Dr. Thomas P. Ottinger
Associate Professor of Mathematics
“My goal for students is to see mathematics as a meaningful way to interact with the world.”
Beyond the Textbook
In his classes, Dr. Thomas (Tom) Ottinger has students engage and interact with mathematics beyond the textbook.
“My goal is to have them make sense of math and do related activities, rather than just being taught to memorize it,” said Ottinger. “In statistics, for example, students devise a statistical study, collect and analyze data, and draw a meaningful conclusion from their findings.”
Building a Strong Foundation
Ottinger helps students build a strong foundation in mathematics so that they can take a solid understanding of the subject into their future careers.
“Graduates often come up to me and say ‘I have a job now, and I am teaching mathematics. I am using all the methods that you showed us how to use,’” said Ottinger. “That’s really exciting to me to know I made an impact on students and that they are able to take and effectively use what they learned in my classes.”
Getting to Know Students as Individuals
Coming to Reinhardt from a larger institution, Ottinger values that he can get to know his students as individuals and remain a mentor after they graduate.
“At Reinhardt, professors can get to know you, not just as a student, but as a person,” he said. “You don’t get lost in the crowd at Reinhardt; you are free to be an individual. You are among people who care about what happens to you.”
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