Pedagogical Excellence Award at EDHEC Business School, 2022 & 2021
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS At EDHEC Business School, France: “At first, I wasn’t very keen about sustainability, but this course made me realize a new way to learn/study sustainability. Thank you very much and I hope I will get the chance to be in your class again!” S24-1e "Amazing course, very interesting, very interactive and best teacher I had at EDHEC! Thank You!!!" F21-se1 "It was nice to be able to innovate and think out of the box." S23-se1 "A wonderful and attentive teacher, in addition to an extremely interesting course." S23-se2 “Very dynamic! Best teacher of the year.” F22-se2 "The interest instilled in class was amazing. The course was well structured with interactive classes." F21-se9 “The professor had a great teaching method, the classes were very dynamic, and for me, it was the best class of the semester.” F22-se6 "Everything was perfect. The content of the course, the workload, the presence of our break, the enthusiasm of the teacher and her availability to answer questions." F21-se11 “Everything. Maria is a great teacher, super dynamic, and very well organized! We need more teachers like her that are engaging and yet super interesting and actually teach us something.” F22-se3 “The course was very dynamic: the fact of not having our computers forces us to listen, exchange, share... The fact that we had a case to study at the end of each course allowed us to immerse ourselves in the course and never let go of the thread.” F22-se4 "Everything! The content was super interesting, and I was happy to have face to face classes. Thank you, Maria! I discovered social entrepreneurship thanks to this class and I'm now thinking about going for social entrepreneurship one day :)" F21-se3 "The teacher who was superb! One of my best courses since I started at EDHEC. She is passionate about what she does and about the subject, which makes immediately the most interesting subject. The assignments were complete and clear. The work to be returned or presented was very nice to do! Thank you for everything!" F21-se2 "The methodology of the class, Maria encouraged us to learn about social entrepreneurship and to see other ways of making a difference in our society being profitable. The new perspectives she brought us regarding entrepreneurship opened my mind into other possibilities, not only in Europe, but worldwide." F21-se4 "Madame FIGUEROA ARMIJOS is an excellent teacher who always manages to get us involved and motivates us." F21-se5 "I particularly appreciated the teacher's dynamism, professionalism and motivation in teaching us this course. She made sure that everyone participates while having understood the ins and outs of the course." F21-se6 "Excellent course with a lot of interaction and the presentation of current challenges!" F21-se7 "The pedagogy, the interactivity and the enthusiasm of the teacher, one of the only ones to know the first names of their students." F21-se8 "The professor is very welcoming, has pedagogy and is dynamic. The final assignment (by 2) is when I learnt the most so I believe it should be kept." F21-se10 “The pedagogy of Professor FIGUEROA ARMIJOS. We were able to approach social entrepreneurship in its globality in a few sessions while having time to discuss all together and debate on different subjects. The fact that the course was so interactive was great!” F22-se5 “I especially appreciated the pedagogy of the teacher, always listening and eager to get to know her students, leading a course in a dynamic way.” F22-se7 "Everything about the professor and this class. It was my favorite class & she is my favorite professor!" S23-se3 "All! The content of the course was fascinating, and the teacher is so enthusiastic and pleasant that the hours of lessons pass very quickly. I particularly liked the fact that the course is built in a very interactive way." S23-se4 “The dynamism of the courses and the cases studied. The teacher's involvement: she knew the first names of each of the students and regularly asked us for feedback on her course.”F22-se8 "I particularly appreciated the professor, who despite being an online course, delivers her course with energy and positivity which prevents us from dropping out during the three hours online. The course is also very diversified (concepts, videos, case studies, etc.) which helps to energize the class and the evaluation (oral presentations of projects created by us) was pleasant and appropriate for the class." F22-se1 "Very good teaching, dynamic, clear and interesting." F21-se12 "I loved all the sessions, and the class atmosphere was really good." F21-se13 "How she can transmit her passion on the subject and easily share the motivation for students. So happy to have this course as an elective!" F21-se14 "I loved this class!" F21-se15 "Nice class dynamic. Maria is a passionate teacher, and her class was nice, interesting and instructive." F21-se16 "Thank you for your course, it was really valuable, interesting, insightful and useful for me. I will apply the knowledge acquired in every area of my life." S22-1 "You've been a really inspiring teacher who have given me new perspectives and topics to be explored, especially for my career." S22-2 "Thank you for all of your time and for making sustainable development so interesting. You turned a subject that frightened me into an exciting one." S22-3 "Everything! The way Maria explained the topics with real applications in companies and within the entrepreneurship ecosystem was the best part. She domains the course very well and brought us different perspectives thanks to her background. I fully understood the content and the methodology of the class was very good, all of us participated and now we know how to apply sustainability in our projects." S22-se1 "The material given to read at home & how it was linked with the material revised in class. Also, the encouragement to participate and involve in the class."S22-se2 "This was the best lesson I had this year; the teacher is amazing, the course is dynamic and interactive. Everything was passionning!" S22-se3 "The course is very interesting, and the teacher is really interested about the students learning" S22-se4 "How interesting she made the course! The case studies were incredible." S22-se5 "I wanted to send you an email to thank you for your very interesting and very interactive class. I really enjoyed this course a lot, and it sparked my interest for a domain that I didn't know before." F23-e1 2020 in hybrid learning mode during lockdown/covid-19 pandemic: "Maria's way of teaching and enthusiasm made the course very pleasant and light. One of the best S1 courses if not THE best, especially thanks to Prof. Figueroa-Armijos." F20-se1 "I really loved Maria's enthusiasm and pedagogy during our classes, it was super interesting and dynamic. The two business simulations were a lot of fun too, even though I was not a very good manager!" F20-se8 "Maria is incredibly dynamic and passionate about making her students grow, which makes each of her interventions worth listening. She also expressed her concerns about our health and safety various times." F20-se9 "Maria's enthusiasm, her availability, and the fact that she cares a lot if we understand the content of the course or not. She is a very pleasant teacher to hear when we are on a computer because of her huge energy. Her kindness was very appreciated, she was always smiling. We are very lucky to have teachers like her." F20-se6 "Professor Figueroa-Armijos was very invested and passionate, which really made you want to take the course!" F20-se2 "The pedagogy of Madame Figueroa Armijos is particularly benevolent and pleasant. I really enjoyed participating in her classes and the explanation of the different parts of the class was very clear." F20-se3 "Mrs. Figueroa-Armijos's motivation and dynamism. Her pedagogy, giving examples for us to better understand the content. I liked the texts we had to read." F20-se4 "Mrs. Figueroa Armijos is a particularly good teacher whom I was lucky to have again this year. Her motivation is contagious, and she is particularly catchy, thank you very much!" F20-se5 "Because with teacher with such enthusiasm, it is easier to understand the course. MUCHAS GRACIAS :)" F20-se7 "I liked the structure of the course. It was very well-organized and clear. Having a pre-reading before the class was also very useful as it allowed to go deeper into the topic before the class and then discuss the topic I had been already aware." F20-se10 "Maria is very dynamic and gets the attention even though we are doing classes online" F20-se11 "The commitment, energy and pedagogy of the professor. Madame Figueroa is really involved and doesn't count her hours to give us the best possible experience." F20-se12 Maria's dynamism and benevolence. I learned a lot in this course with a dynamic and very pleasant teacher. The content was rich in example and activity, it was GREAT!" F20-se13 "Madame FIGUEROA ARMIJOS is a very dynamic, educational, smiling teacher who is close to her students (she knows each person in the class despite the fact that we only had face-to-face for two lessons). She was keen to make her course as interactive as possible, which was very pleasant." F20-se-blm1 "I particularly appreciated the teacher's ability to make us use all possible forms to learn a language (oral and written expression, oral and written comprehension) practically in every class." F20-se-blm2 "Thank You, Maria, for sharing your knowledge and experience. Today's session really brought clarity towards my approach as an Entrepreneur." S20-1 "I wish we had more classes together [...] I wanted to tell you that even if I didn’t participate a lot in your class (I don’t like to talk in front of others) I was really happy to be in your class. It was indeed my favorite class." S20-2 "Thank you for this sadly short semester. I really enjoyed your classes and hope to meet you again on campus or have you again as a teacher next year!" S20-3 "I would like to thank you in particular because despite the amount of work you had, you were always available and attentive when we had questions (either about our project or about the program). A big thank you for your professionalism, kindness, availability and good mood! We were lucky to have you as our instructor" S21-1 At American University, Washington DC: "Absolutely the best teacher on this campus." S19-se1 "Should be praised!" S17-4 "Maria used real examples to teach us business strategies." F17-10 "FUN and always looking forward to case discussions." S18-se7-3 "Great, knowledgeable professor. Gave excellent feedback and facilitated energetic class discussions." S18-se7-2 "Maria was very energetic and had the ability to engage the entire class in discussion." S18-se7-4 "Incredibly knowledgeable on subject material." F17-21G "Very engaging, and knowledgeable about the subject matter. Made the projects fun." F17-23G "Professor was excellent. Make her a tenured professor!! Very dedicated and very hard-working." F15-5 "Very friendly. Understanding. Always prepared for class. Very knowledgeable of topics. Best professor I've ever had." F15-2 "Amazing professor. Cares deeply about students. Well organized. Flexible." F15-3 "Great professor with an inclusive teaching style." F15-6 "Challenged us to speak up in class and to think outside the box." F15-7 "Engaged, diversity of teaching techniques, encouraged active participation." F17-19G "She was very energetic and enthusiastic about the subject which allowed us to also engage in class and readings." F17-20G "Maria is a really committed professor. Always is engaging to class participation." F17-24G "Maria was always willing to listen to feedback and questions. She set the class up in an interesting and engaging way that always left me excited to come to the next class!" F17-12 "Incredibly fun and enthusiastic teaching style." F17-9 "Knowledgeable, enthusiastic, supportive. Great instructor." F17-17G "Maria's strong points where the discussions she led and how she pushed us to look at the case studies more in depth and critically analyze them." SS18-se7-8 "Great energy. Lively discussion. Engaging lecture." F17-16G "Maria was engaging, personable, made the class fun and different." F17-11 "I was remembering you and your classes at AU because I am working at Climate Interactive, which is a think-tank in the USA, and they work with system dynamics (in fact Dana Meadows was the mentor of those who founded the organization! It came as a super advantage having read her book thanks to your class!)." F21-1AU "I just accepted a job offer at xyz [...] I was able to use a lot of what I learned in your classes throughout the interview process. I'm so excited to work for an organization that will allow me to learn more about sustainability before ultimately pursuing my Master's degree. A lot of my interest in sustainability stemmed from your classes, so I wanted to thank you for being such an engaging and supportive professor. Your classes were definitely a highlight of my time at AU." F19-1 "I want to thank you for such a great class! It was engaging, innovative and extremely relevant to current events. This was my favorite class of my entire college career. It was just so enjoyable. Each and every week, I was surrounded with students who cared about the subjects and it was just a great learning environment." FS19-hc1 "First of all, thank you SO MUCH for an incredible panel [in MGMT 617 class]. That was one of the most enriching experiences with incredible insight, advice, and encouragement. Hearing about experiences like theirs solidifies why each and every one of us are pursuing our passions and fields. Thanks again and thank you for being such a wonderful role model!!" F18-2 "I just wanted to write to you to express my gratitude to you as my professor. I knew I wanted to study business, but being in your class makes my desire even stronger. Your positivity and passion to teach always makes me want to want to learn even more. You are so passionate about teaching, and what you teach, and it brings a whole new atmosphere to the class. It is so inspiring to see the way you carry yourself as a woman in business, and I am looking forward to reaching that point in my life. Thank you for being a great teacher and an inspiring business woman." F18-1 "I wanted to thank you for this semesters course. I took Global Corporate Citizenship with you because of how much I respect and admire you as my teacher. I think this past semester has taught me not only what it means to be a strong and moral business leader, but what it means to be a citizen in the world. The effects business’s have on the global climate have not been a subject I’ve given much thought to previously. I believe the skills and materials I’ve learned from working with you and our class will serve me for many years to come." S19-2 "One of the best professors I have had so far. She was extremely thorough during class lessons and really wants the best for all of her students. I really enjoyed this class given all of the relevant topics she connected the lessons to and was always super engaging. She encouraged everyone to speak their opinion in class and was never discouraging. She was always very accommodating with meeting students for help or just to get to know you! I will miss having her as a professor!!!" S18-se7-1 "I would like to express my thankfulness to you for a truly amazing semester. I also want to thank you for your kindness and your great assistance to an international student like me. You were always so encouraging and doing everything you can to keep us motivated and supported throughout the course. Your knowledge and leadership provide us with a priceless model for our own careers. I am very lucky that you are part of my education. There are two types of teachers, one who teaches their students what the syllabus dictates and the other, who goes beyond the coursework to teach their students things that life dictates. Thank you for being the latter." S19-9 "It was a pleasure learning from you these past two semesters! You are an amazing professor with so much knowledge to offer students. I learned so much from you and am glad I chose to take your classes. Thank you for making my freshman year one I will not forget!" SS19-7 "I would like to thank you for a great semester. I really enjoyed having you as a professor and I learned many things from you that I believe will have tremendous application in my life today and more importantly in the future [...] I look forward to seeking guidance from you going forward in my entrepreneurial/business pursuits." S19-6 "I just want to thank you for a great year! I have grown tremendously throughout your classes (1st/2nd semester) and it has been a pleasure to have you as a professor. You really impacted my undergraduate experience and was a great mentor in various aspects!" S19-1 "I wanted to take the time to thank you for teaching us such a wonderful class with enthusiasm every morning. To be honest, I am taking with me very good bases and teachings for a future, not only in the academic area but also as a person. I loved the way you persuaded the class and engaged the students. I would definitely recommend this class to any student." S18-5 "Thank you very much Professor! Your class was by far the one I enjoyed the most this semester, I already recommended it to my brother, who will be joining AU next semester! It was a pleasure to be your student! " S19-3 "Maria was very knowledgeable about all of the topics and always gave us thorough explanations and related it to personal stories or relevant topics in the media. She was always available for help, even if it didn't specifically relate to the class. I love professor Maria and I hope she teaches more classes, so I can learn more from her and all of her experiences! S17-5 "Thank you for an amazing class and first two semesters at AU. I really enjoyed and benefited from both of your classes and appreciate you taking a special interest in my passion for sustainability. The skills you taught me will be carried throughout my next years in Kogod. I hope to see you in the upcoming semesters and possibly have you again as a professor." S19-5 "Professor Figueroa-Armijos is one of the best professor's I have ever had. She really does care about her students and loves what she does. I learned a lot from her" S17-6 "I am reaching out because a student in one of my AUx II classes identified you as someone that supported them significantly this past year. As part of our last class, I asked the students to (anonymously) indicate someone they would like to thank for getting them through their first year of college, and they named you! I told them I would reach out to you to let you know how much of an impact you have had. So, on their behalf, thank you so much. -From AUx Instructor & Advisor, First Year Advising" S19-10 "Maria is extremely passionate and understanding of students and different situations throughout the year. She focuses on trying to teach gray areas that text books often don't cover." S17-7 "Thank you Professor! You are one of the few who is actually in the career they were meant for. I enjoyed everything about your class immensely and I hope your work only takes you further." S19-4 "Thank you so much for a wonderful class I really enjoyed all that we learned! Maybe in the future I will be in one of your classes again, you were wonderful to have as a professor." F17-3 "Your class was one of the highlights of this semester and really encouraged me to think about business in a whole new light. I also really appreciated your positive attitude and efforts to make the class fun! Most 8:10 AM classes would be easy to skip but this was never one I wanted to miss." S18-3 "Being a part of your class this semester has been such a great experience for me; I never knew how much I would enjoy learning about business ethics! Thank you for your time and patience." S18-2 "This was by far my favorite course this semester. It was so interesting to be able to learn about the business side of environmental science. The strong points were definitely how thorough the topics we covered were." F17-13 "Passion for her subject. Inspiring. Responsive." F17-14 "I truly enjoyed your class. It was definitely one of my favorite classes at AU. You are a great professor!" S16-4 "I want to thank you for such an engaging and interesting class this semester! It was such a great introduction to sustainability. It is evident to see how much you care about our success!" F17-1G "I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful semester! I thoroughly enjoyed coming to Global Sustainability every day. I'm going to miss you!" F17-2 "I wanted to say thank you so much for a great semester. I really enjoyed your class and listening to your lectures. I especially appreciated your energy and positivity that you spread every day. It was very contagious and really made my day." S18-7 "Maria is passionate about what she's teaching and loves to answer questions. She genuinely cared for each of her students and that came through in how accommodating she was and how she wanted to get to know us as individuals and not as students." F17-15G "I just wanted to reach out to send a quick note to thank you for your amazing teaching over the last few months. I really feel privileged to have had some wonderful experiences with AU professors over the last two years, but I genuinely think you are by far one of the most compassionate, considerate professors I have been lucky enough to sit in class with. I think I speak for every student in the class when I share my appreciation for your positivity, concern, and warmth throughout the semester. Thank you for making an 8:55 so enjoyable to come to; your attitude and smile each day made such a difference! I will honestly miss spending my Tuesday and Friday mornings in your class." S16-5 "It was a great opportunity to have been able to take the time and interconnect our company with all the key themes we learned from you throughout this semester! Thank you for teaching me and everyone else so much in this short time frame!" S18-6 "Maria is an amazing professor. She knows how to teach the most important aspects and does a great job in helping student to prepare for the tests." S18-se7-5 "Professor Figueroa-Armijos was one of, if not the best professor I have ever had. She made the class so much more enjoyable and worthwhile by taking the time to learn ever single student's names practically on the first day and expressed an interest in each of us. She is clearly so passionate about what she does and it was so inspiring to be able to learn from someone who is so accomplished and has so much experience." F17-3 "I just wanted to send you a quick note thanking you for the great semester! I really enjoyed my time in your class and am glad to have had you as my professor for one of my first courses in the business program! Hopefully I will have you as a professor again in the future. Thanks again!" F18-3 "She was very easy to talk to. You could tell that she cared about her students. She made sure that students understood what was required of them." F17-6 "She was very engaging with her students. She has a ton of experience in the field and applied her personal stories to lectures that made things very interesting." F17-7 "Maria was one of my favorite professors by far. She is enthusiastic about the subject she teaches and that gets spread to her students. She always had a plan for what we were doing in class and mixed it up to make it interesting. Professor Maria deserves to teach many more classes here at AU. She is very qualified to teach sustainability." F17-8 "An incredibly kind, hilarious, knowledgeable and overall amazing professor!" F17-4 "You could tell she was passionate about what she was teaching, and she did a really good job of making the content applicable rather than just giving us the facts." F17-5 "Brought a lot of energy to each class, which really helped keep everyone engaged (also helped because of the late time slot). Her interest in the topic issues was evident and infectious." F17-18G "She uses class time well, she encourages participation and discussion, she is knowledgeable on all the topics covered in class. She also brings a strong sense of professionalism to the class." F17-22G "I just wanted to say thank you for the great experience I had in Global Corporate Citizenship. Fall 2015 was my first semester at American University and I am glad to have taken your class. As a new transfer student, I couldn’t have asked for a more welcoming and friendly professor. Your extensive knowledge, enthusiasm, and organization made the class always interesting and a pleasure to attend, and even study for. This class was great way to begin my AU career! I greatly enjoyed all of the assignments, and the material really stayed with me. Your class was a course that I will miss. I came into the class knowing very little about what I was getting myself into, but now I wish it was a two-semester course. I am so glad to have had the chance to be your student. I am very impressed with everything I learned in your course. I enjoyed every class. Thank you for completing my AU experience." F15-1 "I want to thank you for all of your hard work this semester. You have a gift for teaching an I hope you stay with it. The energy and expertise you bring to class made this a great course. This is pretty hard material and I had some other work / family stuff going this semester which I think took some focus away at times - but I truly enjoyed taking this class with you. " S16-1 "Thank you so much Professor!! I am beyond grateful that the original professor I had got switched with you because the experiences and knowledge I have learned from not just this class, but from the personal stories you tell us, I would have never learned elsewhere. You, professor, have a one of a kind heart and soul. I am so lucky to have had you as a professor." F16-1 "Very focused, genuinely interested in the class material she teaches" S17-5 "I just wanted to let you know how appreciative I am of how supportive you are to your students [...] I really appreciate how positive and encouraging you are to all of us." S16-2 "Thank you for all your help throughout the semester. You were a great instructor. You really made it easier to understand the concepts [...] I'm happily surprised how much I enjoyed the course." S16-3 "Thank you, Maria. Your class was very enjoyable and engaging. I appreciate the work you put into making each session interesting and helping us really understand the concepts." S16-3 "Thank you so much for a great semester. I loved taking the class with you. It was my first class in Kogod and I definitely enjoyed it a lot. It was very insightful and helpful." S16-2 "Thank you for an amazing semester, I really enjoyed your class!" S16-1 "Your class reminded me of why I studied economics as my undergraduate degree to begin with - I knew from the first class this semester that I would love this course and your teaching attributed to that. It has actually helped me hone in further on what I want to do with my future career, and I can't thank you enough for that. I'd forgotten my passion for international economics and understanding the world (or trying to :)), and I've had a lot of fun remembering that passion over the past few months." S16-4 "Maria designed many in class discussions around case studies and allowed students to engage in dialogue with different view points concerning real life business issues." F16-se1 "She cares about her students." F16-se2 "Very energetic and passionate about what she was teaching. Inspiring." F16-se3 "Maria was so well spoken, and I could tell she really cared about her students. She was always professional and on time. She went out of her way to schedule meeting times for groups. I can't say enough good things about her." F16-se4 "She is enthusiastic about her course and is always looking for ways to make you succeed and engage in class. She is really organized and uses time effectively, she is always engaging with students and bringing up interesting discussions." F16-se5 "Teaches material in a very clear and concise manner. Very passionate about the course. Extremely friendly and wants to see everyone succeed." F16-se6 "Very passionate. Always made herself available to students." F16-se7 "Once again, thank you for all your great help during the semester and for being a great example for all of us, especially for international students. We can get an example of true success out of our own country." F16-2 "Thank you so much for being an amazing professor. Your patience as we navigated a lot of material in a short amount of time is much appreciated!" S16-5 "Super awesome professor. Best professor ever!" F15-4 "Maria was always enthusiastic and positive when teaching the students. She was always receptive to questions and was well informed about the subject that she really wanted to make sure the students learned the material. It really demonstrates how she cares and invested in her students to ensure the students could utilize the concepts outside of class." S18-se4-2 "I am really satisfied with what I learned in this course and I know it will be useful for my future. The assignments required for class contributed well to meeting the learning objectives for this course. I can use what I learned in this class outside of the classroom which is exactly what I expected." S18-se6-8 "Thank you for everything that you taught us this semester. I definitely learned a lot of things that will help me in the future." F16-6 "Maria is knowledgeable, and energetic." S17-8 "She is amazing at everything she does!" S17-9 "Outstanding at giving presentations!" SS17-10 "Very welcoming and personable." S17-11 "Learning material was very relevant to today's world and to the discussion at hand. Tests were pretty straight forward to what we were learning no curve balls. Projects were great because they all required research of the relevant corporate world. I also really enjoyed the discussion cases we did every class. This course allowed you to challenge yourself and think outside of the box and beyond the forefront of businesses. I am really pleased with what I learned and took away from this course." S18-se14 "Maria likes what she is teaching, she is very open to comments or additional information. She gives a lot of examples and makes everything clear. She is always smiling and does all she can to make everyone feel comfortable in class." S18-se4-1 "She is pretty kind." F16-se8 "She takes time to learn personal information about every student. She is very approachable and helpful." S18-se7-6 "Good understanding of material. Kind to everyone. Open for questions." S18-se7-7 "She was a very energetic teacher and always encouraged us to involve ourselves." S18-se7-9 "Super interesting and supportive environment." S18-se7-10 "Her approachability and explanations of content made it really easy to talk to her and learn more about any subjects I was confused about." S18-se6-1 "She is really helpful, kind, professional and she encourages you to do your best!" S18-se6-2 "She made sure everyone was engaged in class and always came in with a smile on her face." S18-se6-3 "Maria had a very engaging teaching style and was always open to questions and comments. Course objectives were clear and she really brought the subject of global corporate citizenship to life." S18-se6-4 "She was an excellent professor. Feedback on test and presentations were super useful. Lectures were always interesting and she was engaging with the students." S18-se6-5 "Opened people's minds to new concepts. Good case studies" S18-se7-11 "The discussions, the passion she had for the material, the articles she had us read." S18-se7-12 "Consistency, expectations, knowledge of subject." S18-se6-3 "Very nice and open." S18-se7-13 "Always open to questions." S18-se6-6 “I feel as if it’s easier and more enjoyable to participate [in class] because you are so involved and enthusiastic about the class yourself. I can see that you are very thoughtful about not only the class curriculum, but also caring for the students as well.” S18-1 "Thank you for a great Spring Semester. I really enjoyed your class and learned a lot. This information I will carry through the rest of my schooling and in the workplace once I graduate. Thanks again." S18-8 "It really prepares you for future classes in Kogod but is also general enough, so other majors can understand the material as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this class and am sad to leave it!" S18-se6-7 "The material is very applicable to current events and business models." S18-se6-8 "She made the material easy to understand. The exams were straight forward. Very easy to talk to and gives great feedback." S18-se4-3 "Professor Figueroa is a great teacher. She is engaging and knows a lot about the subject and teaches her students a lot." S18-se4-4 "Great Structure for class, requires people to participate, read and pay attention in order to perform well. Great public speaker, always open to talk about class, grades, etc. Follows closely with the textbook. Assignments are always very clear and were all written on the syllabus." S18-se4-5 At Lehigh University: "Maria is hands down, without a doubt, the best professor I have ever had. She is very clear about her expectations, will do anything to help a student succeed, and always has the quality of our education and our wellbeing at heart. She is the reason I want to pursue environmental economics as part of my career." S15EE-1 "Excellent professor! It was clear she was passionate about the course and her job." S14-5 "Maria is the best professor I've had at Lehigh. She is always prepared, enthusiastic, and teaches well. She is fair and very courteous. She exemplifies what a great professor should be." F14-1 "Maria was an absolutely amazing professor. She is an inspiration and I would take all economics with her. She was available for conferences and made every effort to help her students. I am extremely pleased with her as a professor!" S14-1 "Thanks to you I look forward to every Monday and Wednesday! You turned the class that I was struggling with into my favorite class, such that I am even considering on having an Econ minor!" F13-E2 "Maria truly made class interesting by constantly drawing examples into the course from her own experiences or real world topics that are impacting us in many ways. Her enthusiasm for the course made me excited to attend each lecture." S14EE-1 "Maria did a fantastic job, great enthusiasm when teaching, and facilitated a very welcoming atmosphere for promoting discussion in her class. Would definitely take the class again if I could! The discussions and case studies we had in class were extremely helpful in learning the material." S14EE-2 "You taught me lots of economics that I will use for the rest of my life! Thanks!" F13-3 "Never liked economics before this class, but now I do." F13-5 "I'm not a fan of the subject, but Maria really helped it stick." S14-6 "Great professor! Really knows her stuff! Very approachable and friendly." S14-2 "Maria did a great job setting expectations for students; she didn't accept late homework put her foot down on cell phone use. I learned a great deal in the course and Maria's teaching style was awesome!" F13-4 "One of the best professors, if not the best I've had at Lehigh. Extremely good at teaching and making things clear to understand." S15-1 "Maria is an amazing professor! Attendance to her class is not mandatory, but she gives amazing lectures that I would not have passed the class without. Her notes are very helpful but reading each chapter in the textbook is a must! Maria is extremely kind to her students and is always willing to talk and help you if you are struggling." RMP-1 "Fantastic class. My favorite professor I've had." F13-1 "Best professor ever." S15EE-2 "Greatest class ever." S15EE-3 "Maria was an awesome professor. I would recommend her to everyone." S15-2 "I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for being such a great professor this semester. Economics is definitely not one of my favorite topics. I was actually dreading the class, but you surprised me. I enjoyed this class much more than I anticipated, and I accredit most of that to you. Not only were you always positive and lively, but you also made things very simple and easy to understand. It was refreshing to see a professor who cared more about us, the students, growing as individuals than simply passing the class. You are a terrific addition to the Lehigh Family." F13-E1 "Maria was awesome. So approachable and friendly." F13-2 "I love her enthusiasm and really appreciate the energy she brings to the class." F14-2 "I just wanted to say thank you for a great semester! As a transfer student to the business school, I was extremely nervous about taking Eco 1. I had never taken an economics course and didn't know what to expect, and throughout this course, I've learned so much. Thanks again for a great semester." F13-E3 "The course was incredibly interesting and I especially enjoyed the final project." S14-EE-E1 "Maria is a great teacher, and an even better person." F13-6 "Very sweet teacher. Very caring about the students." S14-4 "Great professor!" S14-3 "One of my favorite professors. Excellent." S15-5 "Maria was always very supportive and helpful to students. The tests were very fair." S15-3 "Love this class." S15-4 "Maria rocks." S15-5 "I learned so many things, and I really enjoyed it." SS18-4 At The Catholic University of America: "I have enjoyed your class so much, and it has definitely challenged me. But, at the same time I know I have been forced to learn a lot. When I took Micro last semester, I left with such a feeling of hate for the subject and this class helped me change my mind and become way more interested in Economics. You were truly an awesome teacher and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to take this class." FS16-3 "I gained a firm grasp on numerous economic topics while in your class, and even discovered that my interest in economics was strong enough to warrant me changing my major to International Economics and Finance." FS16-4 "I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your class this semester. Your teaching style was so clear and effective. Your class made me very excited to further study economics!" FS16-5 "I really enjoyed your class and in my four years at CUA, you have been the most knowledgeable in your field and one of the best instructors of the material." SS17-1 “I wanted to thank you for an interesting and informative semester. Although the material we covered was sometimes quite difficult to grasp, I really liked the way you kept the class focused by involving us in the lectures a lot. It really helped keep me awake and on task!” SS17-2 "My name is XX and I work on the Communications Team for DC Public Schools (DCPS). We’re featuring a select few DCPS high school students in an upcoming campaign about students who are taking college courses, and I interviewed XX last week for this campaign. She absolutely raved about how much she loved your class in the fall! If you’re willing, I was wondering if I could email you a few questions about XX to include in our campaign?" SS17-3 |
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & AI FOR SUSTAINABILITY
(MSc Management, Global Economic Transformation & Technology track) Fall 2024 SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION (Apprenticeship) Fall 2023 (17 students), 4.8/5, NPS +67 Fall 2022 (39 students), 5/5 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (MSc Management) Fall 2023 (139 students), 4.7/5, NPS +63 Fall 2022 (182 students), 4.6/5, NPS +50 Fall 2021 (173 students), 4.9/5 Fall 2020 (88 students), 4.9/5 INNOVATION in SUSTAINABILITY SYSTEMS (MSc Entrepreneurship & Innovation) Spring 2023 (36 students), 4.7/5, NPS +56 Spring 2022 (38 students), 4.6/5 (MSc Sustainability Management) Fall 2019 (26 students), 6.8/7 Fall 2018 (16 students), 6.8/7 Fall 2017 (25 students), 6.6/7 CROWDFUNDING FOR SOCIAL AND SUSTAINABLE IMPACT (MSc Management) Fall 2022 (79 students), 4.8/5, NPS +38 Fall 2021 (80 students), 4.6/5 ENTREPRENEURSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY: BUSINESS SOLUTIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE WORLD (MSc Management & BBA) Spring 2023 (48 students), 4.7/5, NPS +57 Spring 2022 (46 students), 4.6/5 Spring 2021 (50 students), 4.9/5 Spring 2020 (45 students), 4.6/5 Spring 2019 (19 students), 6.8/7 SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION (MSc Strategy, Global Business, Entrepreneurship, Social Innovation) Fall 2022 (48 students), 4.9/5, NPS +90 Fall 2021 (80 students), 4.6/5 (MSc Entrepreneurship & Innovation) Spring 2021 (19 students), 4.8/5 & 5/5 Spring 2020 (22 students), 4.8/5 BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS ETHICS (MSc Management Science at Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium) Spring 2017 (160 students, auditorium) HONORS CHALLENGE COURSE Spring 2018 (AU Honors, Mentored entrepreneurial team of three students --Theme: Insect-based high-protein burger) GLOBAL CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP (Undergraduate) Spring 2018 (105 students) 6.8/7 Fall 2016 (33 students), 6.55/7 Spring 2016 (34 students), 6.5/7 Fall 2015 (35 students), 6.5/7 |