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Mari De Lourdes-Viloria - TAMIU Faculty

Dr. Maria de Lourdes Viloria

Assistant Professor

I strongly believe that a successful Education Administration candidate would be an individual that is committed to work as a team member within an organization whose purpose is to prepare well-educated, productive citizens.


Degrees Held:

  • Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Human Resource Development – Texas A&M University, 2013
  • M.S. in Educational Leadership – Laredo State University, 1993
  • B.A. in Government – University of Texas at Austin, 1989

Career Highlights:

Maria de Lourdes Viloria received her doctorate degree from Texas A&M University at College Station in Educational Administration. Currently, she is an assistant professor in the College of Education at Texas A&M International University. Her primary research interests are culturally relevant leadership practices and third-generation Mexican American teachers. Dr. Viloria has 29 years of public school experience. She has extensive experience in bilingual education and has taught preschool, Kindergarten, first and second grades. In 1998, she began her career as a principal in a South Texas elementary school, a position she held for 12 years. Dr. Viloria mentors first-generation college students interested in STEM fields via her work with the Minority Science and Engineering Intervention Program at Texas A&M International University. Currently, Dr. Viloria teaches in the Department of Professional Programs, preparing future school principals.

In which online degree program do you teach?

M.S. in Educational Administration

  • Links to share:

    Viloria, M. L. (2017). The Voices of Six Third Generation Mexican American Teachers: Implications for Teacher Education Programs. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education. Accepted for Publication (12-18-2017) http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1538192717746216

    Viloria, M.L. (2017). Culturally Responsive Leadership Practices: A Principal's Reflection. Journal of Latinos and Education (10-24-2017) http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/BfSH4zRPmJGqp62KmtV4/full

  • Which classes do you teach online?

    EDAM 5322, EDAM 5338, EDAM 5319, EDGR 5323, EDGR 5320

  • What do you want students in your courses to learn? What are the learning outcomes or objectives?

    • How to apply knowledge of education policy, public financing and school accountability to develop and implement effective campus teaching and learning processes
    • How to integrate research and theory with data to facilitate a vision of learning effective communication, and legal and ethical interactions with a variety of stakeholders
    • How to apply analysis of the principles of effective leadership, management and data-driven decision-making to ensure safe and effective learning environments
  • Why did you start teaching?

    Personally, growing up in this border region, I visualized my educational preparation as a lifetime journey filled with contextual, and at times challenging, experiences that tested my self-determination and tenacity to fulfill my educational goals. My teaching philosophy is informed by the truths and principles of being a first-generation college graduate who has developed as an educator, researcher, public servant and mentor thanks to the educators who mentored me through my academic maiden voyage.

  • What qualities make someone particularly successful in the field in which you teach?

    Navigating through my teaching experiences, I have learned the importance of developing self-efficacy, sustainability, advocacy as well as leadership for yourself, your students and their communities. Therefore, I strongly believe that a successful Education Administration candidate would be an individual that is committed to work as a team member within an organization whose purpose is to prepare well-educated, productive citizens.

  • What do you think is the biggest challenge that people in the profession face today?

    The strongest challenge that school principals face today is how to navigate national and state accountability systems.

  • What is the one book you think everyone should read?

    "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell

  • Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students may not know.

    I developed and taught a special topics section of UNIV 1102 in Spring 2016 for undergraduate students who earned at least a 3.25 during their first fall semester at TAMIU. For that course I selected Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations." I really enjoyed reading and teaching this topic because it challenged my thinking and it is completely outside of my field of study.

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