Profiles
Kathleen Vetter
Apr 8, 2026
Kathleen Vetter grew up inspired by the world of education. Now following in her father’s footsteps, Vetter hopes to make the same impact on her students as a mathematics educator.
Hometown: Linton, N.D.
Graduation Year: 2025
Major: Mathematics Education
What were you involved in on campus?
Viking Catholic and Women’s Golf
What or who inspired you to major in Math Education?
My dad was a welding teacher for his entire career. Not only did he change the lives and 
perspectives of his students, but they changed his as well. Seeing the impact he had on people—and the impact they had on him—really inspired me to follow a similar path.
Why did you choose VCSU?
I come from a small town in North Dakota and I wanted that same small-town feeling in college. VCSU felt like a place where people know you, care about you, and want to see you succeed.
How did your professors and the math department prepare you for a job post-graduation?
My professors didn’t just teach me how to pass a class or be a good student. They taught me how to actually understand math and how it connects to the world around us—and honestly, so many other areas of life too. They were also people I felt comfortable going to for advice and guidance. I could speak up, share my thoughts, and know they were heard and valued.
My professors didn’t just teach me how to pass a class or be a good student. They taught me how to actually understand math and how it connects to the world around us—and honestly, so many other areas of life too. They were also people I felt comfortable going to for advice and guidance. I could speak up, share my thoughts, and know they were heard and valued.
What has been the most challenging part of preparing to become a teacher?
The hardest part is the fear of failure—not for myself, but the fear of not being the best I can be for the next generation of learning. That responsibility is a big one, and I want to do it well.
The hardest part is the fear of failure—not for myself, but the fear of not being the best I can be for the next generation of learning. That responsibility is a big one, and I want to do it well.
How did your student teaching experience prepare you for your own classroom?Student teaching gave me experiences I had never seen before. I feel incredibly blessed with where I’ve come from and where I’ve been placed. I got to work with people who were very different from me. My students were there to learn from me, but I quickly realized it was just as important for me to learn from them. (Turns out the teacher learns a lot too!)
How do you hope to make a difference in your students’ lives?
I hope my students can look back someday and see how each teacher helped them in a different way. I want them to know that every day is a new chance to try again. Everyone has their own talents, and I want to be someone who helps them discover those.
I hope my students can look back someday and see how each teacher helped them in a different way. I want them to know that every day is a new chance to try again. Everyone has their own talents, and I want to be someone who helps them discover those.
What do you love most about teaching math?
Math is everywhere. It explains so many things around us and I love sharing that sense of understanding and awe with others. Just when you think you’ve figured math out, there’s always another piece to discover. You have to understand it piece by piece—and that’s what makes it so amazing that we can keep figuring it out.
Math is everywhere. It explains so many things around us and I love sharing that sense of understanding and awe with others. Just when you think you’ve figured math out, there’s always another piece to discover. You have to understand it piece by piece—and that’s what makes it so amazing that we can keep figuring it out.
What advice do you have for students wanting to major in math education?
Math is a major that can take you so many places. Teaching is everywhere—you just have to find the right place to do it. Math itself is this complex yet simple truth that we’ll probably never fully understand, but that’s what makes it special. You never stop learning. So, if you want to challenge yourself and keep growing, this is a great place to start.
