‘I want students to leave my class as better humans’

For Leonor Luis, becoming an educator was never just about standing in front of a classroom. It was about returning home to uplift the communities that shaped her, and to be the kind of teacher she once needed. Luis will graduate this week with her Master of Arts in Teaching Social Science and her bilingual authorization in Spanish from USC Rossier and is this year’s Masters commencement ceremony student speaker on Friday, May 16 at 4:30 p.m. 

Born and raised in Boyle Heights, a tight-knit Los Angeles neighborhood rich in culture, Luis’ story began in a household built by the dreams of her parents—her father from Mexico and her mother from Honduras. As a first-generation student navigating educational institutions, she often felt like an outsider. “I didn’t have anyone I could fully relate to,” she recalls of her time in a private school in Pasadena. “I was the only Latina in many of my classes. My teachers became my anchors, especially when I didn’t feel seen by the world around me.”

Among those anchors was Mr. Benell, her high school history teacher, who sparked in her a passion not only for the subject but for the power of storytelling, critical thinking and dialogue. That class planted the first seed of a future in education.

From uncertainty to calling

Luis’ path to teaching was not linear. After high school, she enrolled at UC San Diego for a short time then returned home to attend East Los Angeles College (ELAC), where she started to rebuild her confidence and sense of purpose. “I didn’t know exactly what I wanted, but I knew I wanted to help people,” she says. “Political science seemed like a way to advocate for my community…I thought maybe I’d become an immigration lawyer or maybe a teacher.”

After receiving her associates degree, Luis enrolled at Cal State Long Beach, where she completed her bachelor’s degree while working in retail and taught Sunday school at church. It was while teaching and seeing her students grow in addition to training new retail hires where her calling came into focus. “I loved making people feel welcome, guiding them, helping them grow,” she reflects. “It made me realize that teaching was what I was meant to do. It gave me the same joy, the same sense of community.”

Empathy in action

“Their stories were so powerful. Despite everything, they came to school. They laughed. They wanted to learn. I thought, ‘If they can show up every day, so can I.’” 
- Leonor Luis

After graduating, Luis began working in schools—initially at a private school, then at a public elementary school in downtown Los Angeles, where the students were mostly unhoused, transient or recently immigrated. She saw parts of herself and her own family in them. “Their stories were so powerful. Despite everything, they came to school. They laughed. They wanted to learn. I thought, ‘If they can show up every day, so can I,’” she added.

That experience solidified her desire to teach in communities like her own, where representation, compassion and cultural responsiveness mattered. It also inspired her to pursue an advanced degree in education with the goal of becoming not just an educator, but a transformative leader.

Finding her voice again at USC Rossier

At USC Rossier, Luis found both challenges and clarity. She credits Professors Sue Jin Kim and Akilah Lyons-Moore, and Senior Lecture Shayna Markwongnark for pushing her beyond content knowledge into the realm of self-awareness and advocacy. “Dr. Kim helped me understand that to be an equitable teacher, I needed to move beyond just my lived experience and truly listen to others,” she said. “Dr. Lyons-Moore showed me how to turn discomfort into growth for myself and my students. In addition, Dr. Markwongnark inspired me to believe that I could truly change the world through teaching.”

Growth sometimes comes with challenges. Over the past fall semester, Luis faced imposter syndrome and questioned herself. “I opened up to my professors and friends,” she added. “They reminded me of my why. That I wasn’t alone. That I belonged.”

A teacher and a leader

“They might forget the details of a court case, but if they remember how to listen, how to think critically, how to care about others—that’s what matters.” 
- Leonor Luis

Today, Luis is student-teaching AP Government to 12th graders at Lincoln High School in Lincoln Heights, a community not far from her own home. She sees each day as an opportunity not only to teach content, but to nurture empathy, guide her students to find their voices and encourage civic engagement. “I want students to leave my class as better humans,” she said. “They might forget the details of a court case, but if they remember how to listen, how to think critically, how to care about others—that’s what matters.”

Luis’ classroom is a space of curiosity and care, where students can explore who they are and how they want to show up in the world. “I am always learning from my students,” Luis added. “I’d love to share this part with them.” Her goal isn’t to give answers, but to help students ask better questions.

Looking ahead

As she prepares to graduate from USC Rossier and step fully into the profession, Luis carries with her the hopes of her family, the lessons of her community and the belief that education can and should be transformative.

She is grateful for the support her parents provided her—the nights her mother would stay up with her until the next morning while completing her school work and her dad always teaching her to work hard. “They were there and that was enough,” Luis added. “My achievements are because of them.”

According to Luis, being a teacher is not just about content. It is about care, compassion and courage. “It’s about creating a space where students feel empowered to be themselves and to dream bigger.”

To future MAT students, her advice is simple: “Allow your students to see your humanity. It is okay to make mistakes. And don’t lose sight of your ‘why.’ The days will get hard—grading, planning, life—it’ll pile up. But when you focus on the relationships, on the impact you’re making, it’ll keep you going.”