EPCC philosophy professor earns top state accomplishment
EL PASO, Texas – Professor of Philosophy at El Paso Community college, Manuela Alejandra Gomez, was announced as a 2022 Piper Professor for the state of Texas.
The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation awards ten professors for their superior teaching and extraordinary academic, scholarly achievements and their dedication to teaching.
Gomez has been teaching philosophy on both sides of the border for 17 years.
She told ABC-7 that with this accomplishment her work is affirmed a little bit more.
“So for me just to make sure that my work is validated and legitizmied has been a big struggle, but luckily the product of my work has spoken for itself, '' she said.
The professor said that it is important she makes a difference in the lives of her students.
She said since she is from the border she wants her students to see themselves reflected in her and know they can also transform their communities.
She understands the field of philosophy is one of the most underrepresented fields for minorities, like her.
“We think of these men, but we never really focus on who are the women. There are women philosophers who are just as valuable.”
She reminds her students daily in the classroom to keep moving forward.
“There’s a lot of ups and downs and the key here is going to be persistence and it's going to be a matter of making sure that it is okay to understand there are incredible challenges and obstacles in front of us but we have to keep going,” she said.
Gomez's dream is to one day have a border philosophy on the U.S. Mexico Border to ensure that border philosophy is recognized.
“I want to make philosophy accessible at all levels. I don’t want it to be just one or two classes in college. It's something that should be available to everyone,” Gomez said.
Gomez said she receives her inspiration from her parents, husband, friends and her two Chihuahuas.
Through the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, she will receive an official certificate of merit, a gold pin and a $5,000 honorarium.
