This year, Christina Werner joined the Upper Division faculty as an Honors Precalculus teacher and an academic dean for grades nine and ten. She earned her B.A. in mathematics from the University of Florida, where she decided to pursue education. 

“What’s funny is, when I went to UF I thought I wanted to be a dentist,” said Werner.

Werner said that while studying to be a dentist, she felt especially drawn to her math classes; therefore, she decided to major in mathematics, following in her mother’s footsteps and becoming a teacher. She later went on to earn her M.A. in education with a teaching credential from Stanford University and her M.A. in educational leadership from the University of Tampa.

Werner enjoys many different aspects of her job, whether she is working in her classroom or her office in the Gries Center. She says that she loves seeing students have “that aha moment”, and she also loves to watch her students and advisees grow as people. 

“My goal is helping more students realize that they have more potential than they think they do,” Werner said. 

Outside of the classroom, Werner enjoys running and spending quality time with her family. If she were not a teacher, she says she would be a civil rights lawyer because she cares about fighting for justice and making the world a better place. 

When asked about advice she has for her students, Werner emphasized the importance of being kind to yourself. 

“Just be kind, keep trying, but be kind to others and yourself,” she said.