MCC Daily Tribune

MCC Proud: Meet Paul Seeburger

Paul Seeburger is a Mathematics Professor at Monroe Community College (MCC) and has worked in the department since Fall 1998.

Teaching wasn’t his original career choice. “…all during high school I planned to be a computer programmer,” he said. “I changed my mind halfway through college, when I realized I would rather work with people than just sit behind a computer all day.”

At the time, Seeburger’s father taught math at a community college in Michigan. “I enjoyed the variety of experiences we were able to have as a family because of my dad’s teaching career,” he said. “…I decided to follow in his footsteps.”

However, Seeburger didn’t automatically choose to pursue math as a result of his father’s career.

He added, “I don’t remember liking it much until algebra class when we began graphing curves like y = x3. I thought it was really interesting that an equation specified something so visually interesting as a curve. Ever since, it’s been the graphical visualizations of mathematics that I have found most interesting and enjoyable.”

While Seeburger originally taught math at the high school level, he switched to community college students four years later. “It’s been a lot of fun to be able to talk with my dad about teaching math!” he added.

Something interesting happened after Seeburger began teaching at MCC. “I began to use my interest in computer programming to create visualization apps to help my students better understand the geometric nature of the concepts I was teaching, especially in Calculus,” he said. In fact, the “hobby” has taken off and become the core of Seeburger’s National Science Foundation grant projects. He has also received multiple Xerox STEM grants.

Seeburger has received multiple awards during his time at MCC, including the 2010 ICTCM Award for Excellence & Innovation Using Technology in Collegiate Mathematics, in recognition of his project, Dynamic Visualization for Multivariable Calculus. Other memorable honors include the 2011 MERLOT Classics Award for developing an outstanding, peer-reviewed online resource, Exploring Multivariable Calculus and the 2015 NYS Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges Outstanding Contributions to Mathematics Education Award.

When asked what advice he’d give current or perspective MCC students, Seeburger said, “Do your best to learn as much as you can in all your courses, ask lots of questions whenever you are unclear, and find people doing the job you are interested in doing and ask them all about their experiences. This will help you know if you can see yourself enjoying this career.”

Outside of MCC, Seeburger served as an adult leader in his son’s Boy Scout troop from 2016-2023. He also volunteers with his wife to teach a Sunday School class for kids (ages 3-4) at their church.

Seeburger enjoys reading about history and learning/practicing foreign languages. While he is currently studying Spanish the most, he enjoys listening to audiobooks in Spanish and German.

“I even took a Chinese 101 course at MCC back in 2015!” he said.

Seeburger earned a B.S. in Mathematics at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, MI and earned an M.A. in Mathematics at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, MI.

Fun Facts About Paul:

Courtney: What is the most memorable thing that’s happened during your time at MCC?

Paul: I met and married my wife during my time at MCC, and then raised my two kids while teaching here.

Courtney: If you had to eat the same meal at least once a day, what would it be?

Paul: A sandwich. It’s nice to have a variety of ingredients, but I really do enjoy a good sandwich.

Courtney: Favorite Movie?

Paul: The Chosen (a series) and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Avatar and Inside Out were pretty cool too.

Courtney: Biggest Fear?

Paul: Being misunderstood.

Courtney: Is there anything about you that people are surprised to learn?

Paul: Probably… but I am not sure what it would be.

Courtney: If you could attend a dinner with any celebrity, living or dead, who would you choose?

Paul: Jesus, the apostle Paul, Francis Schaeffer, C.S. Lewis or Martin Luther, whichever is easier to arrange, in this order.

Courtney: Do you prefer staying up late or waking up early in the morning?

Paul: Staying up late. It’s nice not to have a fixed end-time, allowing me to focus more fully on what I am working on.

Courtney: Share the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?

Paul: Only one life. It soon will pass. Only what’s done for Christ (and out of love for other people) will last.

Courtney: What destination do you hope to visit one day?

Paul: Spain (to hike the Camino de Santiago and perhaps to see the next full eclipse), New Zealand, and the Caribbean

Courtney: What activities do you participate in over the weekend?

Paul: I enjoy running 5Ks, playing disc golf, downhill and cross-country skiing, hiking the High Peaks in the Adirondacks with my family (and the Boy Scouts), and working outside in my garden.

Photo Caption:

Head and shoulder shot of Paul Seeburger, wearing glasses and a blue checkered button-down shirt, smiling directly into the camera.

Attached Files:
Paul Seeburger.jpg

Courtney Weimar
Community Relations
02/12/2025