Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustees Selects New Student Trustee
April 23, 2025
At a special meeting held on April 22, 2024, the Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustees selected San Antonio College (SAC) student Josiah Rodriguez as the new student trustee.
Martinez will serve a one-year term from May 2025 to April 30, 2026. In 2014, the Alamo Colleges District was the first community college system in Texas to appoint a student trustee.
“We extend our gratitude to Logan Martinez, our outgoing student trustee, and outgoing student trustee alternate, Eliron Rosin, for their exceptional service in representing the Alamo Colleges at the state and national level,” said Dr. Mike Flores, Alamo Colleges District Chancellor. “We look forward to the insight and contributions that our new student representatives will make to our board.”
Rodriguez is a San Antonio native participating in the political science program at SAC with a 4.0 GPA. He plans to transfer to the University of Texas at San Antonio to pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree.
After graduating from high school, Rodriguez made the difficult decision to delay his education and instead enter the workforce to help support his mother and siblings. During this time, he began attending city council meetings, where he discovered a love for civic engagement and a motivation to help build a more equitable city. Rodriguez knew he needed to pursue higher education in order to help drive meaningful change in his community.
At SAC, Rodriguez is actively involved in campus organizations such as Phi Theta Kappa, the Honors Academy, the Student Government Association, and serves as President of First Gen. These roles allow him advocate for students facing challenges related to housing, transportation, and food insecurity, barriers he also has experienced.
Rodriguez has seen firsthand how access to affordable education can transform lives. Inspired by his journey, Rodriguez's mother earned her GED through the Ready to Work program and plans to attend SAC this fall.
Outside the classroom, Rodriguez gives back to the city he loves by working as a substitute teacher, speaking at public hearings at City Hall and volunteering with community organizations like Strong Towns and River Aid San Antonio. He has also interned with Texas State Representative Diego Bernal, deepening his understanding of public service and policymaking.
Looking ahead, Rodriguez is committed to championing greater opportunities and eliminating systemic barriers for San Antonio residents. As a student trustee for the Alamo Colleges District, he is dedicated to helping fellow students overcome obstacles to higher education, fostering collaboration across campuses, and supporting the leadership development of the next generation of changemakers.
Northwest Vista College (NVC) student Nala Knight was named as the alternate student trustee. She will attend board meetings if Rodriguez is unable to do so.
Knight, a U.S. Army veteran from Macon, Georgia, began her academic journey at Northwest Vista College in the summer of 2024. She serves as a Student Ambassador in Admissions and Records and President of NVC’s Student Event Team (S.E.T.). During her military service, Knight led the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) program dedicated to enhancing the morale and welfare of single service members. She also participated in the Junior Achievement Future Educators Program, where she taught financial literacy to third-grade students.
Knight plans to transfer to Trinity University, where she will double major in English Literature and pursue a Master’s degree in International Studies inspired by her travels to Querétaro, Mexico, with the Alamo Colleges Cultural Exchange Program.
The other outstanding Alamo Colleges student trustee candidates included:
Jose De Jesus Bernal – is a first-generation college student and father pursing an associate of applied science online with Palo Alto College’s (PAC) Cyber Defense & Operations program. In the future, he hopes to complete a Bachelor of Business Administration in computer information systems and security. In his free time, Bernal volunteers at the San Antonio Clubhouse, participates in community outreach programs for Restore Education and plays in three adult soccer leagues.
Angelica Cordero – is a parenting student and military spouse pursuing an associate of applied science at St. Philips College (SPC). After graduation, she plans to continue her education at San Antonio College to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Cordero serves as the Director of Silvia’s Angels, a home health company, and brings over 22 years of volunteer experience working with the elderly. Her passion for advocacy, caregiving, and community has inspired her active involvement in campus organizations. She is a Future United Latino Leaders for Change member, the Student Government Association President-Elect, the SNT Coordinator for the National Society for Leadership and Success, and an ACD Student Leadership Institute participant.
Edmond "Ron" Kelley – is a dual credit student pursuing an associate of arts at Northeast Lakeview College (NLC) while attending Judson Early College Academy (JECA) as a high school junior. Kelley is a dedicated student who began taking college-level courses at 14. His future goals include earning his bachelor's degree at Harvard University and attending Harvard Medical School to earn his Doctor of Medicine and become a neurosurgeon. In 2021, Kelley co-founded the National Mentoring Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring young male students. Throughout his academic journey with the Alamo Colleges and JECA, he has earned numerous accolades, participated in various extracurricular activities, and taken on several leadership roles. In his free time, Kelley channels his passion for audio and video production into creating NBA highlight videos on YouTube that garner millions of views.