Featured Speaker
Oscar Rodriguez
Oscar Rodriguez Jr. was the keynote speaker for the 2019 Hispanic College Institute at Fort Hays State University. Oscar, a native of Liberal, played at Fort Hays State University as a safety while earning his bachelor’s degree in physical education and health in 2005.
He just started his first season as the secondary coach for the University of Akron Zips. He followed head coach Tom Arth from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, where he was the linebackers coach. He was promoted to assistant head coach following the 2018 season.
Oscar was the defensive coordinator for three seasons at the University of La Verne in California and was the 2017 NCAA Division III AFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year. Oscar was an NFL Bill Walsh Fellowship participant in 2018 with the Chicago Bears. He has coached and mentored seven student athletes who are playing in the NFL.
ESPN featured him in a story on recruiting in South Florida, and Fox Sports highlighted his return to coaching after battling cancer.
Oscar had an incredibly empowering message to share with at our Hispanic College Institute, a free, four-day, residential program that prepares high school Hispanic and Latina/x/o students to enter and succeed in college.
He is active off the field and in the community. He founded the Coaches Against Cancer Foundation and is involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters. He served on the diversity committee at Baker and speaks English and Spanish.