Garcia’s involvement in SHPE stayed consistent even when he passed off the Executive Director hat. He returned to the Board, and attended the National Convention each year, taking the time to talk to students one-on-one to discover their story and motivations. He never underestimated the small actions needed to make a big impact.
Rod passed away Saturday, July 2, 2022 surrounded by family and friends.
“Rod changed the face of our nation.” Miguel Alemañy, SHPE’s 2021-2022 Board Chair states. “He created what has become the largest STEM organization for Hispanics, impacting thousands of lives every year. He was a visionary giant and as such we should remember him with admiration and love.”
“Success means a lot of things to a lot of people. To me, it’s that people have attained something that they want to accomplish.” Rod said in an interview about the founding of SHPE. Based on this metric, and pretty much any other, Rod’s success is undeniable. He formed a plan, and he executed it step-by-step. He is the pinnacle of what can be achieved with methodical implementation and logical precision. You can change the world.
“SHPE will be forever grateful for Rod, his exceptional mind, endless compassion, and commitment to Hispanics in STEM.” SHPE CEO, Chris Wilkie says. “Today his legacy is over 13,000 strong and five decades long. He will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.”
The service is still being planned, and more information will be announced soon.
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