Cheryl Rene Rodriguez

Dr. Cheryl Rodriguez represented a new breed of cultural anthropologists who combined research with community activism. An assistant professor at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, Rodriguez also served as interim director of USF’s Institute on Black Life and president of the Association of Black Anthropologists.

Her degrees and education began at Northern Illinois University, BA, communications sciences, 1979, MA, communications sciences, 1981; University of South Florida, PhD, anthropology, 1992.

She has worked at Marquardt School District, Glendale Heights, IL, communicative-disorders specialist, 1981-87; University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, The Graduate School, minority programs coordinator, 1988-89, Multicultural Mental Health Training Program, program coordinator, 1990-91, Department of Africana Studies, visiting professor, 1992-93, assistant professor of Anthropology and Africana Studies, 1993-98, associate professor, 1998-, Institute on Black Life, interim director, 2006-; Operation Crossroads Africa, Lesotho, Southern Africa, project leader, 1989.

Selected memberships: American Anthropological Association, Committee on the Status of Women in Anthropology, chair, Executive Program Committee, Minority Affairs Committee, Nominations Committee; Association for Feminist Anthropology, contributing editor for Anthropology Newsletter, Sylvia Forman Prize Committee, chair, president-elect; Association of Black Anthropologists, secretary-treasurer, president-elect, president; Society for Urban Anthropology; Womanist Studies Consortium.

Selected awards: University of South Florida, Black Graduate and Professional Student Organization, Outstanding Faculty Award for Community Service, 1995, Department of Anthropology, Distinguished Alumni Award, 1996, Teaching Incentive Program, Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, 1996, Department of Women’s Studies, Faculty Star Award, 2005; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Award for Service and Dedication to Students, 1996; Kente Award for Community Leadership, 2002 [1].

Source: Encyclopedia.com entry for Cheryl Rodriguez.