Brianna Rodriguez Cano ’26 advocates for transfer students, first-generation to college/low-income students, and other underserved communiuties through her campus jobs at the Financial Aid Office, the Upward Bound program, and the Jewett Center for Community Partnership’s Wesleyan Refugee Project. Their campus jobs sparked their career interests in higher education and complement their extracurricular leadership on the FGLI Advisory Board, Bite the Hand (the FGLI Magazine), and as a Transfer Student Representative for the Wesleyan Student Assembly.
In what ways have your campus jobs contributed to your personal, academic, or professional growth and aspirations? What skills have you gained?
When I transferred to Wesleyan, I thought I wanted to go into the average field my Economics degree offered such as consulting, marketing, or other similar jobs in finance. However, when I saw the lack of support for transfer students – particularly students coming from community colleges when it came to finding on campus jobs and navigating academic and social structure at Wesleyan – I knew I wanted to help those navigate those situations. I wanted to use my time here at Wesleyan at my jobs and outside of work to advocate for students and leverage the skills I gain to further provide support systems for students coming into Wesleyan.
Through my internship at the Wesleyan Refugee Project, I collaborate with refugee students and workers, hosted by IRIS {Integrated Refugee Immigrant Services} in New Haven, to promote educational and social development. Through my internship at Upward Bound, I assist in managing program website updates and social media content to support outreach and engagement for first-generation/low-income high school students. As a Financial Aid Ambassador, I process 500+ applications annually while demystifying the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and IDOC processes for FGLI peers, ensuring FERPA compliance and explaining financial aid processes in clear, accessible language.
Rooted in my lived experience as an FGLI community college transfer, I’ve built bridges creating pathways for future generations.
I knew then and there that I wanted to give back to the community, because advocacy doesn’t just end when I graduate college. It helped me realize that after Wesleyan, I want to go into higher education and work on expanding access to 4-year universities for students coming from community colleges.
How do you manage to balance your campus jobs with academic commitments and other activities?
Always make a list of what you prioritize firsthand, and ensure that what you prioritize doesn’t conflict with other activities. Explore different activities, jobs, and courses that go hand in hand together and be versatile with it. Trying different things can lead to more opportunities and connections that surpass beyond Wesleyan.
What advice would you give to students who are seeking or starting their campus employment journey?
Quality over quantity! You might feel as if you need to do a thousand things because you hear people doing so, especially at a school like Wesleyan, but in reality it’s much more better to focus on a few things you love and are passionate about. That way, you can give back to the community and put your energy into creating something impactful out of them.
How have your campus jobs helped you build connections or networks within the university or broader community?
My jobs have helped me put myself out there and provide and listen to different perspectives and backgrounds. I often found my jobs to interconnect with outside activities or coursework that I found myself passionate about. For example, I was able to work at IRIS {Integrated Refugee Immigrant Services} through a course I took about refugee resettlement, and I met one of my closest friends in both the class and through our job {as a Senior Intern for the Wesleyan Refugee Project/IRIS, through the Jewett Center for Community Partnerships (JCCP)}.
Updated March 30, 2026.
