Noyce Scholar Profile
Jesse Robert
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Mathematics, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Current academic or teaching status:
Junior
School and school district:
Pacific Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE) in Mathematics
Background:
I am from Kosrae, Micronesia. After graduating from Kosrae High School, I came out here to the University of Hawaii (UH) Hilo to further my education in Computer Science. After my first year, I finally came to realize that I have more passion towards Math than Computer Science. Thus, I changed my field of study to Mathematics. I comr from a big family, and not that I am too proud of myself, yet I am so privileged to be the first among my family to come this far in school.
Why do you want to teach:
One reason why I want to teach is because, I want to share my love for math with other people (students), to invest this passion in them. Not just to deliver the materials for the day because that’s the job’s purpose, but to make them fully understand the concepts. Also, I want to be one of the Micronesian teachers here on Hawaii. I want to lend a helping hand to any Micronesian students attending school here on Hawaii in whatever area they’re struggling with in school.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
I am currently enrolling UH Hilo to become a secondary teacher. Honestly speaking, while I was growing up, I never thought one day I would want to become a teacher. I’ve seen the best and the worst; both students and teachers. I remember back in elementary school, I came in contact with one of the best math teacher I had ever met. He delivered the materials so well that it was so clear to understand. He really did show passion for what he was teaching. He invited me to be part of a team that competed in an annual Math competition. He opened my eyes to how teaching math is to invest that passion you have for it into the students. Not only that, coming to UH Hilo, my current Math professors are just like my elementary teacher in terms of the passion they have for mathematics. These memorable experience have given me the idea to try to be like them.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program means a lot to me–Success, Degree, Good Opportunity–you name it. I never thought that there could be such a good program whose purpose is to guide us students in college knowing that a better future awaits us. There’s nothing much I can ask for. I’m just thankful for everything about this program.
