On Friday, Gladys Jiménez-Muñoz, an associate professor of sociology and director of the undergraduate studies program in sociology, hosted a “Fun with Faculty” event with Harpur Edge over Zoom. Due to COVID-19, it has replaced the “Pizza with a Professor,” event which encourages students to have informal conversations with their professors.

To recreate this comfortable space over Zoom, Jiménez-Muñoz began a conversation with a story about Summer, her rescue dog, who had never been outside before. She spent the first year of her life in a cage, and the first time she saw the outside world was at a park with her new family. Summer had never seen leaves or even the season her name came from, and was rigid with fear and distrust. It took a long time and a lot of training, but after months of work Summer transformed into a loving, tender companion. Jiménez-Muñoz recognized the significance of Summer’s transformation and fostered the idea that the possibilities for transformation were endless.

“[It is important to] teach and to have a discussion with students [because] they will use the knowledge to transform themselves and to transform the world,” Jiménez-Muñoz said.

Summer was able to transform and become more lively over time — Jiménez-Muñoz believes her students are capable of doing the same thing with the aid of knowledge and conversation. However, to actually hold an open dialogue can be difficult for people with no previous ties to one another. Jiménez-Muñoz described how she formed long-lasting friendships with her students.

“I try to meet you where you are, and at your age, and I try to understand the tensions, understand the limitations — but most of all, to understand the possibilities that you have,” Jiménez-Muñoz said.

So far, Jiménez-Muñoz has been successful in maintaining close relationships with her students. This is exemplified through a photo taken 11 years ago at her 60th birthday party. In the photo is a huge pathway filled with people — family, friends and over 150 of her students showed up to celebrate with her. Many of her students drove to Binghamton from New York City and left at 3:30 a.m. after the celebration to attend work the next day.

Jiménez-Muñoz’s devotion and love for her students has been made especially clear during these difficult times when many students are struggling with the challenges of online schooling and limited social interaction. One of the professor’s current students has internet issues that prevent her from hearing lectures. The professor’s response has been to teach her separately, and she said she has long hours simply due to the fact that a student needs support.

“Sometimes you only need somebody to listen to you, to make you feel like you’re not alone,” Jiménez-Muñoz said. “That somebody cares, you know, so sometimes in one day, I can be working ten hours.”

Jiménez-Muñoz said that investing in students is ultimately an investment in the future.

“You guys are our future,” Jiménez-Muñoz said. “If we don’t invest our time, then what is there? You know? What is there?”