Georgia Southern Graduate Earns Spot at Harvard Dental School, Aims to Serve Rural Georgia

For Thalia Rodriguez, education has always been personal.

The daughter of a single mother and the first in her family to pursue higher education, Rodriguez’s path from Georgia Southern University to the Harvard School of Dental Medicine is more than a personal milestone — it’s a triumph that carries the hopes of a community.

“This is not just my story,” she said. “It’s my family’s, my mentors’, and the people who believed in me from the start.”

Rodriguez graduated earlier this month with a degree in biology, a minor in chemistry, and a long-term vision to bring affordable dental care to underserved areas in Georgia.

From Statesboro to Harvard: A Journey Fueled by Grit and Gratitude

Originally from North Georgia, Rodriguez chose Georgia Southern’s Armstrong campus because of its welcoming size and accessibility. Once enrolled, she found herself thriving in a tight-knit learning environment where faculty played an outsized role in her success.

At Georgia Southern, she became a standout scholar, securing research opportunities, shadowing healthcare professionals, and building a dental school résumé that would eventually carry her to one of the most prestigious dental schools in the nation.

Her acceptance to Harvard’s School of Dental Medicine, located in Boston, is part of a 35-student cohort selected from among thousands of applicants across the world.

“Getting in was surreal,” she said. “I remember refreshing the application portal three times before it sank in.”

A Calling Rooted in Service

Rodriguez says her passion for dentistry grew out of early volunteer work and internships in rural clinics across Georgia. She was struck not only by the lack of resources, but by the connection between oral health and systemic poverty.

“In some communities, a single dental issue can spiral into job loss or school absences,” she explained. “I knew then this was the field where I could make the most difference.”

At Harvard, she hopes to focus on community dentistry and public health, ultimately returning to Georgia to open a nonprofit dental clinic in an underserved county.

Support from Campus and Community

Rodriguez’s success reflects a broader mission within Georgia Southern to promote leadership in healthcare and STEM fields, particularly among first-generation and minority students.

Her advisors at the College of Science and Mathematics describe her as a determined, intellectually curious student who remained committed to service even while preparing for one of the toughest application processes in higher education.

“Thalia is the kind of student who lifts others while she climbs,” one faculty mentor said. “Her story is what we hope for in every graduate.”

Inspiration for Future Eagles

Rodriguez’s message for current and future Georgia Southern students is simple: you belong in every room you enter.

“I’ve sat in classrooms with people from very different backgrounds — but hard work, kindness, and purpose matter just as much as privilege,” she said.

She also encourages pre-health students to seek early exposure, connect with mentors, and “don’t be afraid to dream past the obvious.”

Looking Ahead

Rodriguez will move to Boston this summer to begin orientation at Harvard. Her four-year program will include clinical rotations, community outreach, and cross-collaboration with public health agencies.

She remains committed to returning to Georgia after graduation to build something meaningful — not just for herself, but for families who too often go without routine care.

“I want to make dental health affordable, visible, and respected in every part of Georgia,” she said. “That’s my why.”

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