Ten Years of Teaching, Yes, I Still Get Butterflies Before Class

This year marks a decade since I stepped into a university classroom—not as a student, but as a professor.

I was 26. Fresh out of my second degree in Graphic Design, I was invited to teach Editorial Design and Print Production at UJMD, my alma mater and the place where I had just finished a beautiful double academic journey in Communications and Design. That first semester I was nervous, proud, and so determined to give back what I myself had received: the guidance, challenge, and generosity of brilliant professors who had shaped me.

From there, teaching took me further than I imagined.

At Universidad Don Bosco, I taught Graphic Communication Strategies for the Design faculty. It was short-lived (commuting was never my thing), but the joy of returning to my design school as a lecturer was a full-circle moment I’ll always treasure.

Then came a completely new adventure: the launch of El Salvador’s first-ever undergraduate programs in Fashion Design and Image Consulting at UFG. Led by the visionary Mónica Moz, I was invited to teach Fashion Design I & II, Image Consulting, Consumer Behavior, and Sociology of Fashion. Everything was fresh and uncharted. We were building something from scratch. Small groups, passionate students, and professors trained abroad — it felt like being part of a historic first generation. And honestly? It was so cool.

I eventually paused to focus on my career. But in 2023, I came back to teach Innovation & Sustainability and (my forever favorite) Print Production. Another pause followed… and more learning. Two Master’s degrees, a specialization with LVMH, two published books, international articles, and several senior and director-level roles later, I’ve returned once again — this time to teach Writing and Media at the School of Design.

And here’s what I know now:

Teaching has never been just a side note for me. It’s a grounding force. A sacred loop. A way to anchor everything I learn out there — in the boardroom, in the studio, in the field — and offer it back, not as a perfect formula, but as a conversation.

Academia shaped me. Professors saved me. And truth be told, I’m the kind of person who will probably always sign up for another course, another reading list, another masterclass. I’ll always be a sucker for a good syllabus. And I love that about myself. (Don’t judge.)

So here’s to 10 years of standing on both sides of the classroom. To messy whiteboards, curious eyes, difficult questions, early mornings, and the magic of shared learning.

Ten years of teaching later… and yes, I still get nervous on day one. And thank you — to every student who ever trusted me with their time.