Senior Stories: Math

Taylor wouldn't be Taylor without amazing students. Developing servant-leaders marked with a passion to minister Christ's redemptive love is why we are here. Students seeking to serve through many different fields and careers are participating in this Senior Stories series to share how God has used Taylor in their lives. 

Mathematics at Taylor

Pursuing a Mathematics degree at Taylor exposes students to theory and application. Combined with the broad skills and perspectives developed through Liberal Arts curriculum, students grow as whole people with plenty to offer in a variety of careers. As a result, our students win Math Challenges, intern at NASA, and engage in opportunities to employ math as a means of serving others. 

Meet a senior graduating from our Mathematics program:

Name: Jamie Netzley '20 Major: Mathmatics Education Hometown: South Elgin, IL

Why did you choose to attend Taylor and select your major?

I chose Taylor because I felt apart of the community from the moment I first stepped on campus on my visit. I felt a sense of peace over my decision to come to Taylor and I have always known I made the right decision since my first day as a student here. I chose my major because I wanted to make an impact in future students' lives as a math teacher. I know not many students like math, but if I could change a couple of students mindsets on math and make them want to learn, then I could make a difference in the world. 

Did you complete an internship? How did Taylor prepare you for that?

I am currently student-teaching this semester, which is the equivalent of an internship for education majors. I would say that I was well prepared for student teaching because Taylor classes gave me opportunities to be in the classroom and teaching in front of students well before I started student teaching. This gave me confidence in my ability to teach, and I have only grown even more from my student teaching experience so far. It has taught me that teaching is hard, but so worth it. To make an impact in a student's life is something that will always be worth the hard days in my opinion. 

What advice would you give a high school student who is considering entering your major at Taylor?

Advice that I would give a high school student who is considering entering my major at Taylor is to have an open mind. There will be hard classes, but it will be worth it. Sometimes you may lose sight of why you want to be a math teacher, but always remember why you wanted to be a math teacher in the first place. The impact that a teacher has on students can last a lifetime, and one hard class shouldn't make you want to give that up. Math classes at Taylor are hard, but they teach you perseverance, and you can put yourself in a high school student's shoes when they are struggling in your class one day. If you are passionate for students and you love math, then this is the major for you!