INFORMATION FOR
Every month during the academic year, we will spotlight a different member of the WP faculty or staff who plays a powerful role in student success.
Name: Daisy Rodriguez, LCSW
Title: Director of the Counseling, Health and Wellness Center
Years at WP: 20
Tell us about yourself: I am a proud first-generation Latina college graduate raised by a single Puerto Rican mother. Growing up with access to dedicated and diverse educators and mentors in the school systems of Paterson and Passaic in the 1970s and 1980s taught me early the values of self-discipline, adaptability, and accountability for working with others to create the kind of communities we want to live in. To this end, it was a natural step that I studied clinical social work and psychology in college and earned a master's with honors from the School of Social Work at Rutgers New Brunswick. I returned to serve the Paterson community by spending over a decade working in hospital and community-based mental health programs with families and children before I joined the WP community 20 years ago.
Describe your role on campus: Since January 2026, I am transitioning to my new role as the Director of the Counseling, Health and Wellness Center. I now provide clinical and operational supervision to a department of 12 staff members and our emergency on-call service. I previously served as Associate Director for 10 years. I will also continue to provide clinical counseling services to students experiencing personal and academic challenges.
A defining moment at WP: I am pleased to share that WP has become a family affair. After being the first to graduate college in my family, I waited 20 years to escort my goddaughter to William Paterson's graduation stage at the Prudential Center, and two more cousins graduated as Pioneers within these last five years. One more is enrolled now. They are all proud WP grads; William Paterson is the only college our family endorses for its commitment to improving social mobility and opportunities for members of communities like ours.
Favorite part about your job: The stewardship of this work serves as a calling and a purpose in my life. My mentors instilled in me the importance of paving a way to support the personal and academic success of the next generation, as it was paved for me. Being able to work collectively within the WP community as a catalyst or advocate for students that are facing personal or systematic barriers to success is challenging and greatly satisfying work. I am inspired and consistently affirmed by stories of what our students can overcome, as I am grateful for the teamwork and collaboration of WP colleagues who share the same values and interests in helping our students overcome.
Fun fact: I de-stress by going bird watching. As a kid, I once found an injured blue jay in a parking lot. I had never seen a bird like this and became mesmerized by his bright colors. I was curious that birds this beautiful can thrive in urban settings. Since then, finding the beauty in everyday things has been a daily practice. On any calm day, you can find me watching for birds, both common or migrating. I enjoy listening to their calls and watching their moves in groups along trees as they look for food and places to nest. So satisfying!
Finish this sentence: "WP is a powerhouse of intellectual growth, personal transformation, and opportunity." Through education, mentoring, and community involvement, William Paterson University changes lives.
