Meet Samuel Hammett ’21: ‘I Want to Reform Mathematics Education and Inspire Students to Love Mathematics’

This is part of a series of profiles of students who are graduating from the NC State College of Education in May 2021.

In high school, Samuel Hammett ’21 hated math. But that changed when he got a teacher who made math more enjoyable. It was then that he realized the impact a teacher can have on a student’s life. In May, Hammett will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education, hoping to make a similar impact on students as his favorite teachers had on him.

Learn more about Samuel Hammett

Hometown: Archdale, North Carolina

Major/Area of Study: Secondary Mathematics Education

Activities (Research or Extracurricular): North Carolina Teaching Fellows

Why did you choose the NC State College of Education?

I want to become a teacher purely because of the impact my favorite teachers had on my life. I want to become a teacher that has that same kind of impact on a student. Since NC State has the best teacher preparation program, it was an easy choice to choose this college.

Why did you choose your area of study?

I hated mathematics in high school until I got one teacher who was able to make math enjoyable. I then thought about every math class I had up to that point and realized that a good math teacher goes a long way. I chose secondary mathematics education because I want to reform mathematics education and inspire students to love mathematics.

What do you hope to accomplish in your field after graduation?

I hope to be the best educator that I can possibly be after graduation.

What’s your next step? What do you have planned after graduation?

My plan is to move back to my hometown in Randolph County, North Carolina, and become a high school mathematics teacher. I want to be surrounded by friends, family and a community that is invested in me so that I can become a great math teacher.

How has the College of Education prepared you for that next step?

The College of Education taught me how to become an extraordinary educator and then gave me the experience I needed. Every year in the College of Education, I was placed out in the field into schools to gain real-world teaching experience. The college provided a community that prepared me to become successful, such as the North Carolina Teaching Fellows, which gave me many professional development opportunities throughout my time at NC State.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time in the College of Education?

I can’t pinpoint one, but my favorite memories are of working with the various education professors within the College of Education. Every professor in the mathematics education department makes you feel welcome and invests in your success as an educator.

Tell us about an experience you had with the College of Education that had the biggest impact on you or your career.

I started at NC State as an engineering student and my friends were College of Education students. From these relationships, I went to many College of Education events and began to meet different students from the college. Finally, I met Crystal Espey, NC State’s coordinator of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program, and her energy and the way she explained a career in education solidified my want to become an educator.