Rate My Professor Rodolfo Jacobo

Dr. Rodolfo Jacobo is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Ethnic Studies Department at Palomar College. Born in Los Angeles, California, he spent his early years raised by his maternal grandmother in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. His parents, Elena and Rodolfo Jacobo Sr., were migrant workers who picked fruit in California while holding U.S. permanent resident status. At age eight, following his grandmother's injury, Jacobo joined his family on a ranch near San Luis Rey in North County, where nearly 20 undocumented relatives resided; many received amnesty in 1986 and became U.S. citizens. This background informs his scholarly focus on undocumented youth.

Jacobo's academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Education from the Claremont Graduate University/San Diego State University Joint Doctoral Program (May 2009), with a dissertation titled The Negotiation of Lived Spaces by Unauthorized College-Aged Youth; an M.A. in History from San Diego State University (1995), focusing on Chicana/o History and Border History; and a B.A. in History from San Diego State University (1992), emphasizing Latin American and Chicana/o History. He commenced teaching in 1995 at San Diego State University, followed by positions at San Diego Mesa College and Southwestern College, and currently serves at Palomar College in the Ethnic Studies Department. His research interests center on Chicana/o history, border history, and the experiences of unauthorized college-aged youth. Key publications include his book Negotiating Spaces: The Lives of Undocumented Youth and contributions to World War II and the Emerging Civil Rights Struggle, Chicano San Diego: Cultural Space and the Struggle for Justice, and Mexcoehuani: Readings in Chicana/o and Border History; he has authored several books and articles. Dr. Jacobo recently received a fellowship as an American Scholar from the Kettering Foundation. As Department Chair, he originated the Tarde de Familia event to support Palomar students, particularly Latino students, and has advocated for initiatives like the new Ethnic Studies requirement aligning with CSU standards.