Diego Rojas, a first-year student at the Busch School of Business, was recently sworn in as Commissioner of Washington DC for Ward 5A-4 after winning a special election in November of 2021. Commissioner Rojas will be representing District areas within Brookland, such as the Catholic University of America, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and Capuchin College. He shared his thoughts on representing Catholic University and the Brookland community below.
How did you get interested in the commissioner position and how were you appointed?
"In all honesty, I never wanted to be a politician this early in my life. I have always felt the calling to be a businessman, and the idea of entering the political arena never aligned up with the world of business to me. In September of 2021, I reached out to President Garvey’s office to see if I could schedule a meeting with him. I wanted to introduce myself, show my gratitude for the opportunity Catholic University has given me, and thank him for all of the great work that he has done during his tenure leading the university. President Garvey and I had a great conversation, and this is where he brought up the idea of running for Commissioner of Washington D.C. to me. I was informed of how the Washington D.C. government works. In essence, there are 8 wards in the District of Columbia, each containing around 100,000-200,000 people. Among those 8 wards are different smaller districts, such as District 5A-4, and each district has a commissioner that represents the people of their district in the Washington D.C. government. He told me that it is a position totally unaffiliated with the university because it is for a government seat and that I would need to handle the whole process of running for the vacant seat.
I slept on the idea for a few nights, deciding if I wanted to become a public servant. Initially, running for office seemed intimidating to me because I wasn’t sure if I had the skills to serve in government as an 18-year-old kid, but I felt something inside me yelling at me to run towards the feeling in my heart. I ended up deciding to run for the seat because, although I never had the intrinsic desire to run for public office, I felt that it was a calling in my life to serve the people of Catholic University by representing them in local government.
The process of filling the office of Commissioner for District 5A-4 was a lengthy process of meeting deadline requirements and obtaining a certain number of resident signatures – the process took over two months, and I was sworn in on December 9, 2021. I decided that because I now hold a political office, I would devote myself to being a public servant, not for my own sake, but to serve the people who I consider to be family, not just acquaintances or constituents. I am so grateful for the relationships that I have made at Catholic University and within the entire Washington D.C. area. Representing the District of 5A-4 is just a small way that I can give back and do my part in making the community a more prosperous place for everyone living and working within Washington D.C."
What will your priorities as Commissioner of Washington DC for District 5A-4 be?
"I believe in the quote from Thomas Jefferson, 'The purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness.' I will always advocate for legislation that enables the community we live and work in to grow and prosper. This means a lot of things, but the key issues are providing a safe environment for people and businesses and creating an attitude that encourages new businesses to come to the Washington D.C. area so that development and opportunities can increase for everyone, including students like myself at Catholic University. Companies both small and large are an essential component of increasing community growth.
I will always vote on legislation that creates a thriving environment for people to run and start businesses. I will also put a spotlight on local businesses in Ward 5. Businesses play a key role in communities; they are employers and provide services that benefit their customers. In my monthly newsletter, I will highlight a business owner or a business that is dedicated to helping the people of Ward 5 and Washington D.C. as a whole. You can subscribe to my newsletter on www.commissionerrojas.com."
Why did you choose to attend Catholic University?
"I started to look at a lot of colleges during my junior year of high school. It was always my #1 goal to play college golf at a university that could give me an opportunity to improve myself in the classroom, on the golf course, and in the business community. In June of 2020, I received an offer from Coach Dolan to play golf at Catholic University; shortly after that, I toured the university and fell in love with the business school. I felt like there was something different about Catholic University – I felt a strong sense of community from the start. Everything aligned perfectly, and I had a strong feeling that God wanted me to attend Catholic University, so I trusted it, and in January of 2021, I officially signed to play golf at Catholic University."
You've published two books. Can you tell us more about them?
"Like everyone else, in March of 2020, I found myself having a ton of free time. I had just finished reading Can’t Hurt Me by Navy SEAL David Goggins, who is considered by many to be the toughest man on the planet. He always advocates for people to seek challenges in their life that push them to the point of breaking. He says, 'We must build calluses on our minds, just like we do on our hands.' I never had the desire to write a book, but I took up his challenge during COVID and embraced the difficult 6-month process of writing a book so that I could seek out a challenge that would better myself. The first book that I published is called The Blueprint. It is about creating and implementing a 14-day plan that will allow you to work towards accomplishing 2 of your goals in life. It uses the principles from the world’s most successful business people, athletes, and leaders to show you how to define and accomplish any dream that you have.
In October of 2021, I published my second book called The American Pilgrimage. Many Americans never get the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to the nation’s capital. I believe that this is a journey every American should partake in. I had the great privilege to make this voyage, and it deepened my love for the greatest country in the world. I want all Americans to go through what I experienced while making my American pilgrimage. In my book, you will walk with me through all of America’s most prized monuments. While reading this book, you will feel like you are walking on the sacred grounds that memorialize the United States’ most extraordinary people and accomplishments. You will not just simply see and feel what I felt while walking through the monuments, but you will be left with a great sense of duty. Every stop throughout my journey in Washington D.C. left me with a sense of responsibility to continue the legacy left behind by those who have sacrificed so much for this great nation called the United States of America.
You can check out more information about my books on www.diego-rojas.com"
You have some other interests as well. What else are you involved in at Catholic?
"I have always had a passion for business. I started my first company when I opened a popcorn stand at my middle school in 6th grade. Since then, my love for business has never ceased. At the Busch School of Business, I serve on the Dean’s Student Advisory Council, and I am also a Busch School Ambassador. I love the world of investing, and I spend a decent amount of my free time researching and investing in the stock market. I believe that business is what runs the world, and if practiced in the right way, it makes the world a better place."
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