Graduate won award for best teacher at URosario

This graduate of the University of Cundinamarca, through her work as a sports coach, has inspired her students to overcome drug addiction and make better use of their free time. Discipline and passion have led Alejandra Cubillos to be recognized as the best teacher. Here is her story.

Today, this 35-year-old woman, a graduate of the Sports Science and Physical Education program at the Soacha extension, was chosen in the category of best innovative teacher at the University of Rosario where she works.

“When I was a child, my dad, who has always been an athlete, enrolled us in a training school in Fusagasugá. There, along with my sister and brother, we started learning table tennis and with them we began to win many championships.”.

So, when he finished high school, he decided to study Sports Science and Physical Education and chose UCundinamarca because the institution promotes sports training as part of its educational project. “It was a good choice because I received a scholarship for being an athlete and representing the institution, which also helped my family's finances, since my parents supported us with a modest shoe repair business called Leo. It was all a bit of a struggle, since I always had to travel from Fusagasugá to Soacha, a two-hour trip, because back then there wasn't a divided highway like there is now.”.

Soon, she finished her degree, and although her chosen focus was swimming, since, in her own words, she "didn't see herself making a living from table tennis," fate ended up placing her in the most unexpected place. Her working life began with SENA (National Learning Service), but in Antioquia, in the heart of Urabá, a banana-growing region with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius and high humidity. "I was there for two years. I lived in Arboletes, Turbo, and Apartadó, working as an instructor in Sports Training Technology. Afterward, I returned to Fusagasugá to work at a swimming club.".

One day, a friend told her that Compensar was looking for a table tennis coach, not a swimming coach, which was her undergraduate focus. However, her life skills education at UCundinamarca, where students strive to transform society with relevant and pertinent knowledge, allowed her to take on the challenge. “I applied, passed all the tests, and was selected. At the same time, I also got job offers at UCundinamarca in Soacha and Fusagasugá, and at Universidad La Gran Colombia.”.

This sport, which she dislikes being called ping pong because it diminishes its importance in people's minds, continued to loom large in her professional life. One day, she saw on the job website El Empleo.com that the University of Rosario was looking for a professor of this discipline. They called her for an interview. One morning, she arrived with the best attitude, “when I was in the room ready to go in, I saw my former sports training coach, a Cuban who is a master of table tennis. A true expert. I thought: I have no chance here, there are zero opportunities.”.

So, she soon heard her name called to enter the selection process. “I was greeted by the man who is now my boss, and I told him I was sad. He asked, ”Why?’ I replied, ‘I just saw that you interviewed my former professor, so I don’t have a chance anymore.’ He responded, ‘Don’t worry, let’s do the interview.’ A week later, they were already calling me to sign a contract. I couldn’t believe it.”.

As bright as they come, she was soon asked by the dean's office of the university where she worked to develop a program. This is how the elective course "From Ping Pong to Table Tennis" was born. "It was a success, as the spots filled up in no time. My students have always given me a 4.9 at the end of the semester, and I also ask them to do a self-evaluation and send it to me. I've received comments like, 'Your course helped me get off drugs,' or 'Table tennis was one of the factors that helped me overcome depression.' For me, that has been very rewarding.".

All that dedication to her work, a product of the values and discipline instilled by UCundinamarca, led to her being nominated by students at Universidad del Rosario for the Teaching Career Awards in two categories: inspiring teacher and innovative teacher. “The competition lasts six months and has several phases. The first is being nominated. Then, a couple of external academics approach you to monitor your work.”.

Then you have to create a virtual portfolio showcasing the experiences you've developed and explaining why you believe they are innovative and inspiring. Next, they interviewed my students. In the end, I was able to pass all the stages with the innovative teacher category, considering that 164 teachers applied, and in the final round, only five of us remained.”.

But this woman was once again overcome by skepticism. Yes, the same skepticism that filled her with doubt when she went through the selection process to enter the University of Rosario. “The day of the awards ceremony arrived, and I had told a colleague that I didn't think I was going to win. Imagine, I was competing with law professors who had been judges and others of equal renown.”.

When they announced in the auditorium, ”The award for best innovative teacher goes to…Jenny Alejandra Cubillos,” it was incredible. They gave me a beautiful diploma and a substantial sum of money. That day I learned that I shouldn't be skeptical and that I should believe I deserve the best thanks to the passion I put into my work and the education I received at UCundinamarca.”.

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