Teaching
My teaching interests include migration, refugees, globalization, China, Latin America, development, and research methods.
Teaching Philosophy
I strive to make my teaching a transformative experience of diversity, inclusion, and equity. Serving my undergraduate community with passion, I developed a Paulo Freire-inspired approach to pedagogy that seeks to dismantle barriers between students and instructors by focusing on the unique skills and lived experiences from which students are encouraged to discuss structural, global topics. We commit to see, respect, and honor everyone’s identities and we hold each other accountable for this. At the beginning of each semester, my students and I develop together a series of community agreements that guide our behavior in class, increase our critical engagement with the course content, and create a brave and respectful environment where everyone can contribute and learn from each other. We establish common grounds to recognize our own and others’ privilege, suspend status, and use “I” statements to take ownership of what each of us says. In every class, we conduct small group discussions before engaging in a conversation with the whole class. The goal is to create a healthy space for learning that encourages listening to a diversity of thoughts, perspectives, and experiences.
I value experiential learning. In my classes, I use learning techniques that aim to increase student engagement in practical, mundane situations which they can both learn from and act upon. I use case study methods to expose students to existing struggles for social justice, and I amplify the voices of the communities and advocates who are leading those struggles by assigning materials such as resources made by them and, when possible, hosting them as guest lecturers. Additionally, after discussing research ethics, accountability to affected populations, and responsiveness with my students, I assign activities that require them to ethically interact with communities to make sense of how the content knowledge shared in the classroom relates to local actors. I have developed curricula that advance course-based learning outcomes that are specifically focused on employability skills, including collaborative research seminars and supervised internship experience.
Lastly, I am a firm believer in mentoring students. As a teacher-scholar, I involve students in my research projects and other opportunities like fellowships, internships, and volunteer opportunities. I also connect my students with alumni to facilitate the sharing of experiences and contacts. I have a record of success advising and mentoring individuals from groups under-represented in higher education. I advise my students in navigating a complex curriculum that includes specialization in thematic and regional concentrations, advanced language requirements, and study abroad. I have advised, supervised, and mentored diverse students who are first-generation in college, scholarship recipients, migrants, and refugees. I take pride and joy in mentoring my students in their next steps after graduation, whether it is pursuing graduate education or finding employment in their area of study.
Teaching Experience
2021-present | Lafayette College
Globalization and Its Critics (Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023)
Latin America in Exile (Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024)
Global Migration (Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023)
Research Methods for International Affairs (Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Fall 2023)
Senior Capstone in International Affairs (Spring 2024)
Independent Study – Latin American Migration and Food (Spring 2024)
Independent Study – Refugee Resettlement: Theory and Practice (Spring 2024)
2017-2021 | Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility
Migration, Cities, Climate (Spring 2020, Spring 2021)
Boundaries & Belonging (Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019)
2016-2020 | The New School
China Today: Art, Economy, and Politics (Fall 2020)
Migration & Food (Spring 2018, Spring 2019)
Markets & Politics (Fall 2017)
Classical Sociological Theory (Fall 2016)
Refugees, Territory, Politics (Spring 2016)
2012-2013 | Anglo Americano College
International Migration Governance (Fall 2012, Spring 2013)
Sociology of International Relations (Spring 2013)
Intro to Political Science (Spring 2012, Spring 2013)
Intro to Sociology (Spring 2012, Spring 2013)
Senior Capstone (Spring 2013)
Research Methods (Fall 2012)
Thesis Supervision (Fall 2012)
Syllabus Repository
Global Migration
Latin America in Exile
Boundaries & Belonging
Climate, Cities
and Migration
Food & Migration
Globalization and
Its Critics
Research Methods for International Affairs
Capstone Seminar in International Affairs
Interdisciplinary Curriculum Development Service
2022-present | Engineering/International Studies Joint Degree Advisory Committee
2021-present | International Affairs Program Advisory Committee
2021-present | Global Education and Research Advisory Council
2017-2021 | Migration Studies Certificate at the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility
2017-2019 | Undergraduate and Graduate Minors in Migration Studies