Before she ever considered social work as a profession, Rocío Rodríguez Morales was already an advocate for her family, starting at a young age.
Growing up in Southern California as the oldest of five in a Mexican American home, Rodríguez acted as her family’s unofficial translator and guide—managing doctor’s appointments, school meetings, and social services. “I was doing things most children don’t have to do,” she said.
In high school, Rodríguez’s parents encouraged her to seek out support through the federally funded TRIO program, a college access initiative run through local universities that helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds. “They said, 'I don’t know how to teach you about financial aid, so go ask the lady you see every Saturday.'"
The program opened doors for her to tour college campuses, spend summers in dorms, and get help with tutoring and admissions.
Rodríguez became the first in her family to attend college, earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, then a master's in education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Her background led her to roles assisting military families and helping students navigate college and financial aid. But in 2020, when she took a job as a case manager for Exodus Recovery—a California nonprofit serving veterans, Medicaid patients, and people facing housing instability—her path came into focus. “I called my parents and said, ‘I found a job doing what I’ve always done: helping people,’” she said.
The team surrounding her, meanwhile, was packed with social workers. "All of them kept telling me, 'You should become a social worker, too. Just do it.'"
“That was my community”
When life as a Marine Corps spouse uprooted her young family cross country to Virginia, Rodríguez enrolled in the online Master of Social Work (MSW) program at 51Թ. By that point, it was clear that the formal degree wasn’t just an option—it was a necessity. “Doors for jobs kept closing because I didn’t have my MSW,” she said. “And I needed a career I could carry with me, wherever life took us.”
She began her degree during one of the most tumultuous periods of her life in 2022. Isolated from loved ones out West and newly pregnant with her third child, she was helping her husband recover from an injury that led to his medical retirement while also coping with her mother’s immigration challenges. “It was a very vulnerable time,” she said.
Rodríguez reached out to George Mason faculty for support—not knowing exactly what she needed, just knowing she couldn’t do it alone. “I finally sent that email saying, ‘I need help,’” she says—and in return she found empathy, flexibility, and guidance toward resources.
Program in the Department of Social Work’s became her anchor, providing a $10,000 stipend, training in trauma-informed care and telehealth, and She found herself part of a close-knit cohort of about 30 peers.
“That was my community,” Rodríguez said.
Behind the scenes, her husband was a steady source of support. “There were days I’d rush from dropping off the kids straight into a Zoom class, and my husband would be sliding a coffee or plate of food next to me," she said.
Making it official
As Rodríguez worked toward her degree, her career in Virginia expanded. She first led the education arm of a foster care company for unaccompanied children at Adore Children and Family Services, then started conducting foster parent home studies. Since August 2023, she has served as program director for Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area’s (LSSNCA) specialized foster care program, helping place unaccompanied refugee minors in safe and supportive homes.
She’s seen the impact firsthand, like with the young man in her program who’s now pursuing a college degree, supporting his recently resettled family, and taking on a “big brother role” to the new kids at LSSNCA. “He shares what worked for him with others,” she said. “That’s exactly what we want.”
Rodríguez will officially become a social worker on May 15, the day she graduates from George Mason. The same week, she will take the podium as the College of Public Health’s student degree celebration speaker.
From there, she’ll begin logging 3,000 clinical hours, part of her long-term goal to one day open her own practice. “There’s so much stigma around mental health, especially in the communities I care about,” she said. “I want to build a practice that feels safe for military families and Spanish-speaking families."
Rodríguez is even nudging her husband to consider joining her in the field. “I keep telling him, ‘You’ve been my partner through all of this—you’d make a great social worker, too,’” she said.