ALTOONA, Pa. — Andrea Boito, teaching professor of mathematics and statistics at Penn State Altoona, joined a former student on a recent episode of his podcast “Byline with Ben Dennis.”
The episode examines the math that lies underneath elections and the hidden formulas behind ranked-choice voting. These issues, along with voting systems, elections, congressional representation, and the formulas behind how societies choose leaders, are all covered in Boito’s MATH 36 course, in which Dennis was once a student.
Dennis is now an anchor for WDVM/WDCW in Washington, D.C. His podcast aims to break down headlines into the real-world impact of the stories that shape the lives of listeners.
"Hearing Ben reflect on how much he remembered from the course — and that it was the first time he enjoyed a math class — was incredibly rewarding," said Boito. "For any educator, there is a special sense of pride in seeing students carry lessons with them beyond their major fields of study. Experiences like this serve as a powerful reminder that meaningful teaching can leave a lasting impact well beyond the classroom."