Teaching
Teaching Approach
Courses emphasize discussion-based learning, real-world case studies, and student engagement with primary data and field-based research. All courses were designed and taught independently as instructor of record.
Student feedback
What Students Say
Student ratings from Rutgers University, where Vierelina has taught Introduction to Latin America since Fall 2024.
Ratings by Term
Rutgers University Student Instructional Rating Survey (SIRS). Scores are on a 5-point scale, where 5 is the highest rating.
| Term | Course | Responses | Teaching effectiveness | Course quality | Learned a great deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | Introduction to Latin AmericaSection 02 | 21 of 34 | 4.71Dept. 3.97 | 4.57Dept. 3.95 | 4.68 |
| Spring 2025 | Introduction to Latin AmericaSection 02 | 22 of 33 | 4.59Dept. 4.40 | 4.55Dept. 4.25 | 4.58 |
| Fall 2025 | Introduction to Latin AmericaSection 02 | 30 of 35 | 4.67Dept. 4.74 | 4.67Dept. 4.68 | 4.75 |
| Fall 2025 | Introduction to Latin AmericaSection 03 | 24 of 27 | 4.70Dept. 4.74 | 4.57Dept. 4.68 | 4.64 |
| Spring 2026 | Introduction to Latin AmericaSection 02 | 17 of 33 | 4.75Dept. 4.49 | 4.38Dept. 4.27 | 4.40 |
| Spring 2026 | Political Violence in Latin AmericaUpper-level seminar | 2 of 10Too few responses to compare | 5.00No dept. figure | 4.50No dept. figure | 4.50 |
Instructor Ratings
Average student agreement, from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
- Was prepared and presented the material in an organized manner4.63
- Responded effectively to student comments and questions4.68
- Generated interest in the course material4.73
- Had a positive attitude toward helping all students understand the material4.73
- Assigned grades fairly4.59
- Used instructional methods that encouraged student learning4.66
Averages are weighted by the number of responses across the five Introduction to Latin America sections (Fall 2024 – Spring 2026). The Spring 2026 seminar had two respondents and is shown above for completeness but left out of the averages. Source: Rutgers University SIRS reports.
In their words
Student Comments
A selection of comments from students’ course evaluations.
Professor Fernandez really gets me thinking about Latin America in new ways. Her class makes me connect the dots between history, culture, and current issues. She’s great at sparking discussions that challenge my perspective and push me to dig deeper.
Student, Introduction to Latin America · Spring 2025Professor Fernandez valued students’ ideas, questions, and arguments, gave wonderful feedback, and provided a healthy and engaging learning experience.
Student, Introduction to Latin America · Fall 2024If I had to pick one thing, I would say it was the time that Professor Fernandez took to give feedback on assignments. It is very clear that she read each and every one of our responses on exams, in essays, and in our final project.
Student, Introduction to Latin America · Fall 2025She encouraged class participation and never made a student feel bad if their answer was wrong. She encouraged us to continue doing the readings and helping us learn.
Student, Introduction to Latin America · Fall 2025Originally, I just signed up for this course to get SAS core requirements done and didn’t think I would be very interested in the course. It ended up being very interesting and goes pretty in-depth on issues that not only help you understand Latin America but also global affairs.
Student, Introduction to Latin America · Spring 2025Professor Fernandez creates a very welcoming environment, encouraging students to engage in discussions as well as respecting our learning abilities. She is truly an inspiration to keep on striving in the subject you’re most passionate about.
Student, Introduction to Latin America · Spring 2026Professor Fernandez made me interested in the topics in class and she really explained them instead of reading from slides.
Student, Political Violence in Latin America · Spring 2026Anonymous comments from Rutgers end-of-semester student surveys, selected from Fall 2024 – Spring 2026 and lightly edited for capitalization and punctuation only.
Experience
Courses Taught
Introduction to Latin America
Rutgers University · LAS 101
Fall 2024 – present, multiple sections
Political Violence and Conflict in Latin America
Rutgers University · Advanced topics seminar
Spring 2026
Comparative Politics: Theory and Practice
Florida International University · CPO 3010
Spring 2024
Contemporary International Problems
Florida International University · INR 3081
Summer 2021
All of the above courses were taught as the instructor of record.
Ready to teach
Courses Prepared to Teach
Courses prepared to design and teach, by field.
International Relations & Security Studies
- Introduction to International Relations
- Introduction to Security Studies
- Feminism and IR
- Women, War, and Peacebuilding
- Post-Conflict Political Processes
Comparative Politics
- Introduction to Comparative Politics
- Gender and Comparative Politics
- Comparative Politics of the Global South
Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies
- Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies
- Transnational Feminisms and the Global South
- Gender and Political Violence
- Gender, Insurgency, and Social Movements
Research Methods
- Mixed-Methods Research
- Fieldwork in Conflict Zones
- Mixed-Methods Research on Political Violence
- Feminist Methodologies
Guest Lectures
- “War, States, and Gender Equality.” Rutgers University, Master’s-level class, April 2021.
- “Preparing a Competitive NSF GRFP Application.” Florida International University, Office of Training and Fellowships, August 2020.
- “Feminist International Relations.” Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia, Master’s-level class, September 2019.