Mathematics teacher and Stuyvesant alumnus Michael Cho (’00), replaced former mathematics teacher Joseph Stern on Monday, April 16.  Stern left the school because he suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes him to be continuously exhausted.

In his senior year at Stuyvesant, Cho was captain of both the swim team and the math team.  He began college at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) before transferring to UC Irvine.  He worked at a small hedge fund for almost four years before deciding that he wanted to teach.  “I really love teaching.  It is what I have always wanted to do,” he said.

Cho then began working towards his master’s degree at Columbia and is currently completing his degree. During the last school year, Cho worked as a substitute teacher at Stuyvesant and at the Mott Hall School, a well-regarded middle school in Upper Manhattan.

When Stern’s illness forced him to resign, Cho was not working at the time.  Assistant Principal Mathematics Maryann Ferrara offered him the job, which he soon accepted. Cho took over all of Stern’s classes: two sections of Pre-calculus and three Geometry classes.

Though he is currently filling a long-term position, he is unsure how long he will remain at the school.  Despite the uncertainty, Cho is optimistic. “I would love to teach here [on a permanent basis],” Cho said. “It’s been great so far, the kids are intelligent and they ask interesting questions.”