Rodriguez received the honor during the 20^th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Celebration on Jan. 16 at Ruby Diamond Auditorium.

 “I am humbled and touched and honored and speechless at this award,’’ Rodriguez said in his acceptance speech. “It seems like something I don’t really deserve; that it’s so much bigger than who I am.’’

Juan Guardia, director of the FSU Office of Multicultural Affairs, cited Rodriguez’s contributions to minority health through his work at Neighborhood Health Services and his focus on obesity, especially in medically underserved populations.

Rodriguez is one of three candidates for the award nominated from the College of Medicine, joining Thesla Berne-Anderson, director of college and pre-college outreach, and Tony Cooper, police service technician in charge of security at the medical school's main campus.