual enrollment program.

The office for dual enrollment is upstairs in the Student Services Building, Room 220B. Part of his job as dual enrollment supervisor is to answer questions about the program and walk students through the enrollment process.

Senior Director of Dual Enrollment Angelica Contreras said the importance of being a supervisor for their department.

“You really do need someone who is calm, a problem solver and willing to just listen,” Contreras said. “[He’s got] all of those qualities that were very much needed in that position.”

Once he started working in his new position, Rodriguez was surprised at the extent of the program, whether it was covering partnerships with the Santa Barbara Unified School District as well as the Carpinteria Unified School District. High school counselors and teachers have partnerships with the program, leading to what he called a highly personal type of work.

Rodriguez said that the working environment of City College is very supportive and has a strong sense of community, with people from different parts of the campus congratulating him and offering to help in a way unique to the campus.

While he enjoys working with counselors and teachers, Rodriguez said at the end of the day, the program is about serving students. 

He aims to better engage with students and let them know the benefits, low cost or even difficulties of dual enrollment.

“A student could be sitting in their high school class learning from an actual instructor at their high school, teaching them with the same level of rigor that would be taught here at SBCC,” Rodriguez said. “What they’re doing is saving time and money.” 

Rodriguzes explained that high school students don’t pay for the enrollment units and can take up to 11.9 units for free.

On Oct. 29, Rodriguez and the dual enrollment team will be attending the college night event for local high schools, teaching students and parents about the benefits of dual enrollment.

Rodriguez highlighted his gratitude for members, Chantille Marquez, Fernando Cortes and Marisol Jasso, without whom he says dual enrollment would cease to exist at City College.