Antonio Rodriguez

As the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) associate director of administration, Antonio Rodriguez manages the association’s financial, technology, membership development, and staffing operations.

Rodriguez began his association with CSPA as the business manager of The Black & Gold newspaper and the co-editor-in-chief of the Signature yearbook at Uniondale High School (NY). After attending CSPA events, he became interested in studying there. He applied to Columbia College and was accepted. While pursuing his B.A. in Political Science, he was a student worker at CSPA. Upon graduation in 1999, he was hired as the full-time administrative coordinator, was later named assistant director is now an associate director.

During his tenure, Rodriguez has used his talents in technology to implement electronic payment acceptance, online event registration, and live-streaming for events and announcements. He works with his Columbia colleagues to ensure compliance with financial, employment, and privacy policies across CSPA programs and events.

In 2000, he worked with Warner Bros. to bring the stars of The West Wing to screen an episode and sit for a press conference with Spring Convention attendees. He also developed the CSPA Summer Journalism Workshop Broadway Show and Talkback Excursion, in which CSPA summer students attend a Broadway show and immediately following the performance, interview cast members in a press conference format. From 2001 to 2004, he developed the Stringers Program, an arts journalism enrichment program for New York City high school students, co-sponsored with Camp Broadway.