Tec professor received an Honorary Doctorate from OIICE

Tec Santa Fe campus professor Velda Gámez has been recognized by the International Organization for Inclusion and Educational Quality (OIICE) for her teaching practice on Law and Cybersecurity.

The professor from the School of Social Sciences and Government (ECSG) received two awards: the Award for Educational Excellence and an Honorary Doctorate from the OIICE.

These awards were made by the OIICE Evaluation Committee, which is comprised of renowned academics from Latin American universities.

“I love teaching. I think that for many years now, it has been very clear to me that all paths lead to teaching.”

International recognition

Velda Gámez holds degrees in law and social psychology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and has worked in cyber law with a focus on gender for the prosecution of cybercrimes.

Receiving this recognition was proof that her work doesn’t just have an impact at a local level, said the professor.

“They don’t just see what you do on the outside; they seek you out and say we are interested in this, and we believe that you deserve recognition,” she said.

She also highlighted her role in academia as a woman under 40.

“One thing I am very proud of is being one of very few women in a ceremony of 90 men,” she added.

“I was able to represent women under 40 and say yes, we’re doing very important things and we haven’t stopped living our lives,” she said.

Another important factor in Velda Gámez’s teaching career is her role as an academic at the Tec.

“The Tec is a very strong platform for all of us; it has allowed me to work with other universities and help them.

“I think it’s very good to reflect on what we know and what they need,” she said.

Passion for teaching

Her students are one of the factors that motivate Velda Gámez to excel in her work the most.

“It’s the young people who will create a better world, who will create a more level playing field.

“I love teaching, and for many years I’ve been very clear that all paths lead to teaching,” she shared.

For the academic, teaching is “learning two or three times.”

“What we have is knowledge, and we must ensure that others have it, too.”

“We have to remove this idea of the teacher being at the center; we are sharing.

“I teach you what I know, and you teach me what you are, what you know, and where you are,” she stressed.

Similarly, one of the things that makes her teaching work more enjoyable is the freedom to teach that the Tec gives her.

“The Tec gives you academic freedom; they tell you, ‘Here’s your syllabus, but change it, make it yours.’

“The Tec invites you to take ownership, to be passionate about what you’re doing, and that allows for a lot of flexibility,” she said.

According to the professor, formality in teaching often limits a good exchange between student and teacher.

“I’m completely against continuing to terrorize students and saying that because ‘I have the pencil, I have the power.’”

“What we have is knowledge, and we must ensure that others have it too,” she remarked.

Finally, the award winner stressed that she has come face to face with the results of her teaching and that it is one of the things that most motivates her to continue.

“Not long ago, I met a former student who told me, ‘You only gave me one week of classes but because of that, I got a job interview for a legal digitization role in Liverpool’.

“It’s really great when a kid comes up to you and says, ‘Hey, I have a job thanks to what you taught me, and I was able to do this,’” she concluded.

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