The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE LIFE OF RODRIGO ``ROD'' GARCIA
______
HON. GRACE F. NAPOLITANO
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, July 15, 2022
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life, achievements, and legacy of Rodrigo ``Rod'' Garcia, a respected visionary, leader, and advocate, for his lifelong dedication to empowering the Hispanic community to achieve educational excellence, economic opportunity, and social equity.
Rodrigo ``Rod'' Garcia was born on March 29, 1943, in Los Angeles, California to Genevieve Hernandez and Rodrigo Garcia. He earned an Associate's Degree in Engineering from East Los Angeles College, and a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Engineering from California State University, Los Angeles.
Rod served as a civil engineer for the City of Los Angeles and worked in Public Works, Building and Safety, and at the Port of Los Angeles. Additionally, Rod Chaired the City of Monterey Park Planning Commission, and served on the Advisory Board for the Dean of Engineering at California State University.
Rod was one of the few Hispanic engineers amidst a tech boom in California in the early seventies. Despite being in the minority in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field, he gathered a cohort of fellow Hispanic engineers determined to contribute and diversify the STEM industry.
In 1974, Rod founded and incorporated the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) with the mission of ensuring networking and education opportunities for Hispanic students and professionals in the Southern California region. Not too long after and with the collaboration of Administrators, professors, and students at California State University, East Los Angeles College, and the University of Southern California, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers established its first collegiate chapters.
The result of five decades of Rod's high-spirited and fearless leadership propelled the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers to reach 13,000 members and 286 chapters nationwide. His unique ability of uniting community partners and leaders around the country will serve as evidence that closing the STEM education gap and increasing the number of Hispanics in STEM can and will be done.
Rod is remembered by his colleagues and thousands of current and former SHPE students and professionals for his devotion and service to expanding awareness, access, support, and development opportunities to Hispanics in STEM to realize their fullest potential and positively impact society. His legacy of empowering the Hispanic community to achieve educational excellence, economic opportunity, and social equity will guide many generations to come.
Mr. Garcia is survived by his wife, Cynthia Cathy Wong, and his children Marlene Tomasina Zamora, Marianne Pilar Garcia, and Rodrick Fitzgerald Garcia.
Madam Speaker, I extend my deepest sympathies to the family, colleagues, and friends of Rodrigo ``Rod'' Garcia, and I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing his incredibly life of service for others.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 117(1), Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 117(2)
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