Teacher Spotlight: Professor Maldonado

By Elina Urrutia |Staff Writer|

Ana Maria Maldonado has been a passionate part-time lecturer here at CSUSB since 2000.

“I knew I always wanted to be a professor and wanted to teach at the college level,” said Maldonado.

“I find that the students here, especially upper level, are very interested in the subject, and I love that because it makes me want to teach better,” added Maldonado.

Maldonado is from El Paso, Texas.

She is fluent in English and Spanish due to her Mexican-American upbringing.

Her grandparents who are from Mexico, came here during the revolution in the 19th century.

Maldonado has done many unique things throughout her life.

For instance, she was featured in the MTV series “Punk’d” a few years back.

Nevertheless, that is not what she is known for; instead, she is known for her musical and educational achievements.

She majored in a cello at University of Southern California, and is now a professional cello performer.

“I got to play for President Clinton one year when he was out here doing some fundraising,” said Maldonado.

“I’ve played with a great opera orchestra in Germany, and I have gotten the chance to live outside of the U.S. for four years performing at different embassies.”

She began her teaching career conducting different music classes at Cal Poly Pomona.

As she started networking with her peers, she met someone who informed her that they were looking for a music instructor at CSUSB.

Upon receiving that information, she decided to take the opportunity and soon she began teaching music for the Liberal Arts on campus.

A few years later, the chair of her department asked her to teach a humanities class.

She took the challenge and has been the humanities professor for American Culture ever since.

“Professor Maldonado tackles essential key elements and a broad spectrum of history that convey the listeners to interact with her passion of academic knowledge in this specific field,” said student Leonard Palma.

Maldonado not only teaches here at CSUSB, but also teaches at four other campuses.

“I teach at Cal Poly, I teach at Chaffey College, I teach here, those are my lecture classes and then since I am a professional cellist I teach cello at Cal Baptist and at RCC,” said Maldonado.

“I am a good organizer, so it works out,” said Maldonado.

A few students were interviewed and asked for any feedback that they would like to share about Professor Maldonado.

“Our professor always comes in with great energy, ready, and excited to teach which makes me excited to learn,” said student Carmen Reyes.

Another student that was also interviewed had similar commentary.

“Even though I was born and raised in the U.S. I didn’t know as much about our culture as I thought I did,” said student Kevin Torres.

“But professor Maldonado has helped me learn and understand our culture a lot more, she is passionate and loves what she does, through her lectures I can see why I am so lucky to be American,” concluded Torres.