Univision's Enrique Rodr铆guez Talks Achievement Through Challenges at Geyer Lecture
Univision Chicago reporter and news anchor Enrique Rodr铆guez鈥檚 appearance on campus had many students clamoring to meet the man they grew up watching on television each night.
鈥淚 felt like I was with a rock star,鈥 joked Dr. John Jenks, professor of communication arts and sciences, as he introduced the Emmy Award-winning journalist during the 2025 Georgie Anne Geyer Lecture on Oct. 22.
Rodr铆guez鈥檚 passion for his profession was evident during the 90-minute address, as he answered student questions and shared clips of his coverage of Chicago protests, presidential conventions and elections, and the COVID-19 pandemic. He also spoke frequently of the need to build trust with his audience鈥攖he Spanish-speaking community of Chicago鈥攊n order to provide important information and awareness.
He also had advice for students navigating a challenging landscape.
鈥淭hese are difficult times,鈥 Rodr铆guez said. 鈥淲hatever difficulties you are going through right now, they鈥檙e not going to be forever. It鈥檚 all part of the process.鈥
Rodr铆guez spoke of his childhood dreams to become a journalist and how living undocumented in Los Angeles derailed his ability to attend college for several years. But hard work and seizing opportunities when they came ultimately led to the career he enjoys today, he shared.
鈥淎ll those struggles that I faced were eventually going to help me out with what I鈥檓 doing now, which is serving our community,鈥 Rodr铆guez said.
In addition to reporting the news, Rodr铆guez has used personal experiences to raise awareness among this audience. His father鈥檚 kidney failure prompted him to report on and become an advocate for organ donation, while his sister鈥檚 cancer diagnosis led him to run a marathon for cancer research.
Itzel Chavero Salgado interviewed Rodr铆guez for a feature in the Dominican Star. She called him 鈥渁n iconic figure鈥 for many students, with work that is to be admired.
鈥淚 hope that from his visit the students at Dominican can find empowerment and feel encouraged to keep striving to become professionals, especially as members of the Hispanic/Latinx community,鈥 she said. 鈥淎s a rising Latina journalist, I can say that talking to Enrique gave me the boost of confidence I needed to keep working in journalism and keep on helping my people.鈥
Sophia Valdez, a senior philosophy major who hopes to become an attorney, credited Rodr铆guez for his advice on how she should pursue her future career goals.
鈥淭he advice he gave me was to take it step by step,鈥 she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 going to be downfalls and people who say it鈥檚 not possible, but if you overcome it and you believe it, it鈥檚 going to be possible.鈥
Mariana Cornejo, a senior accounting major, said Rodr铆guez鈥檚 personal journey is a message to students that they can achieve their dreams, no matter their circumstance or how long it takes.
鈥淪eeing someone who came from an undocumented immigrant background is very inspiring because Dominican is a school where many students come from that same background,鈥 she said. 鈥淗is story says anything is possible. Don鈥檛 let the barrier of status put you down.鈥
The annual Georgie Anne Geyer Lecture is held in honor of the famed journalist and foreign correspondent for the Chicago Daily News. The Geyer Initiative at 海角社区 brings to campus renowned reporters and journalists and provides experiential learning scholarships for Dominican students aspiring to be foreign correspondents.
In addition to participating in the lecture, Rodr铆guez met with journalism students earlier in the day to talk about his career and the role Univision plays in Chicago鈥檚 news landscape.
