Alma Ruiz: The Mother of Santa Clara University
Alma Ruiz, sporting a shirt reading, “I teach little heroes,” stands in one of the Kids on Campus classrooms. Photo by Amy Suh
For most, years are spent searching for a purpose. Luckily for Alma Ruiz, she uncovered her purpose in her second year of college, and for over 25 years, has dedicated herself to service. Ruiz graduated from Santa Clara University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. While completing her undergraduate studies, Ruiz became involved with Kids on Campus, or KOC. With five classrooms and an all-women staff, Santa Clara University’s preschool offers childcare for staff and faculty with children from 10 weeks to six years old. Ruiz first served as a student assistant, then a substitute teacher, then a full-time teacher across various age groups, and she ultimately worked her way up to the director position she now holds.
As the oldest of four siblings and 25 grandchildren, Ruiz has long been familiar with caring for children.
“My little kids are my babies. These are all my kids,” said Ruiz.“And I have my big kids, my Santa Clara University students…There are students that I still talk to and check in on, who have graduated 5, 10, 15 years ago. I love to keep those connections strong.”
As director, Ruiz took inspiration from the leadership of those who came before her: “I think about all the women before me who have worked in this role and I try to take some of their strengths and change the things that I felt as a staff member were hard to deal with.”
“The people that I work with, we have such a strong community of collaborators,” she continued. “We work together and we really value each other and what we do.”
Joy comes to Ruiz daily through her interactions with the Kids on Campus students.
“We have a dome outside and they all want to get to the top. It’s amazing to see them build those skills, first getting to one level, then climbing to the next, and then suddenly they’re like, ‘Ms. Alma! I’m at the top.’ and I’m shocked to see it,” she says.
While the students grow and hit milestones, they also teach Ruiz: “When I’m reading books with them, they’ll notice something on the page or ask a question I never even considered. I love those real moments that I can have with them. It is really important to be talking with them as if they’re individuals and respecting who they are and what they have to say.”
Ruiz expressed gratitude to work at a place she described as “a hard community to walk away from.”
“I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy what I do, and I love where I go everyday, despite whatever stress comes with the job…but the day to day with the kids, that’s what pulled me into this in the first place,” she said.“This is a really important career that has life long impacts. I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the basic building blocks of these kid’s lives and to be able to give them the care that they need throughout the day while their parents are at work.”
Kids on Campus hires student workers. Ruiz says that working with kids is “such a bright spot in your day-–you know, the things that they say, the things that you hear, that’s what keeps me coming back.” Alma Ruiz doesn’t just care about her preschool students, she is always asking the college students who work with her, “What are the things that you need support with right now?”