After 19 years of dedication to his students, UNC Spanish professor Efrain Garza will retire.
For 19 years Garza has been a staple for the world languages department and has inspired countless students to gain a deeper understanding of the Spanish language and culture. Professor Garza has been a renowned award winning educator, earning recognition throughout his career for his outstanding performances with the department and the Spanish Honor Society.
But most importantly Garza has earned respect and admiration from his former and current students.
“I still talk to a lot of them, they still remember and have been to some weddings, baptisms and have stayed in touch,” said Garza.
Poetry is a passion for professor Garza, having written countless pieces of poetry and various books such as “Acuarelas de la Vida” (Watercolors of life) and “Cruzando La Frontera” (crossing the border).
Garza, an immigrant from Reynosa, Mexico says he “is thankful for living here” and is glad that UNC was able to give him the opportunity to grow as a professor.
Garza did not shy away from his disappointment about the Spanish Department potentially being taken away.
“I would rather not speak on it but unfortunately things happen,” Garza said.
Garza, as many immigrants, was not a stranger to discrimination and struggled to fit in this country.
“Even though I’ve been here for a lot of years, people have been disrespectful, for my accent and my skin color,” he said.
Despite these struggles, his smile, his positivity and his willingness to be there for students will remain what made Professor Garza an important figure at UNC and will surely be missed by his students.
