In Their Words: Julian Rodriguez

Name: Julian Rodriguez

Department: Sociology

What Scholarship or Award did you receive? Lionel Cantú Memorial Award

What year are you (1st year, 3rd year)? 4th year

College: Rachel Carson College

Where do you call home? The Central Valley

What is your field of focus? My areas of focus in sociology include media and popular culture, gender and sexuality, and qualitative research methods.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? The welcoming and supportive environment of my department helped set the campus apart from others.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I hope to mentor historically underserved undergraduates, either as a professor or in an administrative position.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? My graduation ceremony for master’s degree is certainly one of my most memorable experiences here.

What does this scholarship/award mean to you? For me, the award signifies Lionel Cantú’s legacy on campus, of which I am grateful and humbled to be a small part.

For research awards, please include a one paragraph description of your research written for a general audience.

My dissertation research examines LGBTQ media production and reception on the video-sharing website YouTube. I am interested in how YouTube and its affiliated businesses influence and target LGBTQ communities. At the same time, I explore how LGBTQ creators and their fans navigate these business practices and how they develop meaning and community through videos.