Art History
Dr. Kristina Elizondo is a professor of Art History and an Assistant Dean of Distance Education in the School of Arts and Creative Industries at Austin Community College (ACC). Her academic background and research interests explore the art of ancient through revolutionary Mexico as well as critical inquiries in art museum studies. Prior to teaching at Austin Community College, she worked as the Department Chair of Fine Arts at Tarrant County College and as an educator at the Dallas Museum of Art, the McNay Art Museum, and the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin.
How has your community college teaching experience shaped your character over your career?
As someone who has identified not just as an educator but as a community college educator for the past 20 years, my character has probably been shaped by my profession in more ways than I can identify and communicate.
My professional career began as an educator in art museums, and while I loved almost everything about working in museums, I didn’t always feel like my work added meaningful value to the communities I worked with. When I first started teaching in community colleges, I felt a sense of belonging that was reflected in the diversity of the students, faculty, and staff that I worked with. I have tried to extend that sense of welcome and inclusion to every class that I teach.
I am a more tolerant and curious person with a more global outlook because I teach a diverse student body whose backgrounds and perspectives often differ from my own. I have a heightened sense of the need for social justice in higher education, and I feel a responsibility to advocate for fair access to affordable higher education for everyone who wants it. And my desire to support students who are juggling the difficult responsibilities of work, family, and education at the same time has made me a more empathetic person who often feels joy at being able to extend grace and compassion to a student who needs it.