The School of Communication and Design held its Teaching Excellence Ceremony, during which it also honored three faculty members for their 20 years of service at the university. In addition, the Educational Innovation Award was presented for the second time.
The ceremony took place on December 15, with limited attendance at the School of Communication and faculty members joining via Zoom.
“If last year we said we had to make a rapid shift to online learning, we could say that 2021 was a year of adapting to the new normal, ”said Eduardo Hipogrosso, dean of the school. “We are planning for 2022 to be a year of consolidation or strengthening of new technologies,” noting that ORT is pioneering the use of HyFlex® classrooms, which allow for both in-person and virtual participation by students and faculty.
The university has consistently strived to provide the highest quality education. For this reason, Hipogrosso thanked the faculty.
Faculty members are the public face of ORT; they spend the most time with students and are the ones who can help turn the field students are passionate about into their profession.
On this occasion, Hipogrosso paid tribute to Marisol Álvarez, a professor at the School of Communication who passed away in February of this year. Her colleague and friend Álvaro Buela is working on her notes, “so we can keep her in our hearts and honor her as she deserves.” Marisol, in addition to being a professor who left a lasting impression on her students, received the Award for Teaching Excellence in 2018 and was honored in 2019 as one of the faculty’s pioneers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVbd-GtQ5W4
Teaching Excellence
Boris Goldenberg, from the School of Communication, and María Podestá, from the School of Design, were the faculty members honored at the 2021 Teaching Excellence Awards.
The academic secretary of the School of Communication, Dr. Héctor Bajac, read some of the student evaluations of Boris Goldenberg: “He’s always there, shows great dedication, and is a star.” When he was a student here, he said, his final project received a perfect score of 100. “He’s always there for the school,” he added. “He teaches classes at the end of the bachelor’s program, where knowledge from the entire curriculum is required, but also where many students are tired and just want to finish.”
Bajac said that teaching excellence isn’t just about what happens inside the classroom, and Boris Goldenberg stands out for suggesting improvements and identifying students’ strengths and weaknesses as they approach graduation: “He doesn’t just fulfill his role; he also brings to our attention areas where we can improve and then participates in meetings to address issues in subjects that aren’t even his own.”
Goldenberg holds a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising Communication and a Specialization Diploma in Marketing Management from Universidad ORT Uruguay. He also completed the Executive Development Program at the University of Montevideo. He serves as head of marketing and communications at Crédito de la Casa. He is a faculty member in the Bachelor’s program in Communication with a focus on Advertising and Marketing. He previously served as head of marketing and communications at Motor Haus Uruguay and as a senior account executive and media planner at the agency Punto Ogilvy & Mather.
It’s a pleasure for me—I love teaching. I come from a family where my mother dedicated 36 years to secondary education. I’m grateful for the opportunity they gave me when they offered me the position of teaching assistant. On to the next challenge!
Boris Goldenberg
On behalf of the School of Design, its academic secretary, DI Oscar Aguirre, noted that in more than 200 surveys, María Podestá received “zero complaints.”
“She has been teaching here for 11 years, and she is also an alumna of our school. Her kindness, organizational skills, academic rigor, and clear expectations are perhaps the qualities that set her apart in her daily work.” Her students appreciate that she encourages questions, always maintains a positive attitude, and has great patience when explaining things; “she helps us improve.”
Podestá holds a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design and a certificate in Digital Animation from Universidad ORT Uruguay. She works as a graphic designer and web designer at the Dugson studio. She was animator the feature filmSelkirk and the series Tonky andDerechos del niño, produced by Tournier Animation. She has been a faculty member at the School of Design for over ten years, teaching Animation and Video Games, Graphic Design, and Multimedia Design.
I am truly honored to receive this recognition. We approach our work as teachers with joy and dedication. Recognition like this helps us keep going.
Maria Podesta
Educational Innovation Award
“It’s worth applauding good ideas that didn’t remain mere ideas,” said Sabrina Bianchi, an educational technologist at the school. On this occasion, the Educational Innovation Award was presented to the organizers of the first event held in both virtual and in-person formats, “which posed many challenges.”
La Mostra was a space for convergence where reflections on contemporary society and its relationship with technology coexist from a modern perspective.
The award was presented to Fabián Barros, Rubén Rosenzweig, Juan Mazzara, and Leticia Almeida.
On behalf of the team, Barros began by thanking his colleagues. “Thank you to everyone who, day after day, makes it possible for us to meet our challenges—colleagues, staff members, and students who volunteered their time with great enthusiasm. It was a huge challenge, in which teachers worked alongside students to explore different technologies that enable us to work in a virtual environment.” He invited everyone “to continue with this kind of adventure.”
20th Anniversary Celebration
The dean presented three awards for 20 years of service at the university. From the School of Communication, to professor Leo Barizzoni, who received the Teaching Excellence Award several years ago. Barizzoni—who was abroad at the time—is a prominent Uruguayan photographer who has published several books, including Imágenes caminantes,Uruguayos,Buitres… el cielo puede esperar, and, just a few weeks ago, Líneas quebradas. Escaleras de Uruguay.
On behalf of the School of Design, Martín Abud and Vicente Lamónaca received the medal. They had also been honored with the Teaching Excellence Award several years ago.
“I really love what I do; it’s a great place to work,” said Abud, praising his colleagues and the fact that he has been able to “do something I love for so long.” Meanwhile, Lamónaca said it is a privilege to have been at the school for more than 20 years. “The teaching profession constantly fills us with joy and challenges.”
