Name: John Ulloa

Degrees Held: MA in Latin American History, SFSU 2003

BA in History, concentration on Latin America, SFSU 2000

AA Modesto Junior College

Areas of Research: Cuban History, and the Caribbean; African Diaspora, African-Based Religion in the Caribbean; Cultural Anthropology, Visual Anthropology, Life History, Music History, and Ethnomusicology

Personal Interests: When I'm not working on my academic endeavors, I am a professional musician. I have had the opportunity to travel to Cuba on various occasions to study with master percussionists. I currently reside in the Mission District of San Francisco, I lead a Latin Jazz quartet called "La Misión", and we perform at various venues in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am currently researching the history of Latin percussionists in the Bay Area for a forthcoming book.

Teaching Philosophy: I am thoroughly committed to teaching at the two-year level. Having spent six years at the community college level as a student, I am sensitive to the diverse student population and the varying degrees of students' needs. What I bring to the classroom arena is an enthusiasm for teaching and participation in the process of developing critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. I expect a great deal of myself and my students. I believe that student and instructor should create and cultivate a solid working relationship based on reciprocity. I had outstanding faculty mentorship while studying at the two-year level, and I welcome the opportunity to extend the same academic generosity.