I became involved in private tutoring so that I could practice math on a daily basis and soon discovered that I loved using my skills to help others.”

Nicole’s Story

In high school, Nicole Hubbard loved every minute of her math classes. “I was always more of a math person, better at dealing with numbers and puzzles. I enjoyed the fact that math had concrete answers but also room for creativity.”

At California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Nicole wanted a major that could make the best use of her math skills. She chose industrial engineering. “My undergraduate courses were stimulating and fun, with many mathematical undertones and foundations.” Nicole completed several summer internships in order to gain work experience in her proposed field but realized that there was something missing. It was when she began tutoring and helping high school students with geometry, calculus and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) preparation, that she discovered how much she enjoyed teaching. “I loved using my skills to help other people.”

Nicole earned her Master of Arts in Teaching credential from the University of Southern California and began teaching 11th grade integrated mathematics at San Diego’s project-based High Tech High International in 2006. In 2009, Nicole became a faculty advisor for High Tech High for Africa, a new student club. Nicole traveled to Uganda to support a related sister school in the summer of 2009.