My teaching philosophy is grounded in the knowledge and belief that education is a powerful tool for social justice and change. I draw from critical pedagogy, where education is positioned as a mechanism for change, to design and inform instructional practices for students to collectively engage in dialogue, develop a critical consciousness, and critique systems of power.

For the past two years, I’ve been the Instructor of Record for EDS 25: American Higher Education and the Collegiate Experience at UC San Diego. Held over Zoom, this course is made up of 150 incoming freshman participating in the Summer Bridge Program. By incorporating Padlet, breakout rooms, and guest speakers, students have multiple opportunities throughout the course to critically engage, discuss, and analyze topics related to educational (in)equity in higher education, including affirmative action, minority-serving institutions, and the community cultural wealth model. In the process, students interrogate their own personal identities and lived experiences. In recognition of my teaching, I received an Outstanding Graduate Teaching Scholar Award.

I received extensive formal training—over 40 hours of pedagogical development—on developing and implementing my own undergraduate course by participating in the UCSD Teaching and Learning Commons Summer Graduate Teaching Scholars (SGTS) program. In fact, I received the Engaged Teaching Scholar in Student-Centered College Teaching certificate for successfully completing the highest level of training. I continue to be involved with the Teaching and Learning Commons as an SGTS Peer Consultant.

My dedication to inclusive, equity-informed teaching has also led me to collaborate with Dr. Mica Pollock on best practices for teaching DEI courses. Together we are co-principal investigators on a mini grant ($2,000) from the DEI Program at UCSD to analyze pedagogical practices for teaching DEI courses. We are currently writing an article for publication on our findings.

Verbatim Comments from Students:

• One of the most personally impactful classes I’ve ever taken.
• We were consistently asked to apply course concepts to real situations, current issues, our own experiences, and one another’s perspectives. The breakout rooms, chat discussions, and opportunities to unmute made the class feel intellectually active rather than passive.
• This was an amazing course, and I loved Professor Turriago as an educator. I had a lot of fun, and my thinking was always challenged and expanded upon. Would take it again.
• One thing that stood out to me was how the instructor made an effort to acknowledge different perspectives and experiences in class discussions, which helped create a space that felt more open and welcoming. When students brought up personal experiences connected to the material, the instructor took time to listen and validate those voices, and that made it easier to participate without feeling judged.
• This class changed how I see equity in college. Before EDS 25, I thought “equal rules for everyone” was enough. Now I think about power, history, and structures. I learned to look for who benefits from the way things are set up, even if no one says anything out loud.
• When I attended my first EDS 25 lecture, it felt like stepping into an oasis after crawling across a desert of ignorance.