Bio

Alma Rodriguez is a third-year Ph.D. candidate at Stanford’s Graduate School of Education, specializing in Sociology of Education under the supervision of Dr. Anthony Lising Antonio. Alma is a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipient who earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with highest honors from the University of California, Berkeley. Her research interest focuses on the undocumented student population. During her undergrad, Alma completed her senior honor’s thesis under the supervision of the Sociology department at UC Berkeley.

At Stanford University, Alma's research sits at the intersection of social movements, undocumented student activism, and higher education. Her work examines how undocumented students in California engage in hidden forms of activism and strategic adaptation, navigating visibility, risk, and resistance in response to shifting political climates. Drawing on non-visible, everyday activism and social movement scholarship, Alma explores how undocumented students resist, and continue to exercise their political voice when visibility imposes existential risks.

A qualitative scholar by training, Alma conducts ethnographic fieldwork inside Dream Centers, centering the lived experiences and political agency of undocumented students as her primary unit of analysis.

Honors & Awards

  • Student Leadership Award, President's Alliance in Higher Education and Immigration (September 2025)
  • Chicana Latina Foundation Scholarship Recipient, Chicana Latina Foundation (June 2026)
  • James W. Lyons Award for Service Awardee, Stanford University (May 2026)

Professional Affiliations and Activities

  • Femtor, Montoya Scholars (2026 - Present)
  • President, Chicano Latino Graduate Student Association at Stanford University (2026 - Present)

Education & Certifications

  • B.A., University of California, Berkeley, Sociology (2024)

Service, Volunteer and Community Work

  • UndocuScholars Femtor- by courtesy, University of California, Berkeley

    UndocuScholars, seeks to provide guidance to undocumented students navigating the higher education pipeline. A femtor responsibility consist of;
    -Providing guidance in Identifying Undocu-friendly colleges
    -Supporting in crafting PIQs and apply to scholarships that are Undocu-friendly,
    -Explaining financial Aid and Financial Aid Appeals
    -Helping Create a College Transition Plan
    -Guide Mentees Assess Campus Support for Undocumented Students

    Location

    Berkeley, California, USA

  • Bridge to Dream Project Mentorship Program, Stanford Ca. (6/17/2026 - Present)

    Mentor
    -Guide Migrant High School Students in their application process as they navigate the higher educational pipeline

    Location

    North Virginia

Contact

  • Academic
    almar90@stanford.edu
    University - Student Department: Graduate School of Education Position: Graduate

Research Interests

  • Higher Education
  • Immigrants and Immigration
  • Race and Ethnicity
  • Sociology

Work Experience

  • UC Berkeley Sociology Graduate Division Department- Reader TA, University of California, Berkeley

    Assist with grading assignments and examinations for students under the supervision of UC Berkeley Sociology faculty.

    Location

    Berkeley, California, USA