Sacramento City College professor remembered as ‘a bright light’ after Folsom drowning
Following Tanya Rodriguez’s drowning death at Folsom Lake last week, students and faculty from Sacramento City College have come together to mourn the loss of what some called a “bright light on campus.”
Rodriguez worked as a philosophy professor at the college since 2015. She died Aug. 1 during a visit to Beal’s Point on Folsom Lake with her 6-year-old nephew. She was 49.
To friends and family members, Rodriguez’s death came as a shock. Those close to her described Rodriguez as very adventurous and active, often disappearing on weekends to go hiking and explore state parks. She was a strong swimmer, and those close to her have struggled to make sense of her drowning death.
The Sacramento City College president shared the news of Rodriguez’s death in a Monday email to students and faculty. The email spoke of Rodriguez’s “love of philosophy” and “wonderful sense of humor.”
“She was a bright presence on our campus and we will all feel the loss of such a vibrant soul,” the email read.
Rodriguez’s students affectionately referred to her as “Dr. T” throughout the course of her teaching. In a social media post from the college announcing Rodriguez’s death, comments poured in from students lamenting the loss of a star professor.
“Dr. T was an amazing professor, friend, and over all fantastic human!!” wrote Lilia Contreras, a former City College student. “I was a student in her class a couple years ago and to this day I use knowledge that she taught me and reflect on my days in her classroom!!”
“I took her ethics class in fall and she was so vibrant, her energy radiated even through our computer screens,” wrote Bryanna Hayden, a current student. “An inspiring and passionate professor.”
Linda Nelson, another former student of Rodriguez’s, shared how she had touched the lives of so many students.
“I admired her so much; I learned so much from her,” Nelson wrote in a message to The Bee. “Taking her class changed the way I felt about myself and the world around me.”
Dawna DeMartini, an English professor at the college, said she and Rodriguez grew close while helping lead a program at the college for low-income Latino students. She said Rodriguez was passionate about uplifting underrepresented students at the college.
“You think of a philosophy professor, and well, you probably would not think of a younger woman of color,” DeMartini said. “But there she was. And she really wanted to help uplift students like her.”
During her time at the college, Rodriguez became passionate about implementing nontraditional grading systems that would help her students learn without the pressure of rigorous assignments for letter grades. DeMartini said that Rodriguez devoted hundreds of hours each semester to working with students one-on-one to help them improve.
Her attention to students did not go unnoticed. Within their specialized program, DeMartini said, she would frequently hear students talk about their love for Rodriguez and her class.
Rodriguez’s work also helped her colleagues, many of whom chose to adopt more unconventional grading approaches after DeMartini led a presentation on her grading style earlier this year.
“She really, really inspired those of us who worked with her,” DeMartini said. “While she had a definite impact on her students, she also impacted her colleagues and really helped us refine and improve our own teaching.”
Rodriguez’s family did not respond to requests to comment for this article. The college plans to share any information about memorial services for Rodriguez once information becomes available from the family.
In an interview earlier in the week, Rodriguez’s mother told CBS 13 that Rodriguez had a big heart. Rodriguez initially moved to Sacramento to be close with her family.
“It was her goal to have an open heart, and to see everyone with love,” Rodriguez’s mother told CBS13.
Funeral and memorial service details have not been made public.
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 5:00 AM.