Teaching & Mentorship
Adriana’s teaching philosophy is built on three core pillars: applying knowledge to the social world, fostering a collaborative learning environment, and demystifying academia. She strives to make abstract sociological theories accessible through storytelling, videos, music, and real-world examples—an approach inspired by language teaching methods that help students internalize complex ideas.
As a first-generation student, she prioritizes creating a supportive and inclusive classroom where students feel seen, valued, and comfortable taking intellectual risks. Adriana emphasizes that learning is a shared journey and that mistakes are essential for growth. She provides practical guidance on navigating academia to further support students, such as using office hours effectively or asking for recommendation letters. She adapts her teaching based on anonymous mid-semester feedback, reinforcing a student-centered approach. Above all, she believes students thrive when instructors lead with empathy, authenticity, and curiosity—and she brings that ethos into every class she teaches.
Adriana’s mentorship approach is rooted in encouragement, active listening, and a deep commitment to supporting students—particularly those from underrepresented and first-generation backgrounds. She finds great fulfillment in helping students overcome impostor syndrome and recognize their potential for academic success, whether that means applying for research programs, scholarships, or considering graduate school. Witnessing their transformation—from self-doubt to self-assurance—is one of the most rewarding aspects of mentoring.
Adriana focuses on building students’ confidence by providing practical guidance on navigating the university system, accessing research opportunities, and planning for life after graduation. Through programs like the Sociology Undergraduate Honors Thesis, the Undergraduate Research Cohort (URC), Cal in Sacramento, and Berkeley Connect, she empowers students to contribute meaningfully to research with real-world implications and to carve a path that best suits their success in college.
Creating an inclusive, affirming environment is central to her approach. She pays close attention to verbal and non-verbal cues to ensure students feel heard, supported, and valued, especially in an academic setting that can heighten feelings of marginalization and insecurity.
UC Berkeley Graduate Student Instructor (GSI); averages across two sections each semester (Scale: 0-5 unless noted)
*Scale: 0 = not at all effective; 3 = moderately effective; 7 = Extremely effective
It was the hypothesis of this course that within our field, there were essentially three theoretical traditions: a Marxist tradition, a sociological tradition, and an emergent third tradition that transcended both Marxism and sociology. In this view of theoretical traditions, sociology developed out of a critical dialogue with the writings of Marx and Engels and the Marxists who followed them, while the third tradition, often referred to as postmodernism, sought to go beyond the optimistic accounts of history and the future shared by Marxism and sociology.
This course was the second half of the Sociology Department’s year-long sequence in Sociological Theory. In this course, we covered some of the core theoretical debates in social theory throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. We paid specific attention to critical genealogies, such as works in anticolonial and postcolonial thought, critical theories of gender/sexuality, and indigenous thought. We asked: How did power shape our sense of self, and what were the possibilities for resistance? How could we demystify and learn to overcome structures of capitalism, colonialism, racism, and patriarchy? How could we think beyond dominant categories that we often take for granted? How could social theory help us make sense of a complex world, craft transgressive solidarities, and engage in collective political action? Throughout the class, we discussed how theorists’ historical contexts and social positions might have shaped their theoretical concerns. We learned how to read texts generously, while also discussing their limits. Overall, the class aimed to sharpen students’ ability to engage theoretical debates with an eye toward building their own sociological imagination.
UC Berkeley Graduate Student Instructor (GSI); averages across two sections each semester (Scale: 0-5 unless noted)
*Scale: 0 = not at all effective; 3 = moderately effective; 7 = Extremely effective
This course taught students the social science evidence that can inform these debates, and the research skills necessary for students to produce their own data-driven evaluations of immigration in Bay Area communities. The course was divided into three parts. Each part centered on a key question that motivates the readings and a major hands-on assignment to teach basic research skills. The questions tackled were: (1) Why do people migrate across international borders? (2) Are immigrants and their children becoming integrated into the societies that receive them? (3) What support and what barriers exist when it comes to immigrant integration in Bay Area communities? Throughout the course, we drew on research by sociologists, political scientists, economists, demographers, and historians. The course was anchored in the US case, but we also considered other Western nations and the lessons that they provide. We moved between levels of analysis, considering variation among people, between migrant groups, and across countries.
This course was a critique of the push/pull concept and the emphasis on income gaps/wage differentials as the main way of understanding migration. It also critiqued the ways in which most people in the U.S. view immigration through the lens of turn-of-the-century European migration as a one-way process: with very little attention to the people left behind, the impacts of remittances, and return migration. Nor is there an understanding of the importance of historical context—the early 1900s era was vastly different and much less complex than immigration in more recent times, especially along the U.S.-Mexico border (including the critique of migrant networks and Massey's views on this point). This course also stressed the significance of the affective dimension of migration: emotion, loneliness, fear, awkwardness, etc., particularly at the interface of arrival and the period of adjustment, including possible impediments—language, just to name one source of the affective issues involved in migration, as seen in the issues raised by separated families. But, it also highlighted the exhilaration, excitement, and hopefulness of reaching the desired destination.
Student Comments
"I have had a very hard time in the rest of my classes due to remote learning. I am a re–entry student and a single mother and the only reason I did not drop the entire semester is because I did not want to miss out on Adriana’s teaching. She helped me feel confident in the material because she presented it so well."
“One technique that Adriana employs, which I found particularly valuable, is her thorough preparation and analysis of the material before presenting it to the class. She ensures that complex topics are broken down into digestible parts, making it easier for us to understand. Additionally, her ability to facilitate productive conversations and discussions around the material helps deepen our comprehension. She encourages active participation and guides us through the content in a way that promotes critical thinking. Another technique I appreciate is Adriana’s approach to handling questions. If she doesn’t know the answer to somethingimmediately, she doesn't hesitate to acknowledge it and promises to revisit the topic later. This not only fosters trust but also shows her commitment to delivering accurate and thorough information.”
“I love that Adriana is patient in asking questions to students, verbally synthesizes our responses to show she is listening and understands, and encourages us to share our thoughts in an empathetic and empowering way.”
“Her thorough explanation of complex theorists! She provided a map and connected several theorists to an overall argument.”
“None! So glad Adrianna was our GSI. As a Mexican–American woman and also a first generation college student, I felt extremely comfortable talking to her as her experiences in academia often mirrored mine. She presented information in ways that were clear using direct language, but was never patronizing or never sounded like she was dumbing things down for us. She had high expectations for us and helped us fulfill those expectations with her exceptional teaching.”
“Adriana encouraged me to express my understanding of the readings by asking me questions as a dialogue in discussion section and in office hours. She was very creative by allowing us to create visuals to better understand the different theories. I enjoyed this because I am a visual learner. I enjoyed her elaborated feedback on my midterm and on the theory of action paper. That feedback is going to help me on my final exam. She is precise at answering questions.”