Victoria E. Ruiz, PhD
Learning & Content Operations Strategist
[Featured Work] 🗂️ Peer-Reviewed Publications
Reframing Entrepreneurship
via Identity, Techné, and Material Culture
This article challenges the traditional capitalist view of entrepreneurship by exploring alternative models like Welter et al.’s "everyday entrepreneur," which frames entrepreneurship as a skilled, embodied practice—akin to the concept of techné. It argues that entrepreneurial identity is shaped by both social and material contexts, and that intersectional issues like gender are often rendered invisible in mainstream narratives. Using ongoing case study data, I demonstrate how viewing entrepreneurial identity through the lens of techné reveals the systemic biases embedded in the relationships between identity, objects, and innovation.
Humanities is an international, peer-reviewed open access journal that explores the breadth and depth of human culture, expression, and critical thought. Covering disciplines such as literature, philosophy, history, the arts, and cultural studies, the journal fosters interdisciplinary dialogue and innovative scholarship. Its open-access model ensures global reach and accessibility, supporting scholars, educators, and students in advancing meaningful inquiry into the human experience. Humanities contributes significantly to the ongoing relevance and impact of the humanities in contemporary academic and public discourse.
Social Justice & Entrepreneurial Identity
Models for the TPC Classroom
This article builds on the socio-cultural turn in Technical and Professional Communication (TPC) by linking soft skills with everyday entrepreneurial practices to enhance students’ social and cultural awareness. We argue that teaching entrepreneurship as a communicative and socially engaged practice can better prepare students for today’s diverse and global workplace. By positioning entrepreneurs as everyday rhetoricians, the article demonstrates how cultivating soft skills alongside entrepreneurial thinking can foster more socially just professional environments. A case study centered on socially conscious entrepreneurs illustrates how these values can reshape soft skill instruction in TPC classrooms, with practical suggestions for integrating this approach into pedagogy.
SIGDOC focuses on the design of communication as it is taught, practiced, researched, and conceptualized in various fields, including technical communication, software engineering, information architecture, usability, and areas of design such as graphic, user interface, and Web design. Members of SIGDOC include information design professionals, educators, software engineers, researchers, Web designers, system developers, usability specialists, computer scientists, user interface designers, and information technology specialists.