Maria Antonieta Rodriguez is one the advisors at USP. She was kind enough to answer a few questions about herself. She has been working at USP for 2 years and has already achieved some great feats. She recently advised a client who received 5 scholarship offers with her help. Maria Antonieta has put in a lot of hard work to get to where she is now and we are so proud of her. Continue reading to learn more about Maria Antonieta.

USP: Tell us about your background. Where are you from? Where did you grow up?
Maria Antonieta: I am from Venezuela, I grew up there. I moved to London, UK 18 years ago.

USP: Where did you go to college?
Maria Antonieta: I had the opportunity to go to US and play college tennis (I received 9 college offers) but decided to go to college in Caracas, Venezuela due to personal reasons.

USP: Who have been your strongest influences in life?
Maria Antonieta: My strongest influences in life have been my family, parents, uncles and aunts. They taught me discipline, values and hard work.

USP: What led you to this career? How did you end up at USP?
Maria Antonieta: I’ve played tennis all my life, competed at junior high level and I still play. Tennis is a way of life, when you become tennis player, you never disconnect from this amazing sport. I am also a tennis mom now. Tennis has given me so much in my life and I wanted to share my tennis experience with young talented tennis players and help them to achieve their goal.

USP: How long have you been at USP and what has been your proudest experience since working with us?
Maria Antonieta: I started in 2019 as an advisor. Every athlete I have worked with, has made me proud. I put a lot of passion with every student I work with. My proudest moment was to sucessfully complete a full program for a very talented player in only three months. That even included the student visa. We all put a lot of hard work and passion and managed to get it done in record time.

USP: What is the main mistake you see in the recruiting process?
Maria Antonieta: Starting late. There are so many things to be done in the recruiting process to get the best possible college for the student athlete. Starting late could only limit the opportunities.

USP: Is there any student or client that you've worked with that has had a lasting impression on you?
Maria Antonieta: Yes, Maria Alejandra Baez. This is a girl that worked so hard to get everything right and on time. Her determination during the recruitment process, not only impressed me but it also impressed the colleges coaches that met her. She managed to received 5 scholarship offers.

USP: What is your most important advice for a student and for the parents?
Maria Antonieta: Start early, complete your tasks on time and have an open and honets communication with your advisor. Athlete and advisor need to work as a close team. Nothing will make us more proud than finding the dream college for our Athletes and that requires time and team work.