By Adriana Puig González
“Teaching is a labor of love,” says Alexandra Ruiz-Gomez, a passionate professor at CIS University with more than two decades of experience in marketing. She explains her path from a successful advertising career to a very satisfying teaching position, where she emphasizes personal, active learning, and the values of persistence and ambition. Well known for her dedication and well loved by her students, Alexandra stands out in the classroom because of her teaching style, which promotes critical thinking and personal development.
How long have you been at CIS University? How did you find this opportunity?
Well, when I finished my PhD, I started out sending my CVs and then I got interviewed. I was very enthusiastic because this is an American university, and I think it is a great fit for my background, because I come from American schools and universities.
Are you passionate about your job?
Absolutely! Teaching is a labor of love, and you cannot do it if you are not passionate about it. It is not a profession that is driven by the desire to become a millionaire; it is about sharing knowledge and really seeing young people learn and challenge them.
Could you mention your professional and academic background? What made you decide to become a teacher?
I didn’t set out to become a teacher; my background is in advertising and marketing agencies. I worked in marketing and advertising for more than 20 years; coincidentally, I worked with a lot of accounts that targeted women and children. I have a degree in communications and advertising, two master’s degrees in E-commerce marketing in CRM, the other one is in marketing research, and then I have a PhD in Influencer Marketing. I took about eight postgraduate courses to update my knowledge because when I first studied my first master’s degree, Google and Facebook didn’t even exist. So, one thing that I learned is that you have to keep learning your entire life because things change rapidly, and you have to keep up to date.
Which of your teaching experiences has been the most fulfilling so far?
I don’t think it is tied to a particular job, it’s tied to finding students who are interested in learning, seeing them evolve, seeing the change, and seeing them motivated, even if they didn’t start motivated at the beginning. That feeds my soul.
Which values are most important to you while interacting with students?
Having a real desire to learn. If someone wants to learn, they will learn no matter what, no matter if COVID comes around or any circumstance, they will learn. But if someone does not have that desire to learn, even if you give them the best education, the best school, and the best classes, they won’t learn because they are not interested.
Technology has evolved significantly and continues to do so, have you used any innovative teaching methods or technological tools in your classroom? If so, what were they and what was the result?
I believe in learning by doing. I think you can add all the technology in the class, and it’s really just an enabler; what makes the difference is getting students involved. So, I try to avoid lecturing in class, and I make students lecture because I think they learn a lot more. I like to see my students reflect on what they read. I want to see them being actively engaged in the class, and I like to sit back and then provide feedback because I think you don’t learn by sitting and warming the chair and seeing a teacher do a presentation, but by actually doing the work.
Since CIS University welcomes diversity due to its large number of international students, how do you handle diversity in your class? Which techniques do you employ to make sure every student feels welcome?
I love that question because I come from exactly that same background. I was educated in American schools all over the US, so everybody had that same kind of background, so that’s where I come from, that’s my experience. My classmates were the sons and daughters of ambassadors, multinational people from all over the world. I make sure that students don’t speak Spanish in class, and I remind them what it is like to be abroad and realize that many times, when you start your life in a new country, it’s very hard. I just try to make those people feel welcome.
As a teacher today, what are some of the most difficult obstacles you encounter, and how do you overcome them?
I think that one of the biggest challenges today is that many students have used Chat GPT or AI tools, and I think it cripples your mind because if you use it so much, at some point you stop thinking. You are unable to think on your own, it is like using the calculator without learning the multiplication tables or without adding in your head. If you use the calculator for the most simple arithmetic problems, at some point, you just can’t even do it by yourself. So, it is a big challenge, and sometimes I see papers that are top-to-bottom Chat GPT, and when I confront students about it, they try to defend the impossible that it was just a grammar proofreading tool, and it makes no sense.
What are the most effective methods for students to get ready for success in your classes or their education more generally?
The key to thriving in any class, not just mine, is to be really interested in doing your best, doing your best no matter what, and trying your best. That does not mean that you have to be perfect. It just means that within your possibilities, you try your best and, of course, follow instructions. I think a significant problem is that many students fail to read instructions or follow them.
Which life advice has been the most helpful to you, and what would you suggest to your CIS University students?
Be persistent and ambitious. Maybe at some point in your life, you are more interested in having fun, and that’s okay. Maybe you want to balance it out, and maybe this year you don’t want to strive to be the super A student. But keep going because maybe down the line you want to pursue a master’s degree. So, don’t let your grades slide to the point where you close doors.