Department of Mathematical Sciences Alumna of the Semester

Nancy Vojtash Moore

Math alumna Nancy Vojtash Moore, a 1999 graduate in the math teaching option, believes in making connections, and she has maintained these connections to IPFW both before and after graduation. Nancy grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she attended South Side High School. After living in San Diego and Lexington, she is back at South Side High School, but this time in Fort Wayne.

Her connections to IPFW are strong. As an undergraduate, she was a Writing Center consultant, a Transitional Studies tutor (now CASA), and a teaching assistant with the Summer Bridge Program. Since graduation, she has continued as the coordinator for the Pulin Sampat Memorial Undergraduate Research Award competition. She has been an IPFW Alumni Association Board of Directors committee member since 2006, representing the College of Arts & Sciences. Within the math department, she has helped plan several of the math alumni dinners and has contributed to the Pieces-of-PIe campaign. This summer she is teaching math at the Upward Bound Summer Academy. Nancy was pleased to reconnect with the Upward Bound Program, as she was an Upward Bound high school student more than 30 years ago at Carnegie-Mellon University and is grateful for the difference it made in her education.

As is a common experience for many of our students, Nancy attended IPFW while raising two sons, Brendan and Daniel, with her husband, Jim. Nancy says that she thoroughly enjoyed her time at IPFW. Her favorite honors class was Science and Human Values, team-taught by—as she describes them, the late and beloved Steve Hollander and the venerable Bill Frederick. When asked who her favorite professors were, she responded diplomatically, “there are too many gems from which to choose.” She also noted that a small number of friendships with students forged at IPFW proved to be sacred to her. Summarizing what made her experience at IPFW enjoyable and worthwhile, Nancy recalled, “I made connections with my classmates where feasible and enjoyed acquaintances with amicable professors and staff, thereby enjoying a real sense of community at IPFW.”

Nancy began her teaching career at Summit Middle School, where she taught Pre-Algebra, Geometry and Algebra II. After three years, she moved to South Side High School and has been happily teaching there since. She teaches Integrated Mathematics, Discrete Mathematics, and Precalculus, though she has also taught Biology and Earth & Space Science. In 2004 she was appointed as IB Coordinator at South Side High School’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, an internationally recognized and rigorous pre-university course of study. This summer Nancy became a graduate student in IPFW’s Masters in Educational Leadership Program.

When asked for advice to new teachers, Nancy observed, “This is a high-energy profession—save your best energy for the students themselves and build a positive classroom community.”