In our last week of Campus Class-Acts, another nominated professor! For this interview, I had the pleasure of meeting Professor Cruz, who was immediately friendly and cheery. In fact, she was so welcoming, I felt as if I had walked into a home and not an office. Her enthusiasm is contagious and inspirational. As I told her before leaving, she really gave me “the warm fuzzies.”
Department: Political Science
Hometown: I grew up in Central America. My hometown is Granada, an old colonial town in Nicaragua that’s where my mother’s family comes from. That’s where all my childhood memories are. But now, Boston is my hometown because I went to graduate school here and have been teaching here for awhile.
What do you teach? Latin American Politics, which I love. I also teach Political Violence in State and Society and a seminar on Political Culture.
How many years have you taught at Tufts? Since 2001
What’s your favorite aspect of Tufts? The students, I love the students. I’m telling you, they have thisenergy without being rude, how do they do it? Energetic, yet polite and bright, bright, bright. And you find everything, everything from Wall Street types, investment bankers, to people who want to join the Peace Corps and everything in between, all equally smart, energetic, fun, polite. I just love my students, plus they make me feel useful.
Why are you passionate about what you teach? I grew up in a political family, they were always involved in politics. I was always thinking when I was a kid what are all the arguments about, why don’t people just talk and resolve their differences. Even families fight, go from fighting with words to fighting with guns…I always wanted to understand what makes conflict intractable, where it comes form and how to solve it. A desire not to see war, a desire not to see killing, a desire not to see hate.
Have you had a favorite teaching moment? Yes, I will never forget it. I was teaching at Columbia in New York at a master’s program. It was my first year of teaching, and there was a student in the front row. She had this brand new notebook and three brand new pens in a row. I remember that was what I did in grade
What were you like in college? I was shy, very shy, I had a very difficult time raising my hand so because of that, I always like making my students feel very comfortable in seminars. I will never ever make a student feel like they don’t know what they’re talking ahout or that they are foolish…I will always value what they have to say. The first thing [in speaking up] is courage, and you have to respect that. This comes from my own experience. (Laughs) But, I was a good student.
What was your favorite part of college? All the courses that had to do with politics and history, I loved politics and history.
What advice would you give to college students? Follow your heart. And once you’ve done that, use your brain. Never ever, under any circumstances, do any thing just because you can. What you do, you do out of love and all the rest is superfluous. And love what you do.
Why do you like Boston as a city? The winters are for the bears, and I’m a tropical plant. I love summer. So apart from the winter, it’s a beautiful city. Not too big, not too small. It has history, but its full of young people so the combination is unbeatable. And, good restaurants and everything you need and possibly want is right here and it’s not as expensive or as big as New York. So, I love it.
Who inspires you? I have to say that once in a while I will read an essay by a student and when they struggle against personal illness, drawbacks, poverty, families with illnesses or loss or they have parents who have died or siblings who are ill and they continue to struggle to fulfill their own promise and remain faithful, loyal, good and loving…that inspires me. And it happens, more than I thought it would. Just when I’m beginning to feel sorry for myself and I will remember, I have it easy, and I’m inspired to go on the next day.
If you have had any wonderful, awesome, inspirational professors, please feel free to e-mail me their names so I can interview them in “Campus Class-Acts!” (Alexandria.chu@tufts.edu)