Aaron Trautwein
Aaron Trautwein, associate professor of mathematics at Carthage, looks a bit young to be in his 13th year at the College. Mr. Trautwein brings a youthful spirit to match his appearance, and says he feels a sense of excitement on campus.
“It’s gratifying to be at a place that’s changing, not stagnant,” Mr. Trautwein says, crediting that spirit to surging enrollment, new buildings and an influx of new blood into the faculty.
Mr. Trautwein says Carthage is a good place for young faculty members.
“At a lot of schools, new faculty are kind of shunted aside, not part of the decision-making process.” Here, he adds, “they’re integrated right away.”
For many years, Mr. Trautwein has led the United Way campaign on campus. He recalls being asked by Larry Hamilton, psychology department chair, to assist him with the campaign shortly after joining the faculty. When Mr. Hamilton became ill, Mr. Trautwein stepped up to the task.
Mr. Trautwein is also active in the United Way of Kenosha County. He has served on committees that evaluate local social service agencies, and recommend funding levels.
“It’s my way of giving back to the community,” he says. “It’s not just the College I like, it’s the community too. Kenosha has been an exciting place to be.”
Mr. Trautwein grew up in the St. Louis area, and earned degrees there from Washington and St. Louis Universities. As an undergraduate at Washington, he minored in anthropology.
“I had planned to teach high school originally, and go on (archeological) digs in the summer,” he recalls. Instead, “I was encouraged by a couple of professors, that I could have greater influence by teaching people who would be teachers, rather than teaching high school myself.”
After he earned a doctoral degree at the University of Iowa, Mr. Trautwein says he chose Carthage from 10 offers.
“The mathematics department is very dynamic,” he says. “They’re very innovative with the use of technology, very student-centered.”
Mr. Trautwein is equally enthusiastic about “both the quality and the quantity” of his students.
“They’re the most active students I’ve ever seen on campuses,” he says. “And they’re nice people. They care about how we’re doing. We have a lot of math majors for a school of our size,” which he notes allows the department to offer a broader array of courses more frequently.
Teaching at the college level, “I view myself as more of a coach, a mentor in the classroom” than would be possible in a high school setting.
“Our students are adults,” Mr. Trautwein says. “They usually have a better sense of themselves and an idea of where they want to go in life. It’s exciting to help them reach their goals.”
In addition to teaching mathematics, Mr. Trautwein has taught Heritage Studies courses on several occasions, where students read and discuss classic works of literature to gain a greater understanding of identity. He considers this kind of multi-disciplinary approach another plus for Carthage.
“It’s exciting to teach outside of my discipline,” Mr. Trautwein says.