Carol Hecht Serotta's path to Cabrini College began during her days as a student. While studying at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a B.A. and an M.Ed., she met the then-Chair of Cabrini's Mathematics department, who invited her to teach a class at Cabrini.
Shortly after, Serotta became a full-time professor, splitting her time between the mathematics and computer science departments. One year after signing on, she transitioned to a full-time professor of mathematics. She has been at Cabrini for 30 years, and served as department chair for nearly 15 years.
In her time at Cabrini, Serotta has developed a deep appreciation for the college and what it represents.
"Every day when I arrive, I slow down for a few seconds to take in the beauty of the campus," she says. "I rejoice in knowing that each day I will have the opportunity to continue learning, and the chance to share this knowledge with the most wonderful colleagues and students, and that I will do all this at one of the greatest places on Earth, Cabrini College."
Since knowledge of math is vital to a well-rounded education, but can cause so much anxiety in those who are not naturally mathematically-inclined, Serotta incorporates several methods into her curriculum that attempt to ease the stress of anxiety-ridden students. She relies on active participation by students to further their understanding of the subject, and focuses on creative ways to overcome math-related anxiety. Her goal in the classroom is to pass on her love of mathematics to her students.
"Teaching mathematics is not just my profession; it is my passion," Serotta says. "My goal is to make this part of a Cabrini student's education both useful and memorable."
Serotta's downtime is spent volunteering regularly for the March of Dimes, Cancer Research, The Heart Fund and The Diabetes Research Foundation, among others; and she is a past officer and member of the North Penn Area Scholarship Fund.
She also enjoys puzzles such as anagrams, cryptograms, crossword puzzles, and numerical puzzles. "I love reading and solving problems of every kind," she says.
Serotta was born in Philadelphia, and resides in Lansdale with her family.
Contact information:
Carol Hecht Serotta
Associate Professor, Mathematics
Grace Hall, Room 232
610-902-8346
cserotta@cabrini.edu