Mathematics
- Faculty Profile - Jeff Baumgartner
 Jeff Baumgartner
Mathematics Department Chair
620-327-8131
jeffb@hesston.edu
B.A., mathematics, Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.), 1985
Certificate of Theology, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries (Elkhart, Ind.), 1986
M.Ed., mathematics in education, Millersville (Pa.) University, 1996
How did you choose to study math?
I enjoyed Math, especially geometry, in high school and decided to continue studying math in college. I also enjoy helping other people understand something new, which is one of the main reasons I decided to become a teacher.
What are your favorite courses to teach? What do you like about them?
My favorite classes to teach are Intro to Math and Calculus I. Intro to Math is a favorite of mine because it is a course unlike other math courses students have probably experienced. We study a variety of topics as well as exploring some of the history of mathematics and the mathematicians who made that history. Intro to Math is also a problem solving course, but is different from the algebra and geometry students encounter in high school.
Calc I is a favorite class of mine because it combines algebra, geometry, and problem solving in a unified manner unlike in the separate courses of algebra and geometry. Calculus lets us examine changes over large (often) time intervals (but not only time) as well as infinitely small intervals. Studying Calculus also helps one clearly define a problem in order to solve the problem.
How does your background and educational experience shape your teaching at Hesston?
While I have lived in the Midwest most of my life, I have also lived in several other areas which I feel shape my teaching at HC. My wife and I lived and worked for three years in Egypt under the auspices of Mennonite Central Committee, working as teachers in both an elementary school and at summer institues for adults. I enjoy having international students in my classes and watching students from different cultures learn from each other. My family and I also lived in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania for eight years. While Pennsylvania is not too different from Kansas (ok, Kansas is flatter), I have some understanding about how students from a distance feel about travelling and studying far from home.
What do prospective students need to know about Hesston’s learning environment?
There are a variety of opportunities available to freshman and sophomore students at HC. There are opportunities for students to work as tutors in the ACCESS lab which students may not qualify for as freshman or sophomores at a four year school. There are opportunities for students to get help when they need extra help by making use of the tutors in ACCESS. Faculty and students are willing to help others who need help as they learn.
Where do alumni go and what do they do after Hesston?
In the ten years I have taught at Hesston I have had students go on to study engineering at Colorado School of Mines, Drexel University, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Kansas State, Messiah College, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pittsburg State, and Rose Hulman. I have had students continue in math education at Eastern Mennonite University and Kansas State.
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