Student Testimonials
I regularly receive high reviews on my teaching evaluations and I value student feedback when approaching my courses. Below are some testimonials from students in some of my most recent courses as well as students I have worked with and mentored in other capacities:
Christabel Cruz is a supportive mentor and dynamic student affairs professional, propelling students to new opportunities and empowering them to discover their inner potential. I became connected to Christabel through my involvement in the FIGS program, a Rutgers seminar program allowing undergraduate students to teach accredited course to First-Year students on a topic of their expertise. Christabel served as a Program Coordinator for FIGS, coaching dozens of students with a variety of classes through the lesson planning process as well as supporting the strategic growth and development of the FIGS program.
Christabel taught me the fine art of lesson planning, making herself available throughout the summer as needed for meetings, brainstorming sessions, and constructive feedback. Even after her official tenure as Program Coordinator for the FIGS program ended, she was still more than willing to help me to make my class even more effective and support me through any challenges that arose. She prioritizes supporting traditionally underrepresented students and helped me to connect to the Eagleton Institute of Politics, for which I later became an Associate. I am eternally grateful for Christabel for the guidance and assistance she offered me, and feel confident that she will continue to propel many diverse students and professionals in her career, no matter what the role.
Steven H.
Senior Peer Instructor
Linda M.
Senior Auditor
I recently had the pleasure of auditing Christabel Cruz’s class, “Women and American Politics,” at Rutgers University. Christabel’s knowledge of and passion for the subject matter were evident throughout the semester. By using a wide variety of creative teaching techniques which often required class participation, she actively engaged her students in the learning process. From day one, she fostered a sense of community and inclusivity in the classroom, creating a safe environment where students felt comfortable voicing their opinions.
Christabel made great use of our weekly time together. Each session was well planned and organized, obviously reflecting a great deal of pre-class preparation time. She did an excellent job of covering a wide spectrum of facts and issues relating to women and American political life in the U.S.. As a result, I have personally become a much more astute citizen. Christabel is a truly dedicated educator who values her students. I hope she is given the opportunity to use her outstanding skills in another class-room setting.
Amy P.
Second-Year Undergraduate
I had the pleasure of having Christabel Cruz as my professor for Women and American Politics in the Fall of 2017. When I initially signed up for the class, it was my first three hour class and I did not know what to expect. When I came to class on the first day, all my worries were lifted. Ms. Cruz has this incredible persona to her that always put me in a good mood during class. She kept the class very interesting and relevant especially with the current events presentations each class. At the end of the semester, for the first time I was actually upset class was ending. But I was happy to see that Professor Cruz is the type of person that stays in touch with her previous students and tries to help them out when she can. She is one of the very few professors who actually care about their students and want to see them succeed. Anyone would be lucky to have her in their life.
Nana A.
Second-Year Undergraduate
Professor Cruz was very engaging as a professor. She was always involved in the class discussions and would not impose her views, but give great historical insight to a lot of the ideals mentioned. My favorite part of the class was her ability to include various types of women, and their involvement in politics. A lot of the students were able to understand the history of their respective race groups or gender, but Professor Cruz opened our thinking more by including other races or genders that we never thought to consider. For instance, It was exciting to learn more about Native American women because they are usually left out of the conversation when politics is involved. Overall, Professor Cruz was an amazing professor and I learned an immense amount of information from sitting in her class.
As a student who has had Professor Cruz in two different classes at Rutgers, I can say with certainty that Professor Cruz is not only a qualified and professional professor, but is also an enthusiastic and caring professor as well. Her classes were very structured and her students always knew what was expected of them. While Professor Cruz is not easiest professor at Rutgers, I found her grading to be fair as her criteria is clear, and she leaves detailed feedback on every major assignment. What really makes Professor Cruz stand out however, is her enthusiasm and her strong communication skills. Her classroom always had a positive air in it. This was because Professor Cruz every class seemed genuinely excited to share her knowledge with her students. Likewise, Professor Cruz was particularly good at leading classroom discussion. In Political Science classes touchy issues are bound to come up, but Professor Cruz always was able to keep these discussions under control. I feel that these discussions helped give me a more diverse outlook on many different issues, and really helped me to grow as an intellectual. I would absolutely recommend Professor Cruz to any student or administration. She is a special professor.
Phillip B.
Fourth-Year Undergraduate