MIKE CATALANO  •  Professor of Mathematics

Family:
My wife, Pamela, and four children: twins Jenna and Chelsea, 16; Anna, 11; and Ben, 5

Education:
B.A. summa cum laude in mathematics and music, St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., 1984; M.S. in mathematics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1989; Ph.D. in mathematics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1992

Describe yourself in three words.
Curious, caring, informal

Why Wesleyan?
I wanted to find a position at a smaller college where the liberal arts were valued.

When I visited Wesleyan, what really sold me was the commitment and heart of Mike Farney and Rocky Von Eye for the college, the department and the students. I could tell they would be wonderful people to work with, and this has proven so true over my 14 years here.

What has been your most important experience at DWU?
It is hard to pick one experience, especially as a lot of what is important about what I do are the day-to-day interactions I have with students and faculty.

If I had to pick one sort of exceptional experience, I would say the opportunity I had to serve as acting academic dean for two years. I had not planned on getting into administration, but I enjoyed being able to serve in a leadership role, and to work as part of a different team.

I value ...
family, friends, music, the chance to learn new things each day, and the opportunities I have both as a member of the Wesleyan faculty and a part of the larger human family to be helpful and have an impact on others’ lives.

I never imagined ...
Being a very shy kid growing up in a small Minnesota town, I never imagined ending up as a college professor, standing up in front of classes of students helping to lead them into an understanding of mathematics, and enjoying it.