Rodolfo Estrada's Interview

1. What is your full name?
Rodolfo Estrada

2. Where are you from?
Los Angeles, CA

3. Where did you go to college? For how long? Do you plan to go back to school?
I went to Stanford University for my BA; the University of California, Hastings College of the Law for my JD; and Columbia University, Teachers College for a Masters. In total, I went to school for 9 years. I probably will not go back, but maybe one day I’ll go back for a doctorate at Stanford.


4. (If the interviewee went to college)…What was your major in college and what kind of degree do you earn?
I got a BA in History.


5. Why did you choose that field?
I really wanted to learn about history and the major really allowed me to study material that I found interesting like ethnic studies in America.


6. What got you involved in this field of work? What inspired you to do it?
I work on language access. I think having parents who are immigrants and limited English proficient has inspired me.


7. Why did you choose this job?
It seemed like a good place to work and it would allow me to work on an issue I believed in.


8. How long have you worked here?
I’m going on 7 months.


9. What is your job title?
Associate.


10. What do your duties include? Or What kinds of work does your job involve?
I’m largely working on one national project that is looking at best practices and models for serving limited English proficient individuals.


11. What are some of the challenges you have faced working here?
I didn’t know too much about policing structures so I had to learn a lot quickly.


12. What is the best part of your job?
I get to travel a lot and I have good co-workers.


13. What is something you would like to change about your job?
I am often in the office and I would like to be out in the field more.


14. Did you work somewhere else before this job? Where? For how long? How was that similar/different?
I used to work at an educational nonprofit doing policy and legal representation. The policy work was also pertaining to language access, but I was technically an attorney at my old job.


15. What do you see as your future with this company?
I’m not sure a lot depends on where my project leads me.


16. Do you enjoy the kind of work you do?
Yes, I need to enjoy it or else I wouldn’t do it.


17. Do you plan to open your own business one day?
No, though I have some friends who are interested in opening a law firm.


18. How has having an intern helped your company or organization advance or progress?
It’s been helpful to get a different perspective on issues we see everyday.


19. What advice would you give to high school-aged interns (such as myself) getting ready for college and then the real world?
Make sure you have fun in college: study abroad, learn a new language, do things that you might not be able to do later on in life.