SUNY Online Teaching Ambassador 2025: Niagara – Salvatore Sciandra

Salvatore Sciandra is a professor of Mathematics at SUNY Niagara (formally Niagara County Community College) since 2001 and Division Chair of the Business and STEM Department since 2017.  He is graduate of the State University College at Buffalo with a Bachelor’s of Science in Secondary Mathematics and Master of Science in Education in Mathematics.  Salvatore is also an ancillary publisher with Pearson Publishing Co. creating and editing instructor and student solutions manuals.

I currently teach both Intermediate Algebra and Applied Calculus online and have for over a decade.  Although these courses can be difficult for some students, having to follow the course schedule and deadlines, but for most it grants the flexibility and advantages to be able to work on the course on their own timeframe which may be late at night or very early in the morning around jobs and family commitments.  Over the years I have incorporated many new resources to help my students get the most out of these courses. Everything from solution videos to understanding mathematical processes, to creating new screen shot videos to welcome my students to the course and offering a Problem Set assignment that mocks the Exams that can be taken multiple times to ensure success.  I have found that a well laid out course and a getting started module of basic information is the key for my students to be able to navigate the course successfully.