Rocio Paez Ritter Named March 2025 Cordes Chair

Rocio Paez Ritter, teaching associate professor in sociology and criminology, was named the March 2025 Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center Cordes Chair.  

Ritter has taught approximately 70 classes at the U of A since joining the faculty in 2018. Her expertise in criminological theory, combined with her passion for teaching, has made her a beloved and respected teacher. She has received various accolades for her teaching, including being named Fulbright College Master Teacher in 2023.  

In her address to faculty, Ritter spoke about the power of creating connection with students. She described the ways that connections with professors have profoundly impacted her life in a positive way and encouraged faculty that the impact they can create is significant. Having taught students in both online and face-to-face courses, she shared practical strategies for making connections in both environments. Ritter also reminisced that when she first came to the U of A and heard of the legacy of Wally Cordes, for whom the recognition is named, she decided she wanted to emulate the way he used connection to impact students. She stated that this recognition was especially meaningful in light of this goal she set for herself early in her career. 

Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Ritter received her Bachelor of Arts (2012, summa cum laude), Master of Arts (2014) and doctorate (2017) in criminal justice from the University of Arkansas Little Rock. 

About the Cordes Chair: The Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center recognizes six outstanding teaching faculty each academic year as Wally Cordes Chairs. Faculty are selected as Cordes Chairs because they embody the student-centered teaching excellence that late University Professor Emeritus Wally Cordes exhibited throughout his more than 40-year career at the University of Arkansas.   

About TFSC: TFSC invests in faculty excellence, promotes innovation in teaching and learning, and supports programs to advance student success. The center provides educational opportunities for faculty such as teaching and learning workshops, teaching symposia, and new faculty orientation. TFSC offers competitive teaching and learning grants for faculty, celebrates effective teaching with several awards and an awards reception, and promotes faculty-to-faculty mentoring through classroom observation. More information about TFSC can be found at their website or by following them on LinkedIn.