For anyone who is a Sociology major or minor, you have probably had at least one class with Rafael Narvaez, a professor who is passionate about what he is teaching and intrigues students one day at a time. Her Campus had the opportunity to ask Professor Narvaez some questions in order to get a better sense of who he is as a person, as well as why he decided to become a professor.
Where are you originally from?
Peru, from a small town in the northern Peruvian Sierras, Cajamarca. This is the place, by the way, where the Inca Empire fell to Francisco Pizarro.
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What made you want to become a professor?
I like to have control over my time, to read, to study, and this kind of job allows for that. On the other hand, school made me a better person, a better father, a better citizen; it gave me immense satisfaction, pleasure, a sense of awe; it helped me figure out what is in fact important and what is trivial; it allows me to have better access to reality; it marked my life in fundamental and enduring ways, which made me realize that this was a job worth pursuing. Maybe I can help some students in these ways as well.Â
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Where did you get your degree/what did you go to school for?
From the New School in New York City. I got a Ph.D. in Sociology.
What is some advice you would give to students?
I usually refrain from giving advice, but if asked I would tell students this: if you think that school is only about getting a job, then school is failing you (maybe society itself is failing you).
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What do you like to do in your free time?
Listen to music, read, work on new academic projects, hang out with my wife, kids and friends. I also like to cook and have wine.
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What is one thing you can’t live without?
Music!
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Now that you have gotten the opportunity to get to know Professor Narvaez a little bit more, do you think you’d be interested in taking one of his classes? Only way to find out is to take one and get to know this laid-back and very passionate professor!