Leaving the Golden Coast for a chance in the capital

by Jess Anderson
Presidency and the Press

Even though she grew up seeing Snoop Dogg at her local mall and directors and producers in her neighborhood, it’s Washington politicians that are the real celebrities for Sarah Rodriguez.

Rodriguez says her inspiration to become involved in politics came from an unlikely place—a diagnosis of diabetes at age six.

As a result of her illness, Rodriguez and her family became involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF), an organization dedicated to raising money for all sorts of maladies, including cancer and Parkinson’s.

For Rodriguez, fundraising included trips to Washington, D.C., to discuss with legislators the implications of living with a chronic disease.

“It’s a rare opportunity that I got,” she explains.  “No one in my town had ever gone to D.C.  No one had sat on a senator’s lap and talked about pricking their finger every day.”

She adds that one of the first senators she met as a young girl was Senator Joe Boca, whom she currently interns for.

According to Rodriguez, Boca had offered her the position as early as her senior year, but due to a schedule crammed full of volleyball practice, AP classes, and college preparation, she wasn’t able to accept his offer until recently.

However, despite her internship, Rodriguez says she isn’t interested in becoming a congresswoman.  “I want to be in the action without being blamed for what goes on,” she says, adding that she would feel better suited in the role of executive assistant.

This fall, Rodriguez will be attending Franklin Pierce University for political science. She cites New Hampshire’s role as first in the primaries and proximity to D.C. as factors in her decision to attend the school, which she describes as “just perfect.”