School of Interdisciplinary Global Sciences professor recognized for exceptional teaching and mentorship

By Kellie Britch, College of Arts and Sciences
 
Arturo Jimenez-Bacardi, an associate professor of instruction in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies received the CAS Liberal Arts and Sciences Teaching Award for his exceptional teaching and enthusiasm for undergraduate instruction. The award recognizes individuals in the College of Arts and Sciences who inspire students and grow their passion for learning. 
 
“Dr. Jimenez-Bacardi is a dedicated educator who brings creativity to curriculum development and has a lasting impact on his students,” Toru Shimizu, professor and associate dean for faculty affairs, said. “His teaching draws on breaking news to engage students with timely, real-world issues, always anchored by broader theoretical questions. Several of his students have received prestigious fellowships and presented at research conferences.” 
 
For Jimenez-Bacardi, who started teaching at USF in 2016 and was also one of this year’s top three recipients for the university-wide Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, instruction and mentorship are as much his passion as the research areas that drew him to this work.  
 
“I find that mentoring students is the most meaningful aspect of my work,” Jimenez-Bacardi said. “In particular, it’s most rewarding when you start working with a freshman and then you can really build this years-long relationship with them where you give them feedback and watch them grow in terms of not just their academic abilities, but also their critical abilities and confidence.” 
 
Boosting students’ confidence is, according to Jimenez-Bacardi, important to helping them move away from relying on generative AI technologies, like ChatGPT, and getting them to make and support their own arguments. 
 
“I think building that confidence is critical so that by the time they’re in one of my upper division classes, they’re much more confident to make mistakes,” Jimenez-Bacardi said. “They know they can try to interpret things, even if they get it wrong, or they can say they don’t know. But that takes quite a bit of mentorship to get to that point.” 
 
While mentorship starts in the classroom, it really takes shape when faculty like Jimenez-Bacardi make the effort to continue those conversations after the semester ends. 
 
“I encourage my students to continue reading about the topic and to reach out if they have questions well after the semester is over,” Jimenez-Bacardi said. “Once they’ve built their confidence, I encourage them to attend conferences or even publish their research, both of which provide wonderful learning experiences that prepare them for future opportunities in law school, a graduate program or the workplace.”