Paige Fino recently graduated from Penn State with a degree in Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences and multiple minors. Early in their education, Paige became fascinated with mathematics and science due to how similar the topics are to puzzles. They love breaking complex topics down into small parts then discovering new ways to connect the pieces. They frequently pull on those connections when teaching to demonstrate multiple different approaches to the same topic. Their goal when teaching is to build a conceptual understanding of the material that can be used to connect new and old ideas together and paint a more complete picture of the class material. Paige loves working with students to discover new ways of approaching topics that are tailored to that student’s unique needs and prior knowledge. Outside of the classroom, Paige has always been deeply involved in environmental education and outreach. They spent multiple years volunteering at a local zoo and teaching guests of all ages about animals and wildlife in general. At Penn State, they volunteered as a camp counselor at Outdoor School and taught middle school students about ecology. Paige strongly believes that there is something in science for everyone—they might just need help finding it. They draw on that belief every time they teach by encouraging students to be curious and experiment with new methods. They want students to feel comfortable asking questions and making mistakes because that is when the most learning happens. In the future, Paige intends to attend veterinary school to become a wildlife veterinarian. They hope to combine their passions for outreach, science, and discovery in thier future career as a wildlife veterinarian.

Random Fact: Paige plays the flute locally with the State College Municipal Band and Toot in Common